604 SPORADIC DISEASES. 



Post mortem appearances. — The post mortem appearances in 

 four different cases examined at the College in 1879 were pretty 

 much alike. A frothy mucus escaped from the uose and mouth, 

 and the joints remained quite flaccid for three or four days. 



On cutting through the skin, the larger veins were found to 

 be engorged with extremely black fluid blood ; and on pricking 

 an artery, blood of the same colour and consistency exuded from 

 it. The mucous membrane of the mouth, and all other mucous 

 cavities, was very much congested, and covered by a frothy 

 mucus ; that of the fauces and tonsilar cavities being extremely 

 so in two cases, having commenced to undergo granular degener- 

 ation ; in a third, a false membrane had formed over the glottis. 



All the cavities of the heart were filled with black fluid blood, 

 and only here was there any appearance of its coagulating, and 

 the pericardial sac contained a quantity of fluid. 



The surface of the lungs looked unnaturally red, with here 

 and there small dark spots ; and on cutting into its tissue, the 

 same dark fluid blood exuded from it. 



The stomachs, as in rabies, in two oases were filled with 

 straw, stones, and other rubbish ; but in the other two no such 

 materials were found there. 



The kidneys were also engorged with black blood. 



Some interesting experiments are published in the Veterinary 

 Journal for August 1875 as to the transmissibility of diphtheria, 

 which the reader may profitably consult. 



Treatment. — The treatment indicated by the symptoms is that 

 calculated to destroy a virus, and for this purpose antiseptics, 

 such as carbolic acid, might be worthy of trial. If the power of 

 swallowing be completely lost, subcutaneous injections might be 

 tried, and the throat repeatedly dressed with it or a solution of 

 permanganate of potash. 



Experimental inoculations with the diphtheric products of man 

 have hitherto failed to induce the disease in animals, but it lias 

 been discovered that the serum of horses inoculated with diph- 

 theric products furnishes an antitoxin which not only gives 

 immunity, but has a powerful curative action when the disease 

 is actually established in the human being; if applied in the 

 early stages, the mortality is reduced as much as two-thirds. 



