450 
PURULENT INFLAMMATION OF THE UDDER. 
Franck, Nocard, Mollereau, and others have shown beyond cavil the 
possibility of this mode of infection. 
Numerous experiments have been made regarding the nature of the infectious 
material. Guillebeau found ten different microbes (staphylococci, galactococci, 
streptococci, and several bacilli), possessing various degrees of virulence. 
Guillebeau believes the constituents of the milk, particularly the milk sugar, 
are decomposed by the microbes, and irritant materials produced which cause 
inflammation. 
McFadyean and Nencki showed that one of the streptococci isolated by 
Guillebeau from a case of mastitis was capable of decomposing milk sugar 
into lactic acid, albumen and peptone into an iodoform-producing substance, 
acetic acid, butyric acid and ammonia. 
Zschokke, who has made a special study of the streptococcus mastitis con¬ 
tagiosa , states that it occurs in two forms, viz., in long and in short chains. 
He believes that the gravity of the disease is very closely associated with this 
question of length. When the chains are short the disease ceases by itself ; 
it is only necessary to avoid milking the affected quarters. The disease then 
remains confined to these, the secretion is re-established at the next calving, 
and the milk is then normal—the streptococcus has disappeared. On the 
other hand, when the long chains are present the disease is incurable. Even 
though the affected quarter gives milk at the next succeeding calving such 
milk is purulent, and contains numerous streptococci in long threads. For 
further particulars see Zschokke’s article in the “ Schweitzer Archiv fur 
Thierheilk,,” 1897, p. 145. 
Symptoms and progress. The disease sets in suddenly, with pain 
and the other symptoms of mastitis. The swelling originates in the 
interior of the udder, but spreads as far as the skin, which is abnor¬ 
mally warm and reddened. Functional disturbance soon sets in; the 
secretion of milk diminishes or entirely disappears, the milk is curdled, 
and later appears yellowish from admixture of pus, or red from bleeding; 
finally, it may become more and more puriform, and contain curdled 
material, which blocks the milk ducts. 
These symptoms are supplemented by fever, loss of appetite* excessive 
thirst, and depression. The swelling may interfere with the movement 
of the corresponding hind leg and cause lameness ; sometimes complica¬ 
tions like paraplegia, or inflammation of joints or tendon sheaths are 
seen. 
Microscopic examination reveals numerous white and red corpuscles, 
pus elements, and fattily degenerated gland-cells (colostrum bodies) in 
the milk. Chemical examination shows albumen and water to be in 
increased quantity, sugar and casein to be diminished. 
Either resolution occurs, or the disease goes on to abscess formation. 
In the first case, after four or five days, sometimes a little later, the 
symptoms gradually begin to recede, whilst the secretion more and more 
recovers its normal character. In some cases no permanent disturbance 
is left, though, as a rule, the affected section of the udder does not com¬ 
pletely recover its functional activity until the next lactation period. 
