Suppurative Arthritis. 429 



7. 10. Septic Inflammation of Knee-joint.— Eight knee- 

 joint laid open — in spirit, illustrating the effects of the above. 



The patient, a man aged 3.5, was admitted to the Royal Infirmary, 

 Edinburgh, on account of extensive abscesses of the leg and thigh from 

 erysipelas. Purulent effusion afterwards took place into the knee-joint ; 

 hectic fever and diarrhcea supervened. Amputation was performed, and 

 he recovered. 



The cartilage has disappeared round the edges of the 

 articular surface of the lower end of the femur. The bone 

 from which the cartilage has disappeared is smooth in some 

 places, while at others, e.g. at the inner condyle, it is rarefied. 



G. C. 2233. 



Presented by Alexander Watson, F.R.C.S.E., 1838. 



7. 11. Septic Inflammation in the Knee-joint.— Section of an 



injected knee-joint — in spirit, illustrating the above. 



The patient was an elderly man, who had suffered from what seemed 

 to be hydrops-articuli, i.e. a chronic distension of the knee, the nature of 

 which, however, was obscure — perhaps rheumatic, possibly tubercular. 

 The joint was aspirated, and a clear fluid drawn off. Soon afterwards the 

 joint inflamed and the fluid then drawn off was purulent. Suppuration 

 extended into the thigh and calf, and amputation became necessary. The 

 patient developed phthisis, and lingered for many weeks with a chronic 

 suppuration in the thigh. He eventually sank from exhaustion. 



The articular surface of the femur is bared of cartilage 

 and rarefied (carious) where it was in contact with the tibia. 

 At other places the cartilage is loosened, and has been falling 

 off", while at others it is vascular and has been injected. The 

 articular surface of the tibia is quite bare, and the exposed bone 

 is soft and inflamed. The articular surface of the patella is 

 injected. The synovial membrane is thrown out into soft 

 vascular processes. Caseous glands are seen in section in the 

 popliteal space. Probably the joint in this case became septic 

 after the aspiration. G. C. 3375. 



Presented by A. G. Millek, F.R.C.S.E., 1892. 



7. 12. Septic Inflammation in the Ankle-joint and Lower 



