MORBID ANATOMY I4I 



mesenteric glands. The principal changes in intestinal an- 

 thrax are always found in the small intestine, chiefly in the 

 duodenum. In the milder cases of intestinal anthrax the 

 mucous membrane is affected by circumscribed or diffuse 

 swellings. The bacteria are often found in very large num- 

 bers on the surface of the mucous membrane. Necroses and 

 ulcers appear in those parts where the bacteria are most 

 thickly congregated. In verj' severe cases, the abomasum or 

 the true stomach may be affected with a gelatinous and sanious 

 infiltration of the mucous membrane. The mucosa of the 

 abomasum, and especially of the duodenum, is, in consequence 

 of excessive hyperemia, dark red or almost black, and is 

 covered with erosions and ulcers or necroses, which may 

 extend down to the submucosa. The contents of the intestine 

 are bloodj^ and the submucosa is infiltrated with a serous, 

 gelatinous, or hemorrhagic exudate, so that the mucous mem- 

 brane often projects, in the form of large tumors, into the 

 lumen of the intestine. On the site of Peyer's patches and the 

 solitary follicles we may find flat or prominent nodules, the 

 surface of which are covered with diphtheritic crusts. 



The lungs are greatly congested, edematous and show 

 areas of ecchymoses. The entire respiratory mucous mem- 

 brane is considerably reddened and ecchymotic. The mucous 

 membrane of the pharynx and opening of the larynx is often 

 so edematous that stenosis of the lar3'nx takes place. The 

 contents of the trachea and the bronchi consist mostly of 

 bloody froth or mucus. 



The brain is often studded with ecchymoses. The sur- 

 face of its membranes often exhibits hemorrhages with an 

 accumulation of sanious serum in the ventricles. Extravasa- 

 tions of blood sometimes occur in the anterior chamber of the 

 eye and under the retina. All the other organs may contain 

 hemorrhages, and the urine frequently contains blood. 



The blood is usually dark. It has a tarry or varnish-like 

 lustre, and shows little tendencj' to coagulate. It does not 

 assume its normal red color when exposed to the air. Burnett 

 studied the blood of a few cases of anthrax in 1904. The 

 appended tables are taken from the results of his examinations. 



