CEREBRO-SPINAL FEVER. 475 



the nostrils, and is found in the windpipe, bronchial tubes, and 

 lungs ; but no mention is made of the cloud of white foam (p. 471), 

 or of the discharge of straw-coloured blood serum (p. 465). Dr. 

 Ramsay Smith tells me that the presence of coagulated serum 

 between the lobules of the lungs (seen in Cape horse-sickness, p. 

 s 471) is a prominent, constant and characteristic post-mortem 

 appearance in the Port Pirie disease. 



In the Port Pirie disease, the superficial veins of the gums of 

 the upper front teeth are congested and stand out prominently. 



As numerous aneurisms caused by a thread-worm (said to be the 

 Hronp'iflus arm,atus) were found in the abdominal arteries of affected 

 horses, Dr. Ramsay Smith wisely considers that the question of 

 their possible connection with this disease should be investigated. 

 He is of course aware that the strongiflus armatus and its resulting 

 aneurisms are met with in other parts of Australia and in other 

 parts t)f the world, where their presence in horses does not give 

 rise to symptoms in any way similar to those of the Port Pirie 

 disease. Never having seen a case of the Port Pirie disease, I am 

 not qualified to express an opinion on its nature. 



Cerebro- Spinal Fever. 



This is a disease which rapidly spreads, like influenza, over large 

 areas of country, and is characterised by inflammation of the brain 

 and spinal cord, with consequent, and more or less complete, 

 paralysis of the hind quarters. It appears to be an infective disease 

 (p. '446). No specific niicrobe has, however, been found in cases 

 attacked by it. Although it may be inferred that it is infectious ; 

 no light has up to the present been thrown on the manner by 

 which it is conveyed to animals. Besides horses, it affects sheep, 

 goats, horned cattle, and dogs. It usually rims an acute and 

 fatal course. 



The attack may be sudden, or may take two or three days to 

 become developed. The most prominent symptoms are : uncon- 

 sciousness, with or without excitement; continued spasm of the 

 muscles of the neck ; and paralysis of the hind limbs. " We may 

 soon note hardness and abnormal tenderness of the poll. The 

 patient can neither rise nor extend the head. The neck and some- 

 times the entire spinal column are hard and tense " (Friedberger 

 and Frohner). There is high temperature of the head and of the 

 contracted muscles. Very early in the affection, and all through 

 the disease, unless when the brain lesions are great, pain is 

 evidenced on pressure being exercised with the finger along the 

 spine. The disease usually runs its course in from one to two 

 weeks. In some cases, the attack is mild; in others, it destroys 



