4X0 Malignant Catarrhal Fever of Cattle. 



stables, which also indicates the influence of a local cause, and 

 likewise proves that this may continue to exist for a long time 

 in one place. 



Frentzling observed in the course of a year and a half in one stable 32 

 cases of the disease, while Dieckerhoff & Junkers saw in a herd of 15 cattle, eight 

 fatal afEections within 17 days. According to Isepponi the disease occurs en- 

 zootically among the cattle and goats in the mountains of the Swiss Canton Grau- 

 biinden, especially in the spring, for instance in the period of 1889-1892, of a total 

 number of 45,000 cattle, 407 became affected, while in the Canton Ziirieh, out of 

 94,738 cattle only three fell victims to the disease in 1900. In the fall of 1893 

 Kramarew observed the disease in an epizootic form among pastured animals in 

 four townships in Southern Bussia. Of 1,244 cattle 322 became affected, 139 (40%) 

 of which died (the mortality varied in the different townships between 34-67%). 

 The disease was supposed to have resulted from polluted river water. 



Unfavorable outside influences, such as sudden change in 

 the outside temperature or moist cold weather and colds caused 

 by such, further fatigue during work, etc., appear to be not 

 infrequently accessory causes in the appearance of the disease. 

 If it could be proved that the disease is caused by a variety 

 of the colon bacillus its development could be explained in that 

 the otherwise harmless habitant of the intestinal canal some- 

 times multiplies rapidly under the above mentioned weakening 

 influences and at the same time attains an increased virulence 

 as a result of which it produces an intoxication of the organism. 



The disease occurs frequently in certain localities, especially 

 in swampy places, while in others it is unknown in spite of other- 

 wise similar local conditions. It is usually observed in spring 

 and fall, more rarely in summer, and very exceptionally in 

 winter. (Mehrdorf has known a farm on which the disease 

 existed uninterruptedly for several years as a stable infection.) 

 Young animals are affected mostly; according to Ow only up 

 to the third year, while calves under one year show but very 

 slight susceptibility; steers appear to be more susceptible than 

 cows. A recovery from the disease does not protect the animals 

 from a new attack, as sometimes recovered animals become re- 

 infected after several weeks or months, and then usually with 

 more severe symptoms than the first time (Nagy). 



Similar affections were observed in other species of animals than 

 cattle. Thus Hable has seen a similar disease in two horses, Sehloss- 

 leitner in two hogs. In these cases the symptoms were fever, severe 

 nasal catarrh, conjunctivitis and keratitis, while the horses also showed 

 pharyngitis. According to Isepponi 's observations the disease may occur 

 frequently in goats. 



Anatomical Changes, The most constant findings at 

 autopsy are the inflammatory changes on the mucous membrane 

 of the upper air passages. The mucous membranes of the 

 nose, and those of Highmore's and the frontal sinuses, which 

 contain various quantities of a thick, fetid pus, are markedly 

 reddened or cyanotic, swollen, and sprinkled with small hemor- 

 rhages. Its surface is covered with purulent secretion, and 



