310 Sheep Pox. 



Joest. The difference from the usual course is not shown so much 

 in the general symptoms (fever, acute catarrh of the mucous mem- 

 branes, dullness, etc.), as these greatly resembled those of the typical 

 form, but in this atypical form hard nodules as large as lentils or 



hazelnuts usually developed on the 

 skin (Pig. 55). They were not sur- 

 rounded by a red zone, and showed 

 no indications whatsoever of vesicular 

 or pustular formation. Although the 

 exanthema often extended over the en- 

 / ' ''\ '^ tire body, it appeared that the lesions 



occurred preferably in the vicinity of 

 , the nose, lips, vulva, and on the udder. 

 ~^ ~ — ^ The affected parts of the body fre- 



quently showed a marked inflammatory 

 Fig. 55. Atypical sheep pox. swelling. Later the papules dried, 



(After Joest.) and dropped off entirely. Not infre- 



quently they turned into suppuration 

 or gangrene, whereupon quite deep ulcerations developed, which were 

 covered by thick scabs and crusts. After the scabs dropped off, cicatrices 

 without pigment or hair remained. Typical pox vesicles develop but rarely 

 and only later in an outbreak. Here and there purulent keratitis, 

 sometimes with subsequent panophthalmitis and blindness resulted, and 

 lameness resulted frequently from an inflammation of the interdigital 

 space, also erysipelas-like swellings of the skin of the thighs; further 

 a colliquative diarrhea was observed in severe cases. In some cases 

 goats became affected with similar symptoms, and the transmission 

 from sheep to goats was also successful by artificial means (Foth). 

 Losses in affected flocks vary among the different animals from 25-50%, 

 or even a larger proportion. (According to Lungershausen the disease 

 showed a similar character in the outbreaks of 1862-3.) 



The number of papules varies greatly from case to case, 

 sometimes they occur only sparingly, while in other cases the 

 parts of the body not covered by wool, as well as the other 

 parts, are covered with great numbers. As a rule they are 

 thickest and most numerous on the face. * 



If the eruptions appear very closely together they may 

 confluate into large purulent vesicles (variola confluens), and if 

 this occurs in many places the neighboring skin and subcu- 

 taneous connective tissue becomes greatly edematous, so that 

 the head, for instance, becomes greatly deformed, and the face 

 appears as though covered by a mask. In such cases the papil- 

 lary layer under the suppuration forms a continuous wounded 

 surface, from which a general pyemia or septicemia may readily 

 develop. In such cases numerous papules may develop on the 

 mucous membrane in the mouth, pharynx and nose, the develop- 

 ment of these being associated with difficulty in swallowing and 

 respiration, purulent nasal discharge, and profuse salivation. 

 Vesicles may occasionally develop on the conjunctivae, and also 

 on the corneae. In such cases the disease usually terminates in 

 death, and if the animals should recover after the falling off 



