190 DISEASE IN WILD MAMMALS AND BIRDS 
Acute enteritis, of all varieties, is seen more beauti- 
fully in carnivores than in any other order of mammals, 
and nowhere can it be studied better. Its gross appear- 
ance is that of the text-book and its minute character even 
more instructive. I have used a slide of acute catarrhal 
enteritis in a lion for the illustration of this lesion for the 
Text-hook of Pathology by Doctor Stengel and myself. 
However, as is kno^vn to all who have paid any attention 
to enteritis, the postmortem findings are usually much 
less definite than clinical observations would warrant one 
to expect. The Carnivora not uncommonly show intestinal 
congestion, mucous membrane swelling without edema 
or opacity, congestion of the spleen, cloudy swelling of 
the liver and kidneys and perhaps mesenteric Ijonph node 
edema. This picture we have viewed as a toxic affair of 
some sort or a bacterial infection not yet far enough 
advanced to produce catarrhal or ulcerative enteritis 
and septicemia. In such cases the carnivorous intestinal 
mucosa offers instruction. The epithelium is vacuolated 
or fringed on the free edge or may be missing altogether. 
In the depths mucus formation is very active, and where 
it is going on, round cells seem attracted, collecting in 
groups in the villus or in the subjacent submucosa. Peri- 
vascular round cell increase may be noted. Plasma cells 
and granular eosinophiles are common, but I cannot state 
how important the latter are in the general picture 
because of the frequency of parasites in carnivores. The 
central vessel of the villus and the arterioles of the sub- 
mucosa are injected. LjTnph follicles may or may not be 
enlarged, but if so usually fail to show a germ centre. 
Colitis alone is not common in this order, but as an 
extension process or involvement at the same time as the 
upper levels it occurs occasionally. The only fact I wish 
to record and one which I would emphasize because of 
having seen it recently in a human case of chronic colitis, 
and since it does not appear important to systematic 
writers, is superficial blood supply. The capillary net- 
