Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-09-25
Pleuro-PneumOnia in ulipoi.

AS tICIC 10 anxiety 16lt OV
owners of cattle all over this country
IN reference to the disease in Illinois
we give the following description by
DR.. Joseph Hughes, of Chicago, re-
ported to the National Live Stock
Journal. We give only extracts:
NATURE OF THE DISEASE
PIeuro-pneumoRiam may be defined
to be a contagious, febrile disease, con-
lined entirely to cattle, and depending
on specific blood poison, which
gains entrance to the system by the
respiratory passages, eliminating itself
on the lungs, and IN doing so produc
ing characteristic changes on the lung
tissue and pleura. The contagion is
the lungs, and how far this poison can
be carried by the atmosphere is I'M
known; a distance OF three hundred
feet between diseased and unaffected
herd being thought to ensure safety.
When the poison enters the lungs and
lodges itself on the mucous membrane
of the bronchial tubes. its ncubatory
period commences. This period ex-
tends according to the susceptibility
of the animal, or to some unknown
properties possessed by the virus from
twelve days to three or even four
months.
The active stage commences by irri-
tation of the portion of lung about to
be affected; Inflammation attacks the
portion; there is great effusion into
the interlobular connective tissue, and
air vesicles; the blood-vessels and
Emphatic ducts become occludcd, the
circulation is stopped, and the part of
the lung affected becomes hard,
resisting mass, or, in other words, it
is heeatized While these changes
are taking place in the substance of
the lung, pleura, forming its outer
covering, participates III the lufamma
tory process. On its surface is effused
a considerable quantity of lymph.
This lymph becomes solidly organized
into bands which bind the lung to the
chest wall Or to the diaphragm. The
disease may attack whole lung, Or
both lungs, or only a very small por-
ton of one
STATIONS OF THE DISEASE.
IF thermOmetric observations are
daily made, the first symptom is varia-
ton in temperature of the affected
animal. The temperature may be
This morning 104', tomorrow morn
ing 1902, and the following one 1040,
again. This may continue for sew
eral days, the animal eating, ruminat-
ing and apparently healthy. A low,
dry, short cough is now heard, which
is very peculiar in character; or the
cough may be, and often is, present
before any alteration in the tempera-
ture ia kes place. The HAIR stands
erect, the animal refuses food, rumin-
alton is suspended, the secretion of
milk diminishes, and then suddenly
stops; the bowels are constipated
The breathing now becomes labor
ed, and auscultation of the chest
reveals structural changes In the
lungs. On pressure being applied
along the spine, and in the space be-
tween the ribs, tenderness is evinced,
and the breathing accelerated. In
some cases this is extremely so. The
pulse is quickened and weak, in some
cases full and soft, in Others hard and
why. The breathing becomes pain
full and irregular, noStrils dilated,
eyes clear and prominent in early
stages get cloudy. The fore legs are
wide apart, the elbows turned out SO
as to relieve the chest wall from pres
sure. The head carried low, the nose
and at each expiration a
grunt is emitted. The hide firmly
to the body, the hair is star
ing and harsh, in appearance. Horns,
ears, and extremities vary greatly
in temperature. The muzzle remains
IN great many cases moist, some
times dry.
On auscultating the chest apply
ing the ear to the sid2s). we hear diff
ferent sounds as the air rushes through
portions of lung. We re
quire to be familiar with these sounds
in order to correctly interpret their
We may find the charac-
teristic ronchus and sibilus with the
sounds of broncho-pneu-
nOnia, and these sounds are the most
and then, again, we hear
TIE friction sounds caused by the two
lnfamed layers Of pteUra rubbing to-
gether. Where we find hepatized |
tr solid portion, the sounds are very
badly marked, and in great many
cases are totally indistinct If one
lung only is affected, the respiratory
murmur heard on the healthy side is |
much louder than normal, as it adj |!
mits more air.
On percussing Gaping with the |
finger points, the chest walls over a |
portion, if the lung is solid,
a dull SOU. is emitted, without any
resonance, the latter being diminish
ed in proportion to the amount of in
filtration and Repatriation of lung
tissue. When the healthy side is per-
cussed, the sound is hollow and
resonant AS the disease advances to
a fatal termination, all the symptoms
become more aggravated, gas accumu-
lates IL the rumen, foul diarrhoea
sets ia, followed by great prostration
of the vital powers, the temperature
falls. the dyspnea amounts to suffoca-
ion, the animal stagger about with |
nose extended, gasping for breath, the
cough is more frequent, piteous grants
Il L. L,