ON RED WATER. 
499 
change of weather, as was the case this year (it had scarcely been 
heard of till towards the middle of June), when, after some days’ 
rain, it came on with more than ordinary violence, and was fatal 
to a considerable extent. That it affects cattle brought fresh on 
almost certainly, and that more severely than those which are 
natives. That it affects those which appear to be in the best condi¬ 
tion as commonly as those which are not. That no age is exempt, 
not even calves in the pen; but if there is a difference, milch cows 
are most frequently attacked ; next to them, yearlings: and that 
it but rarely affects the same cattle twice. The first appearances 
are often so slightly marked, that those accustomed to the disease, 
and on the look-out for it, are frequently unaware of the affection 
until they see the urine : there is frequently a slight purging, and 
staring of the coat; but the beast often continues to feed for a 
day or two, and it sometimes passes off without any thing being 
done. In general, however, after the first day the appetite is 
gone; rumination is no longer performed, nor digestion either; in 
short, the different functions are nearly all suspended, while the 
secretion of urine is increased, and that mixed with blood, evi¬ 
dently from the kidnies. The pulse, from being much quick¬ 
ened, soon becomes imperceptible at the jaw ; and even the heart 
is often not to be felt ; while in some cases a violent palpitation 
comes on, and so loud that it may be heard at some yards dis¬ 
tance, but which after a time ceases, and generally some hours 
before death, when that is the termination. I have said that di¬ 
gestion ceases, and I may say nutrition also, in all acute cases ; 
in consequence of which the discharge of blood by urine (though 
not very great) in the course of two days often drains the sys¬ 
tem apparently to the last quart. The stomachs and bowels are, 
I think, only torpid (and often for a time not to be acted upon) ; 
for, on dissection, though they may be said to be full, their con¬ 
tents are often sufficiently moist, particularly when plenty of 
fluids have been given. There is, I believe, no disease which pre¬ 
sents invariably the same appearances after death, depending, in 
some measure, upon the duration, and also upon the treatment 
which has been adopted; therefore there are, doubtless, dif¬ 
ferences in this : but in all the cases which I have examined, 
and where the patient did not die of the doctor (which is often 
the case in more ways than one), the following are the chief:— 
there has scarcely any blood remained; the heart considerably 
marked with dark spots ; the liver of a brown colour, apparently 
from there being no blood in it, of rather a spongy texture; and 
the gall-bladder containing some quantity of almost colourless 
bile ; the kidnies flabby, and internally red, apparently from in¬ 
filtration of blood. 
