64 CONTAGIOUS DISEASES OF DOMESTICATED ANIMALS. 



until the fatal terinination of tbe disease. The circnlatory lesion seems then to be 

 alone in play ; it is localized in the digital region of the posterior limbs (Randill), 

 or extends to the metacarpal and metatarsal regions of the limbs of one side (De- 

 coste). A slight swelling of these parts announces the beginning. The hair becomes 

 dull, the skiu is dried, hardened, and mummified as well as the parts immediately 

 beneath it. The appetite is pi'eserved, but the animals become thin; a few individ- 

 uals take flesh after the loss of the gangrenous limbs and may be prepared for the 

 butcher. Death in a condition of marasmus is the most common result. When the 

 aflectiou takes a relatively benign form the gangrene does not destroy the part; the 

 digital region loses its elasticity, the points of the toes are elevated, grow to an un- 

 usual length, and the weight is supported on the back of the fetlock. In this situa- 

 tion the animals pass a miserable existence until the owner, from pity, sends them to 

 the butcher (Randall). The more benign form seems to ns to have a resemblance to 

 convulsive ergotism; the position of the posterior limbs has perhaps for its orign a 

 contraction of the extensors. 



In the records of epidemics of ergotism there are found but few references to 

 the disease in the horse, and these are of no use in tracing the symptomatology. 

 We are then reduced to a recapitulation of experiments to the number of two, one 

 made by Hertwig and the other by Parola. 



Hertwig administered to a horse within twenty-four days 3,552 grams [about 7 

 pounds] of ergot of rye. The phenomena observed were slight colics, loss of appetite, 

 which disappeared within a few hours, drowsiness, which also soon passed away, di- 

 lation of the pupils, slight spasmodic contractions of the nuiscles of the skin and 

 diminished temperature of the surface of the body The pulsations of the arteries 

 were retarded from 40 to 28 to the minute. The day following the administration of 

 the last dose all abnoriual i)henomena had disappeared. 



Parola experimented on a vigorous and lively mule afiected with a nasal discharge. 

 During six days he gave it, in addition to its ordinary ration, ergot of rye in progres- 

 sive doses of from 20 to 64 grams [J to 2 ounces] a day. The first day, the pulse w^as 

 from 56 to 58, with lowering of the external temperature. The second day, pulse 58, 

 respiration difficult, tearful eyes, loss of appetite, dullness, beating of heart insensi- 

 ble. The third day, coldness of the skin, general tremors, difficult respiration, spas- 

 modic trouble of the cardiac and arterial pulsations, absence of appetite, apathy, 

 dullness, suppression of the nasal discharge, which returned after the use of irritating 

 injections. From the fourth to the seventh day, development of these symptoms, un- 

 steady and difficult walk, trembling, inclined to lie, painfnl swelling of the knees, 

 the nasal discharge definitely arrested. After having taken iu all 284 grams [0.6 

 pounds] of ergot, the mule, which had continually lost in flesh and liveliness, became 

 insensible and was destroyed. 



It maybe concluded from these facts that the horse escapes the pern icious effects of 

 ergot no more than other animals, and that, placed under favorable conditions, one of 

 the two forms of the disease may be clearly manifested, as the result of long and con- 

 tinued use. Ergot is also a poison for insects ; in Poland they kill flies by giving as 

 a bait powder of ergot mixed with honey. Leeches, plunged into an infnsion of ergot, 

 perish instantly (Loriuser). 



Anatomical characiers. — Studied for centuries, ergotism presents, in regard to its patho- 

 logical anatomy, lamentable deficiencies as well with juankind as with animals. Con- 

 sidering the variation of symptoms it is useless to insist that the anatomical lesions 

 cannot in all cases be the same. Those which we are about to enumerate all belong 

 to either artificial or experimental ergotism. 



The rigor mortis is never excessive ; the flabby muscles are softened, the bones en- 

 gorged with blood, particularly near the articulations. The venous system is dis- 

 tended by a black, pitchy, semi-fluid blood; the arteries, sometimes empty, contain 

 in other circumstances a red fluid Idood. In the thoracic cavity the lungs are found 

 hepatized in the posterior portion; the heart flabby, small or voluminous, contains 



