The Grand Haven news., 1865-12-13

4 II
an inflammation of the lower and straight
portion Of the larger intestine, accompan-
led. by griping, and constaut desire TO
evacuatiou.) The excavations are not
particularly offensive, but they are remark
ably fluid, Of q dirty yellow color, and
mixed with numerous small 6occuIi of
lymph. Occasionally a little blood stains
the excavations, and teuesmus (the urgent
desire to eyscuate " hen il cannot be done,)
is also present in some cases. The abdo-
men becomes much pinched in, and the
animals strength quickly fails him. He
now keeps mostly rccumbent, and
rises very reluctantly. If made to move
be staggers, aud often falls for want Of
strength. The spasmodic twitchiugs mow
begin to diminish, and for some hours be-
fore death they haze entirely passed of.
"a sickIy smell attends the patient,
but there are no disengagements Of CASE
GUS compounds into the areolar tissue,
(the loose open tissue connecting the skin
and flesh OF cattle particularly nor any
other indications of the decomposition Of
the tissues which have been spoken Of by
some writer's. In short, the animal dies,
apparently, and almost without convul-
sions, from pure prostration Of the vital
powers. In those cases which recover, no
pustules (pimples) have been observed as
forming ON the skin, nor any desquama-
tion (scaling) Of the cuticIe (lhe outer and
insensible skin, that which thickens on the
hands Of the laborer) or fall Of the hair.
Nor have any ulcers of the eyes, nostrils,
or muzzle been noticed in either extreme
or protracied cases Hs
Duration.-In all cases which tend
to fatal termination, the animals rarely
lived beyond the fourth day after the
symptoms have shown themselves, while
very many Of them will sink as early as
the second day. In those which recover,
some diminuton 10 the severity of the
symptoms usually take place on tho third
or fourth day, and if the patient survives
this time, even should the symptoms not
abate, it is regarded as a favorable indi-
cation Of ultimate recovery. The return
to perfect health is rarely effected in less
than three weeks, but much will depend
on the age and constitution of the animal,
as likewise on the amount of the struct-
ural disease in the mucous membranes of
the alimentary canal, and not little also
on the care and attention which are be-
slowed on the paiient.
I" Percentage OF, ,deaths.-If the pest be
allowed to take its natural course for only
a few days, it will be found that the
deaths not unfrequently number 90 per
cent Fat animals and those which are
we'll cared for are found to bear up very
badly against the disease. l a'
Pathology.-It is difficult TO speak
with certainty of the true nature of the
rinderpest, but it is evident that the NOR
bitic matter on which it depends, having
entered the system through the medium
Of the organs Of respiration, soon acts up
on the blood, by converting some Of the
constituents Of that fluid into its own ele-
ments; and that, while this process is go
ing on, the animal gives no recognizable
indications Of being the subject of the
palady. This period constitutes the In
cubative stage of the disease. The blood
having thus become contaminated, its vi
tality impaired, and the poison augment
ed thousand-fold within the organism
(organs essential to life), the brain and
nervous systems, rs the centres of sensa-
tion and motion, have their normal func-
tions necessarily and quickly interfered
with, and hence one Of the earliest indi-
cations Of the disease is spasmodic
twitching of the voluntary and other mus
cles of the body. ~
"The malady has now arrived at a
stage when nature makes bold effort to
rid the system Of the poison, and in doing
this the force of the morb:fc matter, so
to speak, falls with more or less severity
upon the mucous membranes throughout
the entire body. illusions of lymph, the
fibrine of the blood, take place in the fol-
licles (open places or little sacks and bags)
Of the mucous membranes, as an effort,
perhaps, in part, of the overtaxing Of these
grand excretory organs, and partly be-
cause the fibrine itself is charged with the
naeteries mor6i (morbid matter or poison
of the pcst), and has probably also lost
some portion Of its vitality, which rem
ders il unified TO remain in the vessels.
Dark.colored blood, which remains Jsad
even after death from its deibrinaiiou
(.be destroying the fibrine Of the blood
which is the component part Of the blood