238 



PLEURISY ROOT 



PLEURO-PNEUMONIA 



ence of pneumonia. Althongh the above-named 

 symptoms, especially when most of them occur 

 together, afford almost certain evidence of the 

 existence of pleurisy, yet to the physician the 

 physical signs are still more valuable, especially 

 those furnished by auscultation and percussion. 

 T\\e friction-sound, characteristic of pleurisy in the 

 dry stage in its most marked form, resembles the 

 creaking of leather : the patient is often himself 

 conscious of the grating sensation produced by the 

 rubbing of the pleura! surfaces ; and it may some- 

 times be felt by a hand laid on the affected part. 

 If fluid effusion l>e present the friction-sound is 

 lost ; but dullness on percussion replaces the 

 normal resonance over the area which it occupies. 



Pleurisy far more commonly arises from exposure 

 to cold than from any other cause, especially if a 

 poisoned condition of the blood, predisposing to in- 

 flammation of the serous membrane, is present ; lim- 

 it often complicates rheumatic fever and Bright's 

 disease ; but it may be occasioned by mechanical 

 violence (as by a penetrating wound of the thorax, 

 by the splintered ends of a broken rib, &c. ), or by 

 the accidental extension of disease from adjacent 

 parts. The disease may terminate in resolution 

 and complete recovery ; or in adhesion, which often 

 only causes slight embarrassment of breathing ; or 

 it may end with such a retraction of one side of the 

 chest as to render the corresponding lung almost 

 or totally useless ; or it may cause death either 

 directly by actual suffocation, if the effusion is 

 very copious, and is not removed by tapping, or 

 indirectly, by exhaustion. It is seldom that simple 

 pleurisy proves fatal ; but empyema in adults is 

 a very fatal disease. 



In the treatment of pleurisy rest in bed, careful 

 nursing, and light diet are essential. In acute 

 cases in the early stage cupping, leeching, or 

 blistering is generally indicated. When effusion 

 has taken place, purgatives, diuretics, and absorb- 

 ents should be given. But when fluid is present 

 in large amount and is not diminishing from day to 

 day, it is usually desirable to draw it off by tap- 

 ping. If the fluid be serous this usually greatly 

 Hastens recovery. Even when it is purulent 

 (empyema) aspiration, repeated when necessary, 

 is often successful in the case of children ; but 

 more generally, especially in adulte, free anti- 

 septic opening and drainage of the cavity alone 

 affords any hope of cure. 



Pleurisy Root. See BUTTERFLY WEED. 



I'lrnroilvnia is the name sometimes applied 

 to neuralgia of the chest-wall, which may simulate 

 closely the pain of pleurisy. 



Plenronertida*. See FLAT-FISH. 



Plenro-iHicunionia. The_ disease of this 

 name in the human subject is mentioned at 

 PLEURISY ; the following article deals with the dis- 

 ease in cattle so called. I'lcuro pneumonia Contagi- 

 osa U a contagions febrile disease peculiar to home. I 

 rattle, supposed to have originated in central 

 Europe and thence to have l>een conveyed to all 

 part- of the world. It cannot be certainly traced 

 further Iwick than 1769, when it was known in 

 eastern France as Marie. Not till 1802 was it 

 seen in Germany, 1824 in Russia, 1841 in Great 

 Britain and Ireland, 1H43 in the United States, 

 1858 in Australia, and 1H64 in New Zealand. 

 It is due to a contagitim which gains access to the 

 system by the lungs, ami which, after an incubative 

 period of from two or three weeks to as many 

 months, indiiceH extensive Inflammatory exudations 

 in the sulmtanre of the lungs ami surfaces of the 

 pleura, finally resulting in consolidation of some 

 (Mirtious of the lung*, occlusion of the air-tubes, 

 plugging of the blood-vessels, and, generally, 

 i of the pleura! surface*. 



It is now clearly demonstrated that plenro pnen- 

 monia never occurs independently of infection, that 

 it is not fostered by overcrowding, exposure , wet, 

 damp, dirty hovels : these influences may predispose 

 an animal to succumb more readily, or, in other 

 words, to become a more suitable soil for the increase 

 of the specific organism to which undoubtedly the 

 disease is due, as stated by the writer in 1886. He 

 -taied that the organi-m was a niicrorocriis. It 

 has since been discovered that there are three kinds 

 of micrococci viz. 1st, jiciimocuccui gutta-cerci, 

 whose colonies, when grown in artificial media, 

 resemble drops of wax; 2d, fneumococcua liclini- 

 oides, which grows in a thin white layer; mid 

 3d, jmetimococciu flaveiis, whose colonies are elon- 

 gated or round in shape, and assume a beautiful 

 orange tint. In addition to these cocci a bacillus 

 is found, called by Arloing the jiii<-iiiiilmritlut 

 liquefacient, and supposed by that observer to be 

 the pathogenic organism causing the disease. 



There is much vaiicty in the manifestation of 

 the disease. In some instances, especially during 

 its first outbreak in a district, it runs a rapid 

 course, destroying life in the course of a few days : 

 in other cases, and these are the most numerous, 

 its onset, course, and termination occupy a period 

 of from two to eight weeks, or even longer; some 

 animals recovering after the shorter periods, whilst 

 others become emaciated, finally succumbing to 

 an exhaustive diarrho?a, imperfect aeration of the 

 blood, hydrothorax or water in the chest, the 

 depressing influence of degenciated animal mate- 

 rials absorbed into the blood, and anaemia. The 

 more prominent symptoms are slight rigors or 

 shiveringi), elevation of temperature, loss of appe- 

 tite, secretion of milk diminished, an occasional 

 cou^li is heard which is dry and hard in character, 

 rumination becomes irregular, the liowels rather 

 constipated, and the urine is scanty and high- 

 coloured. In cases that do not liegin to recover 

 at this stage the signs of general disturbance 

 more or less rapidly increase : the cough becomes 

 more persistent, the respiratory movements in- 

 crease in frequency, when the animal stands tin- 

 elbows are turned out, and whilst recumbent tin- 

 weight of the body is thrown upon the sternum 

 or breast-bone a posture in which, owing to the 

 anatomical conformation of this bone, the animal 

 can most readily expand the chest. The breathing 

 is often but not always accompanied by a moan or 

 grunt resembling the bleating of a goat. 



Experience has led the great majority of pro- 

 fessional men to the conclusion that the disease 

 is not influenced by medicinal remedies ; it runs a 

 course. If the dose of the contagium is small, or 

 the animal able to withstand a larger one, it ter- 

 minates spontaneously in apparent recovery ; but 

 an animal which has thus apparently recovered 

 still contains the germs and products of the disease, 

 and remains a source of danger to others for an 

 indefinite period, probably during the remainder 

 of ils existence. If, on the other hand, the dose of 

 the specific cause be strong or the animal weak, 

 death soon occurs. By the provisions of the 

 Pleuro-pnciinionia Act, "1889, all cattle suffering 

 from the disease as well as those in contact with 

 them have to be slaughtered, part of the loss being 

 borne by the local authority. 



/noeu/ation. Kx|>ericnced and successful inocn- 

 lators are all agreed that inoculation with care- 

 fully selected lymph and the non-success of the 

 operation has been proved to 1m due to a careless 

 r-elcelion of the inoculating fluid, and ignorance on 

 the part, of tin- operator exerts a preservative 

 influence and invests the economy of animals snb- 

 t'-rt to it- influence with an immunity which pro- 

 tect* them from the contagion during a period not 

 yet determined. Lymph for inoculation should be 



