626 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



was dull, and its bowels relaxed, it coutiuued in this way, with poor 

 appetite and manifesting general debility, until the ninth day, when 

 it was killed for examination, which gave the following facts: 



Stomach rather pale; the mucous membrane of small intestine much reddened. 

 The mucosa of large intestine, from caecum to rectum, very dark red in large 

 patclifs, resembling in some places punctiform and diffuse extravasations. A few 

 whitish diphtheritic i^atches in the caecum; no ulceration. On section of kidneys a 

 moderate number of punctiform extravasations were found hmited to the basal 

 portion of the pyramids. Beneath the pleura the surfaces of both lungs were cov- 

 ered with pale red spots not larger than a pin's head. On section they could also be 

 seen. Other organs not changed. Six liquid cultures from blood and spleen re- 

 mained sterile. In this case the local lesions were very mild compared with those 

 produced by the bacterium from Illinois and the East. In order to determine 

 whether the bacteria themselves, which had been cultivated for nearly nine months, 

 had lost their virulence for rabbits, a black rabbit received hypodermically into the 

 thigh i" of a culture in beef-infusion peptone one day old. The culture liquid was 

 covered by the usual membrane characteristic of this variety. 



The rabbit died January 4, 1887, five days after inoculation. The germ, therefore, 

 was stOl as virulent as ever for rabbits. At the point of inoculation the blood ves- 

 sels of the connective tissue and dehcate fascia covering the muscles on the inner 

 aspect of the thigh were uijected and tortuous. There was no extravasation, how- 

 ever, and on careful msjiection what appeared to be so was resolved into arborescent 

 injections of very minute vessels. The fascia was but sliglitly thickened. The 

 muscular tissue covered by it had a whitish aspect, and when cut into it was found 

 necrosed for a depth of several millimeters and over an area of 3 or 4 square cen- 

 timeters. The neighboring lymphatic of the knee-fold was enlarged and infiltrated 

 with Islood througliout. Spleen enlarged three to four times, blacJiish, friable. Me- 

 dulla of kidneys very deeply reddened, also inner portion of cortex. Liver shows 

 six or seven large patches of a yellowish cast, representing regions of commencing 

 coa,gulation necrosis. A large number of ecchymoses of the size of a pin's head on 

 gall-bladder; on mucous surface the membrane is blackish. Similar extravasations 

 beneath the mucosa of the rectum for a distance of 5'^™, and extending upon meso- 

 rectum; one of these is a projecting haematoma. Caudal and cephahc regions of both 

 lungs dark red, airless. Beneath the pleura of these regions are still darker spots 

 or ecchymoses. The pleura covering the remainder of both lungs is dotted here and 

 there with dai'k spots, varying in size from a pin's head to 10™"^ diameter. The 

 characteristic bacteria very numerous in spleen, less so in liver; few in blood from 

 the heart. 



A gelatine and liquid tube cultTire were made from the spleen and liver, and a 

 liquid culture from heart's blood. In the tube the tracks of the needle were soon 

 covered -with colonies. In the liquid cultures only the motile hog-cholera bacteria 

 were found. In two days every tube had a complete membrane, which became 

 slightly thicker a few days later. 



From the liquid culture prepared from the spleen one day old a large white rab- 

 bit received hypodermically into the thigh .05'=<', The culture was diluted in sterile 

 beef broth and i'^= contamiug the above amount of culture Uquid was injected. 

 The rabbit seemed well and active until it was found dead on the eighth day after 

 inoculation. The local lesion involved only the subcutaneous tissue, in which there 

 were ecchymoses and greatly enlarged vessels. At the place where the virus had 

 been deposited a small nodule had formed, consisting of a whitish, pasty mass. The 

 lymphatic of the knee fold near by was enlarged, with dark red cortex. The inter- 

 nal organs, markedly changed as usual, were the spleen, liver, and lungs. The 

 spleen was many times enlarged, dark, friable, crowded with bacteria. The liver 

 was similarly enlarged. On its caudal surface there was a diffuse discoloration, 

 which, on closer examination, was proved to be coagulation necrosis. It had in- 

 vaded the acini from the portal system, leaving the central portion still intact (Plate 

 "VI, Fig. 2). On the cephalic aspect this network of necrosis was replaced by larger 

 solid yellowish wliite masses. In two places near the border of the hver the necrosis 

 involved five to six contiguous acini, converting them into pale hyaline cylinders. 

 The entire parenchyma was thus more or less changed, as shown on section. The 

 cut surface presented the same interlobular trabeculge of dead tissue. The bacteria 

 injected were very numerous in this organ. The lungs were generally emphysema- 

 tous. The margins were dark red, with darker pouits, probably hemorrhagic. On 

 section these were found throughout the lung tissue for ■i<='" from the border. Bac- 

 teria in moderate numbers. Two liquid cultures from spleen and hver contained on 

 the foUowixig day the injected bacteria, with the membrane beginning to form. 



