CHAPTER VII. 



MISCELLANEOUS DISEASES. 



PURPURA HEMORRHAGICA PURPURA PETECHIAL FEVER. 



(Plate XIV.) 



This is an acute, infectious disease, the cause of which is as 

 yet little known. Sometimes it is primary: in other instances 

 it follows other infectious diseases, strangles, pharyngitis, con- 

 tagious pneumonia, influenza, etc. 



Symptoms. — Petechial fever is generally manifested by the 

 appearance upon the mucous membranes of numerous dark-red 

 petechicB (reddish spots) ; sometimes they are insignificant as 

 a flea bite, then again they may attain the size of a pea or an 

 acorn; they often become joined and form spots or bands of 

 variable length. In serious cases the nasal mucous membrane 

 becomes affected by gangrene (death of the affected spot) or 

 covered over with ulcerations. The discharge is bloody and of 

 bad aspect, breathing is very laborious, and the expired air has 

 a fetid odor. The general condition sometimes becomes very 

 rapidly aggravated; then, in the majority of cases, the disease 

 ends in death. 



Corresponding with the appearance of the reddish spots, or 

 a few days later, swellings appear beneath the skin; this 

 sympton, which is the most prominent, is often the first 

 symptom noticed. The swellings will range in size from a ten- 

 cent piece to a silver dollar ; they are usually upon dependent 

 regions, such as the head, extremities, abdomen, sheath, and 

 chest. These swellings are not hot and only slightly sensitive; 

 they gradually extend until they grow together and we have 

 in a few hours the swelling up of the legs and belly, or the 

 head, to an enormous size; they have always a characteristic 

 constricted border, which looks as if it had been tied with a 

 cord. The swelling stands out abruptly at this border, often 

 as much as an inch. 



The swelling in the legs will cause stiffness. The head may 

 be swollen to such a size that it resembles the head of a hippo- 

 potamus rather than that of a horse ; the caliber of the nostril 



(78j 



