Diagnosis, Treatment. " 775 



Diagnosis. Hemoglobinemia and hemoglobinuria which ap- 

 pear rapidly under febrile symptoms, characterize severe affec- 

 tions, and in cattle on known infected pastures a red discolora- 

 tion of the urine is sufficient for a well founded suspicion of 

 the disease. If however the last-named symptom is absent, 

 the presence of the disease may be suspected on the ground 

 of febrile symptoms, only when at the same time other animals 

 in the herd are affected with characteristic symptoms, in which 

 the probability of the diagnosis is considerably increased by 

 the presence of ticks in various stages of development on the 

 body of the animals. Absolute certainty is obtained by the 

 demonstration of piroplasmas in the red blood corpuscles on 

 microscopical examination (see p. 773), or by artificial pro- 

 duction of the disease in healthy animals (10 cc. of fresh or 

 defibrinated blood subcutaneously or intravenously). 



Anthrax and hemorrhagic septicemia may be confused with 

 the acute cases of piroplasmosis, as in those diseases the febrile 

 symptoms are sometimes also accompanied by a red-colored 

 urine, but their course is more rapid, no anemia develops, the 

 urine contains red blood corpuscles, the examination of fresh 

 blood shows long rods, or small bipolar bacilli between the 

 blood corpuscles. The disease is distinguished from hematurias 

 brought on by other causes, by the absence of red blood cor- 

 puscles in the urine, from the so called "chronic hematuria" 

 it is distinguished by its less chronic course, and the much 

 more rapid development of anemia. 



On autopsy the above-mentioned diseases should also be 

 kept under consideration, and especially anthrax, cfn account 

 of the acute swelling of the spleen, and the numerous hemor- 

 rhages which may be present. 



Treatment. After an outbreak of the disease in a pasture 

 the herd should be removed immediately from the infected 

 locality to a moderately cool, shady place, and most appro- 

 priately to stables where they can be given careful attention. 

 At the same time suitable and sufficient feeding (good dry food, 

 with the addition of potatoes or beets), is of great importance. 

 In addition to this, the ticks should be picked from the body 

 of the patients, or destroyed by washings with creolin, lysol 

 or salt solutions. 



Internal treatment has so far been of but little value. Salines 

 may be administered against constipation, and the diarrhea 

 treated with slimy gruels, combined with astringents or opiates. 

 In great weakness stimulating treatment (rubbing with alcohol, 

 internally, alcohol or black coffee) is indicated. The quinine 

 treatment (10-20 gm. of quinine hydrochlorate per os), which 

 has been recommended (Padovani, Hellens, Kroning), probably 

 on account of the similarity of. the disease with malaria in 

 man, has not given uniform results. Krageriid recommends 

 intravenous injections of formalin or coUargol (100-500 gm. 

 of a 1% solution), and later carbolic acid or lysol mternally 



