ACUTE SYNOVITIS 207 



surface. In some cases it will be of an extremely dark red 

 colour, owing to congestion, and may present an appearance of 

 brownish or even crimson spots. 



At the outset of the congestion, this, like all other secreting 

 membranes, is preternaturally dry upon its surface, owing to 

 its secreting powers being for a time in abeyance; but very 

 shortly there will be a superabundant secretion of an unhealthy 

 synovia, aqueous in its character, and containing flakes of lymph. 

 The membrane becomes thickened by interstitial deposition; loses 

 its translucency, and becomes rough on its internal surface, to 

 which flakes of lymph are found adherent. This exudation of 

 lymph is confined to the synovial surface, and does not extend 

 to the articular cartilage. In severe cases suppuration may 

 occur, and, if the disease cannot be arrested, ulceration of the 

 cartilage is sure to follow. 



The synovial fringes will be found to be in a higher state of 

 inflammation than any other portion of the membrane. 



Any true joint in the body may suffer from inflammation of 

 its synovial membrane, but some are more liable than others. 

 This will be afterwards referred to under the head of Lame- 

 ness. 



The causes are strains, punctures, the localisation of rheumatic 

 poison, the deposition of tubercular matter into the substance, and 

 upon the surface of the synovial membrane, as in the " grapes" of 

 horned cattle, and from the deposition in and around the joints 

 of mineral poisons, as seen in horses which are employed in and 

 about large smelting works. 



The symptoms are lameness and fever, varying in their degree 

 according to the severity of the articular inflammation. If the 

 disease be severe, the pain acute, the fever will be high, the pulse 

 quick and irritable, partial sweats bedew the body, but more 

 especially the affected limb, and the lameness wiQ be so great 

 that the animal cannot put its foot to the ground. The affected 

 joint soon commences to swell ; the swelling being tense, yet 

 elastic, in the first stages ; but soon becoming hard, firm, and 

 unyielding, from an exudation into the subcutaneous structures. 

 There will be increased heat of the parts, and they will be 

 tender to the touch. 



It is of the utmost consequence to arrest the disease before 

 the cartilage becomes involved, or it wiU be incurable; and 



