CASEATING I,YMPH-ADENITIS OF SHEEP. 



Sheep are subject to an infectious disease of the lymph-glands 

 resulting in a caseous degeneration of the gland tissue which was 

 formerly confounded with tubercle. 



History. The first case on record was seen in 1891 by Preisz 

 and Guinard. Other cases were recorded by Preisz in 1894. 

 Turski in 1897 recorded 44 cases in 150 sheep in West Prussia, 

 all from the same estate. In these the bronchial and mediastinal 

 glands were especially involved though not to the exclusion of 

 the portal, inguinal and precrural glands. In no case were lungs 

 nor liver affected. Later, other cases were found in the Gotha 

 (Saxony) abattoirs (Ostertag). In 1899 Cherry and Bull 

 recorded cases observed at Melbourne, Australia, the prevalence 

 amounting to from 15 to 70 per cent, in certain flocks. In these 

 the following glands were affected ; prescapular, superficial in- 

 guinal less frequently, the scrotal, pelvic and mediastinal. Once 

 the kidney was diseased, but the mesenteric glands or liver never. 

 In 1899, Savori records the disease as affecting 10 per cent, of the 

 .sheep killed in the abattoirs of Buenos Ayres. The bronchial 

 and mediastinal glands were mainly affected, and caseous broncho- 

 pneumonia and adhesive pleurisy were common, as were also 

 caseous mesenteric glands, and nodules in the liver and kidneys. 



In the United States it was first noted in Southern California 

 in 1897, and immediately after, in Chicago, South Omaha and 

 Kansas City (Nor gaard and Mohler). Out of 16,000,000 sheep 

 killed at these points 3236, (.02 per cent.) were condemned as 

 affected with this disease. The disease has been less noticed in 

 the Eastern States yet it must be accepted as widely diffused in 

 all quarters of the world. 



Age. In all cases the old sheep suffered more numerously 

 than the young : At I^os Angeles, Cal. , but one lamb suffered in 

 3,500, while among 756 wethers 50 were affected, and in 194 

 ewes 23 were diseased. The ewes not only suffered in greater 

 numbers but showed more extensive lesions than the wethers. 

 Though all over 6 years old, and therefore discarded from breed- 

 ing, these ewes were not disqualified for good fattening and 



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