10 WHITE SCOURS IN CALVES 



§ 9. "White scours or diarrhoea in calves. This is a 

 disease affecting calves from a few hours to as many daj'S 

 old, with a mortality ranging from 50 to 90 per cent. The in- 

 vestigations which have been made in this country, especiall3' 

 those at the New York State Veterinary College, have sug- 

 gested that it is due to certain forms of the colon bacillus. In 

 these investigations characteristic lesions were not found, the 

 calves presenting simply a general anaemic condition. 



Recently, Nocard has reported the results of his investiga- 

 tion of apparently a similar disease of calves in Ireland. He 

 found that they usually die during the first week. In the more 

 chronic cases, lung lesions were found. His inquiries tend to 

 show that this is primarily due to a wound infection. He 

 states in his report concerning the nature of this disease that 

 it usually lasts from 3 to 6 days and is characterized by an in- 

 tense intestinal discharge. The discharges are always of the 

 nature of a diarrhoea, v/hite, and froth}'. The calves lose 

 flesh rapidly, their flanks are hollow, abdomen retracted, back 

 arched, eyes sunken, hair dull and staring ; they make violent 

 expulsive efforts, the nose is hot and dry with slight discharge 

 of mucus, and the temperature is elevated. 



In other cases, but not so commonlj', the symptoms are less 

 severe and recovery seems to take place but most of the calves 

 die several weeks later with pulmonary lesions. 



Nocard also states that it is not rare to see, in the cases, 

 the discharges mixed with blood in various quantities. In 

 more chronic forms it is not rare to observe acute, multiple and 

 very painful arthritis. 



The lesions found at the autopsy vary according to the 

 course of the disease. Usually the umbilicus is large and the 

 umbilical blood vessels have indurated walls, and contain 

 blood clots which may be soft and purulent. Bloody extrav- 

 asations are observed, sometimes very extensive, along the 

 umbilical vessels and the urachus, extending sometimes to the 

 posterior third of the bladder. 



In rapidly progressing cases, lesions of true hemorrhagic 

 septicaemia are found. All the organs are congested ; their 

 surface is covered with petechiae, ecchymoses or sub-serous 



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