Occurrence. Etiology. 159 



systematically, and recently the disease has not occurred. In Salzburg out of 336 

 colts 172 became affected in the year 1884, of which 152 (92.4%) died. In the 

 year 1885, 98, in 1886, 120 succumbed to the disease. 



Etiology. The etiology of pyo-septicemia lias up to the 

 present time been only elucidated to the extent that the investi- 

 gations showed as the causative factor of the disease on one 

 side a variety of the bacillus (bipolaris) septicus (Pasteurella; 

 see page 79), on the other a virulent colon bacillus. 



The bacillus bipolaris septicus isolated from the body of affected 

 animals is pathogf^nic for rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, and in larger 

 (|iiantities also for pigeons. Injections of 3 to 5 cc. of fresh virulent 

 bouillon culture into the umbilicus of a 4 to 5-day old calf causes an 

 inflammation of the umbilicus and softening and thrombi of the um- 

 bilical vessels, resulting in a serofibrinous inflammation of the joints 

 (Gmelin). Intravenous injections of 3 cc. of culture into a 1-day old 

 calf causes a slight rise in temperature; on the following day the 

 animal is debilitated and at the same time the temperature drops 

 below normal (34.6"). The animal passes white, foamy, later bloody, 

 fluid, fetid feces with much straining, and succumbs after 30 hours 

 to complete exhaustion. The autopsy reveals manifestations of hemor- 

 rhagic septicemia, and also extensive inflammation of the large in- 

 testines. The blood and the exudate of the serous cavities contain 

 the bipolar bacillus in pure cultures. On the other hand, the mesenteric 

 glands and the liver contain shortly after death foreign bacteria, 

 principally colon and paracolon bacilli in great quantities. Animals 

 recovering from the disease react after 4 weeks to an intravenous in- 

 jection of 10 cc. of culture only wdth a rise in temperature which 

 lasts for one day (Nocard). 



Bacteria of the bacillus coli communis type (see page 146) were 

 isolated by Zschokke and Wilhelmi from the joints of calves dead 

 from the disease either in pure culture or mixed \^ath some other 

 bacteria. Wilhelmi produced in 8 cases in young calves, by intravenous 

 injections of pure cultures, a sero-fi))rinous inflammation of the joints, 

 acute endocarditis and diarrhea, whereupon the animals died within 

 a short time or after longer ailing. In one case Zschokke produced only 

 a passing arthritis. Poels and Joest also produced fatal infection 

 in calves by injecting colon bacilli into the umbilical vessels. The 

 disease, however, corresponded with the w^hite diarrhea of calves, and 

 inflammation of the joints was absent. 



The results of the investigations accordingly appear to indi- 

 cate that the disease following the umbilical infection develops 

 as a result of infection with various micro-organisms. The 

 organisms which are implicated are on the one hand the bipolar 

 bacillus of hemorrhagic septicemia, and on the other hand a 

 strong virulent variety of the colon bacillus. According to 

 Lesage & Delmer the colon Ijacillus prepares the field for the 

 pathogenic action of the bipolar bacillus, as the injection of 

 both bacteria under the skin of a calf produces the disease, while 

 the bipolar bacillus alone causes only a local inflammation (in 

 the first case the colon bacillus remains at the point of inocula- 

 tion, while the bipolar bacillus passes into the blood). 



