Vol. XIII. No. 3.30. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



415 



VETERINARY NOTES. 



EPIZOOTIC LYMPHANGITIS. 



The iritViriuation which is preiseiited herewith, is 

 one of the papers appeai-ing in Pamphlet No. 77, and 

 is much the same as that contained in a paper by 

 Mr. P. T. Saunders, M.R.C.V.S., which appeared in the 

 West Indian Bulletin, Vol. XIV, p. 167. 



This disease which is often known in the West Indies as 

 Erysipelas, is a specific contagious disease of the Equidae, due 

 to an organism which is a fungus. 



Asses, mules, and horses are affected in the order named, 

 and the disease has been seen, though very rarely, in the ox. 

 It is of almost world-wide distribution, and has existed in the 

 West Indies for some considerable time. It was at one time 

 confused with farcy, and later was known as African farcy, 

 Japanese farcy, or river farcy; in America it is generally 

 known as mycotic lymphangitis. 



The cause of the disease is the fungus organism Cri/pto- 

 coccus [Saccharoniyces] farcn/dnosis, which may be seen in the 

 pus discharged from the ulcers, under a comparatively low 

 power of the niicro.scope, as oval or pear-shaped bodies, the 

 chief characteristic of which is that they possess a double 

 -outline of the envelope. 



The incubative period is a long one, an animal seldom 

 showing symptoms i>f the disease until two months after 

 infection, while the time is often longer, and may be extended 

 to six months. '' 



Infection generally results through wounds, such as may 

 occur from barbed wire, or the bite of ticks. Flies may often 

 be the medium of infection, and the disease under ordinary 

 conditions may also be spread by harness, and stable utensils. 

 The disease is almost always chronic in its course, and of 

 long duration. The constitutional symptoms accompanying it 

 are not very marked, or may be altogether absent. Slight 

 fever may occur, the temperature seldom exceeding 102° F. 

 The appetite remains good, except in advanced cases, and 

 there is not nmch tendency to lose condition except at the 

 later stages. 



The lesions are almost entirely confined to the skin, and, 

 though almost any part of the body may be affected, the 

 hind legs are said to be the commonest sites. In the West 

 Indies, however, it has been observed that the forelegs are 

 most often affected. In a wound, if infestation results, the 

 natural healing processes are arrested, profuse, pale granula- 

 tions appear, and a thin pus is discharged. The 

 wound gradually gets larger, and in' a time varying from 

 . a week to months, the surrounding lymphatic vessels show 

 ■ as cords. In other cases, even six months after heal- 

 ing, a hard tumour forms, up to the size of a pigeon's egg, 

 which later softens and bursts, discharging a thick well- 

 formed, or a yellow and oily pus. The cavity of the ulcer 

 fills with fleshy buds, and the adjacent lymphatics are 

 inflamed. Buds later form on these inflamed cords, which 

 burst in their turn. Coalescence may leave large suppurat- 

 ing sores which, in common with the ulcers, show no 

 tendency to heal. Healing, which is always slow and diffi- 

 •-cult, may, however, take place; but, meanwhile, fresh buds 

 and'cfirds form. In some cases the inflanuuation is diffuse, and 

 -multiple abscesses may form. Healing of the ulcers may 

 •occur in from one to six months, or, in the absence of 

 ^treatment, death may occur from exhaustion; though speciH(^ 

 Tlung diseases may also be the cause of death. 



Diagnosis, especially in the earlier cases, is easy by 

 means of the microscope. Clinically the inflamed cords and 

 the ulcers which show no tendency to heal are almost suffi- 

 cient. Differentiations may then be made from glanders or 

 farcy by means of the malleiD test, to which animals suffering 

 from epizootic lymphangitis do not react. The fatality from 

 this di.sease is about 10 per cent, or more. 



The post-mortem appearances are almost entirely con- 

 fined to the skin and lymphatics. Some of the lymphatics 

 are blocked, others enlarged and inflamed; the skin may be 

 greatly thickened. The lungs or other organs are seldom 

 affected, but are occasionally, and in extreme cases; ulceration 

 changes occur in the trachea, while bones and cartilages may 

 be affected and even necrosed. 



The disease is always serious becatise of its long duration 

 and possible complications. Early cases are generally curable 

 by vigorous treatment. 



Treatment should be directed to the destruction of tlio 

 virus. In early cases the buds should be opened, and treated 

 with strong antiseptics or actual cautery. If cords are 

 present, a strong blister may be of service by inducing 

 resolution of the cord. The organism is particularly resistant 

 to antiseptics, and a .solution of the strength of 1 in 2-50 of 

 corrosive sublimate is probably the best agent to employ. 

 This, however, must be used cautiously, and its caustic effects 

 must be borne in mind. Internal treatment has not yielded 

 satisfactory results. Neosalvarsan has been used successfully 

 by intravenous injection, but this treatment is too expensive 

 and difficult to be practicable as an everyday method. 



The prevention of the disease is very important, and in 

 this lies the greatest measure of control. It may be effected 

 by thorough and vigorous isolation of affected animals, rigid 

 disinfection of stables and harness, and the products of the 

 disease. The .slaughter of affected animals is somewhat 

 too drastic, though this was resorted to in the British 

 Isles by the military authorities when the disease was 

 found to have been conveyed by horses from South Africa. 

 Wounds must be protected from the virus of the disease 

 and from any agent, such as flies, which can convey it. 

 Great care must also be exercLsed in the use of bandages and 

 other stable appliances and utensils. An attendant upon an 

 infected animal should not be allowed to attend healthy 

 animals. 



TREATMENT OF FISTULA IN HORSES. 



'Blistering is often beneficial at the commencement of 

 this trouble, but in most cases thorough surgical treatment is 

 neces.sary before recovery takes place. Why fistulas are so 

 troublesome to treat is because the tubular passages which' 

 lead from the surface-opening are lined by a false membrane. 

 This membrane must be removed before the wound can 

 permanently heal, and the best way to bring this about is to 

 probe the wound, thus finding out the depth and direction 

 of the tube or tubes; then open boldly with the knife 

 these tubes, and apply the following lotion on some cotton 

 wool: — 



Corrosive sublimate — | oz. 



Methylated spirit — 3 „ 



Water — 3 „ 



'Apply every third day until the third application. 

 Keep the wound clean, and apply lard or oil to the outside 

 where the discharge runs.' — Jas. Wright, in the Queensland 

 Agricultural Journal, October 191-1, 



