Petechial Fever. 147 



general turgid surface of the face is hard and resistant and no 

 longer pits on pressure. 



Under th.ee/iesi and abdome?i the swellings show as a continuous 

 pad or cushion, on one side mainly or extending across continuously 

 on both sides, and from the breast to between the thighs. It 

 usually pits on pressure, and may shed the hair and become rough 

 and scabby or ooze a serous fluid from the surface. 



On the limbs the swelling usually shows first on the fetlock or 

 pastern and gradually extends upward until it reaches the body. 



As the disease advances chaps, cracks and fissures tend to form 

 on the swellings, showing about the head, on the lips or on the 

 nose and maxilla where the noseband of the halter crosses ; on the 

 lower part of the body where the circingle crosses, or where the 

 part is pressed upon in lying down, and in the limbs in the flex- 

 ure of the joints — behind the pastern, or knee or in front of the 

 hock. In many cases the skin and connective tissue sloughs, and 

 drops off exposing the muscles, the tendons or the ligaments of 

 the joints. In other cases the tendons are involved in the degene- 

 rative process or necrosis and become detatched from their lower 

 insertions so that the toe may be turned up or the fetlock pad 

 may come to the ground. The matrix of the hoof wall (coronary 

 band) may separate from the horn, leaving a gaping opening 

 which exudes liquid freely, and if the animal survives, the entire 

 hoof may be shed. 



In other cases, and often quite early in the disease, the swell- 

 ings may suddenly subside and disappear, with it may be, a re- 

 covery, or, in other cases, with an exudation into the lungs or 

 chest, the digestive organs or abdomen. In case the lungs are 

 attacked, there is hurried oppressed breathing merging into 

 dyspnoea or asphyxia. In case the bowels suffer there are colicy 

 pains more or less acute, with much constitutional disturbance, 

 marked prostration and serous or bloody diarrhoea. These mostly 

 prove speedily fatal. L,ess redoubtable are those cases in which 

 the swellings alternately subside or moderate, and reappear or 

 increase, without implication of the internal organs. The absence 

 of internal lesions and the moderation and intermissions, of the 

 external ones, give good hope of the preservation of the vitality of 

 the tissues and of recover}'. 



