Brisket Disease. 
i9 
Case 9. —Female, calf, aged six weeks, Shorthorn. History—Been 
on the range at an altitude between eleven thousand and twelve thousand 
feet along with cases ten to twenty-one, inclusive. This case is given espe¬ 
cially because it represents a typical one picked out from a number of 
others that were supposed to have diphtheria. It was also stated that one 
man had lost thirty calves during the previous year similarly affected and 
that this year many were dying from the same affection. An examina¬ 
tion of the mouth of a considerable number revealed no ulcers nor any 
diseased condition, consequently this one was picked out for autopsy. It 
had been sick tor two weeks, brought to ranch nine thousand feet, a week 
before. Symptoms—In good flesh, but the flanks are sunken, due to fail¬ 
ure to suck; hair is standing on end and ears droop; seems to have con¬ 
siderable strength; no noticeable swelling of the brisket or submaxil¬ 
lary space; coughs occasionally; some diarrhoea. Autopsy—Edema of 
the loose tissues surrounding pharynx and larynx; estimated that there 
was a gallon of fluid in the thorax, as much in the abdomen and a pint in 
the percardium; lungs normal except for a few collapsed and red areas 
near ventral border; heart flabby and dilated; peritoneum and walls of 
the hollow abdominal organs markedly edematous; liver enlarged and 
hard, being mottled with gray on section. The interior of the intestines 
and stomach are pale, being due probably to the fact that the animal was 
bled before examination. 
CASE 19. —August 3, 1914. A calf that was presumed to be sick 
like the others, but had been in pasture at about nine thousand five hun¬ 
dred feet. It had developed a swelling of the brisket during the night 
previous to our visit and was very dull and grunting when seen; diarrhoea 
marked; died on the night of August 4. 
CASE 20. —Shorthorn bull, pure bred, age 4 years; raised at Golden, 
Colorado, altitude about five thousand five hundred feet; was purchased 
and shipped to South Park (nine thousand feet) in June, 1913. During 
the following winter he developed a considerable swelling of the brisket. 
Digitalis was given at the rate of one-half teaspoonful of the fluid extract 
daily. He recovered in about a month and in the spring was sent with 
the other cattle to the range between eleven thousand and twelve thou¬ 
sand feet. He was noticed to be ailing about the middle of July and 
a week later his brisket was swollen and he was driven down to an alti¬ 
tude of about ten thousand feet; seen on August 1. Symptoms—Stands 
in shade, seldom moves, dull, no appetite; brisket swollen enormously; 
sheath swollen; legs thickened and edematous, the hocks being especially 
puffy; ears drooped; no diarrhoea. On August 4th he was hauled eight 
miles in a wagon to Jefferson, where he was loaded with Case 21 and 
shipped to Denver. On the 6th of August he was apparently gasping for 
breath, his mouth was open and he was very dull. (It was a very hot 
day and the animal was in the sun.) However, his appetite 1 oemed good. 
On August 10th the swelling of the brisket had decreased fully one-half; 
appetite good; on the 19th all trace of swelling had disappeared and he 
was normal except that he was thin. He was sold on the 31st as a feeder 
and passed out of our observation. 
CASE 21. —Grade Shorthorn steer, three years old. History— 
Raised in Texas and purchased in Denver a year previous; found ailing 
the latter part of July on the range at altitude above eleven thousand 
feet; driven to ranch (nine thousand feet) where he had for two weeks 
received digitalis daily without avail. Shipped to Denver on August 5, 
1914, where he showed the following symptoms on arrival. Symptoms— 
Dull, little appetite, ears drooped; respiration labored, panting; brisket 
swollen enormously, rather firm and hard on pressure; feces normal. On 
August 10th he was eating well and appeared brighter, but the swelling 
