Curative treatment can only be attempted with any chance of success in the simple exudative form. Even then it is necessary to simultaneously treat the primary disease, such as rachitis or diarrhœic enteritis.
The recommendations of former practitioners as to the use of saline purgatives, cream of tartar, etc., were probably due to their having recognised that diarrhœa is sometimes the primary cause.
Moussu has seen simple exudative arthritis in rachitic subjects disappear, together with the rachitis, under proper treatment.
The indications therefore are, firstly, to take measures against the primary disease, treating the local lesions separately with blisters, douches, or simply cold applications and massage. Provided the general condition can be improved, recovery may follow.
Unfortunately, this treatment is useless against infectious rheumatism with suppurative arthritis resulting from infection of the umbilicus. In such cases treatment, if undertaken, should be directed towards perfectly disinfecting the umbilical wound or any existing sinuses.
Injections of strong carbolic solution, the application of antiseptic ointments or of antiseptic pencils containing iodoform, salol, etc., into the sinuses, followed by a surgical dressing covering the umbilicus, form the basis of this primary treatment, which, it need scarcely be said, has little chance of checking the course of already existing arthritis. The use of internal antiseptics and of antipyretics like camphor, salicylate of soda, etc., is worthy of trial. On the other hand, prophylactic treatment in an infected area has every chance of succeeding. The use of dry, clean litter under the mother and the new-born calf, thorough cleansing of the umbilical cord or umbilical cicatrix, and the application to the umbilicus of a small surgical dressing or even a smear of tar, almost always suffice to prevent the occurrence of these forms of arthritis.
INFECTIOUS PSEUDO-RHEUMATISM IN ADULTS.
The infectious pseudo-rheumatism of adults differs from infectious rheumatism in young animals in that it never becomes complicated with suppurative arthritis, and rarely affects more than one joint at a time. The hind limbs are the parts usually attacked, and the joints seem predisposed to disease in the following order of frequency: the femoro-tibial, coxo-femoral, and hock joints.
On account of its greater frequency in cows, it has been termed “arthritis of milch cows” and “infectious arthritis of milch cows,” etc. In reality it may also attack bulls and oxen, but such cases are exceptional.
Causation. First mentioned by Coulbeaux in 1824, and by Pauleau in 1832, this disease has been well studied by Ph. Heu. Old works mention it as attacking good milkers in the best dairies around Paris, and Heu declares it to be the most deadly disease after peripneumonia and tuberculosis.