292 ACUTE GENERAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES 



some outbreaks diarrhea is an early symptom. The tempera- 

 ture is elevated (105° to 108° F) and the respirations dyspneic. 

 Usually after a couple of hours the patient falls over, becomes 

 comatose, and dies. • 



Diagnosis.. — Braxy is often confused with anthrax, especially 

 when it occurs in anthrax districts. It might also be mistaken 

 for black-leg or for malignant edema. By carefully weighing 

 the history, clinical symptoms, and bacteriological findings, 

 error in diagnosis is avoided. 



Course and. Prognosis. — The course is rapid; usually in from 

 fifteen to eighteen hours the patients die. The prognosis is 

 bad; fully 98 per cent, succumb. 



Treatment. — Medicinal treatment has not proved of value. 

 Separation of the living, deep burial, or cremation of the dead 

 and a thorough disinfection of the barns, pens, yards, etc., 

 are indicated. 



Protective Inoculation. — Nielsen and Jensen have employed 

 protective inoculation to combat braxy, the former using 

 dried, powdered kidney substance from a fatal case, while the 

 latter used either treated blood-serum cultures or blood serum 

 from artificially immunized horses or cultures one month old 

 which were grown in sugar bouillon. Apparently good results 

 have been obtained in Iceland with preventive vaccination 

 (see Bacteriology). 



SWINE ERYSIPELAS. 



Definition. — Swine erysipelas is an infectious disease due to 

 a specific microorganism. It has a varied course and appears 

 clinically as an acute septicemia, a secondary skin exanthema, 

 or a chronic, valvular heart disease. 



Occurrence. — On the continent of Europe the disease is 

 wide-spread, occurring during the hot months, and in latter 

 years has assumed a more serious form than formerly. In 

 Great Britain swine erysipelas is a benign disease, appearing 

 in the skin form and, as yet, has not assumed serious propor- 

 tions. To date it has not been reported in the United States. 

 In the so-called "diamond disease," so commonly found in 

 American abattoirs, erysipelas bacilli have not yet been 

 determined. 



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