HEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA. 
appearance of a swelling or swellings of variable size diffuse or 
circumscribed in different parts of the body. These swellings are most 
frequently met with in the head, between the jaws, in the neck, on 
the shoulders or immediately behind them, sometimes under the 
abdomen and tail and also in the groin. The area most frequently 
affected is perhaps the throat region, and in some cases the swelling 
may be so extensive as to involve also the face, trunk and neck, 
causing marked disfigurement. The swellings under the tail often 
attain a considerable size and may spread downwards between the 
liind-legs and along the under surface of the abdomen. When they 
first appear the swellings are hot, doughy and painful, later becoming 
hard and tense. In those cases in which the throat is affected the 
respirations are increased in number and are laboured and difficult, 
and as a rule noisy. The respiratory difficulty is very acute towards 
the end and death may take place in convulsions from suffocation. 
When the limbs are affected lameness is often manifested. The 
tongue may appear swollen and dark in colour. The cavity of the 
mouth may be dry or may be coated with a sticky saliva. The 
palate may also appear dark in colour, with mulberry-coloured spots. 
A discharge of a slimy material from the trunk may also be observed. 
In some cases vomiting may occur. All mucous membranes are' of 
a diffuse red colour, with generally mulberry-coloured (hsemorrhagic) 
spots. The bowels are usually not much disturbed, though the 
passage of dung is often preceded or followed by a discharge of 
liquid, dark, foetid material, which sometimes contains mucus and 
traces of blood. Diarrhoea may be present in some cases. The 
urine is scanty, high-coloured and turbid. The internal temperature 
is always high, but the surface temperature of the body is variable. 
In acute seizures there is in some cases vomiting, loss of power 
behind, evidenced by inability to move, in others a staggering gait 
with a tendency to fall forwards may be observed. 
Treatment. — No treatment is of much use. Good nursing, i.e.^ 
attention to the animal's wants, frequent stimulants such as rum, 
whisky, country spirit, etc., diluted with water or gruel, or mixed 
w^ith treacle and water in a bucket, if he can be induced to take them, 
are most useful. The mouth should be frequently washed out with 
some mild lotion, e.g.^ alum, boracic, or dilute Condy's fluid. Serum 
is being tried in cattle and other animals for the prevention and cure 
of this disease with I believe a certain measure of success, and 
might when perfected be tried in elephants wdth an equal chance of 
success where opportunities for its use occur. The great dis- 
advantage of all sera in warm climates is their tendency to rapid 
deterioration and uncertainty of action. Pillules of a vaccine for 
this disease are now being tried. 
