ACUTE GASTRO-INTESTINAL CATARRH OF THE OX. 93 



clinical observation permits us to detect functional troubles before 

 any manifest anatomical alterations exist. The most important of 

 these functional disturbances is the suppression of rumination. But 

 dyspepsia and catarrh depend upon the same causes, the latter often 

 complicates the former, and there is no symptom that will enable 

 us to make the distinction. Thus, contrary to custom, we shall 

 describe dyspepsia as the first stage of acute gastro-intestinal 

 catarrh. 



In ruminants the diseases of the stomach are more frequent than 

 those of the intestine ; the paunch and third stomach are the gastric 

 compartments most frequently affected. The intestine is very 

 seldom the seat of a primary affection. Diarrhea is the principal 

 symptom of the various alterations which may affect it. 



Etiology. îTot all animals are equally predisposed to acute 

 gastro-intestinal catarrh. This predisposition varies according to 

 the degree of activity of the digestive function, the constitution and 

 temperament, pre-existing diseases, the age, etc. 



The principal causes predisposing the animals to the disease are 

 a continued feeding of poor, insipid food, slops and liquid foods 

 given to the exclusion of all others, permanent stabling, a special 

 diet inducing an increase of milk or fat production ; poor and nar- 

 row stalls in the neighborhood of large cities, where the animals are 

 fed with all kinds of refuse. Let us add that the trouble is more 

 common during the intermediate seasons of spring and fall than at 

 any other time of the year. 



The causes which determine it are : 



1. Overloading of the paunch. 



2. Cold, frosted, or frost-covered fodder ; the feeding on pastures 

 before the proper season, or very late in the fall ; very hot or cold 

 drinks, and external colds. 



3. Improper feeding ; the abrupt change from dry to green food 

 or from green to dry ; new hay ingested to excess, especially if the 

 animals drink a large quantity of water immediately after eating ; 

 also disproportion between dry and soft or liquid food, such as 

 malt, grain, farinas, bran, roots, raw potatoes, etc.; the same is 

 true when there are weeds in the food, such as leaves, vine-sprouts, 

 turnip- leaves, hay-seed, sweepings ; excess of straw as food, a con- 

 tinuous feeding of whole grain, rape cakes, and an exclusive fatten- 

 ing diet with dry feed. Straw cut very short has been condemned 



