220 



DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



pulmonary emphysema. In poultry we observe weakness, intense 

 thirst, diarrhea, and choreic movements in walking. The dura- 

 tion of this poisoning varies from a few hours to several days. 

 Within five or six days an apparent amelioration is frequently 

 seen. Among a certain number of cows that have resisted a slight 

 poisoning, Schindelka has noticed a complete suppression of lacteal 

 secretion. 



Patholog'ical anatomy. The lesions are similar to those of 

 acute poisoning; gastro-enteritis, sometimes stomatitis aud pharyn- 

 gitis, glandular gastritis (degeneration of the gastric glands) ; fatty 

 degeneration of most of the organs, especially of the liver, heart, 

 kidneys (epithelium), and of the muscles ; bronchitis in cases of 

 vapor inhalation ; ecchymoses aud hemorrhagic centres in the dif- 

 ferent viscera ; black, non-coagulated blood ; phosphorescence of 

 the gastric and intestinal contents, with development of vapors of 

 a characteristic garlic odor. 



Treatment. Milk and fatty alimentary matters should be pre- 

 scribed ; as an emetic, sulphate of copper (to cause the formation of 

 insoluble phosphate of copper) ; old essence of turpentine, rich in 

 oxygen, administered in a large quantity of mucilage (from oxida- 

 tion of the phosphoric acid, which is innocuous ; it is given in the 

 following doses : for the horse, 50 to 100 grammes ; for the ox, 100 

 to 200 grammes; for the pig, 25 to 50 grammes; for the dog, 

 5 to 10 grammes; and for the chicken, 5 to 10 drops. Also 

 stimulants. Oil must be discarded, as it would dissolve the phos- 

 phorus and render it more soluble. 



Phosphoric acid poisoning is observed in all domestic animals, 

 including poultry. It always take an acute form. Chronic poison- 

 ings similar to those described in the human race (necrosis of the 

 bones, mainly of the lower maxillary) have never been seen in our 

 domestic animals. 



This intoxication is ordinarily produced by the ingestion of 

 poisons which have been prepared for the destruction of rats or 

 mice, or phosphorus from matches, more rarely through inhalation 

 of phosphoric vapors.^ As is the case with all poisons, the effects 

 of phosphorus are more rapidly developed and more accentuated 

 when the stomach is empty. Death is due to the ozonization of 



1 Phosphorus paste is indeed the most common cause of this form of poisoning, 

 because it is readily taken by the animals. The dog, however, on account of the 

 facility of vomiting, rarely succumbs after the ingestion of this substance. — l. t. 



