The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-12-07
Animals in Heath and Disease.

Animals in Heath and Disease.
To know when an animal is sick, it
is necessary first to know when it is
well. The appearance OF healthy ami
mails should be carefully watched and
noted. The condition of the eye and
the visible membranes; the manner of
breathing and its rapidly; the condi-
ton of the skin and its secretions: the
character of the excretions; and the
motions and temper of the animals are
all unerring guides by which a state of
health or sickness may be judged. In
health, the eye is bright, clear, open,
lively and has q gentle, mild, and intel
ligent expression. In sickness it is
dull, clouded, partly closed and droop-
ing, or staring; either CLASSY OF cover
ed with film, and has wild, pain
ed, uneasy, restless, or anxious express
sion. In health, the visible membranes
are of a lively red color, the coniunc-
tiva of the eye is of bright red, the
breathing is easy, regular, and without
effort or noise. The inspirations occur
in the horse, OK, and COW about fifteen
times in minute; in the sheep about
twenty times and in pig about twenty
five times in minute. The pulse
beats about four times to each inspira.
ton. The respiration follows the III
spiration deliberately, and at marked
intervals; the respiratory murmur,"
which may be heard by placing the ear
at the right side, closely behind the
shoulder, is much like the rustling of a
gentle breeze amongst dry leaves or
through waving ripe grain. The tenn
pcrature is not over 100 deg. The skin is
moist, loose and elastic; the hair is soft
and glistcnng, and lies smoothly and
closely upon the skin; the membranes
are cool, and only moist with their Pc
culiar secrctions; the cxcretions have no
disagrceablc smell. and are not high
colored, the dung being neither hard
nor soft, except in the OK or COW, in
which it does not approach a semi-li-
quid condition, but remains simply
plastic, and of greenish-brown color;
they are also voided without effort,
straining, or discomfort. The motions
of the animals src easy, deliberate,
fearless, and made for some clear pur-
pose, while the attitudes when at rest
are unconstrained and free from distor-
ton, and easy.
In sickness, or when sickness is APP
preaching and the first effects of disOr-
der of the system are felt, all this is
changed. The eye is often the first Or
gan to show the changed condition;
the visible membranes are also soon
changed in appearance. The mem
brane which covers the eye and the or
bit, and whichis much gathered at the
corners, is dark red, and sometimes
purplish; the ears are either very hot
or cold; the "snuflle" or snout in the
COW or OK is dry, hot, and shrivelled
the breathing is quickened and made
with effort. or painfully and with
grunts, the respirations suddenly fol
lowing the Inspirations, and there is n
hollow, dull sound or a coarse gurgle in
the chest instead of the musical muir
muir of health. The skin is contracted
tense, dry, and the contraction drawing
the hair follicles closely together causes
the coat to stand on end and appear
rough. The Temperature of the body is
elevated to l02 degs. or l04 dogs. The
urine Is scaity, hot, and red, and SINE 10
strongly and disa2rceably; the dung
has disagreeable odor, and is hard.
Shiny and caked; or is nearly liquid,
and is sometimes streaked with blood.
The animal is restless, rising and re-
Ginning, and moving from place to place
without apparent reason. 1t stands
apart from its companions, and looks
around and behind, as if experimenting
danger, or it lies IN a secluded place,
with its head thrown back upon its
side, its eyeballs protruding, and it
rarely changes its attitude. All this
may occur before any but practiced
eye suspects any change or danger:
and at this moment treatment should
begin, lift is TO be effective.
BY ana by the change becomes too
apparent TO be mistaken. Every symp-
tom is intensified, and-that which gem
orally causes the first suspicion of
wrong-the loss of appetite and inabil-
ity TO rise then occurs. But ii is too
late to avert the fatal result In the ma
jority of cases, at this period In blood
diseases, which include all those known
as "murrains," "charbon," black leg,
"Spanish fever" hog cholera, milk
fever, red water, foot-and-mouth di-
sease, pluro-pneumonia, rot and braxy
in sheep, with some others, the blood
is totally changed in character; the
globules become continent and clog the
vessels, and it no longer coagulates
when drawn from the veins. In other
diseases, the affected organs become
changed in structure and can no longer
= fulfil their office. Treatment then fails
to be effective. The animal could only
have been saved by earlier treatment or
by preventive precaution.
In these latter, there Is most reason
and most success. Skilfnl and effective
help is rarely at hand in rural districts,
and physic is more often given ignor-
antly and recklessly than usefully. BY
knowing how to avoid disease BY pre-
venting or removing its causes is the
better way. The ordinary rules OF
health-cleanliness, purity of air and
water, healthfulness of food, with avoid
ance of either excess, insulllciency or
irregularity in feeding; ample and sea-
sonable protection against heat, cold or
damp, and avoiding overwork-all
these are worth more than shopful of
drugs. But when, from unavoidable
circumstances, sickness appears, ii the
owner is able to detect the first insid-
lous advance, he has already won the
battle in most cases, because the most
simple remedies, such as change of
food or some good nursing, will often
suffice TO remove the ailment.-TLon-
don Agricultural Gazette. -