CHAPTER IV. 



DISEASES CAUSED BY BACTERIA 

 GEITTJS MICROCOCCUS. 



§ 54. General discussion of the genus Micrococcus. 



TY^^ genus Micrococcus includes the spherical bacteria that divide 

 in two planes. The micrococci, therefore, may be single spher- 

 ical organisms or they may be united in pairs (diplococcus), 

 in fours (tetracoccus), or in small clumps or masses (staphy- 

 lococcus). This genus contains many important species but 

 they are largely among those forms producing wound infection, 

 such as Micrococcus pyogenes aureus. These infections are not 

 characteristic in their manifestations and consequently the 

 disturbances they produce have not been classed among the 

 specific infectious diseases. At present, we seem to have 

 recognized but one specific malady of animals attributed to 

 them. In the human species they cause a number of diseases. 



TAKOSIS. 



§ 55. Characterization. Takosis, meaning to waste, is 

 a destructive, infectious disease of angora goats. It is char- 

 acterized by great emaciation and weakness, with symptoms 

 of diarrhea and pneumonia. 



§ 56. History. The name Takosis was given to this 

 disease of goats by Mohler and Washburn in 1903. They in- 

 vestigated the disease, described its symptoms and morbid 

 anatomy. They found a micrococcus which they believed to 

 be its cause and which they named M. caprinus. 



In 1875, a disease was reported among angora goats in 

 Virginia which may have been this infection. Pegler describes 

 it somewhat fully in his work entitled, " The book of the goat " 



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