GENERAL DISEASES. 65 



With the traumatic variety it is our purpose to deal 

 in the manual of equine surgery. The cellulo-cutaneous, 

 or phlegmonous, form is the one most frequently met with 

 in the horse. It is rather malignant, and involves the skin, 

 subcutaneous and other tissues. The simple cutaneous 

 form is rare, and, when it does occur, is a mild affection. 



Symptoms. — These are : (1) general, and (2) local. 



1. General Symptoms. — The fever, when occurring in 

 young and in strong horses, is usually of the sthenic type, 

 while in the older and in the debilitated animals it is of the 

 asthenic or adynamic type. In all except the mildest 

 cases it tends to pass on to a low prostrating form. The 

 fever is ushered in by a rigor ; the temperature is raised, 

 and there is muscular pain. The mouth is hot, the tongue 

 furred, the breath has an acrid smell, and the bowels are 

 confined. 



2. Local Symptoms of the Simple Form. — Consist in 

 redness (not easily observable in the horse), roughness, and 

 slight swelling of the skin, which pits on pressure, accom- 

 panied by the formation of vesicles and frequently by serous 

 infiltration of the subcutaneous tissue. Desquamation 

 follows. 



Local Symptoms of the Phlegmonous Variety. — The 

 effusion into the subcutaneous tissues is at first serous, 

 and the swelling pits on pressure. With the progress of 

 the disease the parts become harder, more brawny, and 

 more painful; and the local tension of the skin is increased. 



Numerous vesicles, or phlyctense, preceded and accom- 

 panied by serous exudation, may be developed. They do 

 not occur in every case, but when formed are a charac- 

 teristic feature of erysipelas. 



In the severer forms the serum of the vesicles becomes 

 bloody and albuminous. 



The inflammatory action going on in the subcutaneous 



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