358 INFECTIVE DISEASES. 



Distemper in Dogs. 



Distemper is an infectious febrile disease of dogs, characterised by 

 bronchial catarrh and discharge from the eyes. Bronchitis and 

 pneumonia may supervene, or there may be intestinal catarrh ter- 

 minating in dysenteric diarrhoea, sometimes complicated by jaundice. 

 The disease may affect the nervous system, and produce convulsive 

 contractions of the muscles of the nose, ears, lips, and limbs. 

 Occasionally there is an eruption, especially in animals which are 

 out of condition. The virus exists in the discharge from the nostrils 

 and eyes, and is given off from the lungs and the skin. 



One attack of the disease does not confer entire immunity ; 

 and soaie dogs ai-e completely insusceptible. 



Bacteria in Distemper. — Millais has isolated a micro-organism 

 resembling the pneumococcus of Friedlander, which he beUeves to be 

 the cause of the disease. The bacillus occurs with other bacteria and 

 micrococci in the nasal discharge. 



Protective Inoculation Mixed cultures of these bacteria 



liquefy the gelatine, and the liquid has been used as a vaccine. 

 When apphed to the nose, it is said to produce a mild attack of 

 distemper, which protects as much as an attack of the disease 

 contracted naturally. These results require confirmation. 



Inoculation of the nasal discharge in healthy dogs has been 

 practised, so that they may have the disease under favourable con- 

 ditions ; but the system should not be encouraged, as dogs need not 

 necessarily contract distemper. Vaccination with cow-pox lymph 

 has been advocated, but it is perfectly useless. 



Stamping-out System. — Dogs suffering from distemper must be 

 completely isolated. Any straw or litter which has been in contact 

 with a diseased dog should be burnt. Clothing, collars, chains, and 

 the kennel or premises inhabited, must be thoroughly disinfected. 

 The animal after recovery should be washed with carbolic soap. 



Epidemic Disease of Ferrets. 



Eberth and Schimmelbusch investigated an epidemic disease of 

 ferrets {frettchen-senche), and isolated a bacillus, which in mor- 

 phology and cultivation agrees very closely with the bacillus of 

 hsemorrhagic septicsemia. 



Epidemic Disease of Mice. 



LbfHer investigated an epidemic disease which occurred in mice 

 kept in confinement, and isolated a bacillus resembling Bacillus 

 typhosus. 



