946 Rachitis. 



The teeth then seem shortened and sometimes barely stand 

 out from the gums ; they are loose and may fall out ; the enamel 

 is perforated in places. The bones of the skull may be thick- 

 ened in parts, or they may be thin and even membranous; 

 the fontanelles, especially between the frontal and parietal 

 bones, often remain open (Schiitz). 



The form of lachitis in pigs in whicli the facial bones Ijulge out strongly, has 

 always been designated as snuiHes (French: " reniflement ' '). With it were classed 

 other diseases charaeterizeil by a sniffling respiration, especially the infectious nasal 

 inflammation of pigs (Vol. II). Since, however, the sniffling respiration is only 

 a symptom of quite heterogeneous diseases, and has all too often given rise to 

 misunderstanding, the name smifHes should be abandoned altogether. The same is 

 true for the so-called bran disease of horses, which also rei^resents only a form of 

 rachitis or osteomalacia, caused by the exclusive feeding of bran. 



Course and Prognosis. After the appearance of clinical 

 symptoms rachitis runs a chronic course lasting for months, 



Fig. 164. Ifachilic hiilging of the maxiUary Tionef; and proirufiion of the hard 

 palate into the month, in a pig with rachitic changes in the otlier liones. 



except in those cases in which, as already mentioned, the onset 

 is associated with severe nervous disturbances, or in which 

 death is hastened by complications. If the conditions are un- 

 favorable and if the disease is not treated, it gradually 

 progresses accompanied by increasing emaciation of the ani- 

 mals whose development is noticeably retarded. Spontaneous 

 recoveries are not infrequent in large herds, l)ut are observed 

 only in animals, which are less severely affected, or in nearly 

 mature animals in which, of course, growth is less rapid. By 

 proper regulation of the diet and by prompt treatment many, 

 even severely affected, animals are cured, or the bone deformi- 

 ties, which are not yet considerable, are made to disappear. 

 But deformities wliich have become very decided persist, the 

 narrowing of the pelvis and tlie thorax being of particular im- 

 portance. Under unfavorable conditions, or if the disease is 



