Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/66

 58 MURRAIN sound and a concussion of the whole body at the commencement of expiration. This check to expiration causes emphysema of the lungs, and later of the walls of the chest, where it appears in puffy irregular swellings crackling under pressure. These symptoms are steadily aggravated, emaciation becomes extreme, weak- ness compels the animal to lie down constantly, the fetid stools pass involuntarily, and the tem- perature rapidly falls as a precursor of death, which usually happens on the seventh or eighth day. In many mild cases an eruption appears on the skin, consisting of modified epidermic cells. Buffaloes suffer from this affection, and to a less extent sheep, goats, deer, the yak, the aurochs, and even the peccary. The patho- logical lesions consist largely in stagnation of blood in the capillaries of the various mucous membranes, which, often in the interpulmonary air passages, but above all in the third and fourth stomachs, the small intestines, and the rectum, assume a dark claret color, and are covered besides with black spots of extravasa- tion that may terminate in sloughing and even perforation. The mucous membranes of the urinary and generative organs are often simi- larly congested and ecchymosed. The blood and diseased textures contain an excess of granules in an active state of vitality, which are believed to be connected with the increase of the poison. Treatment of this disease is inadmissible. The extinction of the poison by the slaughter of the diseased animals, as advised by Lancisi in 1713 and first practised in England in 1714, has been proved by the experience of a century and a half to be the one satisfactory and economical mode of con- tending with it. Wherever the disease has been treated, as it was generally in former times, and in Egypt, England, and Holland more recently, the losses have been enormous ; whereas in countries where the infected were promptly slaughtered, and all that had been in contact with them thoroughly disinfected, it has been invariably extinguished at a trifling cost. 2. Aphthous Fever (Gr. atyda, from aKreiv, to set on fire), Vesicular Murrain, Eczema Epizodtica, or Foot and Mouth Disease, is a contagious fever of ruminants and omnivora, communicable to other mammals and to fowls by inoculation or the use of the warm milk. It is characterized by the eruption of blisters on the mouth, udder, teats, and feet. It is first distinctly described as prevailing among Silesian cattle in 1686, and has since spread on the occasion of every great European war. England was long protected by its insular position, but imported the disease in 1839, and has steadily maintained it by her con- tinental cattle trade. In 1870 it was carried from England to Canada, and later to Buenos Ayres. From Canada it spread to New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts ; but in the absence of large markets for store cattle, it died out here under moderate restrictions as to movement of stock. Some cases reappeared in Rensselaer county, K Y., in the spring of 1871, and inDutchess county in January, 1872, doubtless from virus preserved in the buildings. It is only known as propagated by contagion, and the absence of spontaneous development in England and America is demonstrated by their immunity for centuries, until the disease was conveyed in imported cattle, by its prompt disappearance from our states when the prop- agation of the poison was interfered with, and by the continued exemption of some ex- clusively breeding and secluded districts even in England. Almoat all ruminants and swine are susceptible, but as the poison does not spread through the atmosphere, but mainly or alone on solid bodies, it is easily controlled. After an incubation of about a day, the patient appears chilly, stiff, rough-coated, with warm tender mouth, teats, and feet, and an elevation of bodily heat by 2 F. The second or third day blisters appear on the mouth, teats, and feet ; the patient slavers, smacks her lips, stretches the legs out backward and shakes the feet, and flinches on milking. Soon the blisters break, leaving raw sores, which speedily heal up in the mouth, but are often maintained and extended by milking or by filth in the case of the teats and feet. Thus it is that the udder often inflames, suppurates, or sloughs, the womb sympathizes, causing abortion, or the cow becomes an inveterate kicker, or sheds her hoofs and contracts periostitis, ca- ries, or necrosis of the bones of the foot. If however the parts are kept clean, recovery is usually complete in 8 to 16 days. Sheep and swine suffer most seriously in the feet. Other animals have blisters in the mouth, and near the hoofs, nails, or claws. Infants and other sucking animals sometimes contract fa- tal inflammation of the stomach and bowels. Though rarely fatal, this disease causes great losses by drying up the milk, or rendering it unfit for consumption, by disease of the udder and feet, by abortion, and other complications. It demands little treatment beyond cool soft food and cleanliness, yet advantage may be derived from a laxative when the bowels are costive, and astringent cooling lotions to the affected parts. The feet may require poulticing when much inflamed, or strong caustics when ulcerated. But, like other contagious diseases, this is best prevented by a careful professional supervision over importation, and by the com- plete seclusion and disinfection of diseased stock, and of all places and objects with which they have been in contact. 3. Lung Fever, Pulmonary Murrain, JZpizootic or Contagious Pleuro-pneumonia, Lung Plague, &c., is a con- tagious fever of cattle, characterized by exten- sive exudations into the respiratory organs, and the phenomena of a low typhous inflammation of the lungs, pleurae, and bronchia. This dis- ease has usually spread in company with rin- derpest and aphthous fever, but attracted less attention because of its long incubation, its in- sidious onset, and slow progress, which allowed