30 SUPPURATIVE CELLULITIS 



In cattle, — cases studied by the writer, — the lesions were, 

 within certain limits, uniform in all of the affected animals. 

 Usually but one foot or leg was attacked, although there were 

 numerous exceptions. The first symptom noticed was a swell- 

 ing, which usually appeared in the lower part of the leg, most 

 often in the pastern. In some animals the swelling was re- 

 stricted to a small area, but often it extended up the leg to 

 and even above the knee or hock joint. There was evidence 

 of pain. As the inflammatory process continued, the subcutane- 

 ous tissue became indurated, the skin thick and dry, and later 

 it would crack, usually but not always, below the dew claws, 

 and a thick creamy pus would be discharged. After discharg- 

 ing, the swelling subsided and the normal condition was 

 rapidly restored. The time necessar}' for the suppurative 

 process and recovery to take place varied in different animals, 

 but as a rule from ten to fifteen days were required. The 

 exceptions were largely in those cases where the inflammatory 

 process extended down to the coronary cushion. In these 

 there was more or less sloughing of the hoof. These cases 

 were the most serious. 



In the so-called foot-rot of sheep, we have, in the cases 

 which have come to our notice, conditions similar to those 

 found in the cattle which were suffering from suppurative cellu- 

 litis. It may be of interest to cite a specific case with the 

 result of the bacteriological examinations. 



May, 1899, two sheep that were suffering from so-called 

 foot-rot were brought to Dr. Law's clinic. They came from a 

 large flock in which forty or more animals were reported to be 

 similarly affected. 



No. I. An adult female in very poor condition. All four feet and 

 legs were affected and the nails on one foot were quite loose. There 

 was a purulent discharge from openings either between the claws or in 

 the skin just above the hoof. The microscopic examination of the pus 

 from this opening showed a number of bacteria, but streptococci were 

 especially numerous. They were not isolated in pure culture. The 

 left knee was badly swollen and from the lower side of the swelling 

 there was a discharge of thin purulent substance which contained strep- 



