64 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Jan., 1899. 
rectum, keeping hold of the extreme end of the stem with the right-hand 
fingers. Allow it to remain for not less than 4 minutes, and on withdrawing 
it note where the index stands. This gives the temperature of the body. 
While taking the temperature the animal should be in astanding position. At 
the top end of the thermometer the glass is enlarged to form a little knob, 
below which a piece of string about 12 inches in length is tied, with a loop 
on the end to be placed over the finger of the operator, in order to prevent the 
thermometer from falling to the ground when taking an animal’s temperature. 
When the animal (cow or ox) is in perfect health, its temperature should 
be 101°4 degrees F. (calves are usually a trifle higher than adults.) Anything 
above 103 degrees I. indicates sickness. As a rule, just before death the 
temperature of the body falls considerably below the normal. 
A temperature of 103 degrees implies slight fever. 
” ” 104 $5 » moderate fever. 
23 ”? 105°6 > ” Ge 99 high ” 
. ns 106 to 108 __s,,, if very high ,, 
The last temperature could not be long endured. 
Common abnormal or fever temperatures are 104 degrees, 105 degrees, 
and 106 degrees, with their intervening fractions of degrees, though less 
frequently above the last-mentioned number. 
It should be specially noted that a temporary high temperature is 
commonly found after exercise, and is very often caused by excitement. 
Rules to be observed in using the thermometer :— 
1. Never place a clinical thermometer in hot water, for, considering that - 
it only registers just about 110 degrees F., it is certain to burst 
where the glass is thinnest at the bulb. 
. Never allow the animal to drink freely just before taking the 
temperature, as the body heat is lowered when an animal drinks 
cold water. 
3. Care should be exercised that the thermometer is read in the 
horizontal position. 
. Always record temperatures in a book kept for the purpose for 
future reference, and never trust to memory. 
. After each reading, the mercury index should be knocked down to 
below the normal. 
6. Before putting the thermometer away in its case, cleanse it thoroughly 
with a solution of 1 in 20 carbolic acid. 
iw) 
io 
a4 
GENERAL ADVICE. 
The success of inoculation entirely depends upon several important 
factors, which as a rule are not readily adopted by a large number of stock- 
owners. However, the minimum of losses have occurred among cattle inoculated 
where the following rules have been strictly adhered to :— 
1. Absolute cleanliness during the process of drawing the blood. 
2. Using only perfectly disinfected instruments. 
3. An ege whisk should not be used for defibrinating the blood, as it is 
liable to break up the fibrin into small fragments. 
4. Exposure for even a short period to the direct sun’s rays is extremely 
detrimental to blood, and impairs its qualities for inoculation 
purposes. 
It is advisable that, as dustis certain to arise in the stockyard during 
the operation of inoculating, the mouths of the bottles containing 
defibrinated blood should be kept well covered with several pieces 
of clean linen or calico, and kept in a cool shady place. - . 
was 
