GASTBO-ENTEBITIS 127 



urine (paralysis of bladder) is more commonly observed. 

 In the ox hematuria is often a symptom. Stomatitis and 

 eczemas of skin (especially of head) have been noted in some 

 outbreaks. 



Diagnosis. — Usually the diagnosis is not difficult. The 

 number of animals affected, the history of food eaten (silage, 

 shredded fodder), the nervous symptoms, rapid course, and 

 the lack of apparent contagiousness are important factors. 

 The disease might be confused with rabies, hemorrhagic 

 septicemia, anthrax, and poisonings with drugs. In most 

 outbreaks a combination of nervous and gastro-intestinal 

 symptoms is suggestive. Differentiation in sporadic cases 

 may be impossible without the aid of a necropsy and bacte- 

 riological examination (rabies, anthrax, hemorrhagic septi- 

 cemia). 



Course. — ^The course is usually rapid. Individual patients 

 die apoplectic, others in a few hours (seven to twelve), while 

 many live one to two weeks and succumb. Patients which 

 recover usually do so gradually, and such sequels as lumbar 

 weakness (wobbling gait), hemiplegia (paralysis with atrophy 

 of the muscles of one side of the body), blindness, epilepti- 

 form seizures, etc., follow and persist for weeks or months. 

 In occasional cases relapses occur during convalescence. 



Prognosis. — ^The prognosis is doubtful to bad. The mor- 

 tality varies from 25 to 90 per cent. 



Treatment. — ^Feeding infested forage or water should be 

 immediately stopped. Pastured animals should be placed in 

 stables and fed only uncontaminated foods. While the sepa- 

 ration of the healthy from the sick does not seem necessary, 

 as an extra precaution it is recommended at least until our 

 knowledge of the etiology is more definite. 



Medicinal. — ^The patients should be purged as soon as 

 possible (aloin 5j to ij; salts lbs. j to ij; arecalin grs. j to ij, 

 combined with strychnin gr. J). Large doses are usually 

 required to move the bowels. Calomel (5j to ij) is useful in 

 horses. Owing to pharyngeal paralysis drenching is contra- 

 indicated. Medicine should be given per orem in form of boli 

 or electuaries. 



The purgative may be followed by a disinfectant, such as 



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