DISEASES OP THE OX AND SHEEP. 223 



contain earthy material. If softening has come on without pre- 

 vious calcitication having occurred, then the central portion of 

 the tubercle is cheesy, and of a greyish yellow colour, and con- 

 tains only small grey granules of fat, which are transparent in 

 the centre and soluble in ether. 



The lining membranes of the lungs (the pleurae) are thicker, 

 and more richly supplied with blood than is usual, and, like 

 other serous membranes, they may have tubercular deposits upon 

 them. At first these are very small, but finally they may be 

 like clusters of grapes, weighing as much as fifteen pounds, and 

 suspended by peduncles containing blood-vessels. The tubercles 

 on the surface of the clusters are those which have been most 

 recently formed ; next to them are the calcified ones, and most 

 internally situated are those which are oldest and have become 

 caseous. 



In cases of human tuberculosis, tubercles are found in the 

 midst of the texture of the lymphatic glands. In oxen the 

 tubercles are found in the connective tissue near these glands, 

 but, it is said, never in them. When thus enlarged, the bron- 

 chial lymphatic glands in oxen may measure even a foot in 

 length, and weigh about eight pounds. Tubercles are seen also 

 ^uite close to other lymphatic glands, and often in the liver, 

 spleen, and kidney, and in the intestines, uterus, and udder, but 

 seldom in the muscles and bones. There may be abscesses in 

 the lungs. The muscles of an animal which has suffered 

 greatly from the ravages of the disease are pale and soft, and 

 the blood also is of poor quality. 



Diagnosis. — An ox attacked with the malady has a dry and 

 persistent cough, audits breathing is accelerated even during rest, 

 and especially immediately after exercise. The lymphatic glands 

 are found to be swollen, and the course of the malady is as 

 above described. 



Treatment. — We have mentioned above that corrosive 

 sublimate has been found to possess the power of destroying 

 certain kinds of bacilli. Unfortunately this powerful salt of 

 mercury is not only a deadly poison to bacilli ; but it may, unless 

 .used with the most excessive care, and in infinitesimal doses, 

 destroy the higher animals and man. Nevertheless, the sub- 

 stance has been used successfully, and can be employed with 

 safety by the skilful specialist in extremely minute doses, the 



