HEMORRHAGIC ENTERITIS. 207 



The prognosis is in all cases grave. 

 _ The lesions are ill-recognised. The animals die rapidly, and if not 

 immediately examined show no chai^acteristic lesions. The changes to be 

 looked for consist m intense congestion or ulceration of- the intestine, or 

 even m ulceration of arterioles and of arteries of considerable size. 



_ In parasitic enteritis one finds locaHsed inflammation and, in the 

 epithehal interstices, sporozoa, \Yhieh cause the rupture of blood-vessels. 



Treatment. It is necessary to act energetically from the outset, 

 and to arrest hfemorrhage by acting on the intestine, on the vascular 

 system, and on the skin. Mustard plasters or other external stimulant 

 applications are therefore indicated. Internally, small doses of 

 astringents like tannin, preparations of opium, 25 per cent, solution 

 of sulphuric acid in alcohol, etc., are given to produce constriction of 

 the vessels, though they seldom arrest the discharge of blood for long. 

 In most cases it is necessary to have recourse to subcutaneous injections 

 of ergotine, in doses of 5 to 10 grains in young animals, and 15 to 45 

 grains in adults. The dose may be given in two parts to prevent an 

 unduly severe action. The smooth fibres of the small vessels are thus 

 directly excited, and haemorrhage ceases in consequence of clotting in 

 the contracted vessels. 



One may give for the same purpose injections of arseniate of 

 strychnine, which has the advantage of sustaining the tone of the 

 heart and preventing syncope. The dose should not exceed 1-5 grains 

 in large animals. 



Finally, a stimulating diet containing milk, alcohol, soup, cooked 

 vegetables, and small quantities of vegetable pulp is useful. 



With early treatment animals sometimes recover in a few hours. 



Intra-venous or subcutaneous injections of physiological salt solution 

 (■2 drachms of sodium chloride in one quart of water) may prove of value 

 when hfemorrhage has been abundant and vascular pressure is low. 



CHRONIC ENTERITIS (CHRONIC DIARRHCEA). 



Chronic diarrhcea is common in byres. It appears suddenly, often 

 fails to attract attention, and assumes the form of simple diarrhcea, a 

 fact -^vliich accounts for it frequently being described as chronic diarrhoea, 

 dysentery, etc. 



Causation and pathogeny. This form of diarrhcea occurs sporadi- 

 cally throughout France, and under excejational circumstances may 

 permanently attack a number of animals in a given place. 



The immediate cause is not known, but without doubt the disease 

 is of microbic origin. Like Lignieres, Moussu at one time believed 

 that this disease was very probably identical with that known in 



