MORBID ANATOMY 285 



panied by colic sets in. The evacuations become foetid, viscid 

 and sometimes mixed with blood. The animal becomes rapidh' 

 emaciated, staggers when walking, is very sensitive to pressure 

 on the loins and lies down a great deal. In exceptional cases 

 the patient manifests nervous symptoms. Others exhibit violent 

 dyspnea and symptoms of severe inflammation of the lungs. 



As the disease advances characteristic changes are to be 

 seen in the mucous membranes. Red patches which may be 

 flat or in the form of wheals and which qnicklj- become covered 

 •with a greyish white, loose crust appear on the mucous mem- 

 brane of the lips, tongue, cheeks, gums, nostrils and vagina. 

 The uppermost epithelial layer consequently becomes opaque 

 and yellowish gray spots develop on it. Less frequently crusts 

 are formed from the tumors by their caseous disintegration. 

 The crusts on being shed, leave dark red hollow places, the 

 so called erosion ulcers, which readily bleed. In slight cases 

 of the disease there may be no crusts or erosions. It is stated 

 that sometimes an eruption in the form of very minute pimples 

 and pustules occurs on the abdomen, inner surface of the 

 thighs, perineum and udder. In these cases it may be con- 

 fused with that of variola. Pregnant animals frequently abort. 



In sheep and goats the disease is milder, and its infectious- 

 ness is said to be less than in cattle, although the symptoms 

 are essentially the same. Sheep are reported to suffer fre- 

 quently from pneumonic affections when attacked by rinder- 

 pest. 



§ 216. Morbid anatomy. Authors differ somewhat on 

 the lesions characteristic of this disease. Walley has pointed 

 out the fact that none of the morbid changes are constant and 

 consequently they vary with the stages of the epizootic, the 

 condition of the animal and the treatment. There is always 

 emaciation, the muscular tissue is dark and capillary conges- 

 tion is marked. All the tissues of the body may be the seat 

 of effusions, exudations and blood extravasations. If symp- 

 toms referable to the nervous system have occurred, brain 

 lesions will be found at post mortem. 



The muscle of the heart is pale, relaxed and blood extra- 

 vasations beneath the endocardium are not rare. The kidneys 



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