Inflammation of the Stomach and Intestines. 347 



produced a transitory intestinal catarrh and twitching of the muscles; 

 In another cat it led to a fatal intestinal catarrh. Schmul believes that 

 several kinds of bacteria are concerned in the causation of the disease. 

 The most important anatomical changes consist in an increase in 

 thickness, diminished elasticity and a greater transparency of the wall 

 of the small intestines ; in about one-half of the cases there are deposits 

 on the mucosa; the latter, however, is almost always reddened and 

 swollen. The contents of the small intestines are of a milky turbidity, 

 while the contents of the large intestines are frequently mixed with 

 blood. 



The histologic examination shows that the intestinal villi are markedly con- 

 tracted, the tissues of the intestinal wall are edematous, there is frequently necrosis 

 of the villi, aud this may extend even into the serosa. There is also a moderate 

 leucocytic infiltration and likewise moderate hemorrhagic extravasation. 



The pseudomembranes are, according to Zschokke, composed of a mixture of 

 epithelia, leucocytes and fibrin threads, but according to Schmul, they are mostly 

 made up of bacteria and do not give either a distinct mucin or a fibrin reaction. 



The mesenteric lymph glands usually show acute swelling ; the liver 

 and the kidneys are congested. 



The symptoms of the disease consist in vomiting and diarrhea and 

 these usually lead to death in one to three days, so that a suspicion of 

 poisoning is frequently created. 



Treatment is unpromising, according to past experiences. 



Literature. Kitt, Pathol. Anat., 1906, II, 61.— Schmul, A. f. Tk., 1907, 

 XXXIII, 44.5.— Zschokke, Schw. A., 1900, XLII, 20. 



18. Inflammation of the Stomach and Intestines. Gastro- 

 enteritis. 



{Septic, typhoid, mycotic enteritis, intestinal mycosis, intestinal 



typhoid, dysentery of adidt animals, Magenruhrseuche 



[German], Fungus and meat-poisoning, croupous or 



diphtheritic enteritis. Mycosis sea sepsis intesti- 



nalis, g astro-enter it e, gastro-enterite dysen- 



terique [French], pseudo-typhoid). 



Under the name of gastro-enteritis are comprised all of 

 those inflammatory processes Avhieh affect either the stomach or 

 the intestines, hut usually both of them simultaneously, and 

 which are quite intense in character, leading to hemorrhage, sup- 

 puration or to the formation of true croupous membranes due to 

 necrosis. These conditions do not constitute one specific entity, 

 but they have to be treated collectively under a common liead, 

 since the necessary investigations are lacking to separate them 

 properly into several specific types. 



Severe inflammatory processes in the stomach and intestines may 

 develop upon the basis of a variety of causes, hence the clinical picture 

 varies a good deal. In certain cases the symptoms are quite charac- 

 teristic for particular uniform types and therefore justify a separate 

 consideration under a special head (see foreign bodies in the stomach, 

 membranous enteritis, coccidial dysentery). A separate consideration 

 is also indicated for inflammations produced in the course of poisoning 



