542 GENERAL THERAPEUTIC MEASURES 



generally accepted that the Streptococcus pyogenes equi plays a most im- 

 portant part in its pathogenesis. 



This organism which, in its principal character is identical with the 

 streptococcus of strangles, must be recognized as a significant factor in 

 connection with the changes occurring in the course of the disease; and 

 this may explain the beneficial results which are obtained from the bio- 

 logical products. 



Dr. Gregg of the British remount organization recommended the use 

 of serum from horses recovered from influenza for the treatment of this 

 disease. His observations, which included tliousands of cases, are very 

 conclusive as to the beneficial action of such serum. These facts would 

 justify the use of influenza serum produced from horses •which recently 

 recovered from influenza and which have been subjected to repeated in- 

 jections with many strains of streptococci of equine origin. 



Hemorrhagic septicemia is the name applied to a highly fatal infec- 

 tious disease existing in various species of domestic and wild animals, and 

 is due to a micro-organism known as the Bacillus bipolaris septicus. The 

 same germ causes disease among different species. In cattle and sheep it 

 is called hemorrhagic septicemia ; in swine it is known as swine plague 

 and when affecting chickens it is known as fowl cholera. In horses this 

 organism appears to be found only in secondary infections of influenza 

 or shipping fever. Wild animals are also susceptible and may be respon- 

 sible for the spread of the disease to domestic animals. 



The bipolar bacillus is widely spread, and is found even in the diges- 

 tive tract of normal animals. In such instances, however, it is not patho- 

 genic, and attains such qualities only under certain special conditions, 

 when it becomes highly virulent, causing many fatalities among the vari- 

 ous species. Once the bipolar organism enters the circulation it multiplies 

 with great rapidity, causing a poisoning of the blood and fatal conse- 

 quences. 



The best results are obtained from vaccination with the specific bac- 

 terins for the disease in the respective species of animals, that is, for the 

 control of hemorrhagic septicemia in cattle a bacterin prepared from the 

 B. bovisepticus. For the control of the disease in sheep a bacterin made 

 from the B. ovisepticus, and for hogs a bacterin prepared from the B'. 

 suisepticum should be used. Such practice would naturally tend to yield 

 the best results from vaccination against hemorrhagic septicemia of the 

 various species. 



HEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA. 



Hemorrhagic septicemia of cattle is, usually, an acute infectious dis- 

 ease which manifests itself either as an inflammation of the digestive tract, 

 in the form of a swelling of the skin and underlying tissue, or as a ne- 

 crotic pneumonia. The cause is the B. bovisepticum. The period of 

 incubation is only from one to two days. 



This disease is sometimes mistaken for anthrax, and is differentiated 

 from it by the absence of the swelling of the spleen, and by the character 

 of the blood which in anthrax is very dark and does not become light red 

 on exposure to air, nor does it coagulate, while in hemorrhagic septicemia 

 the blood is normal in appearance and readily coagulates. Forage poi- 



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