TUBERCULOSIS GERMSThese germs may be inhaled in the lungs with the air, admitted to the stomach and intestines with food and drink, or established in the flesh by inoculation through broken skin or mucous membrane.
TUBERCULOSIS GERMS
These germs may be inhaled in the lungs with the air, admitted to the stomach and intestines with food and drink, or established in the flesh by inoculation through broken skin or mucous membrane.
After getting into the body, tubercle bacteria multiply in the tissues to which they have been carried and produce the changes in them which we find on the examination of an animal suffering with tuberculosis. Tuberculosis, therefore, is simply the outcome of the growth of the tubercle bacteria in the organs.
—Tuberculous areas may be found in almost any part of the infected animal, but the organs that are usually affected are the lymphatic glands, either in the throat, the bronchial glands or those about the intestines and on the liver; the lungs; the liver; the kidneys;intestines; udder and generative organs. The membrane covering the lungs (pleura), the heart (pericardium), and intestines (peritoneum), are frequently affected. It often happens that a large mass, or masses, of tuberculous tissue grow over one or more of these membranes. The most peculiar thing about bovine tuberculosis is the fact that frequently an animal will appear to be perfectly well, but when slaughtered will be found to have a large number of tuberculous areas or masses on the membranes or in its organs. The reason for this is that the diseased area is not at a vital point.
The organ or membrane affected depends upon the one to which the germ is carried. Usually animals are infected in but one organ in the beginning, and from this diseased area the germs spread through the blood vessels or lymph channels to other organs. When the diseased area is restricted to one organ or part, it is called “localized” tuberculosis, because it appears at the point where the seed or germ was first planted. When the germs spread through the circulation from this first or primary diseased area to other organs and set up new tuberculous growths, the condition is called “generalized” tuberculosis. When cattle are slaughtered for food, if they are found to be afflicted with localized tuberculosis, the flesh is considered to be fit for food, but if the disease is generalized the carcass is condemned.
vary according to the location of the disease. If it is in the glands of the throat it is suggested by their enlargement. If it is in a gland about the lungs, which, because of its enlargement, presses on the œsophagus (gullet), there might be bloating. If the disease is in the lung tissue there would be, after it is sufficientlyadvanced, coughing and perhaps difficult breathing. If the disease is in the liver, it cannot be readily distinguished until it is far advanced. If the disease is in the udder it manifests itself usually by the organ becoming firm or hard, and when the tissues are sufficiently broken down the milk from that quarter will be changed in appearance; sometimes it is thick, containing pus, sometimes thin and watery. It is very difficult to diagnose tuberculosis from the symptoms, as many other causes may give rise to similar manifestations.
As tuberculosis is caused by a specific germ, the disease is spread by the germs escaping from the diseased animals and getting into the bodies of healthy ones. The tubercle bacteria escape from the infected animal with some one or more of the natural discharges of the body. For example, if the cow has a bad tuberculous area in the lung, the bacteria may be discharged into one of the air tubes and coughed up into the mouth. Some of them will escape with the saliva and infect mangers or pastures. Some of them may be swallowed and escape from the body with the feces. If the disease is in the udder the germs will escape with the milk. There are some observations which indicate that sometimes the bacteria will escape with the milk where the udder is not affected. After the bacteria leave the diseased animal and are left in the manger, or in the pasture, or on the surface of water in the drinking trough, they can be readily taken up by healthy cattle that eat or drink after them. If they escape with the milk, calves and pigs that are fed with it readily become infected. After the germs get into the body of the healthy animal they will multiply and produce the disease, just as the seed of a noxious weed will, if blowninto a new field, germinate and produce the weed there. Tuberculosis spreads from animal to animal on the same principle that weeds spread from one field to another.
In order to prevent the spread of tuberculosis it is simply necessary to prevent healthy animals from coming in contact with the diseased ones or eating or drinking after them.
As tuberculosis cannot be readily detected by a physical examination until the disease is far advanced in the organs affected, it is necessary, in order to determine which animals have the disease, to apply some test or to find the germs of the disease in their excretions. The simplest test that has thus far been discovered is the action of tuberculin. When tuberculin is injected under the skin of the animals affected with active tuberculosis the animals respond by a rise of temperature, which follows a somewhat definite curve. By means of this test it is possible to pick out the infected individuals so that they can be separated from the healthy ones. The test should be repeated in from six months to a year in order to detect any new cases which might have developed from latent or arrested ones. We cannot always get all of the infected animals with the first test any more than we can always remove every weed from the garden by one hoeing.
of tuberculosis consists in separating the animals that are infected from the well ones and keeping them for breeding purposes. The calves are removed from their dams as soon as born and fed with the milk of healthy cows, or the pasteurized milk of the infected ones. It has been found that but a small percentage of calves that are raised under proper precautions fromsuch animals have tuberculosis. By this means a sound herd of cattle may be developed from tuberculous animals. This method was introduced by Prof. Bang of Copenhagen, and it has been found to be very effective in Denmark and other countries in Europe. It has been applied with much success in a large number of individual herds in the United States. Its success depends entirely upon the care which is taken in keeping tubercle bacteria away from the calves.
In purchasing cattle for dairy or breeding purposes it is important that they should be taken from herds that are free from tuberculosis. The sound herd is the unit to be dealt with. Animals from such herds are far more reliable than non-reactors from tuberculous herds.
—Abnormal growths of tissues. There are many kinds of tumors. They are named from the kind of tissue of which they are composed, as fibrous and fatty. Just why tumors should develop is not known. Treatment is in the direction of direct removal; this means they are to be cut out with a knife. Another method is to tie a strong cord around the stem of the tumor, thus shutting off the blood supply. As soon as this is effected, there will be a sloughing away, with a sore remaining, which is to be treated as in an ordinary wound. Some tumors are burnt off with caustics. Arsenic or corrosive sublimate are commonly used, either singularly or combined. Better consult a veterinarian about the removal of tumors on valuable animals.
—Bunches form on the cords of pigs after castration as a result of infection from dirty instruments or hands during the operation; or from leaving thecord too long, thus increasing the liability of its becoming infected. These tumors continue to grow, and in the worst cases attain the size of a man’s head. Cut down on a tumor the same as in a simple case of castration. Separate the skin from the tumor and then swallow up the cord with the hands. Cut the cord off as high up as possible. The wound may be healed by the use of any of the common disinfectants. A teaspoonful of carbolic acid in a quart of water may be used once daily until the pigs are healed. Pigs should be kept in a clean pen after the operation.
—These are lumps in the skin of cattle, caused by grubs or warbles. A simple treatment is to cut the skin and squeeze out the grubs where the lumps are noticed. If all the grubs are killed in this way, there will be no mature flies to cause trouble later on. See article onBot Flies.
—The cause of these little tumors of the skin is not definitely known. They occur on all domestic animals, appearing most frequently on horses and cattle. Pure acetic acid, dropped on the wart until it is saturated and softened, destroys in the early stages. Warts about which a small cord may be tied are most easily treated in that way. After they have sloughed off, apply a little terchloride of antimony with a feather or cotton. When the scab forms, remove it and apply the chemical again. With a couple of applications the spot will be lower than the surrounding skin. Now use an ointment, made of 4 tablespoonfuls of oxide of zinc and 8 tablespoonfuls of lard. Apply this daily until the sore spot is healed. Sometimes a form of warts suddenly appears on colts and calves and scatter themselves about the lips, noseand face. They are common and appear and disappear suddenly. No treatment is necessary.
—Dropsy in the brain. A condition characterized by an accumulation of fluid in the brain. The disease is either congenital or arises during the first years of life. When it occurs the best thing is to kill the young individual at once.
—Often after a case of pleurisy a reaction comes and a very large quantity of water settles in the chest cavity, anywhere from two to four pailfuls. When the disease comes on the animal has difficulty in breathing; takes in the breath quickly. There is a constant biting at the flanks; the pulse increases to a hundred beats a minute. If you place your ear over the chest you will likely hear no sound at all. Best treatment is wholesome food, boiled flaxseed, and blisters for both sides of the chest. Use strong mustard plasters. A good medicine to use is one-fourth of a pound of saltpeter or nitrate of potash, one fourth of a pound of ground gentian and one-fourth of a pound of sulphate of iron. These should be mixed and then 1 teaspoonful given every four hours. You had better consult a veterinarian. Other complications set in so readily that help may be secured in other ways. Some veterinarians puncture the chest so as to draw off the surplus water that has accumulated.
—Calves of several days or weeks old suffer from indigestion, which is indicated by thriftlessness, and then scouring. The discharges are white, sour, curdled and frequent at first and then become watery, greenish and offensive, passing in stream often. Calves live somedays and fast lose flesh, showing all the symptoms of ill health.
One of the commonest causes is feeding dirty, souring or decomposing factory skim milk in large quantities at long intervals; even sweet skim milk so fed may produce the trouble. To prevent scours give calves a perfectly clean, airy, sunny pen and yard attached. Separate any calf that scours. Avoid dirty, dark, damp, poorly ventilated pens in which scouring calves have been. Give all food from clean, scalded, sun-dried vessels. Feed small quantities of food often; and in milk mix lime water freely two or three times a week as a preventive; and daily when scouring has been experienced. Also see that the udders of cows nursing calves do not become contaminated with manure or other filth.
Wash udders with a two per cent solution of coal tar disinfectant before any calf is allowed to suck for the first time, and then repeat to keep the udders clean. Also disinfect the navel of each calf at birth with a1⁄500solution of corrosive sublimate and repeat the application twice a day until the navel is perfectly healed over. At the first sign of scours give castor oil shaken up in milk. Two to 6 tablespoonfuls is the dose according to the size and age of the calf. Follow two or three times daily with a 1 to 2-teaspoonful dose of a mixture of one part of salol and two parts of subnitrate of bismuth in milk or water. For calves scouring on skim milk mix in each pint of milk 1 teaspoonful of a mixture of half an ounce of formaldehyde in 151⁄2ounces of distilled water, to be kept in an amber-colored bottle.
—SeeColic.
—An accumulation of synovia in the cavities between the tendons of the legs, especiallybetween the back tendons and the bone just above the fetlock joint. The bulging out is on each side of the tendon. Horses subjected to severe exertions, like hard work on the roads, are most frequently affected. The puffs or galls seldom cause lameness or interfere with the usual work. Unless treated the puffs will become thicker and harder and sometimes solidified. When this happens lameness occurs. In the early stages, pads and bandages, if applied so as to cause pressure, will tend to remove the galls. If this treatment is not sufficient, then use a teaspoonful of biniodide of mercury, and 4 tablespoonfuls of lard. When mixed, these should be rubbed on with the fingers. After 24 hours remove with water and soap and repeat every other week until the puffs disappear.
—SeeCribbing.
—SeeIntestinal Worms in HorsesandSheep; andStomach Worms.
—Hogs with worms in the intestines run down in condition, become very thin and lank, back is arched, eyes dull, refuse feed, walk stiffly, and appear lifeless. The worms may be very numerous, in bad cases completely filling the intestines. The pigs die if not treated. To secure the best results, affected hogs should receive individual treatment. Twenty-four hours before administering treatment very little feed should be given them. Then give the following medicine as a drench to each 100-pound hog; larger or smaller hogs should receive a dose in proportion: 4 tablespoonfuls of oil of turpentine, one-half teaspoonful of liquor ferri dialysatus and 6 ounces of raw linseed oil. If necessary, repeat the dose in four days.