Diseases of cattle, sheep, goats and swineMoussu, G. (Gustave)
Science
Diseases of cattle, sheep, goats and swine
Moussu, G. (Gustave)
Veterinary medicine
Certain authors declare that the thorax is depressed between the front
limbs, but this symptom is of no particular value, and is also common to
osseous cachexia and rachitis. Paralysis of the tongue and of the lower
jaw is of greater importance. In exceptional cases, where the cysticerci
are very numerous and penetrate the brain, signs of encephalitis,
vertigo, and turning sickness (gid, sturdy) may be produced. These
signs, however, disappear, and the cysticerci undergo atrophy.
Interference with movement may give rise to suspicion when the toes of
the fore and hind limbs are dragged along the ground, and thus become
worn. This peculiarity is due to the presence of cysts in the muscles of
the limbs, but it occurs in an almost identical form in osseous
cachexia.
[Illustration: $1]
One symptom alone is pathognomonic, and it appears only at a very late
stage—viz., the presence of cysts under the thin mucous membranes which
are accessible to examination, such as those of the tongue and eye.
[Illustration: $1]
Visual examination then reveals beneath these mucous membranes the
presence of little greyish-white, semi-transparent grains the size of a
grain of barley, or even larger. Unfortunately, in an animal so
difficult to handle as the pig, this visual examination is decidedly
troublesome, and is usually replaced by palpation. In many instances the
disease does not attract attention during the patient’s life, and is
only discovered on slaughter in consequence of the lesions by which it
is characterised.
=Diagnosis.= As the characteristic lesions of cysticercus disease are to
be found in the depths of the muscular and connective tissues, and as
the external symptoms may be regarded as of doubtful significance, the
diagnosis can only be confirmed during life by manual examination of the
tongue. This examination of the tongue has been practised since the
earliest times. Aristophanes even speaks of it, and in the Middle Ages
it was performed under sworn guarantees. The regulations concerning the
inspection of meat have finally led to the suppression of this calling.
In this method of examining the tongue, the operator commences by
throwing the animal on its side, usually on the right side, and holding
it in this position by placing his left knee on its neck. He then passes
a thick stick between the jaws and behind the tusks, opens the mouth
obliquely, raising the upper jaw by manipulating the stick. Finally he
fixes one end of this last by placing his foot upon it, and holds the
other extremity by slipping it under his left arm. In this position he
is able to grasp the free end of the tongue and by digital palpation to
examine the tongue itself, the gums, the free portions of the frænum
linguæ, etc.
[Illustration: $1]
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