52
Pleuropneumonia in Goats
Experiment No. 9.—7 February 1941. Pieces of hepatized lung were
collected from goat 211 which died of experimental infection on February
6, and kept in frigidarire. On the following day, goats 203 and 204 were fed,
each with an emulsion of 50 grams of this material with bran. These animals
were again similarly fed with the same quantity of the hepatized lung tissue
on February 11. On the following day, goat 203 showed discharges from eyes
and nose, rise of temperature to 104.0° F. and difficult respiration. On
February 14, the animal died and revealed areas of consolidation in both
lungs on post-mortem examination. Goat 204 showed no marked thermal
reaction, but was slightly off feed and dull, and showed watery discharge
from the nose.
Experiment No. 10—19 February 1941. Growths of the organism
on several blood-agar media tubes obtained from hepatized lung of the ex-
perimental goat 199 were emulsified in saline and a dose of 50 c. c. was fed
to goats 234 and 235 each, mixed with bran. They were again fed with the
same dose of culture on February 21. Both the goats showed slight rise in
temperature (103.4°F. and 104.0°F.), loss of appetite and discharges from the
eyes and nose. No other symptoms developed, and on the following day
their temperature became normal and they resumed feeding.
By contact
Transmission experiments by contact of healthy goats with infected
animals or their litters were conducted on two different occasions.
Experiment No. 11—30 September 1940. In this experiment goats
102 and 103 were kept in a room contaminated with the litters of goats used in
previous transmission experiments. On October 5, goat 102 had a tempera-
ture of 104°F.which increased to 105 . 4° F. on the following day when it also
became off feed and dull and had discharges from eyes and nose. On October
14, the animal developed respiratory symptoms and was eventually destroyed.
Post-mortem examination revealed the following: the lungs showed areas of
consolidation, infarcts and emphysema; the pleural cavity contained about
100 c.c. of straw-coloured fluid, the consolidated portions of the lungs were
found adherent to the chest wall as a result of fibrinous pleuritis, and the
pericardial sac contained about 50 c.c. of straw coloured fluid.
Goat 103 showed no thermal reaction but had rough coat and was off feed
and dull on October 2. It is of interest to note that although the reactions
in this animal were so slight as to be considered of a negative character, the
animal when inoculated intravenously with 2 c.c. of broth culture (72 hours
old) on October 9, showed no ill effects. The same culture when given in-
travenously to goat 110 in the same dose produced symptoms and lesions of
septicaemia. It may thus be said that goat 103 also acquired infection by
contact.
Experiment No. 12—24 October 1940. Goat 124 was kept in contact
with goat 127 inoculated intravenously with 2 c.c. of hepatized lung emulsion.
The inoculated goat after exhibiting all symptoms of the disease died on
October 26, and showed lesions of pleuropneumonia on autopsy. In goat
124, the first visible symptoms such as fever (104. 8°F.), dullness and rough
coat appeared on October 28. On October 29, the animal showed respiratory