Charles William Burkett

“ The man who deals with farm animals should be well acquainted with them, just as the engineer is acquainted with his engine. If an engine goes wrong the engineer endeavors to ascertain the trouble. If it is beyond his experience and knowledge he turns the problem over to an expert. It should be so with the stock raiser. So familiar should the owner be with his animals in case of trouble he ought to know of some helpful remedy or to know that the trouble is more serious than ordinary, in which case the veterinarian should be called. ”

“ In any event, a post-mortem examination is usually desirable, if for no other reason than that it serves to familiarize you with the organs of the body. With a little experience you can become quite proficient in examining a dead animal, and you can soon learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy organs, between diseased and normal tissues and the relation of the internal parts to the whole body. A post-mortem examination thus enables you to know the cause of the disease—where it is located or whether death is the result of accident or of some fatal disturbance of the system. ”

“ On some farms it is seldom that a case of disease is heard of; on others, stock are under treatment at all times. Where order prevails, where cleanliness is appreciated, where disease-producing conditions are never allowed to accumulate or even gain an introduction, health is the rule and disease the exception. When the latter appears, it is due to some outside influence that gave it admission.
The greatest mischief in handling farm stock comes from improper food, filthy or impure drinking water, bad ventilation of stables, overwork, or lack of exercise and poor sanitary conditions. ”

“ As disease is better understood it becomes more closely identified with germs and bacteria. Hence, to lessen disease we must destroy, so far as possible, the disease-producing germs. For this purpose nothing is better than sunlight and disinfectants. Sunlight is itself death to all germs; therefore, all stables, and the living quarters for farm animals, should be light and airy, and free from damp corners and lodgment places for dust, vermin, and bacteria. Even when animals are in good [6] health, disinfection is a splendid means for warding off disease. ”

“ The body of the animal is made up of the identical elements found in the plant, yet the growth of the plant is necessary to furnish food for animal life. The plant takes from the soil and from the air the simple chemical elements, and with these builds up the plant tissue which, in its turn, is the food of the animal.
The animal cannot feed directly from the soil and air; it requires the plant first to take the elements and to build them into tissue. From this tissue animals get their food for maintenance and growth. ”

“ Within the limits of the cell is the protoplasm, the chief constituent of the cell; locked up in this protoplasm is life, the vital processes that have to do with growth, development, individual existence. ”

“ HIDE-BOUND. —This is not a disease at all, but an indication of poor health, more particularly of poor nutrition; usually the result of indigestion, improper food, worms or want of proper exercise. The skin is hard, rough, papery, and cannot be picked up from the body with ease. When the attempt is made, it suggests that the body is too large for the skin. Of course treatment is in the nature of better food, that proper nourishment may be secured. A good physic will be proper to start with and then follow with a tonic, easily assimilable food of a nature that will properly nourish the body. ”

“ Years ago blackleg was regarded as a form of anthrax. This has been proved erroneous, however, for blackleg and anthrax are two distinct and independent diseases, each being caused by a specific germ. One diseased animal does not transmit the disease directly to a healthy one. When caused, it is the result of self-inoculation, that is, by the germ entering a wound in the skin or mucous membrane of the body, produced on the legs while the animals are roaming over the fields, or at the mouth while grazing; these are the places by which the blackleg germs get into the system. ”

“ You remember that [28] all plant food first passes into a soluble state before it can enter the roots and be conveyed to the parts of the plants that require additional food for growth. In the case of plants the entrance is by means of the root hairs. In the case of the animal, entrance in the body is by means of the villi cells that line the intestines. From this we see that digestion is both an intricate and delicate process. Any loss of appetite, any disturbance of the digestion work, and any irregularity of the bowels bear decided results, one way or the other, to the rest of the system ”

“ If the udder is good, superior in many respects, and shows great milk production, you can often afford to overlook other defects, especially if the result of accident.
In the case of horses, a disease or blemish due to accident may be overlooked, if the work to which the animal will be subjected does not interfere, let us say, for breeding purposes. The horse has good conformation, good quality, is healthy and very superior, but unfortunately a leg was broken. Shall she be rejected as a breeder? No heavy work will be required of her—she is wanted for colt raising. ”

“ The greater part of the trouble of the stockman in the way of animal diseases is due to some disturbance of the digestive system, or to the water supply, or to ventilation, or to the use to which the animal is put from day to day. Attention to the details of digestion has its reward in thrifty, healthy stock; a lack of this attention brings trouble and either a temporary ailment or a permanent disease. ”

“ Diagnosis and Treatment of Disease
Some diseases are not difficult to diagnose. Those resulting from wounds or knocks are easily located, and their treatment readily outlined. Others, however, are not so easy. Something is observed as wrong, the animal acts strangely, does not take to its food, is fretful, stands or walks unnatural—what is the matter? The stockman must ascertain the trouble, and the quicker the better. ”

“ While our old theories and supposed information concerning the cause of hog cholera have been very much disturbed by newer work, it is important to remember that hog cholera is now just as much as before to be recognized as a distinctly infectious disease. It is important to remember also that this infection is absolutely necessary, or there can be no cholera no matter how susceptible animals may be. There can be no cholera without this primary and specific cause any more than there can be plants in our wheat fields without the previous presence of mustard seed. ”

“ The cell is the unit of growth. It is so with all forms of life—plant or animal, insect or bacterium. In the beginning the start is with a single cell, an egg, if you please. After fertilization has taken place, this single cell enlarges or grows. Many changes now occur, all rather rapidly, until the cell walls become too small, when it breaks apart and forms two cells just like the first used to be. This is known as cell division. As growth increases, the number of cells increases also—until in the end there are millions. ”

“ When disease sets in a battle begins. One combatant is the disease itself, the other the body. Your work is to render assistance to the body. In many cases your help will not be needed. In others you can render incalculable aid. Here is where medical aid begins and ends: to care for and nurse and make the body strong that it may be victorious, quickly, if possible, but without fail, in the end. Medicines are helpful if they diminish the work of the diseased organ, giving in this way time for the body cells to bring about a cure. ”

“ The spread of the disease does not occur through healthy animals coming in contact with animals having tetanus, but by inoculation. The germ of tetanus is present in the soil, manure and dust. It enters the body by way of wounds, especially punctured and bruised wounds. The injury may result from stepping on a nail, and the germs are planted in the deeper structures of the foot. Such a wound usually has poor drainage, the horn of the hoof closing the mouth or opening. Here the germs grow and produce a poisonous toxin that is said to be the most powerful produced by any bacteria. ”

“ And the animal hot from work, on drinking very cold water, often gets colic. Then, too, a change of food, or a change from dry feed to green food or eating some root crop when the animal is not used to it, may bring on the disease.
Then, again, some horses and cattle are more given to colic than others. Some individuals are never troubled, and others are almost constantly under its influence. If much inflammation sets in, a very serious case is on your hands. Two kinds of colic are known—the spasmodic, a contraction, commonly known as cramps of the bowels ”

“ Fortunately farmers sell to strangers more frequently than they buy of them, and when they seek new stock they deal largely with breeders, who, like themselves, are farmers and not given to the tricks of low and disreputable methods; nevertheless, every purchaser of stock should be familiar with animal form and able to recognize defects and faults when he sees them. This is as much his business as to breed, raise or feed the stock on his farm. ”

“ In cattle the acute form is attended with shivering, arching of the back and tenderness about the loins. The animal grunts, yawns, grinds its teeth, and, at short intervals, discharges from its bowels a thin, ill-smelling dung mixed with blood and pus. The thirst is excessive, the animal is dull and stupid, and loses flesh rapidly. After the disease has gone on a few days, the hide becomes rough and unhealthy, the teeth loose, the dung bloody and fetid, the eyes sink in the head and dropsical swellings appear about the lower jaws and legs, and usually the creature dies exhausted. ”

“ RHEUMATISM. —A disease which affects the muscles or joints, wandering from one part of the body to another. It affects nearly all animals, including the horse, ox, dog, hog, and sheep. Rheumatism of the muscles is usually due to catching cold, while rheumatism of the joints is often due to some micro-organism.
Stiffness, which usually comes on suddenly, is a characteristic symptom. The animal may be able to move only with great difficulty. The joints may crack when moved, the affected muscles are hard and painful to touch, the soreness may shift from one part to another ”

“ Some Animals More Resistant to Disease. —An infectious and contagious disease may affect a herd or flock, destroying few or many. Some may never be affected and yet be subjected to exposure and contagion; such are immune and resist this particular disease. Others may suffer a mild attack, but throw it off with no disastrous consequence; such are strong and their organs ably fortified against any injurious inroad by the disease. On the other hand the majority in a flock or herd is not so able to throw off the disease for the reason of being predisposed by nature to such attacks ”

“ Disease may result from some external cause like from a wound, from food causing poison or derangement of the digestive system, from water introducing impurities, from parasites that disturb normal functions, disorganize tissue or produce toxines, or from other abnormal conditions—all of which interfere with the normal functions of one or more organs, regions, or parts.
In most cases the disturbances are readily recognized. Swellings, bruises and wounds are located at a glance. When blood passes from nose, ears or intestines, a key to the trouble is at hand. ”

“ Staggers in Sheep is mostly caused by the young stage of a tapeworm which infests sheep dogs. The dog eats the infected brain of the sheep and the sheep eats the egg of the tapeworm after it has passed through the dog. After the egg hatches in the stomach of the sheep the young worm passes through the bowels and other organs or tissues or circulates through the blood and reaches the brain, where it develops and causes an inflammation, resulting in disease. It is most common in young animals, rarely occurring in sheep after their second year. ”

“ STAGGERS. —Staggers in horses is an affection of the brain showing itself usually in one of two forms—sleepy or stomach staggers and blind or mad staggers. In the first form the stomach is at fault. Sudden change of feed, moldy or dirty food heavy work or fast driving right after a heavy meal or severe exposure is liable to cause indigestion in the stomach and this is reflected to the brain, causing the animal to act dull or sleepy, sometimes showing symptoms of serious colic, with gas forming from the fermentation of the food, frequently resulting in death. ”

“ The blood becomes thin, and the circulation impaired, and frequently there appears a swelling under the chest or abdomen, or an enlargement of one or more legs. It is quite easy to recognize the trouble, especially in the advanced stages. The slow progress at the beginning, remittent fever, progressive emaciation and anemia, unimpaired or ravenous appetite, staggering gait, and excessive urination are usually all present to a greater or less degree. Recovery takes place only when treatment is begun early and when the disease is not too acute. ”

“ Many diseases are introduced into a herd or flock by thoughtlessness on the part of the owner. I have known distemper to be introduced into stables and among horses, Texas fever and tuberculosis into herds of cattle, and hog cholera among hogs, because diseased animals, when purchased, were not separated off by themselves, for a short time at least. If this were done, farmers would lessen the chance of an introduction of disease into their healthy herds. ”

“ When the temperature of the body, as a result of fever, rises too high certain life principles are changed and death immediately follows. A temperature of 106° or 107° is very high, and, therefore, very dangerous. In treating disease the temperature is watched, that the course of the fever may be followed. Treating a fever, then, is helpful and a natural part of the treatment of the disease itself. ”

“ The dark and impure blood, after returning to the heart, is sent to the lungs. It is, when collected from the body, just before being sent to the lungs dark, dull and loaded with worn-out matter. It must now be sent to the lungs, where it may be spread over the delicate thin walls of millions of vesicles, to be exposed to the air, which is inhaled by the acts of breathing. The blood gives off the broken-down material and carbonic acid gas very readily. It is both unpleasant and disagreeable, and the blood cells find it very unattractive. ”

“ When the disease comes on the animal has difficulty in breathing; takes in the breath quickly. There is a constant biting at the flanks; the pulse increases to a hundred beats a minute. If you place your ear over the chest you will likely hear no sound at all. Best treatment is wholesome food, boiled flaxseed, and blisters for both sides of the chest. Use strong mustard plasters. A good medicine to use is one-fourth of a pound of saltpeter or nitrate of potash, one fourth of a pound of ground gentian and one-fourth of a pound of sulphate of iron. ”

“ The process of digestion is finally ended in the intestines, where absorption into the system takes place. There is no opening at all from the bowels into the body, but the digestive nutriment is picked up by the blood when handed into the body from the intestines by means of countless little cells called villi, that line the walls of the intestines. These villi cells have little hair-like projections extending into the intestines, which constantly move ”

“ ANTHRAX, OR CHARBON. —An acute, infectious disease of plant-eating animals, which, under favorable conditions, attacks flesh-eating animals as well. It is caused by a microbe which enters the circulating blood and by multiplication therein causes its rapid destruction, and the death of the animal. The disease is as old as human history. It exists in all countries and in all latitudes. It was formerly very destructive to human life, as well as to animals. There is no disease which attacks more different kinds of animals than anthrax, nor one which is more deadly. ”