TREATMENT. 173 



When, however, convalescence has been estabHshed, and a 

 certain amount of swelling of the limb still remains, resulting 

 from partial organization of the material effused, I have seen 

 good result from daily application, by smart friction over the 

 swollen limb, of common iodine ointment. 



However, even when seen early, and Avith all the attention it 

 is possible to give them, amongst the severer forms of erysipelas 

 there is always a large proportion of fatal cases. 



CHAPTER VII. 



CEREBRO-SPINAL FEVER — EPIZOOTICS CEREBRO-SPINAL 

 MENINGITIS. 



Definition. — A general diseased condition, sudden in appear- 

 ance, partaking of the character of an acute specific disease, 

 often appearing as an enzooty or epizooty, characterized by 

 variable pyrexial symptoms, disturbed innervation, particu- 

 larly impairment of voluntary movement and clonic spasms 

 of the muscles of the cervical region ; ivhen terminating 

 fatally, exhibiting hypercemia and structured changes in 

 different parts of the cerebrospinal nerve-centre. 



Pathology, a. Nature and Causcdion. — This diseased condi- 

 tion, which, notwithstanding all that has been said to the con- 

 trary, ought probably to be regarded as a true specific fever of 

 the horse, has for a very lengthened period been observed in 

 different countries and under different conditions. It has fre- 

 quently been considered as simply a sporadic local inflammation 

 of those structures, the great nerve-centres, in connection with 

 which the diagnostic lesions are chiefly encountered. This is 

 hardly to be beheved when the extensive involvement of the 

 entire nervous system is had regard to, its occasionally wide 

 distribution, its extreme fatality, and the absence of relation 

 between the severity of symptoms exhibited and the extent of 

 textural change observable after death. 



From its not unfrequent association with the well-known 

 disease specific catarrhal fever, distemper, or influenza of the 

 horse, it has by many been regarded as merely a sequel or 



