Cattle Plague. 623 



the production of the pathogenic germ in the living body of the 

 bovine, or even in vitro, is to be unqualifiedly condemned. The 

 risk of the escape of the infection through subtle, unsuspected 

 channels is too great to allow of its reproduction in any form. 

 By restriction of cattle movement, slaughter and disinfection, 

 extinction of lung plague is easy and certain, but, whatever may 

 be true of an individual herd, no country has ever permanently 

 extinguished lung plague infection, when the virus was sys- 

 tematically multiplied for uses in inoculation. 



CATTLE PLAGUE. 



Synonyms. Definition : infectious fever of polygastrics, with sudden on- 

 set, violent progress, high mortality, congestions of mucosae, petechia, con- 

 cretions on buccal and vulvar mucosae and on skin, erosions of gastro-intes- 

 tinal mucosae, and pulmonary interlobular emphysema. Historic notes : 

 ancient — China, Hindoostan, Steppes ; in middle ages — Europe, Britain ; 

 recent — Europe, England (17x4 and 1740), Scotland (1770), Central Eu- 

 rope ( 1 796-181 6), Southern Europe (1827), Germany (1830-1), Egypt (1841), 

 Britain {1865), France (1870-1), S. Africa (1881), Abyssinia (1890), Japan 

 (1892), The Phillipines (1898-9). Animals susceptible : ruminants, peccary, 

 (swine?). Bacteriology : minute corpuscles in cell nucleus (Semmer, etc.), 

 which are held back by Berkefeld and Chamberland filter. Accessory 

 causes : such as favor preservation, multiplication and diffusion of germ. 

 Susceptibility varies with previous exposure of the race. Immunity after 

 one attack. All liquids and secretions of the sick are virulent ; also manure, 

 hay, straw, dust, stables, troughs, cars, boats, loading banks, yards, milk, 

 flesh, fat, sausage cases, hairs, horn, hoofs, wool, bristles, hides, bones, hal- 

 ters, harness, shafts, poles, goads, boots, clothes, feet (animals), wheels, 

 runners, vermin, wild animals. Virulence lost in drying. Manure preserves 

 for weeks. Lost at zero, and at 131° F. Lesions : congestion, petechiae, 

 hsemorrhages and erosions on fourth stomach, small intestine, rectum, va- 

 gina and mouth, emaciation, sunken eyes, diarrhoea, wart-like epidermic 

 elevations, concretions on mouth ; conical papillae dark, like port wine ; 

 petechiae and extravasations in subdermaand submucosa ; swollen intestinal 

 glands ; spleen normal ; liver, pale, soft ; kidneys swollen, congested, pete- 

 chiated, softened ; lungs with spots of congestion and extravasation and 

 emphysema : petechiae on heart and pericardium : blood has excess of fibrine 

 and leucocytes, black. Incubation 2 to 9 days. Symptoms ; hyperthermia 

 ( 104° to 108° F*. ) , white epithelial concretions on gums, followed by abra- 

 sions, congestion of visible mucosae, weariness, debility, thirst, constipation 

 followed by diarrhoea, tender loins, drooping head and ears, weeping eyes, 



