Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-01-11
Farm and Fireside.


Animals in Health and Disease
To know when an animal is sick, it is nee
essary first 10 know when it is well. The mp
pearance of healthy animals should De care
fully watched and noted. The condition OF
The eve and the visible membranes the man
ner Of breathing and its rapidity the condi-
ton of the skin and the secretions the CHAR
acter 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 gentle, mild, and intel
Gpent expression. In sickness it is dull, cloud
ed partly closed and dropping or staring;
either CLASSY or covered with film, and has
wild pained, uneasy restless, or anxious ex-
preston. In health, the visible membranes
are of a lively red color, the coniunctiva OF
the eve is of bright red, the breathing is easy,
regular. and without effort or noise. The in
spirations occur in the horse, OK, and COW
about fifteen times in a minute in the sheep
about twenty times. and in a pig about twenty
five times in a minute The pulse beats about
four times to each inspiration The resplra-
ton follows the inspiration deliberately, and
AT marked intervals the respiratory muir
muir" which may be heard by placing the ear
at the right side, closely behind the shoulder,
is much like the rustlng Of gentle breeze
amongst dry leaves or through waving ripe
grain. The temperature is not over 100.
The skin is moist loose, and elastic; the halr
is soft and glistening, and lies smoothly ana
closely upon the skin; the membranes are
cool and only moist with their peculiar secre-
tons; the excretons have no disagreeable
smell. and are not high colored, the dung be-
ing neither hard nor soft. except in the OK or
COW. in which it does not approach semi
liquid condition, but remains simply plastic,
and of a greenish-brown color they are also
voided without effort straining, or discomfort
The motions of the animals are easy, delber-
nte. fearless. and made for some clear pur-
pose. while the attitudes when at rest are UNI
constrained and free from distortion, and
easy.
In sickness or when sickness is approach
ing and the first effects of disorder of the sys-
tenn are felt. all this is changed. The eye Is
often the first organ to show the changed con-
dition the visible membranes are also soon
changed in appearance. The membrane
which covers the eye and the orbit, and which
is much gathered at the corners, is dark red,
and filled with blood. or it is pale yellow.
The nostrils are pale or dark red, and some
times purplsh; the ears are either very hot
or cold the shuttle" or snout in the COW or
OK is dry, hot, and shrivelled; the breathing
is uuickened and made with effort, or painful
lv and with prunts the respirations suddenly
following the inspirations, and there is hol-
low dull sound or coarse gurgle i'll the chest
instead of the musical mur1nur OF health.
The skin is contracted tense, dry, and the
contraction drawing the hair foucles closely
together causes the coat to stand ON end and
appear rough. The temperature of the body
is elevated to 1882 or 104-. The urine is
scanty, hot, and red, and smells strongly and
disagreeably: the dung has a disagreeable
odor, and is dark, Shiny, and caked; or 1t is
nearly liquid, and is sometimes streaked with
blood. The animal is restless, rising and re-
clining, and moving from place to place with
out apparent reason. 1t stands apart from its
companions. and looks around and behind, as
if experimenting danger, or it lies in seclud-
ed place. with its head thrown back upon its
side, its eyeballs protruding, and 1t rarely
changes it attitude. All this may occur be-
fore any but n practced eye suspects any
change or danger; and at this moment treat
ment should begin, if it is to be effective.
By-and-by the change becomes too appar'
ent to be mistaken. Every symptom is inten
sified, and-that which generally causes the
first suspicion of wrong-the loss of appetite
and inability to rise then occurs. But 1t Is toe
late to avert the fatal result in the majority Of
cases, at this period. In blood diseases, which
include all those known rs 'murrains, Char
bon" black leg, Spanish fever, hog cholera
milk fever, red water, foot-and-mouth disease
pleuro- pneumonia, rot and braxy in sheep
in character the globules become contiuen
and clog the vessels and it no longer coagu
lates when drawn from the veins. In othe
diseases, the affected organs become changed
in structure and can no longer fulfil their of
fee Treatment then fails to be effective
The animal could only have been saved b!
earlier treatment or by preventive precau
tions. In these latter, there is most reasol
and most success. Skilful and effective hell
is rarely at hand in rural districts, and physi
is more often given ignorantly and recklessl,
than usefully. By knowing how to avoid dis
ease by preventing or removing its causes
the better way. The ordinary rules of healt
cleanliness purity of air and water, health
fulness of food with avoidance of either ex
cess, insuficiency or irregularity in feeding
ample and seasonable protection against heat
cold or damp, and avoiding overwork-a
these are worth more than n shopful of drugs
But when, from unavoidable circumstances
sickness appears, if the owner is able to de
tect the first insidious advance, he has alread
won the battle in most cases, because tn
most simple remedies, such as change c
food or some good nursing, will often sufhc
to remove the ailment.-LORdOn Agriculture
Gdzette.