Actinomycosis. g43 



the morbid products of man, and Ponfick demonstrated the etiological 

 ■ identity of this disease in man and animals. 



The literature of recent years (Johne, Bang, Harms, Azary, Jakob) 

 has added much information concerning the great variability of the 

 clinical appearance of this disease. On the other hand, Wolff, Israel, 

 and more particularly Bostrom, Lignieres & Spitz have added much 

 to our knowledge- of the etiology of the disease, while Thomassen (1885) 

 discovered an effective internal treatment. 



Occurrence, Actinomycosis is of frequent occurrence in 

 cattle, particularly in young animals, especially in low, swampy, 

 damp regions, or regions subject to periodical flooding, and 

 occasionally appears as an enzootic. However, it is in general 

 more frequently met with in stable-fed animals than among 

 those kept on pasture. 



The disease in general is more common in regions where the live-stock 

 industry is conducted on an extensive scale (as in the western states of North 

 America) than in regions where this industry is carried on under opposite condi- 

 tions. In some regions the disease appears almost annually among young stock in 

 the form of peripharyngeal tumors. 



The disease is very common in Eussia, especially in southern Eussia where, 

 according to Ignatjew 10% of all cattle are attacked by the disea-se, affecting 

 principally the lips. It is common also in certain regions of Denmark, England, 

 Holland (according to Sehouten 10% of all cattle) as well as in North America. 

 The disease is much less frequently met with in France and Germany but is 

 occasionally quite prevalent in western Prussia .(Preusse) and in the mountainous 

 regions of Bavaria (Imminger). Ollendorf observed the disease in 76 annals in 

 a herd of 329 cattle in western Prussia, and according to Franck it was so com- 

 mon in certain regions that it was formally included in the list of diseases which 

 under the German laws were considered sufficient when present, to annul a contract 

 of sale. Piot assumes that 3% of all cattle in the Nile Valley of Egypt are 

 affected with this disease. 



According to statistics compiled by Jelenevski the morbidity as 

 established in the various abattoirs from 1896 to 1911 was as follows: 

 Berlin 3.1, Vienna 0.1, Moscow 33.4, Kief 6.7, Warsaw 6.5 per thousand, 

 respectively (the mild form of tongue actinomycosis is evidently not 

 included in these statistics). 



In horses, swine, sheep and goats actinomycosis is rarely observed, 

 and occurs only sporadically. 



Etiology. The Ray fungus (streptothrix actinomyces 

 Rossi Doria, actinomyces bovis Harz) according to the latest 

 views, is a thread-like schizomycete belonging to the group 

 oi streptothrix (Fig. 99). It forms branching growths, propa- 

 gates by sporulation and under favorable conditions produces 

 characteristic colonies (granules) consisting of numerous in- 

 dividuals (Fig. .100). 



Morphology. The size of these colonies varies from 0.15 mm. to 

 0.75 mm. Under the microscope colonies 0.01 mm. in diameter may be 

 observed. On the other hand many small colonies may unite to form 

 characteristic large granules 2.0 mm. in diameter. The more recent 

 and usually the smallest colonies are translucent gray, with a greenish 

 tinge, resembling a globule of gelatin or mucus or a granule of sago, 

 soft and smooth upon the surface. The older colonies are whitish-gray 



