THE ALIMENTARY CANAL AS A SOURCE OF CONTAGION II 



deal of difficulty from resistance on the part of the animal. There was 

 blood in the rectum to such an extent as to soil the thermometer, and 

 the fingers were covered with blood after withdrawing the instrument. 

 The tail, for the most part, was quite limp. 



The abdomen was fully distended and tympanitic, and during an hour 

 of more or less continuous spasmodic convulsions the distension visibly 

 increased. 



The external temperature was evidently high, and that within the 

 rectum, at this time, was 108-5° F., the pulse 160, quick and short, and 

 the heart could be plainly felt thumping against the thoracic wail. 



When the legs were held in the palms of the hands above the hocks, 

 they were stretched out rigidly, and tense quivering of the muscles was 

 experienced during the manipulation. On seizing the limbs by the 

 fetlocks they were snatched out of the hands violently and kicked out in 

 a galloping excursion. When she was raised from the ground, the hind 

 limbs were still extended backwards, became rigid, the hoofs were struck 

 into the ground, and the body was thrown forwards, the animal resting 

 on her knees and panting like a dog. If the support was withdrawn, the 

 animal pitched forwards violently one or two yards and rolled over in a 

 convulsive spasm. Placed upon her haunches, the spasmodic attacks 

 still continued, the head was drawn back and to the right side, the fore 

 limbs made the usual excursion in mid-air, and immediately the support 

 was withdrawn she fell over in a convulsion. During the hour from 

 ii'20 a.m. to I2'20 p.m., there were short periods of exhaustion and 

 total collapse. 



At I2"20 p.m. the convulsive seizures ceased, with the exception of a 

 few rapid spasms of the fore limbs and occasional retraction of the head. 

 The animal gave a long deep gasp or two and succumbed in what 

 appeared to be a violent, almost tetanic, convulsion. 



Morbid Anatomy. — On examining the carcase in this disease one of 

 the most notable features is the absence of lesion which might serve to 

 localise the peccant agent in any particular organ. Gas begins to 

 develop in the abdomen very soon after death, and within a few hours, in 

 certain instances, the wall of the abdomen may assume a greenish tint. 



The abdominal cavity, as a rule, contains an excess of serous liquid, 

 but this is not always the case. Sometimes the liquid is thick, muddy- 

 looking, and, it may be, tinged with blood, while at other times it is quite 



(II) 



