OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 189 



EPIZOOTIC LYMPHANGITIS. 



This is a new disease in some parts of the world and old in 

 others. It is caused by a fungus called the saccharomyces far- 

 ciminosus. The disease is also called ulcerative or mycotic 

 lymphangitis. It is communicable to other horses by contact 

 with anything that carries the fungus. 



The fungus can grow on the horse and mule. After it enters 

 the wound it begins to grow slowly and soon starts up an inflam- 

 mation (in three weeks to three months) and a nodule forms 

 under the skin with hardening and thickening of the surrounding 

 lymphatic ducts. The nodule softens, ruptures and discharges 

 pus and an indolent ulcer forms. It usually occurs on one leg, 

 may be on two and it may occur on any part of the body. The 

 poison is carried from this point and it may break out anywhere. 

 When it attacks the leg it involves the whole leg from the foot to 

 the body. A few cases recover spontaneously and many are cura- 

 ble by proper treatment if applied early. The rest continue to 

 grow worse. Inasmuch as the pus carries the germ the disease 

 is liable to spread to other animals. It is fatal in ten to fifteen 

 per cent of cases. The pus is yellow or grayish yellow and is 

 often mixed with blood. Sometimes it contains flakes. 



The first symptom is an indolent sore covered with pus and 

 a scab surrounded by a slightly swollen area with radiating 

 lines running from it. The ulcers may heal slowly and recur and 

 the skin becomes thickened. The affected horse does not show any 

 constitutional disturbance unless the case is very advanced. This 

 disease may be mistaken for farcy. In farcy the mallein test is 

 positive, and the pus is oily or glutinous and the ulcers are cup- 

 shaped. In lymphangitis the mallein test is negative, Hkewise 

 the Strauss test and the agglutination test, the pus is thick and 

 creamy, the ulcers are flat and show more granulations, and the 

 nodules are less firmly attached to the skin and more movable 

 than in farcy. There is an absence of the bacillus malleus and 

 the presence of the specific fungus, the saccharomyces farci- 



minosus. 



Treatment.— U the case is gotten early enough remove all the 

 tissue involved with the knife. If removal is impracticable open 



