44 DIAGNOSIS 
The capsule is easily removed. The spleen appears to be atrophied 
and indurated, the fibrous portions exceeding the spleen pulp. The 
spleen may be attached to the diaphragm or neighboring organs by 
adhesions. The mucosa of the intestines gives the appearance of a 
chronic catarrh associated with necrosis of the mucosa. 
The microscopic study shows the terminal bronchioles and alveo- 
lar passages to have swollen walls and to contain various amounts of 
mucus and desquamated cells asa result of the catarrhal inflammation. 
The blood vessels in the interalveolar tissue are distended and sur- 
rounded by migrated leucocytes. The kidneys show a catarrhal or 
parenchymatous nephritis with the most pronounced changes occur- 
ring in the cortex. The intercapsular space is dilated and contains an 
albuminous exudate. The convoluted tubules show the epithelium 
to be swollen and granular and occasionally desquamated. The 
tubules may contain an albuminous deposit. As the specific micrococ- 
cus has not been found in the kidneys, Mohler and Washburn con- 
sidered the lesions in this organ to be of toxic origin. 
The heart shows parenchymatous degeneration of isolated fibers 
or groups of fibers. The spleen shows an increase in fibrous tissue. 
Sections of the intestines, especially of the duodenum, show a pro- 
ductive inflammation with exudation. There is often desquamation 
of the mucosa. 
The blood count in experimental cases shows an increase in .the 
number of red corpuscles. Mohler and Washburn report the exami- 
nation of the blood in two such cases and one of natural infection as 
follows: 
No. 1. Red corpuscles 11,190,000, white corpuscles 20,560 per 
cubic millimeter. 
No. 2. Red corpuscles 12,160,000, white corpuscles 20,000 per 
cubic millimeter. 
No. 3. (Natural infection) red corpuscles 10,208,000, white 
corpuscles 14, 860 per cubic millimeter. 
They give the normal red corpuscles as 9,976,000, white corpuscles 
9,200 per cubic millimeter. 
The increase in the white cells they state is due to an increased 
number of polymorphonuclear leucocytes and eosinophiles. They 
found the specific gravity of the blood to be 1.031 and hemoglobin 56. 
Diagnosis. Takosis is to be diagnosed by its infectious nature 
and by finding the specific organism, M. caprinus, in the tissues. It is 
