It rarely attacks aged cattle, but is readily transmissible to calves and young stock. Cadéac failed to inoculate it on guinea-pigs and rabbits. Damman succeeded with sheep and with rabbits, the latter dying in twenty-four hours after inoculation with hæmorrhage at the seat of puncture. Löffler hypodermically infected mice and produced extensive infiltration of the abdominal walls, and often of the peritoneum, surface of the liver, kidneys and intestine, on which formed a thick yellowish exudate containing the organism.
Causes. Löffler found filaments of a long delicate bacillus about half the thickness of the bacillus of malignant œdema. The bacillus did not grow in nutrient gelatine or in sheep’s blood serum, but readily grew in blood serum of the calf. Cadéac gives as predisposing causes: sudden chills, rapid alterations of temperature, inhalation of irritant vapours, suppression of cutaneous secretion, swallowing irritant liquids, and injuries.
Symptoms. The nasal membrane is reddened, thickened and covered in patches with false membrane, causing snuffling and wheezing breathing. The throat is tender and swollen, cough is frequent, gurgling, and followed by expulsion of false membrane, muco-pus and some blood. Shreds of false membrane adhere to the nose and lips. Other symptoms are: fever, accelerated pulse, dark mucous membranes, haggard countenance, mouth open, hanging tongue, stringy salivation, and constipation or diarrhœa.
The disease runs a rapid course, and death may occur in twenty-four hours. Recovery may be equally rapid, but often convalescence is protracted.
Lesions. Intense congestion of mucosæ of nose, mouth, pharynx, larynx, and bronchi, with here and there patches of false membrane, which may be soft or tough, according to the duration of the attack. The deep surface of the false membranes is blood-stained; and, according to Preitsch, false membranes sometimes occur in the œsophagus, rumen, and omasum, which in consequence may show patches of ulceration.
Treatment (as for the horse). This includes poultices, counter-irritants, laxatives, febrifuges, alkalies and antiseptics. Inhalations of medicated vapour, warm water to which has been added some antiseptic—carbolic, lysol, creolin, camphor, sulphurous acid; or for calves, iodoform, oil of turpentine, calcium sulphide, silver nitrate, coal tar. To detach the false membranes ipecacuanha and potash chlorate, or soda sulphate, or magnesia sulphate may be tried. Papayin and pepsin have been suggested as appropriate remedies. Anyodnes—digitalis, belladonna, morphia and aconite—may be useful. Tracheotomy is indicated as a last resort.
PSEUDO-MEMBRANOUS PHARYNGITIS IN SHEEP.
Roche-Lubin states that this is common in flocks as a result of moving the sheep in dusty enclosures. The dust is supposed to excite the intense croupous inflammation of the mucous membrane. The disease has been noticed in spring in young lambs shortly after weaning. Damman states that he transmitted the disease to the sheep from the exudate of the calf.
Symptoms. Frothy salivation with constant movements of the jaws, viscid nasal discharge, difficult deglutition, panting, snuffling breathing, throat swollen and very tender, frequent cough, discharge of exudate. The head and neck are extended, the eyes dull, appetite is lost, the mucous membranes are red or cyanotic, and the animal appears weak and listless. As respiration becomes more difficult the mouth is held open, the tongue is protruded, and with each cough shreds of false membrane are expelled. Death from suffocation is not uncommon.
The lesions are not different from those seen in the calf.