SYMPTOMS OF CHRONIC FARCY. 137 



that ; the detining or separation of the diseased from the com- 

 paratively healthy surrounding textures is better marked as 

 the nodules approach maturation, the infiltration becoming 

 less diffused, the node acquiring a characteristic form and 

 indurated base. 



The natural changes which occur in these fully formed 

 tumours are similar to what has been noted as taking place in 

 the same growths in the acute form ; these are central soften- 

 ing, disintegration and ulceration of the skin, with the dis- 

 charge of a thin pale yellow-coloured pus. 



The period occupied in the perfecting of these changes, 

 from the appearance of the tumours until the formation 

 of the sores, varies according as these growths are only 

 situated in the skin or in the underlying tissues. When in the 

 former situation the changes may be gone through in a week ; 

 when in the latter, several weeks may be required to accom- 

 plish the processes of softening and ulceration. Once formed, 

 these ulcers, like similar sores in all the forms of glanders or 

 farcy, have little or no disposition to heal, but extend in super- 

 ficial area and in their invasion of subjacent tissues by exten- 

 sion of the ulcerative process. When these nodes are numerous 

 and closely set over a limited surface of skin the ulcerative 

 process steadily removes the portion of tissue intervening 

 between the several chancres, forming at length one or more 

 large, irregular-margined, foul-looking ulcers. 



In all their forms the farcy sores, whether of the character 

 of widely distributed, comparatively superficial erosions, or 

 isolated deeply-seated rodent ulcers, we find maintained the 

 same generic and distinguishing characters : the pus at the 

 first eruption tolerably laudable in appearance, shortly be- 

 coming thin, viscid, and of a pale yellowish colour, the 

 margins or walls of the sore full or vascular-looking, slightly 

 everted, ragged in outline, excoriated, and surrounded by a 

 zone of indurated tissue ; the bottom of the sore not smooth, 

 but nodulated and indented, and resting on a base of similar 

 texture and character to the circumferential zone of the 

 superficial opening. 



The inflamed, swollen, and corded condition of the lymphatic 

 vessels, which both in this and the acute form is so distinc- 

 tive, is here more likely to follow than precede or appear 



