Infusoria. Amphistomum Conicum. Actinomycosis. Tumors: Papilloma,
Chondroma, Sarcoma. Treatment—palliation or surgical.
Colin describes and figures as many as eight varieties of infusoria
found habitually in the first two stomachs. All appear to be introduced
with the food, in the infusions of which they also appear, and they find
in the fermenting mass of ingesta in the first two stomachs a favorable
medium in which to grow and multiply. It cannot be shown that they are
in any way detrimental and they have even been supposed to be beneficial
to digestion as glycogen has been demonstrated in their protoplasm. Like
the bacterial ferments they doubtless assist in the disintegration of
the mass of food.
_Amphistomum Conicum._ This is a trematode worm about the size of an
apple-seed (10 millimetres long by 2 millimetres thick), rounded at both
ends, slightly curved on itself, and, as usually found, of a bright red
color. It attaches itself by its sucker (on thick end), usually in the
vicinity of the demicanal. Its life history is closely allied to that of
the distomata, but as it is not known to prove at all injurious to its
host, it possesses no pathological importance.
=Actinomycosis of the Rumen and Reticulum.= Tumors of this fungus are
sometimes found in the walls of the two first stomachs projecting in the
form of polypi, or imbedded in the thickness of the coats. Where they
are completely covered by the mucous or serous membrane their true
nature is not readily recognized. When incised they show the
characteristic yellow granules made up of club-shaped cells, though the
usual stellate arrangement may be somewhat imperfect. From the serous
surface the growth may invade the different adjacent organs. It is
impossible to diagnose a primary actinomycosis of the rumen, if
unaccompanied by more superficial lesions, but, if the disease is
recognized elsewhere, the same general treatment with iodide of
potassium will dispose of these formations as well.