Graham guardian., 1914-01-16
BLACK LEG DISEASE
Description, Cause and Treat
ment---Vaccination the
Only Remedy

Leg Disease" by II. M. Berry
veterinary surgeon, will be of in
terest to our farmers, and especially
to those engaged in the dairy busi
ness. The article is as follows:
Black leg, black quarter, quarter
i'll symptomatic antheax.
This disease is produced by
specific bacillus. Cattle between
weaving and two years of age are
the most susceptible. Cattle over
two years of age may become
affected, but such cases are infre,
quent Sheep and goats may also
contract the disease, but man, horses,
hogs, dogs, cats and fowls appear to
be immune.
Some authors are inclined to re-
gard moist, undrained and swampy
pastures favorable to this disease,
but these theories will hardly hold,
as it is found in all kinds of soils, in
all attitudes and at all seasons of the
year and under various climatic
conditions. 1t occurs in this country
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and
from Mexico to Canada, but is more
prevalent in the western and south
western states.
The cause of the disease is a ba-
cilus. In form it is cylindrical, or
rod-like, measuring $4,000 to 1880
inch in length and 1-25000 inch in
diameter. Like all bacteria, these
rod like bodies of infected animals
have the power of indefinite multi
plication, and in the bodies of in
fected animals they produce death
bv rapidly increasing in numbers
and producing substances which
poison the body. In the blood they
multiply in number by becoming
elongated and then dividing into two,
each new organism continuing the
process indefinitely, Outside Of the
body, however, they multiply in a
different way when under conditions
unfavorable to growth. Oval bodies,
which are called spores, appear with
in the rods, and remain alive and
capable of termination after years
of drying They also resist heat to
a remarkable degree, so that boiling
water is necessary to destroy them
Several observers have found this
organism in the mud of swamps, By
placing little of this mud under
the skin the disease has been called
forth.
Since the disease may be produced
by placing under the skin material
containing the specific bacilli and
spores, it has been assumed that
cattle contract the disease through
wounds, principally of the skin, or
very largely of the mouth, tongue
and throat. Slight wounds, into
which the virus may find access,
may be caused by barbed wire. stub
bles, thorns, briers. grass bars and
sharp or pointed parts of food.
The symptoms of black leg may
be either of a general or local ma
.ture, though more frequently of the
latter. The general symptoms are
very much like those belonging to
other acute infections or bacterial
diseases. They begin from one to
three days after the infection has
taken place with loss of appetite
and of rumination, with dullness
and debility and high fever. To
these may be added lameness or
stiffness of one or more limbs, due
to the tumor or swelling quite in
variably accompanying the disease.
After a period of attack of the dis
ease, lasting from one to three days,
the affected animal always succumbs.
Death is always preceded by weak
ness, difficult breathing and occas-
ional attacks of violent convulsions.
The most important characteristic
of this disease is the appearance of
tumor or swelling under the skin
of the affected animal a few hours
after the setting in Of the constitu-
tional symptoms described above.
In some cases it may appear first.
This tumor may be located in the
thighs thence black leg), the neck,
the shoulder, the breast, the flanks
or the rump; never below the car
pal (the knee) and the hook joints.
The tumor is first small and pain.
ful, spreads very rapidly, both in
depth and extent. When it is
stroked or handled a peculiar crack
ling sound is heard under the skin.
This is due to a collection Of gas
formed by the bacIIi. If the swell
ing is cut into, frothy, dark-red
fluid is discharged, the animal mani
NAL manifesting no pain during the
operation.
Since treatment is of no avail in
this disease, prevention is the most
important subject to demand consid-
Grafton.
1t is of the utmost Importance
that the carcasses of animals that
have died of black leg should be
properly disposed Of, since every
A L.