226 PYiEMIA — SEPTICEMIA. 



' 2. This poison shows itself by alterations of the blood and 

 disturbance of function. The former of these is shoAvai by the 

 presence of bacterial and other physical changes of the blood ; 

 the latter in fever and, in severe forms, collapse, terminating in 

 death. 



' 3. That more remotely the condition shows itself in the pro- 

 duction of secondary or metastatic abscesses in varying situa- 

 tions, and that the pus of these abscesses contains numerous 

 bacteria.' 



AH, however, are not agreed that the active principle of the 

 diseased blood and other fluids is directly dependent on these 

 bacterial forms, or that they are the essential condition of 

 infectiveness ; some look to a chemical change of the fluids, 

 others to the condition of phlebitis, or inflammation of the 

 animal's own tissues. 



c. Anatomical Characters. — 1. Certain changes m appearance 

 and character of the blood. Tt is of a darker colour than 

 natural, not disposed to coagulate, while the red corpuscles 

 appear to have lost their colouring material, and are shrunk 

 and altered in form. There is also the existence in it of vary- 

 ing forms of bacteria, with an acquired power of inducing irrita- 

 tion when introduced into the circulation of another animal, 

 tending to the production of a condition similar to that which 

 affected the animal from which it was taken. 2. General con- 

 gestions or inflammations of various organs and structures 

 throughout the body. 3. Haemorrhages and blood-extravasa- 

 tions, extensively distributed, and appearing in different forms 

 in different structures : as petechiie and blood-markings on the 

 skin, serous and mucous membranes ; as effusions in serous 

 cavities ; as blood-clots in the parenchyma of internal organs 

 — these clots prone to softening and breaking up, with capillary 

 and venous thrombosis, or more extensive embolism. 4. Dis- 

 seminated abscesses in internal organs and subcutaneous 

 tissues, with inflammation of surrounding structures. These 

 abscesses possess certain specitic characters, appearing at first 

 as minute spots of congestion, to be followed by the presence 

 of effused material like inflammatory exudate, ultimatcl}' pos- 

 sessing pus-like elements, variable in size ; they are in the 

 internal visceral organs, surrounded by a boundary wall of 

 condensed tissue, beyond which they arc encircled by a 



