668 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



ination of the diseased lungs, that if circumstances had permitted a 

 thorough examination of the lung tissue itself by means of cultures and 

 inoculation experiments, the same results would have been obtained. 

 This, however, was quite impossible under the circumstances.* 



This microbe, from Geneseo, 111., also found associated with com- 

 pletely hepatized lungs, was without doubt the same as the one just 

 described, when we take into consideration microscopical characters 

 and those brought out by culture and inoculation. This microbe 

 had not yet been tried upon fowls. In order to confirm still further 

 the results already given the following experiment was tried: 



October 30, two pigs and two fowls were inoculated with the microbe from Gene- 

 seo. and an equal number with that from Sodorus, 111. The pigs received subcutane- 

 ously each 5'='^ of a beef-infusion peptone culture. Of the four only two died. One 

 of these had been inoculated with the microbe from Sodorus. On the thii-d day both 

 eyes were discharging, the animal looking unthrifty and becoming weak and thin. 

 It died on the eighth day. In brief the lesions were as follows: Fat and connective 

 tissue in general yellowish. Both ventricles of heart filled with large washed clots 

 and semi-coagulated blood. Liver very firm, of a dirty red-lead color. On cutting 

 into it a gi'itty sensation is transmitted to the hand. Venous stasis of the abdominal 

 vessels. Otlier organs and intestinal tract normal. Cultures failed to detect the 

 microbe m the spleen, liver, and blood. 



No. 363. inoculated with 5'^<= from a culture of the microbe obtained from Geneseo, 

 111. , showed mflammation of the eyes a few days after, which disappeared in a week. 

 At the same time the animal looked unthrifty. It had apparently recovered two 

 weeks after inoculation, when it again became unthrifty and weak. The abdomen 

 became enlarged and it was unable to rise. Found dead December 27, nearly two 

 months after inoculation. At each point of inoculation on the thigh an encysted 

 mass was foiind in the subcutaneous tissue as large as a marble. Tlie contents 

 were softening and inclosed by a fibrous waU. Lungs hypostatic. Pulmonary ves- 

 sels and right heart filled Avith a firm clot. Liver very much contracted, especially 

 the lobes on the right, and streaked with depressed lines and fun-ows. The perito- 

 neal covering on the cephalic aspect was very much thickened, in some places uni- 

 formly, in others in a mesh-work corresponding to the interlobular tissue. The acini 

 of this side were very small. On the caudal aspect they were in some places very 

 large and bulging. On section this transition from large below to small above could 

 be easily traced. Gall bladder filled with a thick prune-juice-colored bile. Inflam- 

 matory adhesion between rectum and cajcum. The mucous membrane of the large 

 intestme of a dull red color, probably due to a passive congestion. No ulceration 

 anvwhere to be seen. The intestine itself was very much distended Avith dry, half- 

 digested feces of a yellowish hue. Four liquid cultures made from blood of heart 

 remained clear. 



This case is interesting in that the inoculation caused a cirrhosis of the liver, which 

 became indirectly fatal by destroying in gi-eat part the normal functions of this organ. 



Both fowls inoculated with the microbe from Sodorus died. One of them, which 

 received Y" of the liquid cultures into the pectoral muscle, had a temperature of 

 llOl" F. next day. It began to grow weak rapidly, the temperature remaining high, 

 and it died on the ninth day. The only lesion was the parboiled condition of the pec- 

 toral muscles. No growth in cultures from the liver. The other fowl, which had re- 

 ceived but i" of the culture, lingered in the same condition, becoming very emaciated. 

 It died on the seventeenth day. The inoculated pectoral muscle very pale and infil- 

 trated with serum. Yellowish necrotic masses embedded in it. Extravasations be- 

 neath serosa of duodenum, also beneath corresponding mucosa. The mesentery 

 streaked with petechia? near the vessels. Terminal portion of rectum dilated, filled 

 with yellowish semi-liquid matter; mucosa of this region intensely dark red. 



One of the fowls inoculated with ^" from a culture of the microbe from Geneseo 

 died on the fourth day. Extensive serous mfiltration and tumefaction of the inocu- 

 lated pectoral, which is firm, whitish, parboiled m appearance; mesentery adjacent 

 to pectorals shghtly inflamed; slight congestion of duodenum. 



This case demonstrates a similarity of pathogenic power of the two 

 cultures both upon pigs and fowls. In these cases the local infiltra- 



* Very recent investigations of the disease in the District of Columbia have con- 

 fii-med these statements. The pathogenic bacteria are limited almost exclusively to 

 the diseased lungs. 



