Specific Contagious Diseases. 131 



tion advance rapidly and death ensues after two or three 

 days of illness. In the later stages of an epizootic, the 

 deaths are delayed by several days and a considerable pro- 

 portion recover. 



Treatment is not satisfactory, though the use of antisep- 

 tics (sulphuric, benzoic, or salicylic acid, chloride of lime, car- 

 bolic acid) in the water may be resorted to. 



Prevention has not been secured through inoculation with 

 sterilized virus, but can be attained by using virus so diluted 

 that but one or two bacteria are inserted under the skin 

 (Salmon), or by the use of virus that has rested inactive in 

 free air for three to five months (Pasteur). In either case 

 a small slough forms in the skin and muscles around the 

 puncture. 



The simplest and cheapest preventive is sulphuric acid of 

 a strength of not less than 60 drops to the pound of water 

 (1-150) freely sprinkled on the buildings, yards, and feed- 

 ing-grounds. When the range is too extensive to sprinkle 

 thus, restrict it till it can be, and on the subsidence of the 

 outbreak keep up the restriction, or remove the fowls to new 

 land. 



ACTraOMTCOSIS. 



This is a parasitic disease of animals and man, caused by 

 the growth in the bones or soft tissues of a fungus which 

 grows in tufts, consisting of cells converging to a centi-al 

 stem, like the seeds of a composite plant (daisy), and appear- 

 ing on section to radiate, and hence the name — Actinomyces 

 — star fungus. 



The individual tufts may reach the size of a small pin's 

 Lead, and reflect a yellowish color in the midst of a pinkish 

 or dirty white soft exudate. The tufts are further extremely 

 hard, so that they cannot be cut in slices for the microscope 

 until they have been softened in a weak acid. 



The fungus usually invades the interior of the jaw-bone, 

 upper or lower, or the soft parts adjacent (tongue, cheeks, 



