HEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA 299 



(finding the bipolar bacterium; animal inoculations). In 

 typical cases of black-leg there should be no difficulty in 

 differentiation, as emphysematous surface swellings are not 

 seen in hemorrhagic septicemia. Furthermore, the latter dis- 

 ease affects cattle of all ages while black-leg is essentially a 

 disease of young animals (see this) . 



Course. — The course varies with the form the disease 

 assumes, the severity of the infection and the resistance of 

 the individual patient. Acute cases last only a few hours 

 (6 to 20) while less acute ones may linger a week or even 

 longer. Those affected with the lung form usually live longer 

 than in the intestinal or exanthematous forms of the disease. 



Prognosis. — Very bad. Fully 90 per cent. die. 



Treatment. — Medicinal treatment is useless. In outbreaks 

 removing the sick cattle to other pastures is recommended. 

 If the disease occurs in a stable, disinfection is in place. As 

 a rule, after a certain number of cattle in a herd die the disease 

 stops of itself. The carcasses should be disposed of as recom- 

 mended under Anthrax. The dried hides are said to be 

 harmless. 



Septic Pleuropneumonia of Calves. — Definition. — This dis- 

 ease is evidently a form of hemorrhagic septicemia of cattle. 

 It is a specific pleuropneumonia of calves due to a bipolar 

 bacillus. 



Occurrence. — The disease is widely distributed and not 

 infrequently occurs simultaneously with an outbreak of 

 hemorrhagic septicemia of older cattle. 



Etiology. — The Bacterium vitulisepticum which seems iden- 

 tical with the germ Bacterium bovisepticum. 



Natural Infection. — Infection takes place through the di- 

 gestive tract, with food and water polluted with the discharge 

 of affected calves. 



Necropsy. — The principal changes are bronchopneumonia 

 with serofibrinous pleuritis. Catarrhal bronchitis and laryn- 

 gitis are also present. Gastro-intestinal catarrh, swelling of 

 the lymph glands, and cloudy swelling of the parenchymatous 

 organs attend. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms are those of acute or subacute 

 pneumonia. The affected calves are listless, the hair coat 



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