Anatomical Changes. Symptoms. 825 



Anatomical Changes. In the presence of cysticerci in the 

 striated muscle of swine tlie muscles appear otherwise healthy. 

 Only after very severe invasion the muscle is pale, reddish gray 

 and soft, and the increased connective tissue is serously in- 

 filtrated. The number of cysts varies in different cases; thus 

 Kiichenmeister found in one case 133 in 17 grammes of flesh, 

 and this number corresponds to 80,000 cysts in one kilogramme 

 of muscle. The cysts are easily removable from the muscle 

 and leave a visible cavity behind ; when present in large numbers 

 they are of different sizes and partly shrivelled or calcified. 

 They occur most frequently in the neighborhood of the shoulder 

 or in the deep muscles of the shoulder and chest, in the ab- 

 dominal muscles, in the nape and neck muscles, in the dia- 

 phragm, in the intercostal muscles, and in the adductors of the 

 thighs, further also in the muscles of tongue and heart ; in more 

 severe cases they may be found in the other muscles, further, 

 in the brain, eyes, liver, spleen, lungs, lymphatic glands and in 

 the fat. 



In cattle the cysts occur chiefly in the internal and external 

 muscles of mastication and in the heart muscle ; more rarely in 

 the muscular tissue of the tongue, of the neck and chest, and 

 only exceptionally in the intestines. Their number is usually 

 small, and only very seldom do cases occur where the muscular 

 tissue contains numerous cysts throughout. (Hertwig once 

 found 300 in half a pound of flesh.) 



Symptoms. In swine cysticerci cause pronounced s\Tnp- 

 toms only after a very severe invasion or after localization in 

 the eye or brain. The greater number of measly swine appear 

 quite healthy. The disease usually is recognized only if an 

 organ that can be examined directly is affected. Thus one 

 finds the cysts now and then under the conjunctiva of the eye, 

 on the bulbus, or on the inner surface of an eyelid in the form 

 of a bluish, transparent elevation. Sometimes, however, they 

 are situated in the interior of the eye, in the anterior chamber 

 of the eye, in the lens, where they can be recognized with the 

 naked eye. But if they localize behind the lens, as happens 

 rarely, they can be seen only with the ophthalmoscope. In the 

 tongue cysts are to be felt with the hand, mostly at the edges, 

 on the under surface or in the frsenum. If the cj'sticerci are 

 numerous, the tongue may be almost paralyzed, and in conse- 

 quence the animal is unable to eat (Sobotta). Much more rare- 

 ly cysts occur under the mucous membrane of the anus, where 

 they may also be recognized by palpation. 



In order to examine the tongue for cysticerci the pig is laid on one side by 

 an attendant, and the mouth pried open with a stick. The veterinary surgeon 

 passes the index and middle fingers of both hands into the mouth, and on drawing 

 his fingers over the tongue and lingual ligaments, the cysts may be felt as firm 

 nodules the size of a lentil or pea. The examination is of value only when a 

 positive result is obtained. Small cicatrices in the above mentioned positions 

 incline one to suspect that cysts have been cut out at some time. (^A detailed 

 description of the method of examination has been given by Kukuljevic.) 



