3o8 THE FARM DOCTOR. 



the bony structures together and abolishes all movement {sHjf- 

 joint, anchylosis) ; in very severe cases the lymph inside and 

 outside the joint degenerates into pus, and this makes its way 

 through the tissues to the surface, is discharged and leaves an 

 open joint, which soon determines a further increase of the in- 

 flammation and destructive changes. In tuberculous diseases 

 of the joints there is the softening and enlargement of the ends 

 of the bones, a gelatiniform exudation, and its cheesy degenera- 

 tion ; in rheumatism there is little tendency to suppuration ; in 

 glanders, farcy, plugging of vessels, etc., there is the specific 

 deposit or an early suppuration. 



General Symptoms. — The joint is swollen, tense, and elastic, 

 is kept partially bent, is hot and tender, the parts around it may 

 retain the indentation made by the finger, and the suffering is 

 greatly increased when the joint is moved. There are all grades 

 from heat, tenderness, swelling, and habitual flexion of the joints, 

 with the capacity of working off the lameness during exercise, 

 to severe forms in which no weight can be thrown upon the 

 limb, and the attendant fever is so intense that appetite is gone, 

 thirst is ardent, breathing and pulse greatly accelerated, the 

 heat of the body raised to a high point, and the patient may die 

 from the constitutional excitement. 



When suppuration takes place there is an aggravation of all 

 the symptoms, with frequent shivering, and the gradual absorp- 

 tion of the soft parts renders the fluctuation more and more 

 evident up to the period of rupture. Preceding stiff-joint 

 there is a long period of subacute inflammation, the joint 

 being kept immovable by the pain and the abundant exudation, 

 until ossification ensues. 



Tuberculous disease of the joints occurs in young animals, 

 the offspring of consumptive families, and is marked by the 

 enlargement and softening of the ends of the bones, the forma- 

 tion of wounds or ulcers, and, it may be, disease of the lungs 

 or bowels. 



