CHAPTER XXV. 



BACILLUS OF SWINE ERYSIPELAS BACILLUS OF MOUSE 

 SEPTICEMIA. 



BACILLUS OF SWINE ERYSIPELAS. 



Occurrence and Historical. The disease swine erysipelas, red fever 

 of swine; "Backsteinblattern," "Stabchenrothlauf" (German); "rouget 

 du pore" (French), is an acute septicemic disease of swine occurring 

 either sporadically or epizootically. The disease is comparatively 

 prevalent in European countries. In Germany, 89,087 cases, with a 

 mortality of over 80 per cent., were reported in 1903; in France the 

 annual loss is estimated at 100,000 animals and over, and the disease 

 is also relatively prevalent in other countries of Europe. The affection 

 has been known for a long time, but prior to the investigations of 

 Pasteur and Thuillier, who, however, did not discover its true cause, 

 it was mistaken for anthrax in swine. The true cause of the disease 

 was found in 1885 by Loeffler and a little later also by Schiitz in 

 a bacillus known as the Bacillus erysipelatis suis or the bacillus of 

 swine erysipelas. 



Pathologic Lesions. In the acute form of the disease the post- 

 mortem findings are not very characteristic. The mucosa of the 

 stomach, particularly in the neighborhood of the pylorus, is inflamed, 

 swollen, and red, covered with a tenacious mucus, upon the removal 

 of which numerous hemorrhagic spots are encountered. The mucosa 

 of the small intestines is likewise inflamed and congested, Peyer's 

 patches are swollen, and here and there superficial ulceration is seen. 

 The latter also occurs in the large intestines, particularly in the region 

 of the ileocecal valve. The spleen is congested and often somewhat 

 enlarged, and the kidneys show cloudy swelling. In the cortical 

 substance of the latter, reddish points are seen. These are the 

 inflamed and hemorrhagic glomeruli (glomerulonephritis). The lungs 

 are hyperemic and edematous. The lymphatic glands are edematous, 

 hyperemic, and much swollen. The serous membranes sometimes 

 show a fine fibrinous deposit, and frequently hemorrhagic spots. The 

 changes in the skin from which the disease has received its name 

 consist in hemorrhagic spots, which are due to the great congestion of 

 superficial bloodvessels with some blood extravasation into the sub- 

 cutaneous connective tissue. 



In the chronic form of the disease an inflammation of the serous 



