6 
Colorado Experiment Station. 
in the summer, while at the higher levels up to thirteen thousand, 
it is a summer disease, largely, however, because cattle do not re¬ 
main at these elevations in the winter. A wet cold summer is asso¬ 
ciated with a marked increase in the disease, and an especially hard 
winter may make a difference in the number of cases. This is rather 
easily explained by saying that more work is put upon the heart dur¬ 
ing cold weather and this would break down an already weakened 
organ all the more quickly. 
SYMPTOMS. 
The first evidence of the disease is a dull, listless appearance, 
the hair stands on end and the ears droop. The animal appears 
gaunt owing to failure to take the usual amount of food. There 
may be a slight moist cough. A diarrhoea usually appears soon 
after the other symptoms, or it may even be the first symptom noted. 
The respiration is increased and the pulse is rapid and weak. Many 
calves die in this stage without showing any swelling of the brisket. 
In some instances the appetite remains good up to within a few 
days of death. 
Later, there appears a swelling of the loose tissue under the jaw 
and a swelling of the loose tissues of the brisket. Either swelling 
may appear first, but gradually the two merge into each other as the 
whole under part of the neck becomes dropsical. In male animals, 
the sheath may swell considerably and the hind limbs become puffy. 
The fore limbs may stock in extreme cases. The swelling of the 
brisket may become enormous in size, extending out in front of the 
fore limbs as a rather firm doughy mass. There is no pain on pres¬ 
sure and the part is not increased in temperature. The abdomen 
may swell markedly in its lower portion due to accumulation of 
fluid. 
The respiration becomes increased but labored only on exercise. 
A moist cough is very commonly noticed. A clear mucous dis¬ 
charge comes from the eyes and nostrils. There is no fever. The 
heart-beats are increased, especially on slight excitement or exer¬ 
cise when they may run one hundred to one hundred and twenty per 
minute. Under these circumstances the beat is tumultous but lacks 
force as evidenced by a very weak pulse. A pronounced jugular 
pulse is common in the later stages. 
Forced exercise in this later stage will cause labored breathing, 
coughing, hemorrhage from the nose, and if continued, rapid death. 
Consequently it is difficult to drive them to a point where they can 
be shipped. 
The animals become very weak, so that the slightest exertion 
or excitement causes them to fall. This has been noticed repeatedly 
when attempting to restrain them for close observation. 
