Contagious Nasal ("iilarrli of Kal)l)ils. 15 



Treatment. This is t'rcHiiioiitly without success. It appears 

 therefore best to slaughter most of the sick auimals. If the 

 symptoms are mild from the start, treatment should however be 

 instituted. Imminger was successful in two cases with instilla- 

 tions of a 1% solution of corrosive sublimate, 1 tablespoonful 

 into each nostril every one to two hours. One may also try irri- 

 gation of the nasal cavities with corrosive sublimate or another 

 disinfectant solution. (See page 7.) 



Prophylaxis. If the disease appears in a herd, it is well to 

 separate the healthy animals and instill some corrosive subli- 

 mate or other disinfectant solution into their nares. The infected 

 pens must l)e well disinfected and kept clean. 



Literature. Anackei-j Spez. Path., 1879, 46.— Imminger, W. f. Tk., 1890, 125.— 

 Koske, Arb. d. G. A., 19n6, XXTII, .542. 



5. Contag-ious Nasal Catarrh of Rabbits. Rhinitis 

 contagiosa cuniculorum. 



(Ififuenzaarticje Kanlnchenseuclie [Kraus, Kasparek] ; Infecti- 



oser oder Bosartiger Schnupfen, Bosartiges Sclmup- 



fenfieher, Bosartiges Katarrhalfieher der 



Kaninclien, Kaninchenstaupe [German] ; 



Rhinitis Punilentsi [Roger & Weil].) 



Contagious rhinitis of rabbits consists in an enzootic con- 

 tagious atfection of the respiratory passages by a bacterium 

 similar to the influenza bacillus. 



Historical. This disease, which has long been known under the 

 name of "inaHgnant snuffles," was formerly believed to be a 

 coceidia rhinitis of rabbits (see page 28). The investigations of Beck 

 (1891), Kraus (1897), Roger & AVeil (1901), Volk (1902) and Kasparek 

 (1903), have, however, shown that the great majority of cases known 

 under this or similar names is of bacterial origin. Affections similar 

 clinically and anatomically have been observed by Suedmersen (1905) 

 and Koppanyi ''1906), but they are due to bacteria of a different kind. 



Etiology. The cause of the disease is a very small, slen- 

 der, immotile bacillus of the size of the bacillus bipolaris avi- 

 septicus, which is decolorized by Gram's method and which does 

 not form spores. 



Cultivation. In the presence of oxygen and at blood temperature 

 the bacilli grow on all of the usual culture media. On gelatin plates 

 there are formed after forty-eight hours small granular colonies with 

 a sharp or, according to Kraus, serrated margin ; the gelatin does 

 not become li(iuefied. On the surface of agar there is developed a 

 luxuriant grayish-white, iridescent growth. Milk is not coagulated, 

 indol is not formed. The bacilli descril)ed by Beck, Kraus, Volk and 

 Kasparek show some differences, mostly cultural in type, and accord- 

 ing to Kasparek this points to the fact that different varieties exist. 



