Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1895-09-12
DOxEyTIC ANNALS.
Are We Making Any Progress In
the Treatment OF Their
Diseases!

nestle animals halt q century ago
we're not always treated scientifically
and SUCCESSFULLY. The laws of health,
the causes aud nature of disease, and
the uses of medicine were imperfectly
known. Treatment was apt to be
trough and ready" violent reducing
remedies were frequently and injudi-
ciously used. The benefcent curative
effects of fresh air, diet, suitable sur
roundings, and good nursing were not
fully realized.
hhe general and medical manage
ment of animals have, however, alike
improved.
The treatment Of diseases has be-
cDme more exact and simple, and
more in accord with biological laws.
1t utilizes such hygienic conditions as
pure air and diet; 1t affords free scope
for the natural tendency which most
diseases exhibit to run a favorable
coursa.
Preventive treatment receives at
tention alike from stock owners aud
practitioners, Disease, accordingly,
is not only less prevalent, but is also
less serious, and the attacks are gene
rally Of shorter duration.
Systematic hyg,eaic measures in
soms countries have stamped out such
diseaies ~ CHAMBERS and farcy, specific
opthalmia, and canker in the feet of
horses, while collie and inflammation
the bowels are not nearly 80 prevalent
as they were 30 years ago.
Plague, contagion, pleuro.pneumo-
MIA, and anthrax in cattle are more
efiectuslly held in check, while in this
country rabies in dogs can certainly
be exterminated.
The higher standard OF health
among the domestic auimals, and the
more successful treatment of disease,
have resulted IN a great part from the
increasing knowledge Of the action of
remedial agents, obtained mainly by
systematic experiments and observa-
tons on the lower animals, as also ON
man himself
If space allowed numerous illustra-
tons might be given of the practical
benefits of such investigation.
The study of bacteriology within a
few years has done much to prevent
disease, both in men and animals, and
is destined to do great deal more.
A number of diseases classified as
zymotic, and comprising anthrax,
CHAMBERS, tuberculosis, strangles, te-
tanus, with typhoid, eruptive, and
mslarial fevers have recently shown
to depend upon the introduction into
the body of microbes or micro-organ-
isms belonging to the lower class Of
vegetable fungi. which in susceptible
subjects rapidly multiply and produce
chemical poisons.
Pasteur, Koch and others have in
vestigated the life-history of many Of
these disease producing microbes, the
the pathogenic conditions to which
they give rise, and the methods by
which their invasion may be averted
or treated. But the dlsease-producing
agent and its sntidote are nearly CO.
related. The microbes, when cult
waited artiiicially, when exposed to
chemicals or heat, or repeatedly pass
ed by incubation through the bodies
OF certain animals, become weakened
and hose their lethsl properties.
This altenuated virus or vaccine.
when repeatedly injected. confers on
the vaccinated animals more or less
perfect Immunity against poisonous
doses OF the unmitigateG virus when
the latter is subsequently introduced,
whether accidentally or by expert
mental incubation,
In districts of France, Switzerland
and Austria, where anthrax abounds
cattle and sheep foor several years
have been vaccinsted with anthrax
virus, the percentage of accidents are
said to be tritfing. the mortality of
vaccinated subjects is stated to be less
than one-tenth of that among the IN.
waco mated stock herding with them.
Sterilizsd cultivation of hog cholera
virus is used in America as u protect
i've against this disease.
Immunity from fowl cholera have
been siaailaxiy secured. IPastsur. by