HEMORRHAGTC SEPTICEMIA 267 



Anionjr the most important are chicken cholera, swine 

 plague, and bubonic or Asiatic plague in man. In cattle, 

 deer, and related animals outbreaks of varying intensity oc- 

 cur. The disease is found in all parts of the world. In 

 the United States it has been most frequent in the upper 

 Mississippi Valley. The discussion in question will be lim- 

 ited to the disease in cattle. 



The normal habitat of the organism is unknown. It 

 lias been thought by some to be a sapmphytic organism, 

 wlijch, under unknown conditions, may suddenly become 

 virulent, and thus cause an epidemic that usually disappears 

 as quickly and as mysteriously as it appears. The rapidity 

 of its appearance and the suddenness with which the animals 

 die, together with the helplessness of the owner to combat it, 

 make it a disease much to be dreaded. Frequently the an- 

 imals die without showing previous symptoms of illness. 

 In less acute types of the disease, weakness of the limbs may 

 he noted. Recovery is rare. 



The manner in which the organism enters the body is 

 unknown, as is also the method of transmission from one 

 animal to another. 



On post-mortem examination reddish spots varying from 

 a pinhead to several inches in diameter are found beneath 

 the skin. Hemorrhagic areas are usually present on the 

 heart, stomach, and intestines. The blood is red and coag- 

 ulates *iu a normal manner. The spleen is normal. It is 

 frequently mistaken for anthrax on account of the sudden- 

 ness with which death occurs. In atypical cases an examin- 

 ation of the blood for the specific organism is necessary to 

 confirm the diagnosis. 



A method of vaccination has been devised. The causal 

 organism is g own in broth. The cultures are heated to 

 55 C. (131 F.) for thirty minutes in order to destroy 

 the life of the cells. The low degree of heat does not change 



