Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

BRONCHITIS.
deep, no pain is indicated when the side of the animal is pressed
upon, or lightly struck, and the animal does not gaze anxiously at its
sides. The most important of all, and marking the fatal progress of
the disease, the animal loses flesh rapidly, to a very great extent, and
becomes a mere skeleton.
To young cattle bronchitis is particularly destructive, and the
symptoms and accompanying circumstances are very singular. A
yearling is often observed to have a cough peculiarly distressing. If
bled, and setoned, and physicked, the symptoms -will sometimes
rapidly abate ; but in most cases remedial measures are applied in
vain. The cough continues as distressing as ever. The intermissions
are short, and the paroxysms exceedingly violent. The beast is off
his feed, hide-bound, his belly tucked up, his coat staring, his flank
heaving, and it is painful to hear him cough. This occurs principally
on low, marshy woody lands.
The animal at length dies, and the whole of the bronchial passages
are found to be completely choked up with worms. They are of the
strongylus species, and mostly the filaria. Many of them are also
found in the windpipe ; and the mucous membrane both of the
windpipe and the bronchial passage presents an appearance of the
intensest inflammation.
Worms are oftenest found in an injurious quantity in a moist state
of the atmosphere, or in moist situations, and especially in those
which abundantly produce the vegetables and grasses peculiar to
such a locality ; and also in young subjects, and in those whose con-
stitution is somewhat enfeebled:
Bronchitis, when not attended with all the violent symptoms that
characterize the existence of worms in young cattle, should be treated
like other inflammatory complaints. Bleeding will, as usual, be
the first remedy, and it should be carried to the extent which the
pulse will allow ; in general, however, the ox will not, in this com-
plaint, bear the loss of so much blood as in other chest affections.
To this should follow physic, and the sedative medicines already
recommended, with mashes, &c.
In some cases a favorable termination of the disease has been produced
; but in the bronchitis with worms there are exceedingly few
cases of successful treatment. No drug can be brought to bear upon
these worms directly ; for no fluid at all can pass into these tubes.
Diluted chlorine gas might be inhaled. It might be breathed more
readily, if an artificial opening were made into the larynx. Other
symptoms of bronchitis, ""and particularly the feeling of suffocation,
might also be relieved or removed by this.
The animal would, probably, be much annoyed by such inhalation
; he might cough for a while with even greater violence ; but
the worms dying, or their hold being loosened, they might be expelled
through the natural or artificial opening by the very urgency