26-i PARASITES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



trifling part in the development of the ahove-raentioned disease, which 

 he dechires to be due to infection with a cocco-hacillus of the Pas- 

 teurella group, the development of which alone, he states, explains 

 all the symptoms. 



In France the disease now under consideration has never extended 

 be3'ond limited regions, hut in A^rgentina, where Lignieres carried out his 

 investigations, it is said to be very fatal. Lignieres bases his opinion on 

 the following facts : — 



Firstly, that experimental verminous infection of young animals does 

 not produce either anaemia or cachexia. 



Secondly, that animals in excellent condition may prove to be infested 

 with large numbers of parasites. 



Thirdly, that animals which have succumbed to this disease, hitherto 

 regarded as verminous, sometimes prove to harbour few or no parasites. 



Fourthly, that this grave and fatal disease, and the symptoms by 

 which it is clinically recognised, can be produced with cultures of the 

 cocco-bacillus, which he has isolated. 



These statements are very precise, but Mossu declares that he has 

 never yet been convinced of the reliability of the last statement referring 

 to experimental transmission, any more than of the data regarding 

 alleged protective vaccination. 



The symptoms of gastro-intestinal strongylosis or ovine pasteurel- 

 losis point to a progressive pernicious annemia of chronic or sul)acute 

 form. Rapidly progressive cases are exceptional. 



In France the form seen is almost invariably chronic. The animals 

 appear dull, sluggish, and feeble ; they lose appetite, waste, become 

 anaemic, then cachectic, and, after several months, die of exhaustion 

 and wasting, after having shown diarrhoea during the later stages. 



The ffeces are pasty, and exhale a very marked putrefactive odour. 

 There is little room to doubt that auto-intoxication from resorption of 

 intestinal products is continually going on. 



The animal's general appearance is bad, the ears are pendant, the 

 wool is dry and dull, and can be removed in handfuls Ijy the slightest 

 pull. There are no other external symptoms, and the diagnosis can only 

 be arrived at by discovering the eggs of the parasite in the faeces. ■ 



Lesions. Post-mortem examination reveals all the general lesions 

 of advanced cachexia and of gastro-enteritis of varying intensity. The 

 abomasum and first portions of the small intestine usually contain a 

 consideral)le number of strongyles ; tfieniae are often present in the 

 intestine, and Moussu declares that he has always found a certain 

 number of hooked worms and oesophagostomes. 



The peritoneal, pleuritic, and pericardial exudates common in most 

 wasting conditions are always present, but the quantity of exudate in 



