272 DISEASES OF TRUE INFECTION 



1. Symptoms on the External Membranes. — These appear in the ma- 

 jority of cases and are of great importance in diagnosis. We see a number 

 of small red spots upon the inner fascia of the thighs, the abdomen and, in 

 rare instances, the mouth and eyes, on the internal surface of the ear flap 

 or even on the vestibule, and still more rarely covering the entire body. 

 They are generally scattered, very rarely confluent. They rapidly form 

 small bladder-like blisters filled with serum, and later on this serum 

 changes to pus. They are about the size of a lentil or small bean, and 

 soon dry up, forming yellowish scabs and crusts. When the eruption is 

 very extensive, the animal gives off a very unpleasant odor from the 

 affected parts. These pustules are rarely itchy, and if so, it is only to a 

 very slight degree. After these scabs fall off (generally in about one 

 week) , they leave a red circular spot on the skin which disappears slowly. 

 In other cases we find more or less depth to the cicatrix, leaving pit-like 

 ulcerations. They are probably due to the animal scratching or gnawing 

 the sore. In rare cases the rash has appeared on the lips, extended over 

 on the mucous membrane and caused extensive ulcerative processes of 

 the mouth or it may spread all over the body and in occasional cases it 

 is found in the prepuce causing purulent catarrh of that organ. This is 

 the only skin eruption that characterizes this disease and it dries up very 

 quickly, so that in from eight to fourteen days we see no other marks 

 except those light, granulating spots (exanthema of distemper, distemper 

 pox). Hertwig and Friedberger have observed some cases in which this 

 eruption made its appearance without any other symptom of distemper. 



2, Symptoms Indicated by the Eyes. — There is generally more or less 

 purulent catarrhal conjunctivitis. The animal avoids the light. There 

 is redness and swelling of the conjunctiva. In the early stages the secre- 

 tion is serous and very fluid. Later on it becomes a muco-purulent se- 

 cretion, either light gray or yellowish in color. This sometimes occurs in 

 large masses (blennorrhoea of the eyes). This fluid collects in the corner 

 of the lower eyelid or trickles down over the face, drying in yellowish 

 crusts in the edges and borders of the eyelids, frec|uently gluing them to- 

 gether. The corrosive action of these secretions, and also the inflamma- 

 tion of the surrounding membranes, may cause lesions of the cornea, some- 

 times from the animal scratching and rubbing the eye, especially in ani- 

 mals with prominent eyes (such as pugs and King Charles spaniels). In 

 some cases it may be due to deficient nutrition of the cornea. This 

 ulceration starts with a slight swelling on the external surface of the 

 cornea and the subsecjuent formation of an ulceration. (Other details 

 will be found in the chapter on Diseases of the Eye) . 



We see cases where there is a deep pericorneal injection of the cornea, (ker- 

 atitis parenchymatosa), in which a blue grey, blue white, or milky white 

 opacity commences at the outside edge of the cornea and spreads over its en- 



