2 TEXAS 



NATURE OF THE DISEASE. Texas fever 

 is directly due to the presence of a plas- 

 modium, or more correctly speaking a 

 haematozoa, an organism that lives 

 within the red blood corpuscles and 



;:br*eaks tltejA :uj> &d destroys them. It 

 *wa*s discovered By Dr.. Theobald Smith 



FEVER 



somewhat eccentrically placed. Careful 

 focusing under the microscope leaves no 

 doubt as to their being bodies within 

 the corpuscles. They may occur singly 

 or in pairs or very rarely three or four 

 in the same corpuscle. When cover- 

 glass preparations are dried, fixed and 



/ j& lg v. r ho ^ 



i.t the "Pyrosoma j stained with the ordinary analine dyes, 



Bigemium" on account of its pyroform the intra-globular bodies stain as readily 

 outline and the fact that it often occurs as nuclei and bacteria, and hold the 

 in pairs within the corpuscle. i stain with similar tenacity. The small- 



It maybe well to state at this time est forms then appear like deeply stained 

 that the germ of Texas fever is very dis- cocci about % to 1 micron (1-50,000 to 

 tinct in its origin, mode of development 25,000 inch) in diameter, situated 

 and attack from the anthrax germ and j within the circle of the corpuscle. Oc- 

 has absolutely no connection with it, in 

 spite of the misnomer of "splenic fever" 

 occasionally given to Texas fever by 

 those ignorant of its cause and dissemi- 

 nation. The germ of Texas fever is pecu- 

 liar to the Southern States and cannot 

 live outside of an animal iu the Northern 

 States, whereas the anthrax germ can 



casionally the bodies are nearly two 

 microns (1-12,000) inch in diameter 

 and in these the staining may 

 be less intense. Besides the spheri- 

 cal forms ovide forms are frequent- 

 ly observed. These usually occur in 

 pairs \uthin the red blood cor- 

 puscle. Still another, the pear shaped 



be transplanted any where and can thrive | form, is encountered in stained prepara- 

 on mountain peaks and marahy bottoms, tions of the blood. These are rounded 

 The germ of Texas fever does not belong at one pole and pointed at the other 

 to the class of bacteria, but to the "pro- | and are described by some as being 

 tozoa." It is not a microscopic plant, drawn out as a short filament. These 

 as is the germ of anthrax, but belongs forms invariably occur in pairs, a cor- 

 to the lowest forms of the animal king- puscle being occupied by a single pair. 

 dom. It kills by the direct destruction Some investigators claim that .he pair is 

 of the red blood corpuscles and not by | the result of a division of the single 

 the secretion of a poison. A correct ap- j body within the corpuscle. One other 

 preciation of the difference between the ' abnormal form has been described as 

 two diseases is very important in ( being found in the blood and may w-.-ll 

 regulating measures necessary for ; be mentioned. When dried cover-glass 

 their prevention, especially as it has is stained with the usual analine dyes a 

 been claimed in the past by those ignor- ; few red blood corpuscles appear as if 

 ant of its true nature, that Texas fever their surface had been dusted over with 



was "anthracoid" 

 The pyrosoma 



in character, 

 bigemium in Texas 



minute specks of coloring matter. Whe- 

 ther they are due to anaemia, improper 



fever is represented by peculiar bodies j staining, or whether they are connect- 

 in the red corpusles. i ed with the life history of the parasite, 

 In fresh blood they are visible as 



round or oval bodies, nearly colorless 

 from Yz to 2 microms (1-50,000 to 1-12,- 

 000 inch) in diameter on the disk of the 

 red blood corpuscles, and are usually 



remains to bd determined experimently. 

 As to the relative number of parasites 

 in the different parts of the body of the 

 same animal, it may be stated that 

 about 20 per cent of the red blood cor- 



