210 



DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



It appears in the shape of a very small articulated rod, which is 

 very thin, of an average length of O.007 millimetre, giving very 

 characteristic cultures and reproducing anthrax by inoculation. 



4. From dysentery. This infectious gastro-enteritis is accom- 

 panied by diarrhea from the beginning ; it is ordinarily of long 

 duration, and it has all the appearance of an infectious contagious 

 disease. 



5. From subacute encephalitis of the horse and cerebrospinal 

 meningitis of the ox. In these two diseases the cerebral disturb- 

 ances are absent. 



6. From hydrophobia. The diagnosis must be based upon the 

 history and the predominance of intestinal symptoms in mycotic 

 gastro-enteritis. 



7. From influenza. This disease will be recognized by special 

 symptoms which are produced in the eye, and by its contagiousness. 

 In isolated cases this distinction is sometimes very difficult. 



Mycotic gastro-enteritis is more uncommon in the horse than in 

 the ox and pig — a difference which is very probably due to the 

 diet of these animals. But its existence in the horse is not to be 

 doubted : the febrile diseases accompanied by grave cerebral symp- 

 toms, and described under the name of " infectious gastro-intestinal 

 catarrh," are but mycotic gastro-enteritis consecutive to the inges- 

 tion of spoiled food. 



Gerlach has described in the horse a typical gastro-enteritis accom- 

 panied by colics, constipation, considerable acceleration of the circu- 

 lation, with weakening of the pulse, grinding of the teeth, etc., and 

 which is distinct from ordinary colics, from anthrax, and from the 

 gastro-bilious form of influenza. He has ascribed this morbid 

 condition to ingestion of new oats not well dried, and to tainted 

 straw given instead of hay. 



Derache made several observations of the same kind of disease^ 

 which is sporadic, designated under the name of " typhus,'^ but 

 which has nothing in common with this trouble, nor with petechial 

 fever. As a cause, he has attributed it to alimentation with 

 mouldy, dusty oats or hay. Generally the disease affected several 

 animals in the same stable. The principal symptoms were the 

 abruptness of the attack, paresis, weakness of the pulse, paucity of 

 defecation, then diarrhea and glairy evacuations. The course was 

 rapid, and death happened suddenly. At the autopsy were found 

 very characteristic alterations, which recalled those of abdominal 



