124 CANINE DISTEMPER 
appear in distemper, which, through the resultant weak- 
ness of the heart, generally sets up cedema of the lungs 
and death. 
Symptoms simulating rheumatism have been observed 
by some authors several days prior to the manifestation 
of typical diagnostic symptoms, whilst muscular weak- 
ness frequently imposes itself some time after their 
advent. This weakness is common to most, if not all, 
febrile conditions, and as the dog realises its inability to 
stand or walk without staggering, it remains preferably 
recumbent, thereby probably increasing rather than 
diminishing its intensity. 
Peritonitis.—Peritonitis, as its name implies, is an 
inflammation of the peritoneum, which may be localised 
in the beginning, or later become diffuse. It may arise 
from ulceration of the bowel, from extension of the inflam- 
mation of the mucous to the serous coat of the intestine, 
from pyzmia, or occur from a general inflammation of all 
the serous membranes of the body. It is marked by the 
secretion of an exudate, which may be serous, fibrinous, 
purulent, or hemorrhagic, and the peritonitis would 
be named according to the character of the exudate. 
- In the first stage the peritoneum becomes congested 
and reddened, later exuding a serous fluid, the fibrinous 
components of which form a layer on the peritoneum, 
which has the effect of causing adhesions of bowel to 
abdominal wall, or of bowel to bowel. One may fore- 
cast the age of the lesion by the degree of tenacity 
with which the various organs or parts adhere to one 
another—.e., if the condition is recent, the adhesions 
easily break down; old ones are difficult of separation. 
Varying amounts of liquid collect in the abdominal 
cavity, and the serous walls will be found oedematous 
and friable. The abdomen is tense and firm, and the 
dog resents its manipulation, crying out with pain if 
