INFECTIVE AND CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. 
89 
Loodiana fever. It is known that splenic apoplexy affects 
horses, and some forms of anthrax in other animals to a 
certain extent resemble those in the horse. But the exact 
relation of these disorders to common anthrax is still sub 
judice. The Cape sickness is enzootic in Natal and Zululand, 
prevailing especially in hot, damp weather; it disappears during 
the dry season; it is somewhat generally attributed to animals 
feeding on wet grass . [Mr. Fleming supplied material with 
which the lecturer experimented on mice.] 
The principal symptoms are great swelling of the tongue and 
of the throat; elevation of temperature to 105° or 108°. The 
disease is extremely fatal, and decomposition sets in very soon after 
death. 
The following post-w,ortem appearances were noted:—Some 
bronchial catarrh and subpleural exudation (these conditions of 
the lungs constitute a marked and constant feature of the affec¬ 
tion), inflammation following the course of the bronchi, Bacilli 
in the exuded matters, blood-vessels of the bronchi sometimes 
plugged with leucocytes, their submucous tissue thickened, often 
surrounded by inflammatory or haemorrhagic exudative material; 
matter similar to this caused thickening of the pleura. It was 
observed that the Bacilli occur in numbers only at the seat of 
commencing inflammation. Some long Bacilli were found in the 
peritoneal fluid and in the blood. Sometimes the Bacilli seemed 
to be in the act of passing through the walls of the vessels in all 
parts; they seemed to disappear as inflammation became more 
marked. Thus, though they closely resemble those of splenic 
fever, they are distinguishable as being not so abundant, more 
localised, and more slender. They were cultivated to several 
generations (the various phases being illustrated by diagrams), 
but no inoculations after culture w r ere tried. These culture forms 
exhibited the long slender character of the Bacillus, also they 
gave evidence that the organism is a true Bacillus. Spiral chains 
with great loops were found, but not the masses of filaments, as 
seen in the farcy Bacillus. It is observable that in all these 
cases of blood poisoning death often occurs when the lesions are 
practically inappreciable; in this disease in none of the organs 
have Bacilli been observed plugging the capillaries. Probably 
it is not identical with anthrax, but only allied to it; the mere 
presence of Bacilli is not conclusive on the matter of identity, for 
there are various forms of Bacilli associated with various diseases. 
With regard to the “ Loodiana fever” the lecturer’s observations 
have failed for want of properly preserved material. It may be 
either septicaemia or due to a Bacillus resembling that of anthrax. 
It may be noted that it occurs under conditions similar to those 
which originate Splenic and Cape fevers, for Loodianah is a pro- 
