534 Veterinary Medicine. 



In the chronic forms on the parts denuded of cartilage, the surface 

 of the bone may show the clear, polished condition known as 

 eburnation. 



The binding ligaments may show congestion, thickening, exu- 

 dation, softening, with increased rigidity, or in some cases relax- 

 ation. Calcification is not uncommon in chronic cases. The soft 

 parts around the joints are often extensively infiltrated and 

 swollen. 



In horses these lesions are specially common in the fetlock, 

 but occur also in the knee, elbow, shoulder, hips, stifle and hock. 

 In cattle they tend to attack the same parts with a preference per- 

 haps for the hocks and fetlocks. 



Changes in the blood. The blood becomes profoundly altered, 

 the albumen reduced, the fabrinogenous elements increased (5 to 

 10 parts per jooo instead of ihree), tlie red blood globules disap- 

 pear (in man 2,850,000 per cubic millimeter instead of 4,500,000), 

 the haemoglobin and oxidizing power of the blood are reduced 

 by about 50 per cent., the leucocytes are relatively increased, and 

 coagulation takes place with unusual firmness, a cupped surface 

 and an excess of buffy coat. No excess of urea, uric acid, nor 

 lactic acid, has been found, nor has acidity been found save in 

 very rare cases. In rare and severe cases petechige have appeared 

 on the skin and mucosa. 



Lesions of the heart. The implication of the fibrous structures 

 of the pericadium and heart and especially of the valvular struc- 

 tures is a common lesion, and to be dreaded more tlian all others. 

 In all animals this tendency to cardiac lesion is well marked, but 

 especially in solipedsin which the great demands made on the heart 

 during rapid paces, heavy draught, jumping, etc., severely strain 

 the cardiac mechanism. In dogs there is not only the violent ex- 

 ertion and high blood pressure, but also the great irritability of 

 the nervous mechanism presiding over the heart and the tendencj' 

 to irregularity and intermissions in the rhythm and palpitations 

 even when the organ is sound. There is every reason to conclude 

 with Trasbot, Magnin, Heu and Laurent that in many cases the 

 heart is primarily attacked, and that this heralds the articular 

 rheumatism. In other cases undoubtedly the cardiac affection is 

 secondary, following the articular attack. 



