DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM 85 



gation along that line should be profitable, and 

 at any rate suggests to the clinician the experi- 

 mental use of hemorrhagic septicemia bacterins 

 when confronted with this formidable and fatal 

 malady. 



Etiology. — The causative agent has not yet 

 been definitely determined; but an ultra visible 

 virus and the bacillus of hemorrhagic septi- 

 ceniia both are suspected. In an epizootic of 

 enteritis among young kittens, Phisalix discov- 

 ered the colon bacillus, which is not surprising, 

 that organism being a normal inhabitant of the 

 intestinal canal. 



Occurrence. — Adult ' cats are mostly af- 

 fected,^ but no age is exempt. The disease is 

 extremely contagious and may destroy every 

 cat in a cattery in a very short period of time. 

 It is very often quite difficult to trace the 

 source of infection, but often appears aftier cat 

 shows and appears to be introduced into the 

 cattery by animals that have been on exhibi- 

 tion. At other times, the first cases will de- 

 velop with no history whatever that can aid one 

 in tracing, the source of the infection. The 

 mortality is extremely high and every precau- 

 tion should be taken in the way of isolation and 

 sanitation. 



Symptoms. — These develop suddenly and 

 with no premonitory signs. The first symptom 

 as a rule is vomition, or the passage of blood 



