Brisket Disease. 
23 
November 7.—Pulse 120 and weak; temperature 103.2. The thorax 
was tapped with trocar and cannula, but not to exceed a pint of fluid was 
obtained. Four gallons of fluid were drawn from the abdomen, which 
noticeably reduced its size. At 8 a. m. *4 gr. digitalin was given hypo¬ 
dermically; at 1.30 p. m. X A gr. digitalin and % gr. strychnine; 5 p. m. 
gr. digitalin. 
November 8.—Brisket swollen more than on previous day, abdomen 
slightly fuller than after tapping. One-fourth gr. digitalin and % gr. 
strychnine given morning and evening. 
November 9.—Brisket and abdomen same as 011 previous day. Same 
medicament as on previous day. Red blood corpuscles 14,120,000. 
November 10.—Weak; temperature 102.3. One-fourth grain digita¬ 
lin and % gr. strychnine morning and evening. 
November 11.—One-eighth grain digitalin and % gr. strychnine 
given in the morning. Animal very weak. Died within thirty minutes 
after the last dose of medicine. 
Post Mortem.—Carcass emaciated. Subcutaneous tissue edematous 
on under surface of jaw, neck, chest and part of abdomen; probably a 
gallon of fluid in the thoracic cavity and a small amount in the pericar¬ 
dium; lungs normal except lower portion of cephalic and cardiac lobes 
which appear reddened and collapsed; heart much dilated and flabby even 
the left ventricle collapsing as does the right in some cases; no macro¬ 
scopic valvular lesions. Abdominal cavity contained a small amount of 
fluid, the mesentery and subserous tissues throughout being markedly 
edematous. Liver enlarged and hard, mottled on section. Spleen nor¬ 
mal, other organs normal except for generalized edema. Areas of necrosis 
on the side of the neck evidently resulting from the digitalin. 
CASE No. 31.—Hereford heifer, yearling, shipped to South Park 
from the South previous spring in same bunch as No. 30. Noticed to be 
sick on week previous to date of our first visit by exhibition of diarrhoea 
followed later by a distended abdomen. Seen on November 6, 1914. Ani¬ 
mal in fair state of flesh, rather strong, appetite good, diarrhoea, slight 
swelling under jaw, none of the brisket, abdomen distended moderately. 
Was treated approximately as No. 30 until November 11, when she, being 
very weak and the swelling of the brisket being quite marked, treatment 
was discontinued. The swelling of the neck due to the digitalin was very 
noticeable. Her pulse ran between 100 and 120 during the time of ob¬ 
servation with a temperature varying from 102 to 105.5, the high tem¬ 
peratures being charged to the abscesses produced by the digitalin. The 
red count on November 9th was 16,200,000. 
SUMMARY. 
A disease occurs in cattle in the high altitudes of Colorado, the 
principle symptoms of which are swelling of the brisket and of the 
loose tissues under the jaw, usually diarrhoea and a moist cough 
with gradual emaciation and death. 
It is chronic in character but is fatal in practically all cases. 
On autopsy the most marked features are general dropsy, en¬ 
larged and hard liver and dilated heart. 
In six cases shipped to a lower altitude (about five thousand 
