CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS OF MASTITIS 125 



Ultimately the udder becomes altered. It does not 

 collapse after milking, especially the parts around the base 

 of the teats, and is firm or hard, but not distinctly enlarged. 

 These changes slowly extend laterally and upward. The 

 supramammary lymph-glands are not affected. Secondary 

 infections are rare. Abscesses do not occur. The condition 

 is free from fever. 



Microscopic Examination of Udder-infections. — 

 This corroborates or corrects the clinical diagnosis. 



The material to be examined is the wound secretion 

 in wound-infections and the sediment of the milk in genuine 

 udder-infections. In these examinations one may expect 

 to find great numbers of pyogenes bacilli in the pathologic 

 products. Conversely the tubercle bacilli and actinomyces 

 colonies are only present in small numbers. 



In acute milk-infections [parenchymatous mastitis] 

 great numbers of bacteria are present during the first few 

 days, but later become few. In typical chronic streptomy- 

 cosis the bacteria are very numerous. 



In cases where the cocci appear in the diplococcus form 

 in coccus infections a diagnosis of staphylomycosis or strep- 

 tomycosis may be very difficult. 



A uniformly round shape and many single cocci point 

 toward staphylococci, while an oval shape and the absence 

 of single cocci emphasize streptococci. If in the first case 

 the cocci are grouped in grape-like bunches and in the last 

 case in chains, and capsules are present, the diagnosis is 

 certain. 



Summary 



1. Mastitis caused by external force. 



Udder-bruises and udder-wounds. 



2. Udder-infections. 



A. Macroscopic diagnosis. 



