TOXIC GASmO-ENTEBITIS. 



215 



Treatment. This is the same as that for poisoning by sea-salt. 



The ox, relatively speaking, will stand well large doses of sul- 

 phate of soda; w^e have seen a heifer which ingested 5.5 kilo- 

 grammes within four days, without any inconvenience. But, if 

 given on an empty stomach and in excessive quantity (2.5 to 3 

 kilogrammes), this salt may produce death. 



5. Poisoning by Nitre {Nitrates of Potash and Soda). 



Symptoms. Those of gastro-enteritis : colics, diarrhea, meteor- 

 ism, vomitings, salivation, nauseas ; lowering of the general tem- 

 perature; weakness, staggering gait, falls, stupefaction, tremblings; 

 tumultuous and palpitating heart ; polyuria. Sometimes death is 

 apoplectiform, we may also observe at times spasms, rotation of the 

 eyes, etc. 



Course. It is generally very rapid ; the animals may succumb 

 within a few minutes. Usually the disease lasts from half an hour 

 to several hours, exceptionally more than twelve hours. 



Patholog'ical anatomy. Hemorrhagic gastro-enteritis ; cherry- 

 red, purple, or red-brown coloration of the mucous membrane of 

 the stomach (abomasum), and the small intestine ; superficial ulcer- 

 ations of this membrane; red-brown liquid intestinal contents; 

 hyperemia of the abdominal viscera ; inflammation and ecchymoses 

 of the kidneys and of the mucous membrane of the bladder. The 

 blood is liquid, vermilion in color, or otherwise of bad aspect.^ 



Treatment. Emollients, narcotics, or stimulants. 



Poisoning with the nitrates is odinarily the consequence of the 

 confusion of this substance with sea-salt or sulphate of soda. But 

 the animals may also be poisoned by licking walls covered with 

 nitrate ; by drinking from receptacles that have served in the wash- 

 ing of nitrate bags, and occasionally from Chilean nitrate used as 

 manure. 



1 The lesions of poisoning from nitrate of soda are almost similar to those of intoxi- 

 cation from malt; this resemblance has given rise to the supposition that la maladie 

 de la pulpe Wà,s csiVLsed by nitrates which exists in great abundance in turnip roots 

 (Gassend). But experiments, the results of which are as yet unpublished, have de- 

 monstrated that the injurious properties of pulp do not depend upon the salts it may 

 •contain (Arloing). About fifteen years ago, poisonings from nitrate of soda were very 

 frequent in animals of the ovine and bovine species ; they were caused by the water 

 which had been used to wash manure-sacks: the ingestion of this liquid produced 

 almost always a fatal gastro-enteritis. ÎTowadays, on farms, this washing is made in 

 tubs, placed on the manure heap ; thus nothing is lost from the manure, and the 

 animals are protected (Rossignol, communicated note). 



