168 Pyo-Septieemia of Sucklings. 



the disease, and the opening of the umbilical ring may perma- 

 nently close after the breaking or opening of the abscess. Such 

 a favorable termination is principally observed in cases where 

 the disease appears somewhat later after birth ; that is, when the 

 thrombi of the umbilical vessels are already more solid, the 

 fluid parts have been absorbed, and the penetration of the micro- 

 organisms has thereby been rendered more difficult. The in- 

 flammation of the joints may also improve after a time, but 

 the recovery is only exceptionally complete, as usually chronic 

 changes, such as shortening of the ligaments of the joints, 

 deformities of the cartilaginous surface, ankylosis, etc., will 

 remain as permanent injuries. 



Severe general symptoms, such as a persisting high fever, 

 severe diarrhea, grave and multiple arthritis, metastasis in the 

 internal organs, etc., have a very unfavorable prognosis. In 

 such cases the animals usually die in from two to three weeks 

 (colts on an average in .26 days) (Gmelin). 



The chronic form of the disease usually leads to complete 

 exhaustion in from two to three months ; exceptionally, however, 

 recovery takes place, when only a thickening of the pleura is 

 left as a result of the affection. 



The percentage of mortalities varies with the different out- 

 breaks; as a rule, however, it arhounts to over 50%, and only 

 in calves appears somewhat more favorable (according to Hess 

 it is 40, and according to Strebel 35%). 



Diagnosis . The inflammation of the umbilicus can be rec- 

 ognized easily, and with certainty. An affection of the joints, 

 or of internal organs, in association with the umbilical affection, 

 Leaves no doubt as to the nature" of the disease. In cases where 

 the urachus remains open, there may be also intense inflamma- 

 tion and swelling of the umbilicus. However, in such instances 

 the dripping of the urine is sufficient to reveal the nature of 

 such an abnormality (Baillet & Seres observed as a result of a 

 urachus infection, pyelo-nephritis, with septic symptoms). 

 Mistakes in diagnosis may only occur in cases when the local 

 affection of the umbilicus is absent, or present only to such a 

 very slight degree that it may pass unnoticed. The very young 

 age of the patient, and the purulent consistency of the exudates 

 from the joints, differentiate the disease from rachitis, in which 

 moreover the synovial capsule is not distended but the carti- 

 laginous diaphyses of the bones are thickened. From trau- 

 matic inflammations of the joints it is differentiated by the 

 absence of any traces of traumatism, and by the presence of 

 symptoms of a general disease. Internal inflammation of the 

 eye occurs in such an early age, from almost no other cause than 

 from a pyemic umbilical infection. 



White scours of sucklings cannot be separated from the 

 acute septicemic form of the disease. From the other forms 

 it is distinguished by the absence of lesions in the lungs and 

 in the joints. (According to the introductory remarks of this 



