CHRONIC ENTERITIS (CHRONIC DIARRHOEA). 



209 



Fig. 72. — Appearance of a portion of the small 

 intestine in chronic diarrhoea. 



Complications are rare, though occasionally intestinal haemorrhage or 

 broncho-pneumonia occurs. The temperature, which remains normal or 

 shows very shght changes throughout the course of the disease, may then 

 oscillate between 101° 

 and 103° Fahr. (38° and 

 39-5° C). 



Lesions. At the first 

 glance no lesions can be 

 detected on post-mortem 

 examination except those 

 of generalised wasting, 

 but when the autopsy is 

 carried out immediately 

 after death all the in- 

 terior of the intestine appears affected. The mucous membrane of the 

 abomasum and the mucous folds appear infiltrated, thickened, and with 

 moderate sub-epithelial congestion. The intestine seems friable, and 

 tears with the slightest traction. The sub- epithelial portions of the 



mucous folds are 

 infiltrated and con- 

 gested, while the 

 more prominent 

 parts of the folds, 

 which are exposed 

 to the friction of 

 semi-digested food, 

 become eroded. 



Throughout the 

 length of the jejeu- 

 num and ileum the 

 mucous membrane 

 exhibits multitudes 

 of small ulcera- 

 tions. 



Histologically, 

 the epithelium and 

 the glands seem atrophied, without any inflammatory change having 

 occurred in the mucous or submucous coats. 



The colon and the caecum show similar lesions, and in addition 

 brown deposits of pigment under the mucous membrane and along the 

 course of the small blood-vessels. This lesion resembles that found 

 in chronic dysentery in man, and suggested to Moussu a possible 

 connection between the two diseases. 



D.C. P . 



Fig. 73. — Atheromatous lesions of the aorta in chronic 

 diarrhoea. 



