Actinomycosis of Cattle. 



657 



Symptoms. The patliological clianges described above may 

 be recognized intra vitam as far as they are accessible by 

 external examination. 



Actinomycosis of Cattle. In actinomycosis of the lips 

 which is quite common in some regions, there are to be found 

 round or ovoid, firm tumors that have a tendency to undergo 

 softening in the center. These 

 tumors occur in the submucous 

 connective tissues of one or both 

 lips and vary in size from a pea 

 to that of a walnut. In exceptional 

 cases excessive proliferation of 

 fibrinous connective tissue is noted 

 in the surrounding region, as a re- 

 sult of which the upper lip is 

 transformed into a firm and rigid 

 mass sometimes 56 cm. in diameter 

 (Fig. 104). 



The first stage of actinomyco- 

 sis of the tongue, when it occurs 

 in the form of" a dorsal ulcer as 

 already described, is usually unob- 

 served. When the muscle sub- 

 stance becomes affected to any ex- 

 tent, the movement of this organ, 

 and consequently also mastication^ 

 are interfered with. The animals 

 lick their noses, saliva flows from 

 the mouth while closer inspection 

 reveals the presence of the above 

 described ulcers on the rigid and 

 painfully sensitive tongue. The 

 secretions of the ulcers contain 

 colonies of actinomyces. In more 

 serious or advanced cases the 



tongue becomes swollen and as a result is forced out of the 

 mouth, its tip usually being ulcerated and covered with a foul 

 secretion emitting a disagreeable odor. The surface of the 

 tongue is coarsely bosselated and the organ itself is firm, almost 

 wood-like in consistency. 



Actinomycosis of the jaw bones (Figs. 105 and 106) is 

 usually not observed until the head of the affected animal pre- 

 sents more or less of a deformity. Myelogenic actinomycomata 

 produce only a uniform swelling of the body of the jaw bone, 

 which in itself, however, may prevent mastication. If the 

 process extends from the bone "to the masseter muscles mastica- 

 tion may be seriously interfered with and the condition may 

 even result in trismus, which is, however, in some cases, only 



Fig. 104. Actinomycosis of the 

 Upper Lip. Cured by internal 

 application of potassium iodide. 



