Symptoms. 773 



is immediately diminished ; the milk drawn in small quantities 

 is sometimes yellowish and has a bitter odor. 



In a later stage the animal manifests a staggering gait, 

 and at times may knuckle over with the hind- feet. Muscular 

 trembling may be observed in some parts of the body, especially 

 on the upper arm, shoulders, and croup. There is profuse 

 lachrymation, the flanks are sunken, the skin feels dry and 

 hard. The lymph glands in the knee folds swell early in the 

 disease to a great extent (Schmidt). The mucous membranes 

 are at first" reddened, later they become pale, and show symp- 

 toms of icteric discoloration. 



The blood drawn from a vein is more or less pale red 

 and watery; after coagulation the separated blood serum also 

 shows a red discoloration. The number of red blood corpuscles 

 drops in several days from 7 to 8 millions per cmm., to one-half 

 or one-third, in fatal cases even one-fifth to one-sixth of the 

 above number. Within them piroplasma may be found in 

 varying proportions, in severe cases from 5 to 58% (Fig. 130 

 and 131). The hemoglobin content may drop to 12% (Fleischl). 



The microscopical demonstration of the parasites may be successful even in 

 fresh blood specimens, where they appear in the blood cells as pale, shining, on 

 a warm object stage somewhat motile, coccus-like bodies (easily mistaken for the 

 plasma extensions of the crenated blood cells!). A certain result is obtained from 

 dry specimens fixed in absolute alcohol, or in a mixture of alcohol and ether aa, 

 and stained with a 1% aqueous . methylene blue solution. The parasites on such 

 slides appear colored blue. For the demonstration of the finer structures, and 

 especially of the chromatin bodies, Romanowsky's method of staining or one of 

 its modifications (Giemsa stain!) must be used. The red blood corpuscles proper 

 show indications of a poikiloeytosis and in their interior basophilic granulations. 



The urine contains even in the early stages, albumen_ in 

 various quantities; even when normal in color it has a high 

 specific gravity, later, sometimes as early as on the second 

 day, it becomes of a reddish or greenish color, as a result of 

 the appearance of methemoglobin, probably also of bile pig- 

 ments. The color gradually becomes more intense and brownish 

 to blackiih-red; at the same time in shaking much foam forms 

 on its surface, while on boiling it coagulates to a jelly-like 

 mass. On standing a great amount of sediment, appears, in 

 which numerous yellow granules, likewise also kidney epithelia 

 and casats may be demonstrated, while red blood corpuscles 

 are found only very exceptionally. The passing of' the urine 

 is always accompanied by severe straining. 



In the cases with unfavorable termination the patients 

 become weakened after 3 to 4 days to such an extent that 

 they constantly lie down, the respiration is very labored, and 

 from time to time a painful grunting may be heard. At the 

 same time convulsions may appear in certain groups of muscles, 

 tears ooze out from between the swollen eyelids, and saliva 

 drops out of the mouth, until finally under a rapid sinking 

 of the body temperature death ensues, which however may 



