FURUNCULI. — ANTHRAX. 395- 



chiefly confined to those regions of the skin which are coated 

 with down only, the former attacks the hairy scalp, the beard^ 

 the eyebrows, &c. No previous retention of secreted matter in 

 the affected follicles can be shown to occur. Kblnier finds the 

 source of irritation in a vegetable parasite which invades the 

 hair-follicle ; I agree with Hehra in believing that this parasite 

 is very seldom to be found. 



§ 337. The assumjDtion that furuncular inflammation in- 

 variably starts from a hair-follicle, is certainly not universally 

 received ; every one must admit the occasional possibility of 

 such an origin ; and if it be an accident, it is undoubtedly a very 

 singular one, that I myself should never have been fortunate 

 enough to meet with any other mode of origin. Considering 

 how common furunculi are, it is clearly easy to get any quantity 

 of the so-called '^cores'' for examination. These, however, da 

 not suffice to decide the vexed question as to the origin of the 

 inflammatory process. For this purpose it is necessary to have 

 recent specimens with the whole of the neighbouring skin for 

 examination ; and these are not readily to be had. Whenever 

 I had an opportmiity of examining such materials, I invariably 

 found, in the focus of inflammation, one of those funnel-shaped 

 protrusions of the subcutaneous connective tissue into the cutis, 

 which serve, as has already been shown, for the reception of 

 hair-sacs (§ 334). Bardelehen'' s account is very similar (^Bar- 

 deleben, Lehrbuch der Chirurgie, vol. ii. p. 17). 



Furunculi differ from acne and sycosis in the extent of the 

 inflammation ; this is not confined to the substance of the cutis, 

 but, though reaching its maximum intensity in that structure, 

 spreads at the same time into the subcutaneous connective tissue. 

 Once upon this very irritable soil, the inflammation rapidly 

 extends over disproportionately large areas. The hyperasmia, 

 together with a vigorous lymphatic saturation, suffice of them- 

 selves to cause the nodular swelling (perhaps as large as a 

 pigeon's egg), wdiich can be felt through the tense and diffusely 

 reddened skin. 



Li marked contrast to the wide extent of these preliminary 

 stages, the inflammatory proliferation is really confined within 

 narrow limits. It extends but a little way from the circumference of 

 the above-mentioned protrusion of subcutaneous connectI^'e tissue 

 into the substance of the cutis. Within this area, however, the 



