Biological Therapy 



163 



While these are the symptoms most frequently men- 

 tioned there is a good reason to suppose that the symptoms 

 ordinarily associated with the early stages of an acute in- 

 fection are present in such cases, but remain unobserved. 

 It is known that necrotic enteritis frequently follows an at- 

 tack of acute enteritis characterized by high temperature, 

 intestinal disturbances and inappetence. The appetite, ex- 

 cept in the early stages, is retained throughout the disease 

 although it is frequently depraved. After the pathological 

 changes associated with the chronic form of the disease have 

 developed there is little or no elevation of temperature. Not- 

 withstanding the retained appetite the loss of flesh is char- 

 aceristic and is due to the intense inflammation and necrosis 

 of the intestinal mucosa which prevents the assimilation of 

 ingested food. In herds where the chronic form of the dis- 

 ease prevails there is little indication of the disease being 

 of an infectious nature although many animals may be af- 

 fected, since the devitalizing conditions which precede the 

 attack are applicable to the entire herd. In the acute form 

 there is some justification for the belief that the disease is 

 of an infectious nature. 



POST MORTEM LESIONS. These consist of inflam- 

 mation and congestion of the intestinal mucosa followed by 

 swelling which may be so marked that a large portion or 

 all of the intestinal lumen becomes occluded. As the dis- 

 ease progresses button ulcers are extremely common and 

 small areas of localized necrosis appear. These eventually 

 become confluent so that large areas become necrotic, thick- 

 ened and dry until eventually the intestinal mucosa assumes 

 a leathery appearance. In the acute stages petechiation of 

 various organs, particularly those in the abdominal cavity, 

 may be observed. The mesenteric lymphatic glands are gen- 

 erally engorged and darkened in color. The lungs may be 

 found in all stages of pathological change in which case it 

 must be assumed, particularly in the presence of chronic 

 lesions, that the original infection was hemorrhagic septi- 

 cemia and that necrotic enteritis follows as a secondary 

 complication. This latter condition is extremely prevalent. 



TREATMENT. The food should be soft and of such 

 a character that it is easily assimilated since rough and 

 coarse feed only intensifies the existing condition and af- 

 fords less possibility of assimiliation. Intestinal antiseptics 

 such as sulphocarbolates or cupric sulphate are always ad- 

 visable in these cases. These are best administered in the 

 drinking water. 



