STOMATITIS OF CALVES—CALF DIPHTHERIA 369 



Frontal sinuses or even sawing off the horns and irrigating the 

 cavities through the opening; (e) alcohol may be used in 

 *reat mental depression or strong coffee added to the drinking 

 water; (/) fever may be reduced by antipyretics; (g) consti- 

 pation and diarrhea as in bowel catarrh. 



The poll ax is indicated in severe cases (long convales- 

 cence; blindness, etc.). 



NECROTIC STOMATITIS OF CALVES. CALF DIPHTHERIA. 



Definition. — Calf diphtheria is a contagio-infectious disease 

 af suckling calves in the course of which there develop on the 

 Duccal mucous membrane crbupous-diphtheritic patches and 

 ilcers. It is usually attended by a general toxemia which 

 leads to death. 



Occurrence. — The disease is very common in Europe, and 

 serious outbreaks have been reported in the United States, 

 sarticularly in the western States, Colorado, Wyoming, South 

 Dakota, Iowa and southwestern Texas. 



Etiology. — The cause of the disease is the Bacillus necro- 

 jhorus of Bang, a thin, long rod which forms in tissue and in 

 irtiflcial media slender, undulated filaments. 



Natural Infection. — Probably comes from the calves getting 

 nto the mouth soiled straw or litter which is contaminated 

 vith necrosis bacilli. Healthy calves in contact with dis- 

 :ased ones are infected by licking the sick or picking up matter 

 :ontaminated with the nasal and mouth discharges of the 

 iffected. The disease is very easily transmitted, spreading 

 rom calf to calf. 



Very young calves (three to five days old) become infected. 



Necropsy.' — On postmortem in the mucous membranes of 

 he mouth and throat are found areas of dirty gray or brown 

 olor, irregular in form and well circumscribed. They are 

 requently found on the cheeks and borders of the tongue,, 

 mt may also involve the upper respiratory passages, and 

 ccasionally the intestinal canal, or even the region of the 

 oronet. In some cases large surfaces of the mucous mern- 

 rane are covered with a yellowish-gray, friable, fetid, cheesy 

 lass. Sometimes the lungs are infected, in which purulent 

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