590 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION G2. 



Effusions into the peritoneal and pleural cavities are commonly 

 observed, and have often a muddy-looking aspect. Haemoglobin 

 staining of various parts of the body is frequent, being of post- 

 mortem occurrence. The spleen is seldom abnormal — is, in fact, 

 usually " collapsed and inconspicuous." 



It will be observed that in several points the diseases Bradsot 

 (as described by Jensen and others) and Braxy (as described by 

 Hamilton) vary so far as age, incidence, symptoms and pathological 

 changes are concerned, but that nevertheless these variations are 

 of a minor character. 



Other Braxy-like Diseases. — Here it may be well to observe that 

 Hamilton recognises three other morbid conditions of sheep under 

 this heading, these being termed provisionally " Disease A," 

 " Disease B " and " Malignant CEdema." The distinctive charac- 

 ters are as follows : — 



Disease A. — Commences in September and disappears by the 

 middle of December. A full description of one case (dead 3 days) 

 is given. The carcase was dry, serous effusions were little in 

 quantity, and the stomachs were normal, but for post-mortem 

 alteration. The bacillus present in great numbers morphologically 

 quite different to that of braxy. 



Disease B. — Season, October to January. Apparently some 

 symptoms (not detailed) observed, the disease terminating fatally 

 within a day or so after the symptoms have declared themselves. 

 Little gas or odour, and peritoneal fluid clear or only slightly turbid. 

 The bacilli found in the peritoneal liquid, etc., are morphologically 

 different to that of braxy. 



Malignant Oedema. — Season : as for braxy. Small quantity 

 of blood-stained opaque and muddy serum in peritoneum ; haemorr- 

 hagic patches in intestinal walls ; " congested spots " on the mucosa 

 of the fourth stomach, but no ulceration or gangrenous sloughs ; 

 spleen soft ; kidneys congested ; gelatinous oedema covering the 

 external surface of the pericardium ; pericardium distended with 

 serous hquid ; haemorrhagic areas in lungs, etc. The peritoneal 

 liquid contains long thin rods similar in morphology to the common 

 Vibrion septique of Pasteur. 



As apparently no experiments were carried out with the 

 bacilli of these so-named diseases, the true significance of the 

 baciUi described cannot be estimated. It is worthy of note that 

 the majority of such cases were found on farms where the sheep 

 had been treated by Hamilton's method of immunisation, viz., 

 dosing with cultures of the braxy bacillus during the so-called 

 " immune season." 



Bacteriology of European Braxies. 

 Bradsot. — The bacillus of Bradsot was first described 

 by Neilsen in 1888, and termed by him Bacillus gastromycosis 

 ovis (a sporulating rod 2-6/t in length by 1.0/< in breadth). 



