82 INFLAMMATION. 



CHARACTER AND TENDENCY OF INFLAMMATION. 



The Character and Tendency of Inflammation will 

 be greatly influenced by the texture in which it happens to 

 be seated. Among the simplest textures of the body is 

 membrane : but of membrane there are several kinds, each 

 of which possesses a function peculiar to itself; and there- 

 fore would lead us to expect differences in each under in- 

 flammatory action. 



Of Inflammation in Mucous Membrane the prominent 

 symptom is redness : the reasons for which are obvious. In 

 the first place, mucous membranes are exposed, and, in some 

 instances, open to the influence of the air : in the second 

 place, their vessels are numerous, and run so near the 

 surface that the blood is readily distinguished through 

 them. The broad surface of membrane lining the nostril 

 aff'ords a good opportunity of observing this change of 

 colour. Along with the redness comes turgescence, followed 

 by actual thickening. A third change is altered secretion. 

 During congestion, the mucous discharges are simply 

 augmented. As inflammation proceeds, a fluid, mingled 

 with mucus, is emitted, the latter often assuming a clotted 

 aspect. Under common inflammation, the natural secre- 

 tions change from mucus into pus, or else becomes sup- 

 pressed; while in their stead are produced a thin yellow 

 fluid, with more or less gelatinous matter, possessing the 

 appearance and properties of coagulable lymph. In other 

 cases hemorrhage results : the violence of the inflammatory 

 action occasioning a breach of some of the capillary vessels, 

 and either appearing in the form of spots of eff'usion, or else 

 being discharged from the surface. The former appearance 

 is observable on the nasal membrane : the latter more com- 

 monly happens within the bowels. When the inflam- 

 mation begins to decline, the natural mucous discharges 

 return. 



In Inflammation of Serous Membranes, redness is fiot 

 a marked symptom, owing to the lower degree of vascu- 



