INFECTIOUS DISEASKS. 557 



indemnity for the animal. When this is done, in all cases the animal 

 is destroyed and the articles with which it has been in contact are 

 thoroughly disinfected. When the attendants have attempted to 

 hide the presence of the disease in a community, punishment is meted 

 out to the owner, attending veterinarian, or other responsible parties. 

 Several States have passed excellent laws in regard to glanders, but 

 these laws are not always carried out with the rigidity with which 

 they should be. 



SPOROTRICHOSIS (MYCOTIC LYMPHANGITIS). 



By John R. Mohlee, V. M. D., Assistant Chief, Bureau of Aiiimal Industry. 



This disease has previously been known in this country as epizootic 

 lymphangitis, or pseudo-farcy. It is a chronic, contagious disease, 

 particularly of equines, caused by a specific organism, the Sporotri- 

 chwm schenchii, and characterized by a suppurative inflammation of 

 the subcutaneous lymph vessels and the neighboring lymph glands. 

 Owing to the fact that this affection does not spread as an epizootic 

 and that its causal factor is a fungus, the name sporotrichosis has 

 been suggested. 



The disease in man was first described by Schenck an^ by Beur- 

 mann and Gougerot. Carougeau observed its occurrence among 

 horses and mules in Madagascar, while in the United States it was 

 first observed by Pearson in Pennsylvania in 1907, although it is 

 probable that it had existed for many years in various parts of this 

 country. Pagfe and Frothingham were first to recognize its mycotic 

 nature in the United States. More recently Meyer has also made 

 valuable contributions with regard to the existence of this affection. 

 Its presence has been definitely established in Ohio, Iowa, California, 

 and North Dakota, and there is a probability of its existence in 

 Indiana and several Western States. 



Bacteriology. — The sporotrichum is 2 microns thick, cylindrical 

 and segmented, having more or less branching threads, which bear 

 spores at the end. In the pus they occur as slightly ovoid bodies 3 to 

 5 microns long, which are somewhat pointed toward the poles, have a 

 sharp double contour, and only on artificial cultivation at a tempera- 

 ture of over 18° do they develop into the characteristic spore-carrying 

 threads. 



The period of incubation varies greatly, extending from three 

 days to four months, or even longer. In artificial inoculations with 

 pus through wounds in the skin, inflammation and swelling of the 

 lymph vessels may be noticed in ten to sixty days ; these vessels show 

 in their course a development of hard nodules, from which abscesses 

 form. 



The natural infection without doubt is caused through superficial 

 ^vounds, such as galls, barbed-wire cuts, or through various stable 



