216 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 



MALIGNANT SCARLET FEVER. 



Malignant scarlet fever is a sequel to .the preceding disease, 

 and may be said to commence where the other terminates : it is 

 difficult, however, to determine the exact line of demarcation 

 where one ends and the other commences; yet, when the patient 

 has passed through the usual probation of simple scarlatina, and, 

 instead of appearing better, grows worse, we may reasonably 

 suspect that the disease will terminate in the above form. The 

 author's experience is so limited as regards the symptoms of this 

 malady, that he prefers to give those detailed by Surgeon Hay- 

 cock, who is considered good authority. 



Symptoms of Malignant Scarlet Fever. — " The patient for 

 some days may have manifested what is usually considered to 

 be influenza, or epidemic catarrh, the symptoms of which will, 

 for the most part, consist of sore throat of an obstinate nature, 

 with fever more or less severe, with cough, loss of appetite, dis- 

 charge of purulent matter from the nostrils, and general debility : 

 when, suddenly, the whole changes ; the limbs begin to swell, 

 which swelling presents either an uneven surface, (occupying the 

 whole of the limbs,) or it appears in lumps, or masses, which are 

 both large and numerous, also hot, hard,* and painful, while those 

 portions of the skin w r hich are free from such swelling present 

 the blotchy elevations so common to the simple form of scarlatina. 

 The membrane of the nose becomes, also, covered with large-sized 

 spots of an intense scarlet color, while from the nostrils is dis- 

 charged a mixture of blood, purulent matter, and serum. At 

 this stage, the soreness of the throat becomes excessive, accom- 

 panied, of course, with a corresponding degree of difficulty in 

 swallowing; the cough also becomes w r orse, and of a suffocating 

 character. The pulse increases in number, reaching, at times, 

 90, or even 100, beats per minute, and is always of a w r eak or 

 feeble character. The swollen limbs are excessively tender, and 

 if the patient be left alone, he will stand for hours nailed, as it 

 were, to one place and in one position ; it is only with the great- 

 est difficulty that he can be made to move at all. As the disease 

 proceeds, or assumes more intensity, large blisters or vesicles 



