134 Biological Therapy 



jected subcutaneously. This may be done most advanta- 

 geously in the unfeathered spot under the wing. For most 

 effective immunity three injections of 1 c.c. each should be 

 administered at intervals of three to seven days. 



Hemorrhagic Septicemia 



Under this heading is included a group of diseases which 

 occur in practically all species of animals and in which the 

 more acute cases are characterized by general bacteremia, 

 hemorrhages of the internal organs and rapid death. 



ETIOLOGY. A bipolar organism, Bacillus Bipolaris 

 Septicus, which is morphologically identical in all species of 

 animals, is the causative agent. These organisms are ex- 

 tremely prevalent, being found in the soil of most barnyards, 

 in stagnant water and on many plants. Under normal 

 conditions the organisms may be non-pathogenic or of ex- 

 tremely limited virulency and most animals have acquired ^ 

 marked tolerance toward those which possess low virulence, 

 as is shown by the presence of the organism in the digestive 

 or respiratory tracts of many apparently healthy animals. 

 However, when this nicely balanced tolerance between the 

 host and the organism is disturbed by any devitalizing con- 

 dition, the bacteria acquire added virulence and are respon- 

 sible for outbreaks of disease. This may be sporadic or en- 

 zootic in type while in some cases the infection rapidly 

 spreads from one animal to another until the outbreak as- 

 sumes epizootic form. In such cases the disease ordinarily 

 is confined to one specie, although in certain instances other 

 species have become affected; particularly have chickens 

 become affected from swine, or swine from cattle. 



The most reasonable assurance of immunizing animals 

 against this disease is offered by the use of specific hemor- 

 rhagic septicemia bacterins. Thus for swine a bacterin 

 containing B. suisepticum should be used while in cattle one 

 containing B. bovisepticum will best accomplish its purpose. 



In the treatment of affected animals very gratifying 

 results are obtained by using a specific immune serum which 

 is made from the blood of horses hyperimmunized against 

 the offending organisms. 



Hemorrhagic Septicemia in Horses 



This acute infectious disease of horses is frequently 

 mistaken for equine influenza. The mortality, however, is 



