FEVER.

Description and Definition.—Fever is a powerful effort of the vital principle to expel from the system morbific or irritating matter, or to bring about a healthy action. The reason why veterinary practitioners have not ascertained this fact heretofore is, because they have been guided by false principles, to the exclusion of their own common experience. Let them receive the truth of the definition we have given; then the light will begin to shine, and medical darkness will be rendered more visible. Fever, we have said, is a vital action—an effort of the vital power to regain its equilibrium of action through the system, and should never be subdued by the use of the lancet, or any destructive agents that deprive the organs of the power to produce it. Fever will be generally manifested in one or more of that combination of signs known as follows: loss of appetite, increased velocity of the pulse, difficult respiration, heaving at the flank, thirst, pain, and swelling; some of which will be present, local or general, in greater or less degree, in all forms of disease. When an animal has taken cold, and there is power in the system to keep up a continual warfare against encroachments, the disturbance of vital action being unbroken, the fever is called pure or persistent. Emanations from animal or vegetable substances in a state of decomposition or putrefaction, or the noxious miasmata from marshy lands, if concentrated, and not sufficiently diluted with atmospheric air, enter into the system, and produce a specific effect. In order to dethrone the intruder, who keeps up a system of aggression from one tissue to another, the vital power arrays her artillery, in good earnest, to resist the invading foe; and if furnished with the munitions of war in the form of sanative agents, she generally conquers the enemy, and dictates her own terms. While the forces are equally balanced, which may be known by a high grade of vital action, it is also called unbroken or pure fever. The powers of the system may become exhausted by efforts at relief, and the fever will be periodically reduced; this form of fever is called remittent. By remittent fever is to be understood this modification of vital action which rests or abates, but does not go entirely off before a fresh attack ensues. It is evident, in this case, also, that nature is busily engaged in the work of establishing her empire; but being more exhausted, she occasionally rests from her labors. It would be as absurd to expect that the most accurate definition of fever in one animal would correspond in all its details with another case, as to expect all animals to be alike. There are many names given to fevers; for example, in addition to the two already alluded to, we have milk or puerperal fever, symptomatic, typhus, inflammatory, &c. Veterinary Surgeon Percival, in an article on fever, says, "We have no more reason—not near so much—to give fever a habitation in the abdomen, than we have to enthrone it in the head; but it would appear from the full range of observation, that no part of the body can be said to be unsusceptible of inflammation, (local fever,) though, at the same time, no organ is invariably or exclusively affected."

From this we learn that disease always attacks the weakest organ, and that our remedies should be adapted to act on all parts of the system.

The same author continues, "All I wish to contend for is, that both idiopathic and symptomatic fevers exhibit the same form, character, species, and the same general means of cure; and that, were it not for the local affection, it would be difficult or impossible to distinguish them."

Fever has always been the great bugbear, to scare the farmer and cattle doctor into a wholesale system of blood-letting and purging; they believe that the more fever the animal manifests, the more unwearied must be their exertions. The author advises the farmer not to feel alarmed about the fever; for when that is present it shows that the vital principle is up and doing. Efforts should be made to open the outlets of the body, through which the morbific materials may pass: the fever will then subside. It will be difficult to make the community credit this simple truth, because fever is quite a fashionable disease, and it is an easy matter to make the farmer believe that his cow has a very peculiar form of it, that requires an entirely different mode of treatment from that of another form. Then it is very profitable to the interested allopathic doctor, who can produce any amount of "learned nonsense" to justify the ways and means, and support his theory.

The author does not wish, at the present time, to enter into a learned discussion of the merit or demerit of allopathy: the object of this work is, to impart practical information to farmers and owners of stock. In order to accomplish this object, an occasional reference to the absurdities of the old school is unavoidable.

A celebrated writer has said, "The very medicines [meaning those used by the old school, which kill more than they ever cure] which aggravate and protract the malady bind a laurel on the doctor's brow. When, at last, the sick are saved by the living powers of nature struggling against death and the physician, he receives all the credit of a miraculous cure; he is lauded to the skies for delivering the sick from the details of the most deadly symptoms of misery into which he himself had plunged them, and out of which they never would have arisen, but by the restorative efforts of that living power which at once triumphed over poison, blood-letting, disease, and death."

In the treatment of disease, and when fever is manifested by the signs just enumerated, the object is, to invite the blood to the external surface; or, in other words, equalize the circulation by warmth and moisture; give diaphoretic or sudorific medicines, (see Appendix,) with a view of relaxing the capillary structure, ridding the system of morbific materials, and allaying the general excitement. If the ears and legs are cold, rub them diligently with a brush; if they again relapse into a cold state, rub them with stimulating liniment, and bandage them with flannel. In short, to contract, to stimulate, remove obstructions, and furnish the system with the materials for self-defence, are the means to be resorted to in the cure of fevers.

We shall now give a few examples of the treatment of fever; from which the reader will form some idea of the course to be pursued in other forms not enumerated. But we may be asked why we make so many divisions of fever when it is evidently a unit. We answer the question, in the words of Professor Curtis, whose teachings first emancipated us from the absurdity of allopathic theories. "These divisions were made by the learned in physic, and we follow them out in their efforts to divide what is in its nature indivisible, to satisfy the demands of the public, and to give it in small crumbs to those practitioners of the art who have not capacity enough to take in the whole at a single mouthful."

In the treatment of fevers, we must endeavor to remove all intruding agents, their influences and effects, and reëstablish a full, free, and universal equilibrium throughout the system. "The means are," says Professor Curtis, "antispasmodics, stimulants, and tonics, with emollients to grease the wheels of life. Disprove these positions, and we lay by the pen and 'throw physic to the dogs.' Adhere strictly to them in the use of the best means, and you will do all that can be done in the hour of need."

MILK OR PUERPERAL FEVER.

Treatment.—Aperients are exceedingly important in the early stages, for they liberate any offending matter that may have accumulated in the different compartments of the stomach or intestines, and deplete the system with more certainty and less danger than blood-letting.

Aperient for Puerperal Fever.

Rochelle salts,4 ounces.
Manna,2 ounces.
Extract of butternut,half an ounce.
Dissolve in boiling water,3 quarts.

To be given at a dose.

By the aid of one or more of the following drinks, the aperient will generally operate:—

Give a bountiful supply of hyssop tea, sweetened with honey. Keep the surface warm.

Suppose the secretion of milk to be arrested; then apply warm fomentations to the udder.

Suppose the bowels to be torpid; then use injections of soap-suds and salt.

Suppose the animal to be in poor condition; then give the following:—

Powdered balmony or gentian,1 ounce.
Golden seal,1 ounce.
Flour gruel,1 gallon.

To be given in quart doses, every four hours.

Suppose the bowels to be distended with gas; then give the following:—

Powdered caraways,1 ounce.
Assafœtida,1 tea-spoonful.
Boiling water,2 quarts.

To be given at a dose.

Any of the above preparations may be repeated, as circumstances seem to require. Yet it must be borne in mind that we are apt to do too much, and that the province of the good physician is "to know when to do nothing." The following case from Mr. Youatt's work illustrates this fact:—

"A very singular variety of milk fever has already been hinted at. The cow is down, but there is apparently nothing more the matter with her than that she is unable to rise; she eats and drinks, and ruminates as usual, and the evacuations are scarcely altered. In this state she continues from ten days to a fortnight, and then she gets up well." Yes, and many thousands more would "get up well," if they were only let alone. Nature requires assistance sometimes; hence the need of doctors and nurses. All, however, that is required of the doctor to do is, just to attend to the calls of nature,—whose servant he is,—and bring her what she wants to use in her own way. The nearer the remedies partake or consist of air, water, warmth, and food, the more sure and certain are they to do good.

If a cow, in high condition, has just calved, appears restless, becomes irritable, the eye and tongue protruding, and a total suspension of milk takes place, we may conclude that there is danger of puerperal fever. No time should be lost: the aperient must be given immediately; warm injections must be thrown into the rectum, and the teats must be industriously drawn, to solicit the secretion of milk. In this case, all food should be withheld: "starve a fever" suits this case exactly.

INFLAMMATORY FEVER.

Inflammatory fever manifests itself very suddenly. The animal may appear well during the day, but at night it appears dull, refuses its food, heaves at the flanks, seems uneasy, and sometimes delirious; the pulse is full and bounding; the mouth hot; urine high colored and scanty. Sometimes there are hot and cold stages.

Remarks.—When disease attacks any particular organ suddenly, or in an acute form, inflammatory fever generally manifests itself. Now, disease may attack the brain, the lungs, kidneys, spleen, bowels, pleura, or peritoneum. Inflammatory fever may be present in each case. Now, it is evident that the fever is not the real enemy to be overcome; it is only a manifestation of disorder, not the cause of it. The skin may be obstructed, thereby retaining excrementitious materials in the system: the reabsorption of the latter produces fever; hence it is obvious that a complete cure can only be effected by the removal of its causes, or, rather, the restoration of the suppressed evacuations, secretions, or excretions.

It is very important that we observe and imitate nature in her method of curing fever, which is, the restoration of the secretions, and, in many cases, by sweat, or by diarrhœa; either of which processes will remove the irritating or offending cause, and promote equilibrium of action throughout the whole animal system. In fulfilling these indications consists the whole art of curing fever.

But says one, "It is a very difficult thing to sweat an ox." Then the remedies should be more perseveringly applied. Warm, relaxing, antispasmodic drinks should be freely allowed, and these should be aided by warmth, moisture, and friction externally; and by injection, if needed. If the ox does not actually sweat under this system of medication, he will throw off a large amount of insensible perspiration.

Causes.—In addition to the causes already enumerated, are the accumulation of excrementitious and morbific materials in the system. Dr. Eberle says, "A large proportion of the recrementitious elements of perspirable matter must, when the surface is obstructed, remain and mingle with the blood, (unless speedily removed by the vicarious action of some other emunctory,) and necessarily impart to this fluid qualities that are not natural to it. Most assuredly the retention of materials which have become useless to the system, and for whose constant elimination nature has provided so extensive a series of emunctories as the cutaneous exhalents, cannot be long tolerated by the animal economy with entire impunity."

Dr. White says, "Many of the diseases of horses and cattle are caused by suppressed or checked perspiration; the various appearances they assume depending, perhaps, in great measure, upon the suddenness with which this discharge is stopped, and the state of the animal at the time it takes place.

"Cattle often suffer from being kept in cold, bleak situations, particularly in the early part of spring, during the prevalence of an easterly wind; in this case, the suppression of the discharge is more gradual, and the diseases which result from it are slower in their progress, consequently more insidious in their nature; and it often happens that the animal is left in the same cold situation until the disease is incurable."

It seems probable that, in these cases, the perspiratory vessels gradually lose their power, and that, at length, a total and permanent suppression of that necessary discharge takes place; hence arise inflammatory fever, consumption, decayed liver, rot, mesenteric obstructions, and various other complaints. How necessary, therefore, is it for proprietors of cattle to be provided with sheltered situations for their stock! How many diseases might they prevent by such precaution, and how much might they save, not only in preserving the lives of their cattle, but in avoiding the expense (too often useless, to say the least of it) of cattle doctoring!

Treatment.—We first give an aperient, (see Appendix,) to deplete the system. The common practice is to deplete by blood-letting, which only protracts the malady, and often brings on typhus, black quarter, joint murrain, &c. Promote the secretions and excretions in the manner already referred to under the head of Puerperal Fever; this will relieve the stricture of the surface. A drink made from either of the following articles should be freely given: lemon balm, wandering milk weed, thoroughwort, or lady's slipper, made as follows:—

Take either of the above articles,2 ounces.
Boiling water,2 quarts.

When cool, strain, and add a wine-glass of honey.

If there is great thirst, and the mouth is hot and dry, the animal may have a plentiful supply of water.

If the malady threatens to assume a putrid or malignant type, add a small quantity of capsicum and charcoal to the drink, and support the strength of the animal with flour gruel.

TYPHUS FEVER.

Causes.—Sudden changes in the temperature of the atmosphere, the animal being at the same time in a state of debility, unable to resist external agencies.

Treatment.—Support the powers of the system through the means of nutritious diet, in the form of flour gruel, scalded meal and shorts, bran-water, &c.

Give tonics, relaxants, and antispasmodics, in the following form:—

Powdered capsicum,1 tea-spoonful.
Powdered bloodroot,1 ounce.
Powdered cinnamon,half an ounce.
Thoroughwort or valerian,2 ounces.
Boiling water,1 gallon

When cold, strain, and give a quart every two hours.

Remove the contents of the rectum by injections of a stimulating character, and invite action to the extremities by rubbing them with stimulating liniment, (which see.) A drink of camomile tea should be freely allowed; if diarrhœa sets in, add half a tea-spoon of bayberry bark to every two quarts of the tea.

These few examples of the treatment of fever will give the farmer an idea of the author's manner of treating it, who can generally break up a fever in a few hours, whereas the popular method of "smothering the fire," as Mr. Youatt terms the blood-letting process, instead of curing, will produce all forms of fever. Here is a specimen of the treatment, in fever of a putrid type, recommended by Dr. Brocklesby. He says, "Immediately upon refusing fodder, the beast should have three quarts of blood taken away; and after twelve hours, two quarts more; after the next twelve hours, about three pints may be let out; and after the following twelve hours, diminish a pint of blood from the quantity taken away at the preceding blood-letting; lastly, about a single pint should be taken away in less than twelve hours after the former bleeding; so that, when the beast has been blooded five times, in the manner here proposed, the worst symptoms will, it is hoped, abate; but if the difficulty and panting for breath continue very great, I see no reason against repeated bleeding." (See Lawson's work on cattle, p. 312.) The author has consulted several authorities on the treatment of typhus, and finds that the use of the lancet is invariably recommended. We do not expect to find, among our American farmers, any one so reckless, so lost to the common feelings of humanity, and his own interest, as to follow out the directions here given by Dr. B.; still blood-letting is practised, to some extent, in every section of the Union, and will continue to be the sheet-anchor of the cattle doctor just so long as the influential and cattle-rearing community shall be kept in darkness to its destructive tendency. Unfortunately for the poor dumb brute, veterinary writers have from time immemorial been uncompromising advocates for bleeding; and through the influence which their talents and position confer, they have wielded the medical sceptre with a despotism worthy of a better cause. It were a bootless task to attempt to reform the disciples of allopathy; for, if you deprive them of the lancet, and their materia medica of poisons, they cannot practise. They must be reformed through public opinion; and for this purpose we publish our own experience, and that of others who have dared to assail allopathy, with the moral certainty that they would expose themselves to contempt, and be branded as "medical heretics."

No treatment is scientific, in the estimation of some, unless it includes the lancet, firing-iron, setons, boring horns, cramming down salts by the pound, and castor oil by the quart. The object of this work is to correct this erroneous notion, and show the farming community that a safer and more efficient system of medication has just sprung into existence. When the principles of this reformed system of medication are understood and practised, then the veterinary science will be a very different thing from what it has heretofore been, and men will hail it as a blessing instead of a "curse." They will then know the power that really cures, and devise means of prevention. And here, reader, permit us to introduce the opinions of an able advocate of reform in human practice:[13] the same remarks apply to cattle; for they are governed by the same universal laws that we are, and whether we prescribe for a man or an ox, the laws of the animal economy are the same, and require that the same indications shall be fulfilled.

"A little examination into the consequences of blood-letting will prove that, so far from its being beneficial, it is productive of the most serious effects.

"Nature has endowed the animal frame with the power of preparing, from proper aliment, a certain quantity of blood. This vital fluid, subservient to nutrition, is, by the amazing structure of the heart and blood-vessels, circulated through the different parts of the system. A certain natural balance between what is taken in and what passes off by the several outlets of the body is, in a state of health, regularly preserved. When this balance, so essential to health and life, is, contrary to the laws of the animal constitution, interrupted, either a deviation from a sound state is immediately perceived, or health from that moment is rendered precarious. Blood-letting tends artificially to destroy the natural balance in the constitution." (For more important information on blood-letting, see the author's work on the Horse; also page 58 of the present volume.)

FOOTNOTES:

[13] Dr. Beach.