i.9,?7.] THE DISEASES OE ANIMALS OBDINANCE. 127 



Tuberculosis. 



Definition — A contagious disease caused by the Tubercle Bacillus. 



Animals affected — Human beings and most species of mammals and. 

 birds arc liable to tuberculosis. Amongst the domesticated animals, 

 cattle, particularly dairy cows, and swine are most frequently affected.. 

 Sheep extremely rarely. 



Synq^tojns — Sometimes not characteristic, the disease being often 

 of a mild chronic nature. In advanced cases there is usually emaciation, 

 and a chronic cough. In cows lesions in the udder are sometimes 

 present. One of the posterior quarters becomes the seat of a hard 

 swelling of slow but steadily progressive growth — the swelling is as a rule 

 painless. The milk from the affected quarter at first appears normal, 

 then becomes thin and watery and later becomes flaked. Microscopic 

 examination of milk from the diseased quarter shows the presence of 

 tubercle bacilli. The disease can be detected during life by means of 

 the tuberculin test. 



Post mortem. — Nodules of varying size may be present in the lungs,, 

 liver, kidneys, in the lymphatic glands in various parts of the body, in 

 the uterus, udder, pleura and peritoneum. These nodules are caseous- 

 and very often calcified. 



Treatment — Tuberculin test and slaughter of all re-actors. 



Swine Fever or Hog Cholera. 



Definition — Contagious, eruptive disease caused by an invisiblfr 

 organism. 



Animals affected — Swine. 



Sym2itoms — The disease shows two forms, acute and chronic- 

 The acute form is seen chiefly in young pigs and terminates 

 fatally in three days. Temperature is high, 103-104 or even higher. 

 Breathing quick and the animals stagger if made to walk. A red rash 

 appears on the belly, inside the thigh and the base of the tail. In 

 chronic form the pigs are dull, they lie under cover and are disinclined 

 to move. Appetite is lost, animals vomit ; there is constipation at first, 

 and then diarrhoea, which is as a rule blood tinged. Red patches 

 appear later on as in the case of the acute form. There is paralysis of 

 hind quarters. Temperature is high, 104-106. At times there are 

 lung symptoms in which case the animals suffer from a short cough 

 and the breathing is laboured. The animals die in from one week to 

 three ; they may however recover or drag on for two months or more 

 in an emaciated condition. 



Post mortem — ^^There is general emaciation of the carcase, congestion 

 of the connective tissues and of the glands, which are hypertrophied 

 and red in colour. The stomach and intestines are highly congested and 

 tilcers are seen on posterior portion of the intestine, around the junction 

 of the ileum and ca;cum. These ulcers are typical, their edges are ' 



