32 DEPAHTMBNT OF AGRICULTURE 



REPORT ON A CASE OF DOURINE WITH EXPERIMENTAL INOCULATIONS 

 AND MISCELLANEOUS NOTES ON ITS SYMPTOMATOLOGY AND DIAGNOSIS. 



By E. A. Watson, V.S. 

 Assisfant Pathologist in charge Lethhridge Quarantine Station, Lethhridge, Alberta. 



November 15, 1907. 

 DOURINE (NATURALLY ACQUIRED). 



No. 36. Mare " Tiffin " (plate XI) 9-10 years of age. Clydesdale stock (Ontario). 



Date and source of infection. — Not definitely determined. The mare was covered 

 several times by different stallions in the summers of 1904-5 and 6. Fertilization did 

 not occur. A Clydesdale stallion, a few weeks after the covering of this mare in 

 August last, exhibited a slight swelling of the sheath and scrotum. This swelling was 

 somewhat increased in November and assvimed an intermittent type. In February, 

 1907, the swelling had not reappeared. A grey stallion that covered the mare in Sep- 

 tember has remained apparently healthy up to the end of the year 1906. 



The earliest sign of disease. — First noted by the owner of the animal in the latter 

 part of November, 1906, as a tenderness over the loins followed by a peculiar stumbling 

 and erratic gait, these sjTuptons rapidly becoming so severe that the mare could only 

 be taken out of her stable to water with great difficulty. 



The mare had been steadily worked during the previous summer and fall and up 

 to the time that the disease was manifested by the above symptoms. It is of interest 

 to note that this is not a range mare, but one that has been more or less continuously 

 under the immediate observation of the owner who states that he never observed any 

 abnormal condition of the genital organs save that the mare will not breed. 



On December 19, the animal came imder my personal observation and her general 

 appearance and condition was good. With the exception of the loss of control described 

 later under ' Nervous Symptoms.' 



Further investigation has left little doubt that this mare (36) was infected by 

 the Clydesdale stallion No. 35, already mentioned as the probable source. Other mares 

 covered by the same stallion previous to the covering of mare 36, have been found to 

 be diseased. Furthermore, the stallion after a i)eriod of nearly one year subsequent 

 to the covering, a period in which only slight and occasional manifestations of the 

 disease were noted, has completely broken down, presenting characteristic and intense- 

 ly severe symptoms of duurine. (See details case No. 35.) 



THE GENITAL ORGANS. 



December 19, 1906. A slight orange tinge to the mucous membrane of the vulva, 

 less so of the vagina, was observed. Secretion very scanty, clitoris very pale. 



Microscopical examinations of the scrapings of the genital mucous membranes 

 were made upon the following dates : — December 19, 23, January 1, 4, 15 and 29, at in- 

 tervals of 4, 9, 3, 11 and 14 days respectively. Bacteria were usually very plentiful and 

 in great variety. Spirochajta were numerous, and rarely a few cell-like irregular 

 forms without flagella which were suggestive of immature or amoeboid forms of 

 Trypanosomata. 



