Aiiunal Diseases and their Treatment. o67 



When the disease actually appears iu aii animal, no treatment can 

 avail unless antitetanic serum is employed. The use of this serum 

 would be too expensive for ordinary cases, and moreover it Avould 

 riMjuire skill to inject it. 



Malignant (Edema. 



Malignant oedema is a disease that is frequently encountered in 

 sheep, and is often confounded with anthrax. The malignant oedema 

 germ is often present in the bodies of animals that have died of 

 anthrax. It is derived from the soil, putrefying substances, and the 

 carcases of animals. It is present in the intestines of most animals, 

 and it may in a few hours after death pass into the blood and organs. 

 The animals susceptible to the disease are the guineapig, rabbit, 

 sheep, goat and horse. The germ does not grow in the presence of 

 oxygen, and it liquefies gelatine. It is a long motile organism, and 

 in the blood varies in length. In anthrax the segments are of equal 

 length and non-motile. Spreading from the seat of inoculation, the 

 subcutaneous tissue is found to be extensively infiltrated with a 

 reddish adema, in which gas bubbles are seen. -The hair over the 

 (edematous part is loose, and is readily pulled out. The underlying 

 muscles are intensely red. There may be fluid in the belly cavity, 

 and a peculiar siclvoning odor is experienced when the body is opened. 

 The lungs are pale, the spleen is soft, and the liver dark. A vaccine 

 prepared by heating cultures up to 280" Fah. can be made, but 

 prevention of the introduction of the germ into the body is the 

 method that must be observed in practice. All wounds should be 

 washed with strong solutions of permanganate of potash, and then 

 covered with Stockholm tar. The germ gains entry into the system 

 by means of wounds. 



