PUEPUEA H^MOEEHAGIGA. 405 



Perhaps at some future time I may re-arrange the contents of 

 this section ; for the present, however, I trust the reader will 

 find it sufficiently complete for all practical purposes. 



PUEPURA H.EMORRHAGICA. 



I regard Purpura Haemorrhagica as a disease arising from a 

 species of paralysis afiecting the filaments of the organic nervous 

 system, which are distributed through the tissues of the arterial 

 and capillary blood-vessels. 



Purpura in the horse and Quarter 111 in cattle are diseases 

 closely analogous. Purpura is generally seen in association 

 with Scarlatina ; in fact, before the latter terminates fatally, 

 it invariably takes on the form of Purpura. It may exist, how- 

 ever, as an independent disease ; and when such is the case, 

 the probabilities are — if the patient is young, and the system 

 is not poisoned with huge doses of medicine — that recovery 

 will ensue ; but when Purpura appears in association with 

 Scarlatina, especially when the Scarlatina is of a malignant 

 form, the probabilities are against the patient, however young it 

 may be, or however judicious the treatment. Purpura HsBmorrh- 

 agica is a disease of a severe character, and is at all times to 

 be considered highly dangerous, especially if associated with 

 Scarlatina, and the patient is old and the vital energies 

 weakened. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms of this aflection are usually 

 well marked. The attack is generally sudden, both when it 

 appears in association with Scarlatina, or as an idiopathic dis- 

 ease. Its first appearance is marked by sudden swelling of the 

 limbs (generally the hind limbs), which is speedily succeeded 

 by an extension of the swelling to other parts of the body — 

 such as the head, the fore limbs, and under the abdomen. The 



