THERMOMETRY OF THE DOMESTICATED ANIMALS. 
285 
little and not at all in proportion with that of the general body. 
The inflamed part often shows a lower temperature than the rec¬ 
tum ; the general increase in the temperature of the body is less 
influenced by the local inflamed tissue than by the fever-reaction, 
and the convulsions which take place in the organism against 
disease. So soon as the disease has attained its crisis, the temper¬ 
ature ceases to increase. 
In the initial stage of acute catarrh of the respiratory organs, 
as in strangles or bronchitis, the temperature is often very high (40° 
to 41°); and, on acccount of other unfavorable symptoms, we 
often fear violent complications, such as pneumonia ; and the 
more so, because the respirations are generally increased in num¬ 
ber, sometimes very strikingly so. But the temperature, as a rule, 
falls to the normal point within four and twenty hours. (P/lug.) 
By pneumonia , the increase in the bodily temperature is ex¬ 
ceedingly marked; it is often 3° above normality at the close of 
the second day, which in the horse, is always somewhat above or 
below 42°, at which temperature it generally remains from the 
second to eighth day, being modified only by the usual morning 
and evening fluctuations; after which period, in favorable cases, 
it sinks tolerably, quickly and constantly almost to the normal 
temperature. During the whole stage of resolution the temper¬ 
ature remains about half a degree above that of health. The 
highest temperature which has been observed in pneumonia is, 
according to Bayer, 42.6°, in which case the animal died; in 
another case, a temperature of 42.3° was observed for three days, 
the animal recovering. Sometimes the temperature rises 2° with¬ 
out any striking increase in the number of respirations; and only 
one or two days after, is infiltration in the lungs detected by 
percussion. The same increase in the temperature is observed at 
the commencement of disease, and can be recognized much earlier 
than by the ordinary symptoms; again the amelioration of disease 
may often be pointed out by the fall of the mercury, although the 
symptoms of disturbance be still present. If the temperature 
remains at a high point for any length of time, it is always indica¬ 
tive of apprehension; yet we are not in a position to give any 
precise limit which is absolutely dangerous to the life of the ani- 
