CHAPTER VII. 



MISCELLANEOUS DISEASES. 



PURPURA HEMORRHAGICA PURPURA- — PETECHIAL FEVER. 



(Plate XIV.) 



This is an acute, infectious disease, the cause of which is as 

 3^et little known. Sometimes it is primary : in other instances 

 it follows other infectious diseases, strangles, pharyngitis, con- 

 tagious pneumonia, influenza, etc. 



Symptoms. — Petechial fever is generally manifested by the 

 appearance upon the mucous membranes of numerous dark-red 

 petechim (reddish spots) ; sometimes they are insigiiificant as 

 a flea bite, then again they may attain the size of a pea or an 

 acorn; they often become joined and form spots or bands of 

 variable length. In serious cases the nasal mucous membrane 

 becomes afl^ected by gangrene (death of the affected spot) or 

 covered over with ulcerations. The discharge is bloody and of 

 bad aspect, breathing is veiy laborious, and the expired air has 

 a fetid odor. The general condition sometimes becomes very 

 rapidly aggravated; then, in the majority of cases, the disease 

 ends in death. 



Corresponding with the appearance of the reddish spots, or 

 a few days later, swellings appear beneath the skin ; this 

 sjanpton, which is the most jDrominent, is often the first 

 symptom noticed. The swellings will range in size from a ten- 

 cent piece to a silver dollar; they are usually upon dependent 

 regions, such as the head, extremities, abdomen, sheath, and 

 chest. These swellings are not hot and only slightly sensitive ; 

 they gradually extend until they grow together and we h-ive 

 in a few hours the swelling up of the legs and belly, or the 

 head, to an enormous size; they have always a characteristic 

 constricted border, which looks as if it had been tied with a 

 cord. The swelling stands out abruptly at this border, often 

 as much as an inch. 



The swelling in the legs will cause stiffness. The head may 

 be swollen to such a size that it resembles the head of a hippo- 

 potamus rather than that of a horse ; the caliber of the nostril 



(-8) 



