OMPHALOPHLEBITIS 25 



§ 13. Omphalophlebitis. This affection which is com- 

 monly called navel-ill, consists of suppurative lesions in young 

 animals caused by pyogenic bacteria. In the horse they are 

 most often localized in the joints of the limbs. In certain other 

 species the lesions are quite as likely to be situated elsewhere 

 in the body. In some cases the morbid changes are restricted 

 to subcutaneous and intermuscular suppurative cellulitis. 



The infection takes place in the umbilicus. As the cord 

 is severed in the field or stable many species of bacteria may 

 gain access to the end of the exposed and freshly severed cord. 

 In the colt a streptococcous seems to be the most common 

 species of bacteria capable of producing the joint abscesses. 

 In the lamb, a variety of the colon bacillus has been associated, 

 apparently as the etiological factor, with the subcutaneous 

 cellulitis. The lesions resulting from navel infection illustrate 

 in a most excellent manner the extent to which certain pyo- 

 genic bacteria gaining access to the body may extend by 

 metastasis to places remote from their entrance and produce 

 ■diseased foci. 



In the case of navel- ill, the umbilical vein contains a large 

 number of bacteria. The writer has found that in colts very 

 few if any of the bacteria (streptococci) producing the joint 

 lesions could be found in the parenchymatous organs. Occas- 

 sionally one or two of many tubes of media inoculated from 

 the liver would develop into cultures of the infecting organism. 

 In this disease, where many species of bacteria come into com- 

 petition, one is impressed with the fact that seemingly very 

 few of the ordinary bacteria are capable of gaining an entrance 

 into the circulation or, at least, are possessed of vital powers 

 sufficient to resist the destructive forces of the living animal 

 body. A brief description of a case with the bacterial findings 

 will illustrate this point. The case referred to was from Dr. 

 Williams' clinic. 



A colt, about three years old. It was in good condition and seemed 

 to be perfectly well excepting for the diseased joints. It was killed for 



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