750 
J. A. COUTURE. 
attacks of disease did not necessitate the veterinarian’s services, 
but the cow was looked upon as being of a delicate consti¬ 
tution. April 25th (two days before being put under my 
care), she refused her food, breathed frequently, moaned, ex¬ 
tremities cold, the secretion of milk had ceased. Such was 
the information that was given to me when I made my first 
visit. 
Clinical examination .—Temperature 105^° ; respiration 30° ; 
pulse hard, strong, small, 80 per minute; the patient moaned 
at every expiration; rumen completely inactive, distended 
and sore ; she moved about with difficulty; constipation. 
Acute disease of the lungs was at once suspected, and the 
chest was carefully auscultated in view of pulmonary disease 
only, and the heart was neglected. That was a mistake ; that 
organ should have been as thoroughly auscultated as the 
lungs, and the true nature of the disease might have been 
discovered then and there. Nothing abnormal was heard in 
either lung, of course, and my attention was brought to the 
digestive organs. The inactivity of the rumen, its distention, 
the moans, the constipated state of the bowels, led me to think 
that it might be gastritis, with a doubtful prognosis. A suitable 
treatment was prescribed, diet to consist of a small quantity 
of hay only. 
April 28th, the next day, the temperature was 107°, pulse 
90, respiration 40, rumen still inactive. Auscultation of the 
chest for lung disease, negative. The same treatment was 
continued, and an oleaginous purgative was given. 
April 29, temperature 105°, pulse 80, respiration 40; rumen 
began to act a little, the intestines purging. 1 thought that 
my patient was better—the appetite was improving, the move¬ 
ments were more easy, the eyes brighter. But the pulse and 
respiration were no better. 
April 30, after examining my patient, I thought she was 
much better. The temperature ioi°, pulse 70, respiration 30. 
The rumen had two fairly strong revolutions per minute; 
rumination fairly good ; appetite improving. The sedatives 
were discontinued, the cooling mixture (alkaline) kept up. 
Diet—hay and small bran mashes. I considered the animal 
