130 Mastitis. 



resulted from the milk of the mother containing staphylococci. At 

 least the cocci which Karlinski isolated from the milk, and from 

 f eces and blood from the child were identical. The secretion there- 

 fore must be considered as spoiled food, and must be excluded from 

 consumption. 



The same judgment as stated for staphylococci infections also 

 applies to botryomycosis of the udder. This represents a chronic 

 form of a staphylomycosis, in which the single cocci that grow 

 in colonies are compressed by swelling of the cocci lying on the out- 

 er borders, forming capsulated spherical colonies. The central 

 cocci continue to grow, burst the capsules, and the process of the 

 swelling of the bordering zone is renewed until mulberry-like fun- 

 goid colonies result. A method of distinguishing Botryococcus 

 ascoformans from staphylococci has not yet been devised. The 

 botryomycotic formations develop mostly in the horse which is 

 probably proof of certain immunity strength of the horse (that is 

 of equidia), against staphylococci infections. In other animals and 

 also in cattle the disease is extremely rare. Mohler, Czokov, Immel- 

 mann, and Eeinhardt have observed botryomycosis in the udder 

 of cows. Botryomycosis in cattle is of no practical inportance in 

 the judgment of milk. 



Actinomycosis of the udder is also of slight importance from 

 a practical standpoint. 



The purulent fibroplastic actinomycotic mastitis occurs in 

 cattle with less frequency than the actinomycosis of other organs. 

 It has been described by Kasmussen (four times), Jensen (20 

 times), Maxwell (once), Bang, and Johne, and represents a chronic 

 suppuration with nodular cicatrization of the udder. After the in- 

 fection, nodules from a bean to a hen's egg in size, with softened 

 centers and fibrous borders develop, or a diffuse inflammation with 

 a tendency toward cicatrization and hardening of the entire udder 

 results. Actinomycosis of the udder may be primary (McPhail, 

 Williamson) and develop from the introduction of barley beards 

 into the tissue, or possibly from pasturing on stubble fields, or again 

 it may develop by metastatic formations from other lesions in the 

 body. 



McPhail believes that some cases of so-called udder tuberculo- 

 sis are in reality actinomycotic infections of the udder. 



Should an actinomycotic process soften in the udder and the 

 abscess burst into the secreting tissue, the finding of actinomyces 

 in the milk is possible. The latter appear as colonies of ray-like 

 fungi (streptothrix). The branching threads form a mesh-like 

 mycelium with spherical or club-shaped enlargements on the end of 

 the threads. The fungous threads proliferating in the animal 

 tissue are influenced by the action of the body fluids. The sheaths 

 swell and club-shaped bodies result, arranged in a radiating man- 

 ner, which later become adherent to each other forming rosettes in 

 which the mycelium, protected from the immune bodies and leuco- 

 cytes continues to proliferate or to degenerate and calcify. 



