294 ACUTE GENERAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES 



often rectangular or rhomboid in form and are elevated above 

 the surrounding skin. They are usually about the size of a 

 50-cent piece, larger by confluence. Sometimes vesicles occur 

 upon them which break, the discharge drying to brownish 

 crusts. As a rule symptoms of fever, languor, anorexia, con- 

 stipation, paraplegia, conjunctivitis, and vomiting attend the 

 exanthema. The skin eruption usually disappears in from one 

 to two weeks: In some cases necrosis of the skin, especially 

 of the ears, tail, or digits takes place, leading to sloughing 

 and healing, with pronounced scar formation. 



(b) Septicemia Form. — This form very much resembles the 

 septicemia (explosive) form of hog cholera (see this). The 

 skin is usually highly reddened, especially on pendent portions 

 of the body. The red colorations have an erythematous char- 

 acter, finger pressure temporarily removing them. Vesicle 

 formation and necrosis may also occur. In severe cases there 

 is paraplegia, cyanosis, and great dyspnea (lung edema). The 

 patients usually die in three or four days or may live a week. 

 In some cases the symptoms subside on about the third day, 

 the animal recovering or the disease assuming the chronic 

 form. 



■ (c) Chronic Form. — In this type symptoms of chronic 

 endocarditis (see this), and gangrene of 'the skin occur. It is 

 noted in hogs which have passed through the acute stage and 

 seem to be recovering. In about one or two months, however, 

 they begin to droop, lose appetite, cough, become dyspneic, 

 cyanotic, develop heart palpitation ("thumps"), and carry 

 a mild fever. Gradually becoming weak, after several weeks 

 they die of inanition. 



Prognosis. — The skin form is benign, practically all recover- 

 ing. In the septicemic form the mortality is 60 to 90 per cent, 

 and chronic cases are generally fatal. 



Diagnosis. — Swine erysipelas is easily confused with hog 

 cholera. Clinically the differences are not marked. As a rule, 

 however, the lungs and bowels are less affected in erysipelas 

 and the reddening of the skin is intra- rather than extra- 

 vascular. Bronchopneumonia with pleuritis and button-like 

 ulcers in the cecum or necrosis of the intestinal mucous mem- 

 brane are lesions not seen in swine erysipelas. In doubtful 



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