606 Epizootic C'erebro-sjiinal Meningitis. 



2. Epizootic Cerebro-spinal Meningitis. Meningitis cerebro- 

 spinalis enzootica. 



{Bo ma Disease.) 



Epizootic cerebro-spinal meningitis of the domesticated ani- 

 mals is an independent infectious disease characterized by in- 

 flammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord and 

 the adjacent nerve tissues. In certain districts the disease is 

 enzootic and even tends to be epizootic. In many cases there 

 are no macroscopic lesions. 



Under this term we shall here consider only those cases of menin- 

 gitis which are capable of spreading epizootically, although such cases 

 may, under certain circumstances, occur sporadically. This compre- 

 hensive definition meets both scientific and practical demands. It has 

 been proved that in diffuse cerebral meningitis the inflammation often 

 spreads to the membranes of the spinal cord to a varying extent, the 

 dissemination of the infective material being favored by the commu- 

 nications which exist between the subarachnoidal spaces of the two mem- 

 branes. It is not advisable to separate such cases from those that af- 

 fect the membranes of the brain only and class them with simple 

 cerebro-spinal meningitis. For on the one hand it is quite possible 

 that in one case the inflammation may remain restricted to the mem- 

 branes of the brain only and in other cases extend to the membranes 

 of the spinal cord, on the other hand cerebral meningitis is as a rule 

 secondary to some other primary diseased condition and does not spread 

 epizootically. It is possible, however, that some forms of secondary 

 meningitis, such as are met with in influenza and strangles, may in some 

 cases become epizootic, but in such cases the secondary nature of the 

 disease is obvious. 



Examination of the facts regarding the pathogenesis of this disease 

 indicates decisively that the socalled Borna disease must be ranged 

 with enzootic cerebro-spinal meningitis. 



Schneidemiihl objects to the description "Borna Disease" on the grounds 

 that it is not historically correct. The disease did not first occur in the Borna 

 district, but had already been observed in other parts of Germany and in other 

 countries. "Cramp of the neck" (Genickstarre) is also not so good a term to 

 apply to the socalled Borna disease as to some other kinds of cerebro-spinal menin- 

 gitis as the symptom is not infrequently absent. ' ' Inflammation of the brain 

 and spinal cord" cannot be considered as quite correct, for as a matter of fact 

 when inflammatory lesions are present the affection of the brain substance is 

 secondary. A more correct term would be ' ' Meningo-encephalitis and Menin- 

 go-myelitis. ' ' 



Historical. The disease of the horse observed in Wiirtemburg in 

 1813, and subsequently described by Worz as *' Heat-stroke" (Hitzige 

 Kopfkranheit) was probably an enzootic cerebro-spinal meningitis. 

 The disease which spread through Europe in the years 1824-1828, and 

 which was described by Francjue as "Fever of the Nerves" was prob- 

 ably the same. Sporadic and enzootic cases of the disease were ob- 

 served in several of the northern American States by Large (1847) 

 and later by Liautard (1869). In 1878 and 1879 it attracted the at- 

 tention of the veterinary surgeons in Saxony, especially in the dis- 



