Part 45

=Gregarina Avium Intestinalis.= When mature this is in form of a granular body with hollow spaces or utricles, is oval, or globular and measures 40 to 48 μ in diameter. The spores are 11 to 14 μ. They are found in the submucosa of the intestines in chickens, being taken in with food or water, and attack not the intestines only but the skin, the buccal and pharyngeal mucosa and even the liver and lungs. They traverse the mucous membrane and become encysted in the submucosa as white isolated or confluent points, disturbing the circulation and nutrition and destroying the nutritive and other functional activities of the mucosa.

Lesions. From the coccidium tenellum these are mainly found in the cæca and consist in intense inflammation, white lines formed by the parasitic colonies, desquamations of the epithelium and erosions and ulcers. In the early stages and in the absence of diarrhœa there may be simply thickening and induration of the mucous membrane and whitish colonies of the parasites. When there has been diarrhœa the contents are serous, or seropurulent, brick red, and filled with epithelial cells, red globules, leucocytes, fat globules and coccidia.

The gregarinæ are not confined to the cæca but scattered over the whole intestinal canal as white spots in the submucosa surrounded by congestion and degenerative changes. It has been found complicated with false membranes.

Symptoms. Dullness, anorexia, ruffled feathers, sunken head, trailing wings, slow uncertain gait, plaintive cries, with diarrhœa, passing through serous, brick red, and bloody. In small chicks it may be whitish and followed by constipation. Death is usually an early result.

Treatment. Hyposulphite of soda with carminatives (fennel anise, coriander, ginger, and gentian) has been given in boiled milk or bread. Quinia and iodine might be tried.

Prevention. Avoidance of infected roosts and runs, and above all of infected streams, wells and ponds, and the removal and cremation of the sick, followed by thorough disinfection, are much more promising than therapeutic treatment.

GASTRO-ENTERITIS FROM CAUSTIC ALKALIES AND ALKALINE SALTS.

Ammonia: Counter-irritation, fauces, larynx, bronchia, congestion and softening of the gastric mucosa, loose blood clots, solution of globules, dysphagia, salivation, in carnivora and omnivora vomiting, diarrhœa, white fumes with muriatic acid.—Ammonia carbonate: less corrosive, same symptoms.—Potash lye, deep corrosion, gastric congestions, fluid, blackish red blood.—Soda lye.—Carbonates of potash and soda, less violent, tests for potash and soda. Treatment: weak acids, demulcents, anodynes.

=Aqua Ammonia.= Lethal dose pure, horse 1 oz. and upward; cattle 2 ozs.; dog ½ dr. There may be sudden death from abstraction of water and cauterization of the fauces and larynx including at times the bronchial mucosa. In other cases death occurs later from gastro-enteritis, the mucosa of the alimentary canal being congested, softened and covered with bloody mucus. The blood in the vessels is of a dark red, coagulates imperfectly and the blood globules are dissolved changing the color to black, and then brownish red. Prior to death there is great distress, salivation, inability to swallow, swollen tongue, frequent pulse and respiration, cough, spasms, and sometimes the odor of ammonia. Retching and vomiting may be a feature in carnivora and omnivora, and diarrhœa if the case is not promptly fatal. The urine is not rendered alkaline. White fumes with muriatic acid indicate ammonia.

=Ammonia Carbonate= gives rise to the same symptoms and lesions with the exceptions that there is less corrosion of the mucosa, and no pure ammonia exhales in the breath.

=Caustic Potash, Lye.= Lethal dose, 5 grs. dog intervenous. In strong solution this is one of the most potent caustics, which penetrates deeply into the tissues and abstracting water cauterizes everything with which it comes in contact. It therefore produces the most destructive changes on the walls of the stomach, and intestines, with violent gastro-enteritis, retching, or vomiting of alkaline matters. The congested, ashen and even black color of the tongue, and (post mortem) of the gullet, stomach and intestines, and the intense alkalinity of contents are characteristic. The blood is fluid, gelatiniform, and blackish red. Later, erosions and contractions are common.

=Caustic Soda= is only less destructive than potash, and produces the same general lesions and symptoms.

The =Carbonates of Potash and Soda= have the same general properties only they act with very much less energy. Potassium can be recognized by its purple color in an alcohol or Bunsen flame and sodium by an intense yellow.

Treatment. Weak acids (acetic, vinegar, citric, malic, lactic, boric, benzoic, salicylic) or the stronger mineral acids largely diluted. Mucilaginous solutions (flaxseed, elm bark, gruel, mallow). Anodynes (opium).

GASTRO-ENTERITIS FROM CAUSTIC ACIDS.

Sulphuric acid, corrodes, blackens, dysphagia, salivation, retching, vomiting, colics, collapse. Lesions. Test, barium nitrate. Nitric acid, corrodes, stains yellow, or brown. Test, reddish fumes with copper and sulphuric acid. Muriatic acid, corrodes, whitens. Test, chlorine odor, white curdy precipitate with silver nitrate. Oxalic acid, colic, emesis of black bloody matter, gastric mucosa red or black, blood bright red, lowered respiration, innervation, temperature. Acetic acid, congestion, softening of gastric mucosa, may stop heart. Treatment: weak bases, magnesia, lime or their carbonates, soap, lime water, demulcents.

=Sulphuric Acid.= This acts on stomach and intestine as on the mouth abstracting water and blackening the tissues. It produces dysphagia, salivation, retching, vomiting in carnivora and omnivora, colics, and collapse. Sometimes the urine becomes albuminous or bloody. The post mortem blackness of the contents and walls of stomach and intestine and their intense acidity are characteristic. Nitrate of baryta will precipitate the insoluble sulphate.

=Nitric Acid.= In concentrated state this acts in the main like the sulphuric acid, but stains the lips yellow, and the mucosæ white changing to citron yellow or brown and does not precipitate baryta. It gives reddish fumes with copper and strong sulphuric acid.

=Muriatic Acid.= This is less caustic than nitric or sulphuric acid, and may be recognized by its white cauterized patches on the mucosa of the mouth, stomach and intestines, its chlorine odor, and the curdy precipitate which it throws down with silver nitrate. It does not corrode the skin. In the stomach this acid is normally present in the free state.

=Oxalic Acid.= Lethal dose, dog 15 grs., cat 2 grs. When swallowed this causes colics, emesis in vomiting animals, the rejected matters being black and perhaps bloody. After death the gastric contents and walls and those of the bowels are congested and more or less blackened, and the blood of a bright red color. Heart is arythmic, respiration slow, paresis of limbs, spasms, temperature subnormal.

=Acetic Acid.= This causes congestion and softening of the gastric and intestinal mucosa, colics, emesis in vomiting animals. It may kill by suddenly arresting the heart’s action.

Treatment for the acids consists in alkaline or basic antidotes; magnesia, or its carbonate, lime, or its carbonate, soapsuds, carbonates and bicarbonates of potash and soda. Lime water is the one appropriate antidote to oxalic acid, precipitating the insoluble oxalate. Mucilaginous drinks may be added freely.

POISONING BY SODIUM CHLORIDE.

Poisonous with privation of water. Dose: horse, ox, pig, dog, hen. Symptoms: anorexia, thirst, emesis, colics, diarrhœa, dysuria, weakness, spasms, palsy, death in six hours to two days or more. Lesions: gastric congestion, ecchymosis, blood fluid, bright red, cerebral congestion. Treatment: emesis, water, demulcents, enemata, oils, cold to head. Brine: salt, ptomaines, toxins, from salt meat and fish. Strongest at three months old. Dose: horse, pig, dog. Symptoms: nervous, disorder, mainly spasmodic. Lesions: congestion of encephalon. Treatment: anodynes, stimulants, wine, camphor.

Common salt is especially irritant if given in concentrated solution and with subsequent deprivation of water. The poisonous dose for the horse is 2 to 3 lbs. (Gohier), for cattle 4 to 5 lbs. (Hertwig), for the pig 7 to 8 ozs. and for the dog 6 to 7 ozs. Chickens are poisoned by picking up broken pieces of salt instead of pebbles, or by salted food.

Symptoms. Anorexia, intense thirst, dullness, emesis in vomiting animals, colics, watery diarrhœa, frequent urination, muscular weakness, spasms, paralysis, weak pulse, red buccal mucosa, dilated pupils. Death may take place in six hours or it may be delayed two days or longer. In chickens giddiness and rotary movements are common.

Lesions. Congestion of the stomach and intestines with points of ecchymosis. The mucosa of the bladder is reddened. The blood is fluid and of a bright red. There is more or less congestion of the cerebellum and medulla and their meninges.

Treatment. Emetics (tepid water, tickling fauces) and the stomach pump. Abundance of water or of mucilaginous drinks. The same liquids by the rectum. Bland oils may be given as emollients and eliminating agents. Cold to the head is usually desirable.