Gout. 



229 



Gout. 



This name is applied to a disturbance of metabolism characterized by 

 accumulation and deposition of urates of the alkalies in the tissues, the 

 joints being special seats of uratic deposits, and developing painful nodular 

 swellings (gouty nodes; tophi, from t64) os, cretaceous stone). In man 

 this is a common affection, but a rarit}' among mammalian animals. 

 Only one case is on record (Bruckmiiller) in a hunting dog. (In two 

 published cases in swine [Virchow, Mendelsohn] there was not a deposi- 



Flg. 42. 

 Pus concretions from au air ohamljei- of house (reduced one-half). 



tion of urates, but it would seem that the whitish, chalky masses found 

 in the joints were composed of guanin, or, according to Voit, of tyrosin.) 

 Genuine gout, however, is common in pigeons, chickens, parrots, ostriches, 

 and is quite frequent in birds of prey (Kionka) ; it has been observed, too, 

 in reptiles (alligators, snakes). 



The symptoms of avian gout manifest themselves by progressive weak- 

 ness of the bird, with loss of appetite and emaciation. The legs present 



