The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-05-29

would break down under the sllgntest
pressure. The bronchial tubes were
also found congested or int1amed, and
contained considerable frothy mucus,
which i'm some cases entirely filled them.
The pericardium was in nearly every
case distended with a turbid, blood
colored liquid. but no false membranes
were discovered, and in II case a piece
Of coagulated lymph the size OF a hen :
Q was found floating In this liquid:
The heart seemed to be congested
throughout in most of the cases and
had patches of a deeper hue than the
rest on its external surface. These
patches were Very suggestive OF lnflam-
nation, but in the absence OF ~coagulated
lymph this may be considered doubtful.
This organ at times contained clJts of
blood Of different consistency. and al
ways of dark color, and at other times
all the cavities would be found empty.
In all cases the blood was very dark.
and generally formed an imperfect
clot. and the Emphatic glands
were enlarged and greatly con
gested. The larynx and pharynx were
found normal in all the Postm2rtem ex-
aminations, but in some of the living
cases there was considerable swelling
about the larynx and ulcers on the
~poSterior part OF the tongue. The liver
was generally as in health, though in
some cases 1t was cUngested. spotted,
and softened. and once was found
smaller and more dense than natural.
The bile was at times very thick and
dark, and again very thin and of a bright
yellow color. The spleen wa normal in
two-thirds of the cases in heremainder
it was slightly enlarged and softened.
In two cases the interior was almost of a
fluid consistency, while in one the organ
was smaller and irmer than in health.
The bladder was generally normal, but
In two or three cases was mt1amed and
covered with blood extravasations about
the neck, and contained in these cases
bloody or very turbid urine. The kid
neys we're seldom more than slightly
h%ypersemic, but in a few cases there
was considerable ~extravasated blood in
the tissues about the hilum. and on sec
ton the substance about the pelvis was
found infiltrated with perfectly black
blood.
We have here a considerable variety
of pathological changes, the only con
slant ones being congestion and lnflam-
nation of the lungs, colon, and c;ecum,
and congestion of the Emphatic glands.
70 mention any single peculiarities of
these LESSONS as characteristic of this
disease would not be possible from this
investigation. Neither the thickened
fibrous patches, the alterations, gray
ala,r.fnp ~ thn nj act,,oc fha 1tt,l,.
eruption, nor petechise were constant.
NATURE OF THE DISEASE.
In studying the nature of an unclassi-
fed disease the first question that oc-
curs TO us Is Is the affection a general
or a local one? In other words. does the
disease originate from functional or
organic disorder OF any particular organ
or apparatus. or are the anatomical
LESSONS developed secondarily as the
consequence OF a general affection? And
this question. as regards the disease
under consideration, can now be an
swered in a definite and satisfactory
manner Indeed, when we consider
that the first symptom, and one preceding
all others by several days 1T least. IS an
increase OF temperature; that when 10
callzed Il great variety OF organs belong
ing to different systems and apparatus
are involved, as, for instance, the nervous
system. as shown by occasional paralysis
and apoplexy, the lungs, pleula, bron-
chial tubes, heart, liver, stomach, in
testlnes, spleen. kidneys. bladder, and
skin that there are considerable changes
in the blood, as shown by imperfect
coagulation. solution of the coloring
matter, and blood cxtravasat:o ns. there
that the trouble is not a local but a
general one.
The next question in logical success
sion relates to the contagiousness of the
disease. Is its extension due to a prin-
which is multiplied in the bodies
of sick animals. and which is of itself
sufficient to cause the disease in healthy
ones? In answering this question | will
merely mention the experiments OF
Professors Axe. Klein, and Osler, which
prove that the disease may be inocula-
ted without detai'ing their facts; and |
will only allude in ike manner to the
instances already recorded by DIR. SUIT
Professor Axe, and others. which
seem t. prove its highly contagious
character. Most of these facts have
been published in recent reports of the
Department of Agriculture, and there is
no need OF repeating them. In my own
Investigations | have met with facts
which entirely confirm the opinion of
these observers in regard to this latter
point. Thus ] have found the disease
to start at some point and spread slowly
in different directions-nOt rapidly, as
though depending ON atmospheric CON
ditions-and the rapidity of this extern
sion depends to a very great degree
whether these animals are
allowed entire liberty or whether
tlGMr lnI IT,