UDDER-COLIBACILLOSIS 69 



the vigorous colibacillosis ; but later, when the colon bacillus 

 is eliminated, these chronic infectious conditions, strepto- 

 mycosis, pyobacillosis, and tuberculosis, may proceed. 



A saprophytic invasion of an original colibacillosis is 

 infrequent. 



General Conditions. — A secondary blood infection is 

 seldom produced. 



Intoxication varies with the virulence of the organism 

 and the condition of the udder. Soon after calving the 

 infection can cause a high-grade, probably fatal, septic 

 intoxication accompanied by severe symptoms of fever. 



Termination. — The simple colibacillosis is seldom 

 fatal. The infection is eliminated by a more or less severe 

 inflammation which lasts from three days to about three 

 weeks. The subsequent sclerosis is usually of a low grade. 



Clinical Symptoms. — The condition is always acute. 

 The infected quarter is more or less severely swollen and 

 hard. At first it is painful but later not sensitive. 



The quantity of milk is diminished. The milk either 

 forms a grayish- white, turbid serous fluid (primary lesion) 

 or yellow, thick purulent fluid (inflammation which in 

 severe primary lesions contains yellowish clumps of croup- 

 ous membranes ) . 



Upon microscopic examination of the sediment, Gram 

 negative colon bacilli are seen as single rods or diplobacilli. 

 They are somewhat large and thick and show rounded 

 ends. In the stage of the primary lesion they are some- 

 what numerous, but in the stage of inflammation during 

 the emigration of leucocytes their number is smaller. 



The condition is accompanied with fever which may 

 be very high. With the beginning. of inflammation fever 

 is reduced. 



Prognosis. — In these cases the prognosis is always 

 good, although in cows which have recently freshened the 

 prognosis is less favorable. 



