Investigation into the disease of sheep called 'scrapie' (Traberkrankheit: la tremblante) with especial reference to its association with sarcosporidiosis.

  • M'Gowan, J. P.
Date:
1914
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: Investigation into the disease of sheep called 'scrapie' (Traberkrankheit: la tremblante) with especial reference to its association with sarcosporidiosis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    4th Stomach, rectum, small intestine. With the exception of the presence of sarcocysts in the heart muscle nothing abnormal was found. Part of the lumbar cord, the lumbar posterior root ganglia, and the sciatic nerves were examined similarly and found normal. Several pieces of muscle were removed from the abdominal wall, hind legs, diaphragm, psoas, lumbar muscles, pectorals, muscles of fore leg, neck, and jaw. These, about thirty pieces in all, were examined in the method noted at the beginning of chapter x., and in every piece of muscle, sarcocysts to the number of 10-20 per 10-15 mgms. were found. In concluding this chapter, it would seem unnecessary to say that we are dealing with a case of disease identical with scrapie. The only pathological finding to be recorded in this case is the marked presence of the sarcocyst in the muscles. Filaria of the lung and strongyles of the 4th stomach, parasites almost universally present in sheep above one year old in this country were here absent. Attention may be directed with advantage to some points in the corre- spondence mentioned above. It will be seen that the view is strongly urged that the disease is not contagious, but that it is spread only by breeding. The writer appears to favour the view, moreover, that the tups spread the disease, but this would appear to be only an assumption on his part, for he says (vide sup7'a), It may be assumed with certainty that the disease was introduced by bought-in tups, yet it is not proved by which ram or in what year this happened; and he makes the further statement which would appear to annul this assumption—namely, during the first years of the disease only females were affected. It will be seen later that the evidence for tups spreading the disease in Scotland is of a similarly inconclusive nature. Another point to be noted in the above letters is the method employed for getting rid of the disease, and this should be compared with a somewhat similar method in vogue in Scotland—viz., extirpation of the diseased flock and replacement by healthy animals. REFERENCES. Chapter IV.