688 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION I. 



EPIDEMIC DISEASES NOT COMMUNICABLE TO MAN. 



PLEtJRO-PNEUMONIA OF CaTTLE. 



During the nine months under my notice very few cases of this 

 disease were met with. Cattle from Wyndham, where pleuro-pneumonia 

 Avas very prevalent last year, frequently showed a fibrotic condition of 

 the lungs, with pleuritic adhesions. 



As this disease is not communicable to man, the instructions to 

 meat inspectors are that only when the animal is slaughtered at the 

 height of the disease, and the carcass is " fevered," or when there is 

 evidence of much absorption from septic foci in the lungs, should the 

 -carcass be condemned. 



Tick Fever. 



Tick fever is endemic amongst the cattle of certain parts of our 

 north-west. When cattle from " clean " country pass through these 

 infected areas on their way to the coast, they are very liable to contract 

 tick fever. Consequently, it is no uncommon event for animals to 

 reach the abattoir while at the height of the disease, or during recovery. 

 If the carcass is fevered (i.e., indicates that the animal at the time of 

 slaughter had severe pyrexia), it is condemned ; on the other hand, 

 even if considerably jaundiced, if there are no sighs of pyrexia, the 

 <;arcass is passed. This is founded on the fact that jaundice may 

 persist for some while after the height of the disease is over, and that 

 tick fever is a disease which cannot be communicated to man. 



Swine Fever. 

 A mild epidemic of this disease occurred amongst some herds early 

 in the year with considerable mortality. Though the fost-mortcm lesions 

 closely resemble those of typhoid in man, the disease cannot be trans- 

 mitted to man, and the carcasses are dealt with as those of pleuro- 

 pneumonia and tick fever in cattle. 



Swine Fever and Swine Erysipelas. 



No authenticated instances of the occurrence of epidemics of either 

 of these diseases in Western Australia has come to my knowledge. 



DISEASES DUE TO PROTOZOA. 

 Tick Fever of Cattle. 



This has already been dealt with. It is due to a parasite of the 

 red blood corpuscles [Piwplasm higeminum), transmitted by the tick 

 Rhipiccphalus undulatus. 



Tick Fever of Fowls (Spirillesis). 

 This disease, due to a spirillum in the blood, transmitted by the 

 tick Arga<<, occurs extensively in Perth, and is very fatal. 



Spirochetes in Castration Wounds of Pigs. 

 Pigs frequently exhibit large tumors at the seat of castration. 

 These possess a thick fibrous wall, with a central cavity containing a 



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