168 ERYSIPELAS. 



structures, the ligamentous appendages of joints, or tlie peri- 

 osteum, may all inflame and suppurate ; while the presence 

 and extension of purulent matter beneath these fibrous 

 structures, in addition to excessive pain, may cause inflamma- 

 tion and death of bone-tissue, or by finding its way into joints, 

 destroy their integrity by inducing anchylosis or general 

 disturbance sufficient to terminate in death. It is at this 

 period, subsequent to the first stage of the constitutional 

 fever, that changes somewhat analogous to those occurring in 

 the skin of the affected limb are met with in connection with 

 the'visible mucous membranes particularly of the mouth and 

 nose. 



Course and Termination. — The milder forms of erysipelas 

 generally run their course in from ten to fourteen days, the 

 inflammation and fever increasing for the first week, when 

 defervescence takes place, the local heat and swelling diminish, 

 and the superficial layer of the epidermis is shed in bran-like 

 scales. With this decline of general and local disturbance pain 

 disappears, and the limb is again used freely ; this is the most 

 favourable termination, and is spoken of as the termination by 

 ' resolution.' Rarely, however, in the horse do we recognise 

 erysipelas in this simple and benign form. Usually the 

 inflammatory action, involving both dermal and subdermal 

 connective-tissues, proceeds to the effusion of serous and 

 other products of estabhshed inflammatory action ; vesicles, or 

 bullae, are thrown out from or projected above the external 

 surface, the effused material in subjacent structiu-es giving the 

 parts a more or less tense and firm feeling. Should the 

 morbid action not be excessive or proceed to the suppurative 

 formation, the subcutaneous effusion is arrested and gradually 

 becomes absorbed, the vesicles speedily desiccate, form into 

 scabs, and after a time scale off! 



Occasionally the bulla3 in parting Avitli their serous contents 

 do not desiccate, but on rupturing are succeeded by small cir- 

 cumscribed sores or abscesses, which for a time discharge 

 purulent matter, and may, previous to fairly taking on a healthy 

 reparative action, penetrate the underlying textures ; this 

 tendency to infiltration and impairment of cutaneous nutrition 

 at these particular points, with the tension exercised by the 

 confined inflammatory products, rarely fail to produce destruc- 



