148 SPECIAL CATTLE THERAPY 



Tubercular pericarditis is a form of tuberculosis 

 which we have seen on several occasions when no other 

 clinical signs of tuberculosis were evident. The ex- 

 tensiveness of the invasion of the disease in some of 

 these cases is most astounding when on postmortem 

 examination we attempt to establish a connection be- 

 tween the lesion and the symptoms presented by the 

 animal during life. 



Symptoms of tuberculous pericarditis are indefinite 

 until the heart muscle and the valvular apparatus are 

 seriously hampered by excessive effusions or, possibly, 

 adhesions. Cows so- affected have exacerbations of 

 dyspnea without provocation ; recurring, transient edem- 

 atous swellings in the anterior portions of the body. 

 Auscultation detects the faulty heart action, and fre- 

 quently pressure over the heart occasions pain and 

 temporary dyspnea. The left elbow is habitually in 

 an abducted state, and a cough is invariably present. 

 Li some cases there is a slight limp on the left pectoral 

 limb. 



Tuberculous involvement of an articulation in an 

 extremity is not a rare condition in cows. Most fre- 

 quently a pelvic limb is affected, and the hip joint is 

 the usual seat of the lesion. There is continued lame- 

 ness and, later, enlargement of the tissues surround- 

 ing the articulation. In this affection there is nearly 

 always a marked enlargement of the superficial lym- 

 phatics on the affected side. 



Tuberculous mastitis can frequently be diagnosed in 

 the absence of any other symptoms of tuberculosis. 



Acute mastitis tuberculous in character is not ac- 

 companied by manifestations whose severity coincides 

 with the gravity of the disease ; the clinical findings 

 are rather sub-acute. The affected quarter is filled 

 with a floccular, cheesy, milk-like matter. The supra- 

 mammary lymphatics are tender to the touch, even be- 



