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Cases of Tuberculosis Among Dairy Cows
CLINICAL ARTICLES.
self only to fall once more. An exaggerated knee jerk was easily obtained. The pupils were normal, the head and neck not so sensitive, but the torticollis well marked. There was an extremely sensitive area along the dorsal spine, extending from the eighth dorsal vertebra to the third lumbar. Also there was pain on passive movement of the tail. As the potass. iodide seemed to be too great a depressant, I prescribed instead liq. hydrarg. et arsenii iodidi (Donovan's solution). On the eighth and ninth days there was marked improvement. Pain was less in the dorsal spine but still acute in the lumbar region. There was more power in the hind legs, but though he could support himself there was no incoordination of the muscles, so that in slowly walking across the room he would keep his head pointing in the direction he wished to go, while his hind legs carried him continually to the right. Instead therefore of moving in a straight line he moved towards the right in an ever narrowing circle, with his head always pointing to the centre. Any handling of his tail caused great pain. Condition of head and neck unchanged. Tenth and eleventh days. Continued improvement. The patient was now able to run about, still deviating to the right but to a much less degree. The head and neck were carried more in the normal position, the back level instead of arched, and the legs supporting the body more adequately, though the body still swayed from side to side when standing. The tail could be moved slightly from side to side voluntarily, but hung limp, and apparently could not be raised; it was stained with fcecal matter. The appetite was maintained, and 3 ozs. of raw meat and a little sago pudding had been taken readily. Though no great pain was present, the little animal showed great disinclination to be handled, but did not mind the sound of the piano or the canary. He was content to lie (always on the right side) in his basket, sometimes sleeping, and sometimes watching all that went on around him. A week later the dog was apparently well and no pain nor excess of sensitiveness was evident. He -could run about well, though his gait was not perfect, there being still a tendency to move towards the right side, and his tail was not carried properly. A fortnight later the dog had regained his normal condition of health and was putting on flesh rapidly. No further treatment was advised except good food and regular light exercise.
CASES OF TUBERCULOSIS AMONG DAIRY COWS.
By W. L. LITTLE, M.R.C.V.S., Great Yarmouth. DURING the last three years I have, from time to time, attended professionally the cows of a large dairy, and been very much surprised at the large number of cases of tuberculosis found there, many of them being very advanced and of. great clinical and pathological interest. So great has been the loss to the owner that he has resolved to selJ out. Besides cases of tuberculous pleurisy, pneumonia, and mastitis,
CLINICAL ARTICLES.
49
which have been recognised, and for which the subjects were cast, there were the following rather interesting cases : Case I.-A red and white cow was first affected with a slight attack of milk fever after her fourth or fifth calf, and from this she made an uneventful recovery. About a fortnight afterwards she started with a cough, which gradually got worse; her appetite was somewhat affected, there was a rise in temperature, and she rapidly lost condition. Under treatment she began to improve, and, the summer approaching, she was turned out to grass, when the improvement was much more marked. Although now affected with a slight cough, she is in very good condition. The owner was strongly advised to cast this cow from the herd, but on account of her being an extremely good milker he preferred to keep and attempt to fatten her. Case ll.-A red cow, almost due to have her third calf. She showed a weakness in her hind quarters for some time, and when my attention was called to her had very little control over her movements. She gradually became worse, and though feeding well became very emaciated. She had a cough. The owner would not consent to have her destroyed as advised, but persisted in treatment until she was unable to rise. On a post-mortem examination being made, the carcase was found to be badly tuberculous, and a tubercle the size of a tick bean was found in the spinal canal, compressing the cord in the region of the last dorsal vertebra. Case III.-A heifer, just cast her first calf. When attention was first drawn to her she was much emaciated, though her appetite was always good. She carried her head to one side and rather low, the sight of one eye was slightly affected, and she had very little control over her movements. \\-'hen left alone she always moved around in one direction, and it was with difficulty she could be got to move in a straight line. She was bled to death, and on post-mortem examination was found to be badly tuberculous, the pia mater being affected in a marked degree. Case IV.-A fifteen months old heifer, being reared for the dairy. When attention was called to her she could hardly stand. Being tied in the end stall of the shed, she leaned against the wall when up, and when down she could not rise without assistance, and hardly raised her head out of the manger. She fed well, but was much emaciated and had a cough. She was bled to death. On post-mortem examination the supra-mammary and the abdominallymphatic glands were found to be tuberculous, the lungs were adherent to the chest wall in several places and crowded with tubercles, the largest being about the size of a small walnut. These, I think, were the oldest lesions present. The pharyngeal lymphatic glands were also affected. On opening the brain case a large quantity of fluid escaped; the pia mater covering the inferior surface of the medulla oblongata was much thickened and similar to the condition found in Case IlL, though in a less degree. The subjects of Cases II I. and IV. were both got by the same bull. n
ABSTRACTS.
Case V.-A red cow, just recently cast her third calf. She had only been on the premises twelve months. She started with sonorous breathing, whkh gradually got worse, and when first seen had difficulty in breathing and carried her nose straight out. The glands on each side of the throat were much swollen and she had a bad cough, which brought up a thick yellow mucus. She also had a thick, sticky, yellowish discharge from one ear. Swallowing was difficult and caused fits of coughing. She \\>as rap~dly losing condition. I lost sight of her, as she was sold. Although not certain, considering her surroundings, I should think this was a case of tuberculosis. Considering how badly this herd of about thirty cows is affected, it is surprising that the owner takes great pains to keep the place in a sanitary condition. His sheds are very well built, drainage is admirable, floors concrete, and the bedding is of sand, which is changed every day. The cows are most generously fed, and they yield, on an average, about eighty gallons of milk a day. The ventilation is good, there being 650 cubic feet air space to each cow, and the cows are placed in single rows along the shed, with a wide passage at the back. The places are limed out regularly twice a year, sometimes oftener, and tarred once. The cows are in the sheds day and night for six months of the year; for one month they are out during the day and in at night, and for the remaining time they are out entirely. The calves are treated in a similar manner from the ~ime they begin to feed. The spread of the disease in the herd is largely due to the owner's ignorance with regard to it, to his laxity in asking for advice, and to his not always carrying out what is recommended. Other factors are that the calves are allowed on the cow for the first week or two, that all heifer calves are reared for the dairy, and the length of time the animals are kept in the sheds day and night. Considering the number of clinical cases and the extent of the lesions in them, I think it possible that a very large number of the cows in the dairy are tuberculous. Unfortunately, I cannot persuade the owner to allow me to test them with tuberculin.
THE BACTERIAL CONTENTS OF THE MILK AND UDDER. FOR a compafativeJy long time the significance of bacteriology as related to the milk industry remained unrecognised. As soon, however, as ~ value of bacteriological examination and research in the treatment of milk and milk products had been confirmed, this formerly neglected subject was taken up with greater zeal. And if the introduction of the separator into dairy work marked the beginning of a new epoch, the study of bacteriology in the same connection has been no less significant for the further development of the milk industry. Bacteriology revealed the causes of "milk diseases," causes which formerly were merely suspected; it explained abnormal ripening
self only to fall once more. An exaggerated knee jerk was easily obtained. The pupils were normal, the head and neck not so sensitive, but the torticollis well marked. There was an extremely sensitive area along the dorsal spine, extending from the eighth dorsal vertebra to the third lumbar. Also there was pain on passive movement of the tail. As the potass. iodide seemed to be too great a depressant, I prescribed instead liq. hydrarg. et arsenii iodidi (Donovan's solution). On the eighth and ninth days there was marked improvement. Pain was less in the dorsal spine but still acute in the lumbar region. There was more power in the hind legs, but though he could support himself there was no incoordination of the muscles, so that in slowly walking across the room he would keep his head pointing in the direction he wished to go, while his hind legs carried him continually to the right. Instead therefore of moving in a straight line he moved towards the right in an ever narrowing circle, with his head always pointing to the centre. Any handling of his tail caused great pain. Condition of head and neck unchanged. Tenth and eleventh days. Continued improvement. The patient was now able to run about, still deviating to the right but to a much less degree. The head and neck were carried more in the normal position, the back level instead of arched, and the legs supporting the body more adequately, though the body still swayed from side to side when standing. The tail could be moved slightly from side to side voluntarily, but hung limp, and apparently could not be raised; it was stained with fcecal matter. The appetite was maintained, and 3 ozs. of raw meat and a little sago pudding had been taken readily. Though no great pain was present, the little animal showed great disinclination to be handled, but did not mind the sound of the piano or the canary. He was content to lie (always on the right side) in his basket, sometimes sleeping, and sometimes watching all that went on around him. A week later the dog was apparently well and no pain nor excess of sensitiveness was evident. He -could run about well, though his gait was not perfect, there being still a tendency to move towards the right side, and his tail was not carried properly. A fortnight later the dog had regained his normal condition of health and was putting on flesh rapidly. No further treatment was advised except good food and regular light exercise.
CASES OF TUBERCULOSIS AMONG DAIRY COWS.
By W. L. LITTLE, M.R.C.V.S., Great Yarmouth. DURING the last three years I have, from time to time, attended professionally the cows of a large dairy, and been very much surprised at the large number of cases of tuberculosis found there, many of them being very advanced and of. great clinical and pathological interest. So great has been the loss to the owner that he has resolved to selJ out. Besides cases of tuberculous pleurisy, pneumonia, and mastitis,
CLINICAL ARTICLES.
49
which have been recognised, and for which the subjects were cast, there were the following rather interesting cases : Case I.-A red and white cow was first affected with a slight attack of milk fever after her fourth or fifth calf, and from this she made an uneventful recovery. About a fortnight afterwards she started with a cough, which gradually got worse; her appetite was somewhat affected, there was a rise in temperature, and she rapidly lost condition. Under treatment she began to improve, and, the summer approaching, she was turned out to grass, when the improvement was much more marked. Although now affected with a slight cough, she is in very good condition. The owner was strongly advised to cast this cow from the herd, but on account of her being an extremely good milker he preferred to keep and attempt to fatten her. Case ll.-A red cow, almost due to have her third calf. She showed a weakness in her hind quarters for some time, and when my attention was called to her had very little control over her movements. She gradually became worse, and though feeding well became very emaciated. She had a cough. The owner would not consent to have her destroyed as advised, but persisted in treatment until she was unable to rise. On a post-mortem examination being made, the carcase was found to be badly tuberculous, and a tubercle the size of a tick bean was found in the spinal canal, compressing the cord in the region of the last dorsal vertebra. Case III.-A heifer, just cast her first calf. When attention was first drawn to her she was much emaciated, though her appetite was always good. She carried her head to one side and rather low, the sight of one eye was slightly affected, and she had very little control over her movements. \\-'hen left alone she always moved around in one direction, and it was with difficulty she could be got to move in a straight line. She was bled to death, and on post-mortem examination was found to be badly tuberculous, the pia mater being affected in a marked degree. Case IV.-A fifteen months old heifer, being reared for the dairy. When attention was called to her she could hardly stand. Being tied in the end stall of the shed, she leaned against the wall when up, and when down she could not rise without assistance, and hardly raised her head out of the manger. She fed well, but was much emaciated and had a cough. She was bled to death. On post-mortem examination the supra-mammary and the abdominallymphatic glands were found to be tuberculous, the lungs were adherent to the chest wall in several places and crowded with tubercles, the largest being about the size of a small walnut. These, I think, were the oldest lesions present. The pharyngeal lymphatic glands were also affected. On opening the brain case a large quantity of fluid escaped; the pia mater covering the inferior surface of the medulla oblongata was much thickened and similar to the condition found in Case IlL, though in a less degree. The subjects of Cases II I. and IV. were both got by the same bull. n
ABSTRACTS.
Case V.-A red cow, just recently cast her third calf. She had only been on the premises twelve months. She started with sonorous breathing, whkh gradually got worse, and when first seen had difficulty in breathing and carried her nose straight out. The glands on each side of the throat were much swollen and she had a bad cough, which brought up a thick yellow mucus. She also had a thick, sticky, yellowish discharge from one ear. Swallowing was difficult and caused fits of coughing. She \\>as rap~dly losing condition. I lost sight of her, as she was sold. Although not certain, considering her surroundings, I should think this was a case of tuberculosis. Considering how badly this herd of about thirty cows is affected, it is surprising that the owner takes great pains to keep the place in a sanitary condition. His sheds are very well built, drainage is admirable, floors concrete, and the bedding is of sand, which is changed every day. The cows are most generously fed, and they yield, on an average, about eighty gallons of milk a day. The ventilation is good, there being 650 cubic feet air space to each cow, and the cows are placed in single rows along the shed, with a wide passage at the back. The places are limed out regularly twice a year, sometimes oftener, and tarred once. The cows are in the sheds day and night for six months of the year; for one month they are out during the day and in at night, and for the remaining time they are out entirely. The calves are treated in a similar manner from the ~ime they begin to feed. The spread of the disease in the herd is largely due to the owner's ignorance with regard to it, to his laxity in asking for advice, and to his not always carrying out what is recommended. Other factors are that the calves are allowed on the cow for the first week or two, that all heifer calves are reared for the dairy, and the length of time the animals are kept in the sheds day and night. Considering the number of clinical cases and the extent of the lesions in them, I think it possible that a very large number of the cows in the dairy are tuberculous. Unfortunately, I cannot persuade the owner to allow me to test them with tuberculin.
THE BACTERIAL CONTENTS OF THE MILK AND UDDER. FOR a compafativeJy long time the significance of bacteriology as related to the milk industry remained unrecognised. As soon, however, as ~ value of bacteriological examination and research in the treatment of milk and milk products had been confirmed, this formerly neglected subject was taken up with greater zeal. And if the introduction of the separator into dairy work marked the beginning of a new epoch, the study of bacteriology in the same connection has been no less significant for the further development of the milk industry. Bacteriology revealed the causes of "milk diseases," causes which formerly were merely suspected; it explained abnormal ripening