Handbook on contagious and infectious diseases in animals / issued by the Quartermaster General's Branch, General Headquarters, India.

Date:
[1944?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: Handbook on contagious and infectious diseases in animals / issued by the Quartermaster General's Branch, General Headquarters, India. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    67/314 page 61
    BLACKQUARTER Synonyms.—Blackleg. Quarter-Evil, Quarter-I]], Strike. Nature of disease.—An acute infectious and very fatal bacterial disease of the ox and sheep characterised by fever, emphysematous swellings and lameness. It is caused by the Bacillus or Clostridium Chauvoei, one of the group of organisms which produce gas gan- grene and are facultative parasites. Another of the group, the bacillus of malignant oedema, protidces symptoms very similar to those of Blackquarter but is pathogenic to the equidae as well as to cattle. Susceptibility. Affects cattle and sheep only. Cattle are most susceptible between the ages of 6 months and 2 years, but the disease may occur in young calves and adult cattle. Prevalence.—The disease is prevalent all over the world. Infection.—The natural method of infection is not known with certainty but the organisms probably enter by means of abrasions of the skin, Symptoms.—Usually the first thing noticed is lameness which may be limited to one hind-leg, accompanied by blowing respiration, grunting and high temperature. A local swelling may be discovered, usually in the upper part of a hind-leg, but at other times on the shoulder, neck or abdominal wall. The swelling is at first hot and painful and rapidly extends, involving a large area. Later it becomes cold and painless. The swelling, on manipulation, is found to be emphysematous, crackling on manipulation. If cut into it is seen to be engorged with dark red bloody exudate, more or less frothy. Death rapidly ensues. The disease in sheep runs a much more rapid course than in cattle, the animals frequently being found dead. In this respect it resembles Anthrax. Local swellings are not usually so well marked as in cattle. Diagnosis.—Tho characteristic lesion is the emphysematous swelling crackling on manipulation, If cut into, the muscles and tissues of the part are dark red or blackish, and have a porous and dry looking appearance, due to separation of the fibres by gas produced by the organism. In other parts there may be bloodstained exudate and hemorrhage into the muscular tissue. The affected tissues have a characterisitic sour odour like rancid butter. The IJymphatic glands of the part are swollen and often haemorrhagic. There may be blood-stained exudate into the pleural and peritoneal cavities. _ Treatment.—Ordinary treatment by medicines is of no avail. Black- quarter has a peculiar distribution. There may be certain localities or fields which are known to be infective, whereas others in the immediate vicinity or actually adioining may be clean. Hence preventive treatment includes the avoidance, as far as possible, by cattle of a susceptible age, of localities where the disease is known to occur. The ploughing up and treatment of infective pastures with lime is recommended. ‘The carcases of animals that have died FS
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