240 Rinderpest. 



times also observed in the cutis of the skin, which is a direct 

 result of the softening and sloughing of the epithelial layer. 



The continuous high fever and great debility, the weakness 

 of the heart, the hem«rrrhages of the serous and mucous mem- 

 branes, as well as the pronounced difficulties in respiration, indi- 

 cate also a severe action of the filterable virus on the central 

 nervous system. 



Anatomical Changes. Carcasses dead of rinderpest are 

 greatly emaciated. The skin surrounding the sunken eyes, the 

 nostrils and the lips are profusely covered with tenacious 

 mucus and saliva, the anal region is soiled with dried feces, 

 the mucous membrane of the rectum is greatly swollen and 

 cyanotic. In some of the cases the skin shows the changes which 

 can be noticed already during life (see p. 246), while in the sub- 

 cutaneous connective tissue the flabby and easily torn veins are 

 dilated and filled with blood. The abdominal and thoracic 

 cavities contain in some cases a yellowish-red or dirty-brown 

 fluid, which is odorless or may have a sickening, sweetish odor. 



The most important changes appear in the mucous mem- 

 branes, and especially on that of the digestive tract. 



In the mouth, especially on the mucous membrane of the 

 lips, lying opposite the gums, under the tongue and on the phre- 

 num, more rarely on the cheeks and on the hard palate, on the 

 soft palate and on the borders of the tongue, there are yellowish- 

 gray nodules and granular pulpy deposits. There may be also 

 areas the epithelial layer of which has exfoliated, or even deeper 

 ulcers, while in other spots the mucous membrane usually shows 

 reddish maculae, or appears as if it had been sprinkled with 

 bran as a result of a necrosis of the epithelial layer (sometimes 

 pin-head sized ulcerations are present on the tongue, gums and 

 in the pharynx). The mucous membrane of the pharynx, is 

 hyperemic, and contains small hemorrhages, while in the oesoph- 

 agus it is usually normal; exceptionally a necrosis may be 

 observed in the superficial layers of the oesophagus which are 

 of hemp-seed to lentil sized dimensions. 



The omasum contains very dry food ; the abomasum, which 

 usually contains only a small quantity of a tenacious mucus, 

 shows the most varied shadings from a brick-red to a dark- 

 brown coloration in its mucous membrane. The reddening is 

 most intense in the region of the pylorus, and especially on the 

 tops of the folds. At the same time the mucous membrane is 

 swollen, and the submucosa thickened as a result of an edema- 

 tous infiltration. In a later stage plate-like deposits may be 

 observed, especially on the folds of the mucous membrane, which 

 are hemp-seed to lentil in size, dirty-gray or brownish in color, 

 and flat or rounded in form. These deposits are only loosely 

 attached with their soft borders, while in the center they adhere 

 more strongly to the base. If they are picked off highly red- 

 dened depressions remain in their places. 



