BIOLOGICAL THERAPEUTICS 539 



etiology of this disease has occupied the attention of bacteriologists since 

 the time of Pasteur. 



According to the investigations of Carre, which have since been con- 

 firmed by Lignieres, canine distemper is caused by a iiltrable virus, which 

 in the beginning of the disease is contained in the nasal discharge. These 

 findings, however, have not been uniformly confirmed. The investigations 

 of Ferry, McGowan and Torrey, on the other hand, appear to indicate 

 that the B. bronchisepticus which they independently isolated, plays an 

 important part in the etiology of canine distemper. Its relation to the 

 cause of the disease is not generally accepted; nevertheless the presence 

 of this organism in the excretions, tissues, and at times in the blood of 

 infected dogs, indicates its close association with the pathological process 

 developing in the course of the disease. 



In view of these findings and the fact that besides the B. bronchi- 

 septicus there are other organisms involved in the secondary infections 

 associated with the affection, the use of a bacterin containing these or- 

 ganisms is entirely logical. 



Treatment. 



The results obtained from the canine distemper vaccines and bac- 

 terins are encouraging and justify their use both for preventive and cura- 

 tive purposes. 



Dogs, affected with the distemper, should be placed under good 

 hygienic conditions ; a uniformly warm place protected from draughts, is 

 essential. Likewise, the patient should be given concentrated nourish- 

 ment, such as milk, meat broths, etc. 



Bacterin treatment has given variable results. Animals which are 

 exposed to the infection should be given the specific vaccine as a prophy- 

 lactic. 



The value of the vaccine lies particularly in its protective action 

 against the more severe symptoms of the disease which are due to the 

 secondary invading organisms and which have proved to be the cause of 

 the severity and fatality of the disease. 



Anti-canine distemper serum is being prepared by injecting horses 

 with cultures of B. bronchisepticus. The prophylactic and curative value 

 of such serum has been reported to give favorable results ; others again 

 fail to obtain any advantages from such serum. 



ABORTION DISEASE. 

 Epizootic Abortion; Enzootic Abortion; Slinking of Calves. 



Abortion disease is an infectious disease affecting chiefly cattle and 

 to a lesser degree other domestic animals, and is characterized by an in- 

 flammatory condition of the female reproductive organs, which results 

 in the expulsion of the immature young. 



Cause. — The Bacillus abortus of Lang is now generally recognized 

 as the causative agent of the disease in cattle. 



The possibility that other organisms may also be responsible for abor- 

 tion in cattle is being now recognized. In recent investigations by Tlieo- 

 bold Smith, a spirillum was isolated from cases of infectious abortion. 



It was formerly claimed that abortion is due to injury, such as blows, 

 horn thrusts, falls, etcP/g^Kg^a^SKiltorg^S® food and of certain plants 

 having oxytocic properties. Mobile abortion may occur from such causes 



