78 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



all very plain, well marked, and characteristic of the disease, 

 and should be easily recognised by anyone who understands 

 the condition, or has ever seen a case previously. 



Treatment. — The treatment of lymphangitis must be 

 energetic and careful. Venesection was much practised at 

 one time, and although condemned by some, and the disease 

 being curable without it, I must say that I think very highly 

 of a moderate depletion, or in some cases (especially if very 

 plethoric) a pretty good abstraction of blood, or a good 

 strong cathartic may be given, as aloes b.b. 5viii. — 5ix. 

 Diuretics may also be freely given. Aconite tr. TTj^x. — T\xv. 

 every four hours should be given to combat pyrexia. 

 Enemas should be frequently and freely employed as a 

 stimulant of peristalsis. Vesicants locally are contra-indi- 

 cated. The limbs should be judiciously fomented with 

 moderately warm water. This is useful to allay pain by 

 relaxing the tissues, allowing further swelling to take place. 

 The limb should be thoroughly dried after fomenting, and 

 then bandaged, or something applied to retain heat in the 

 part, as a hay-rope, etc. Subcutaneous injections of morphia, 

 or the application of belladonna plasters may be employed to 

 allay pain. In a few days the swelling will subside, and 

 diuretics may be given to cause absorption of the exudate. 



Elephantiasis. — As a result of the inflammation occurring 

 in lymphangitis, an exudate is thrown out which becomes 

 solidified. Simultaneously the areolar tissue becomes 

 thickened, and new bloodvessels and nerves are formed 

 throughout the nev^^ structure, constituting a condition 

 known as ' elephantiasis.' This condition may occur as the 

 result of one attack only of lymphangitis, but more fre- 

 quently as the result of repeated attacks of lymphangitis. 

 When the thickening is but slight, it interferes but little 

 with the usefulness of the animal. He is, however, more 

 apt to suffer from an attack of lymphangitis after a previous 



