82 Veterinary Obstetrics 



The eifect of the disease upon the powers of reproduction is 

 very profound. In the earlier stages, the stallion may be capa- 

 ble of impregnating mares and, failing to infect them with the 

 disease, they may give birth to healthy foals. As the disease 

 progresses, while the stallion may still be capable of copulating, 

 he is usually sterile. The mare which becomes infected does not, 

 generally, conceive, or, if so, aborts so early that the conception 

 is not observed. In the Illinois outbreak, it could not be deter- 

 mined that a living foal had been born among loo diseased mares. 

 Some writers claim that, occasionally, a diseased mare will pro- 

 duce a living foal. 



Recovery maj', and does, occur even after extreme emaciation, 

 and when paralysis has been so complete that the animal could 

 not rise without assistance. 



The duration of the disease may extend from three months to 

 as many or more years, and recovery, either apparent or real, 

 take place at any intervening time. 



Pathological Anatomy. In animals which have succumbed 

 to the malady or been destroyed in its last stages, there is seen, 

 quite uniformly, an evident degree of anaemia and emaciation. 

 Distributed throughout nearly every tissue in the body, there is 

 found a characteristic yellowish exudate of gelatinoid appearance, 

 especially abundant in the subcutaneous and intermuscular con- 

 nective tissue, in the mesentery, and all parts rich in connective 

 tissue. Nearly every organ of the body partakes of the general 

 yellowish tinge. The muscles, especially those of the thigh and 

 croup, are pale and soft. 



The intestines are pale, and, in some cases, show signs of 

 previous inflammation on their peritoneal surface. The mes- 

 entery presents a pale saffron color, thickened by a gelatinous 

 exudate. The mesenteric lymphatics are enlarged, pale yellow 

 and friable. The spleen is pale, small, shriveled, tough and 

 hard. The liver is soft and filled with dark blood. The kidneys 

 are usually found somewhat enlarged, very pale and edematous. 



The genital organs fail to exhibit the extraordinary changes 

 one would naturally expect to find. 



Autopsies made by us on several stallions, all diseased for one 

 and one-half to over two years, showed the general conditions 

 aboye indicated, while, in addition, in some cases the genitals 

 showed marked changes and, in others, there were only very 



