Lamb dysentery / by T. Dalling.

  • Dalling, Thomas.
Date:
[1928?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Lamb dysentery / by T. Dalling. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    3/20
    Lamb Dysentery. By T. Dalling, M.R.C.V.S, Langley Court, Beckenham, Kent. The disease of lambs which has been named “ Lamb Dysentery ” was first scientifically investigated by Gaiger(l) in 1919. Although the first scientific records of the disease are those given by Gaiger, it is probable that this condition has existed in localised areas in Britain for many years, e.g., in all probability the disease referred to in a volume published in 1811(2) was lamb dysentery as we know it to-day. On page 191 of this volume the writer says, “ the loss of lambs is sometimes very considerable . . . from the ‘ milk ill,’ etc.” The disease is evidently widespread in Britain. From 'post¬ mortem. examination of lambs we have diagnosed its presence in Northumberland, Cumberland and Hampshire in England, in Roxburghshire, Kirkcudbrightshire, Wigtonshire, Peeblesshire, Selkirkshire, Lanarkshire, Argyllshire, Dumfriesshire, Ayrshire, Perthshire and Stirlingshire in Scotland, and in Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire in North Wales. According to Pool(3) it is present in Cornwall, and Hare and Glynn(4) consider that it has probably existed in Africa, the United States and on the Continent of Europe. From private communications we believe it occurs in Peru and other parts of South America, and Jungherr and Welch(5) record the presence of a disease of lambs resembling lamb dysentery in Montana, U.S.A. The disease as described by most investigators is characterised by the presence of ulcers in the intestinal tract. It may be, however, that although ulceration is a common lesion, many lambs infected with what we believe to be the causal agent show little or no evidence of ulceration. This point will be dealt with more fully later. It is not proposed to describe the symptoms, lesions, etc., of lamb dysentery. A good description is given by Gaiger and Dal- ling(6) and others. The purpose of this paper is rather to discuss the disease from an etiological standpoint. Gaiger’s first opinion was that a special strain of B. coli was the probable cause of lamb dysentery and this view was held until 1922, when Gaiger and Dalling(7) published the results of further investigations into the disease and described an anaerobe which they believed played an important part. Later Gaiger(8) formed the opinion that B. coli was the exciting cause of the disease and that soil anaerobes, especially B. welchii and vibrion
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