288 DISEASES OF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, ETC. 



veyed into the tissues by various foodstuffs through slight wounds 

 of the mucous membrane of the mouth, decayed teeth, or during the 

 shedding of milk teeth. The ray fungus is found in nature vegetated 

 on grasses, on the awns of barley, the spears of oats, and on other 

 grains. Quantities of the fungi have been found between vegetable 

 fibers of barley which had penetrated the gums of cattle and on the 

 awns of grain embedded in the tongues of cows. 



The tumors and abscesses wherever they may be situated are all 

 found to be the same in origin by the presence of the actinomyces 

 fungus. When they are incised, a very close scrutiny with the naked 

 eye, or at most a hand lens, will reveal the presence of minute grains 

 which vary from a pale-yellow to a sulphur-yellow color. They may 

 be very abundant or so few as to be overlooked. They are embedded 

 in the soft tissues composing the tumor or in the pus of the abscess. 

 With a needle they are easily lifted out from the tissue, and then they 

 appear as roundish masses about one-half millimeter (1/50 inch) in 

 diameter. 



These are the bodies whose presence causes sufficient irritation in 

 the tissues into which they find their way to set up inflammatory 

 growths. These growths increase as the fungus continues to mul- 

 tiply until they reach enormous dimensions, if the affected animal 

 is permitted to live long enough. The true nature of this parasite is 

 not yet definitely settled, although many excellent observers have 

 occupied themselves with it. According to earlier observers it is a 

 true fungus. Later ones are inclined to place it among the higher 

 bacteria. Further investigations will be necessary to clear up this 

 subject. 



Whatever be the situation of the disease caused by actinomyces, 

 its nature is fundamentally the same and peculiar to the fungus. 

 The pathological details which make this statement clear can not be 

 entered upon in this place, nor would they be of any practical value 

 to the farmer. We will simply dwell upon a few obvious characters. 



The consistency of the tumor varies in different situations ac- 

 cording to the quantity of fibrous or connective tissue present. When 

 very little of this is present the tumor is of a Very soft consistency. 

 As the quantity of connective tissue is increased the tumor is firmer 

 and of a more honeycombed appearance. The individual actinomyces 

 colonies are lodged in the spaces or interstices formed by the mesh- 

 work of the connective tissue. There they are surrounded by a 

 mantle of cellular elements which fill up the spaces. By scraping 

 the cut surface of such a tumor these cell masses inclosing the fungi 

 come away, and the latter may be seen as pale-yellow or sulphur-yel- 

 low specks, as described above. 



Location and Description. In cattle the disease process may be 

 located both externally, where it is readily detected, and in internal 

 organs. Its preferred seat is on the bones of the lower and upper jaw, 

 in the parotid salivary gland in the angle of the jaw, and in the 

 region of the throat. It may also appear under the skin in different 

 parts of the body. Internally it may attack the tongue and appear 

 in the form of a tumor in the mouth, pharynx, and larynx. It may 



