INFLAMMA TION. 



217 



cutaneous surface, the general redness, spots, or rashes, 

 characterising various kinds of fever, depend. In 

 some cases the dilatation and congestion of the capil- 

 laries pass on to actual rupture and extravasation 

 of blood, and little ecchymoses result. In others 

 serum, containing much red colouring matter of the 

 blood, permeates the walls of the vessels and infil- 

 trates the neighbouring tissues. In all febrile states 

 the heart cannot drive the blood through the ob- 

 structed vessels fast enough to carry off the animal 

 heat which is developed. The temperature of the 

 whole body therefore rises, and the action of the 

 various organs which are adapted to work perfectly 

 at one fixed temperature is deranged. 



In contagious fevers these same phenomena are 

 observed, and are caused in the same manner, but the 

 bioplasm matter (disease-germs) which increases has 

 a definite rate of multiplication of its' own. It goes on 

 increasing for a time, and from its increase serious 

 complications may result. Numbers of the germs 

 produced may pass through the capillary walls into 

 the tissues around, and many escape from the ex- 

 creting surfaces into air or water, and thus the scourge 

 is spread far and wide. When this has happened, 

 under favourable circumstances the process stops. 

 Products resulting from the death and decay of the 

 specific contagious germinal matter which yet re- 

 mains are removed by the increased activity of the 

 organs of excretion, and health is gradually restored. 



