422 THE DISEASES AND DISORDERS OF THE OX. 



Bronchitis, Verminous Bronchitis, and Pneumonia. 



The term '* catarrh " being applied to a slight cold due to 

 inflammation of the topmost part of the respiratory apparatus, 

 and the term '* laryngitis ^' being applied to inflammation of the 

 larynx, the term bronchitis similarly implies that the mucous 

 membrane of the bronchi or air-tubes is inflamed. It is at times 

 very diflBcult to absolutely demarcate off the three disorders 

 known as catarrh, laryngitis, and bronchitis, respectively, and the 

 same animal may perhaps suffer first from catarrh, then from 

 laryngitis, and finally from bronchitis. Now, the cough of a sheep 

 suffering from this latter complaint has a wheezing character 

 quite different from the metallic and ringing sounds so charac- 

 teristic of laryngitis. 



Again, verminous bronchitis is due to the presence of worms 

 in the air-tubes. 



The Strongylus micrurus, which is the cause of this disorder, 

 verminous bronchitis, has a round and winged head, and its 

 mouth is also round and provided with three papillse. This 

 Nematode worm is filiform, i.e. thread-like, and the tail of the 

 male Strongylus micrurus of the calf is smaller than is that of 

 the male of the same parasite found in the sheep. The ovary 

 is situated a little behind the centre. The mode of reproduction 

 is ovoviviparous, i.e. the young are bom alive, although they are 

 enclosed in an envelope. The males are 1^ in. long, the females 

 rather less than 2 in. This worm is found infesting the 

 bronchial tubes of the ox, the horse, occasionally those of the 

 ass, and it is most commonly met with in the bronchial tubes in 

 the case of calves and sheep, in which animals it gives rise to 

 parasitic bronchitis or husk. One female may give rise to the 

 production of 100,000 eggs. 



When grazing, calves and sheep get the larvae on their noses, 

 and from this situation they pass to the trachea and bronchial 

 tubes. It is possible that the common earthworm has something 

 to do with the origin of husk. Cattle and sheep suffering from 

 this complaint breathe in a laboured manner, have paroxysms 

 of coughing, and foam at the mouth. They refuse both food 

 and drink, and heave at the flanks. Their tongues are black 

 and hard, and they suffer from constipation rather than from 



