PERITONITIS 251 



foreign bodies in the bowels; impaction of the bowels; rupture 

 of abscesses in the liver, spleen, omentum, lymph glands, 

 etc.; rupture of the bladder when inflamed; acute phleg- 

 monous, or gangrenous cholecystitis; metritis and para- 

 metritis after parturition; injuries to the uterus during 

 parturition; abscess of the prostate gland, etc. These con- 

 ditions allow the free entrance of microorganisms, or reduce 

 the resistance of the peritoneum so that organisms develop 

 readily. Numerous organisms are found producing peri- 

 tonitis, such as staphylococci, diplococci, streptococci, 

 Bacillus bipolaris, Streptothrix canis, Bacillus pyogenes, 

 Bacillus coli communis. In chickens, peritonitis is often 

 found as a prominent condition in cholera, and also from 

 different species of fungi, such as Aspergillus fumigatus, 

 Aspergillus glaucus, etc. A fungoid peritonitis has also 

 been observed in the dog produced by the Sporotrichum 

 beurmani. Parasites (Pleurocercoides bailletis) when severe 

 invasions take place will often produce peritonitis. Exposure 

 to cold, and unsanitary conditions are often predisposing 

 causes, especially in dogs and birds. 



Pathogenesis.— As soon as the defensive powers of the 

 peritoneum (the phagocytic action of the endothelial and 

 other cells, the bactericidal power of the peritoneal fluid 

 depending on the presence of antibodies, and absorption 

 which destroy and remove organisms) are neutralized by 

 any of the etiological factors mentioned, the membrane 

 becoming dried and exposed during operations, etc., or the 

 presence of solid bodies, particles of food, blood clots, etc., 

 the resistance of the peritoneum is lowered and its absorbing 

 and bactericidal power interfered with. This allows the 

 organisms to develop, produce their toxins and an acute 

 peritonitis. 



Pathology. — According to the character of the exudation, 

 peritonitis can be classified as fibrinous, serofibrinous, fibrino- 

 purulent, suppurative and hemorrhagic. The character of 

 the inflammation depends greatly on the nature of the infec- 

 tion. In cases of low virulence, such as are occasionally 

 observed, the serous surfaces present little more than a slight 

 loss of luster, with some slight deposits of delicate fibrin. In 



