GOITRE IN CALVES AND LAMBS. 45.3 



CASEOUS LYMPHADENITIS OF THE SHEEP. 



In the sheep the lymphatic glands are sometimes the seat of peculiar 

 changes, which do not appear to have any marked effect on the general 

 condition. Thus a post-mortem examination or an examination of 

 animals in the slaughter-house sometimes shows a certain number of 

 isolated or symmetrical glands, such as the mediastinal, tracheal, in- 

 guinal, pelvic or sublumbar glands, to be greatly enlarged and completely 

 degenerated. The precraral, prescapular, and popliteal glands are said 

 to be most frequently affected. Their contents are caseous and yellowish, 

 enveloped in a fibrous sheath, and show no signs of peripheral inflam- 

 mation. The other organs and viscera may either be healthy or exhibit 

 caseous lesions identical with those found in caseous broncho-pneumonia. 



The causes of this disease are imperfectly understood, although 

 Cherry and Bull (1899, the Veteriiianaii, Vol. LXXIL, No. 860, p. 523) 

 have isolated from the lesions an organism identical with Preisz's 

 bacillus and with the microbe of ulcerative lymphangitis in the horse. 



Norgaard and ^lohler (Annual Report, United States Bureau of Agri- 

 culture, 1899, p. 638) have studied the disease. In June, 1897, Turski, 

 at Danzig, found about 150 breeding ewes, from eight to twelve years 

 old, suffering from nodules or abscesses the size of a child's fist in the 

 inguinal and prescapular regions. They had been sold for slaughter, 

 and many were in very poor condition. The disease occurs in Europe, 

 Western America, South America, and Australia. Several thousand 

 cases are annually seen in the slaughter-houses of the United States. 



The symptoms generally escape notice, and it is only by accident 

 that one sometimes detects marked enlargement of the lymphatic 

 glands of the neck or of the superficial inguinal glands. . The patients, 

 moreover, may remain in very good bodily condition, so that the 

 lesions are only discovered on the meat being inspected. 



Having regard to our imperfect knowledge of this disease, it is 

 impossible to express an opinion as to its imj^ortance or treatment. 



GOITRE IN CALVES AND LAMBS. 



Although not strictly relevant to the foregoing matter, a few remarks 

 may here be made on the subject of goitre. 



True goitre consists in hyperplasia of the follicles of the thyroid 

 gland, with colloid change of tflfeir contents, which are chiefly albu- 

 minous. The swelling is mainly due to enlargement of the follicles, 

 and is termed struma follicularis. It may attack the entire organ 

 or only one-half ; less frequently it is confined to certain sections. 

 Other varieties of goitre are recognised, such as fibrous, varicose and 

 cystic goitre. (For fuller details see Moller. and Dollar's " Regional 

 Surgery," p. 149.) 



