352 Iiiflamuiation of the Stomach and Intestines. 



The solitary and agininated follicles are considerably 

 swollen and the necrotic epithelial cells form a hoar-frosted, 

 ashy or bran-like covering. Necrosis may penetrate more deeply 

 whereupon the various layers of the mucosa become changed 

 into dirty gray, opaque-yellow pseudomembranes; after these 

 are shed sinuous ulcers remain behind, round or large and ir- 

 regular, bounded by undermined margins, the base covered by 

 necrotic tissue shreds. The bacillus necrophorus leads to the 

 formation of flat ulcers of the size of half a dollar or a dollar 

 piece, dirty yellowish or pale yellowish, covered by a soft or 

 firm cheese-like mass which can easily be removed. Such places 

 become confluent and form irregular spots, the intestinal wall 

 becomes thickened and loses in elasticity. 



The mesenteric glands are always swollen. Acute swelling 

 of the spleen, parenchymatous degeneration and inflammation 

 of internal organs and occasionally the presence of metastatic 

 abscesses indicate more or less that a general infection has 

 taken place. 



Symptoms. Gastro-enteritis sometimes begins with the 

 symptoms of acute gastric catarrh and gradually passes over 

 into the picture of inflammation ; generally, however, the animals 

 sicken suddenly under grave symptoms. The ingestion of feed 

 and, in ruminants, rumination cease, thirst is sometimes much 

 increased, often the animals exhibit manifestations of abdominal 

 pains, which are generally dull, less frequently sharp and severe 

 so that they lead to maniacal attacks, Carnivora and hogs vomit 

 frequently, and the expelled matter occasionally is bloody; 

 vomiting is sometimes seen in herbivora, and more frequently 

 repeated retching and gagging. 



All animals except the horse usually show tenderness on 

 pressure of the region of the stomach or abomasum or even of 

 the whole abdomen. In ruminants there is generally also moder- 

 ate bloating with moderate increase of the circumference of the 

 abdomen; this is, however, also in other animals, seen in the 

 beginning of the disease. In the further course of the disease 

 the dimensions of the abdomen usually decrease in consequence 

 of diarrhea, and the abdomen is drawn in. 



Whenever the stomach is affected particularly, the intestinal 

 sounds are less frequent or entirely absent and there is consti- 

 pation. If enteritis is already present the intestinal sounds are 

 intensified or continuous and diarrhea sets in, the animals void 

 large masses of fetid matter with painful efforts; these are 

 sometimes mixed with shreds of tissue or blood ; dogs sometimes 

 void pure blood ; relaxation of the rectal sphincter muscle finally 

 leads to involuntary defecation. If diarrhea has existed for 

 some time and if the intestinal contents have consequently been 

 diminished materially, the intestinal sounds, depending both 

 upon peristalsis and the presence of fluids and gases, may be 

 absent; simultaneously with the absence of intestinal sounds 



