376 



Malignant Edema 



with an offensive odor. Among the gases formed, carbonic 

 acid, hydrogen, and marsh gas have been detected. 



Pathogenesis. When introduced beneath the skin, the 

 bacillus is pathogenic for a large number of animals mice, 

 guinea-pigs, rabbits, horses, dogs, sheep, goats, pigs, calves, 

 chickens, and pigeons. Cattle seem to be immune. 



Giinther points out that the simple inoculation of the 

 bacillus upon an abraded surface is insufficient to produce 

 infection, because the presence of oxygen is detrimental to 

 its growth. When the bacilli are deeply introduced beneath 

 the skin, infection occurs. 



Mice, guinea-pigs, and rabbits sicken and die in about 

 forty-eight hours. 



Fig. 114. Bacillus cedematis, dextrose gelatin culture (Giinther). 



Lesions. In the blood the bacilli are few because of the 

 loosely combined oxygen it contains. The great majority 

 of the bacilli occupy the subcutaneous tissue, where very 

 little oxygen is present and the conditions of growth are 

 good. The autopsy shows a marked subcutaneous edema 

 containing immense numbers of the bacilli. If the animal 

 be permitted to remain undisturbed for some time after 

 death, the bacilli spread to the circulatory system and reach 

 all the organs. 



Brieger and Ehrlich* have reported 2 cases of malignant 

 edema in man. Both occurred in typhoid fever patients 

 subcutaneously injected with musk, the infection no doubt 

 resulting from impurities in the therapeutic agent. 



* "Berliner klin. Wochenschrift," 1882, No. 44. 



