8 Veterinary Medicine. 



In purely medical cases, the seat of the primary suppuration is 

 not always obvious and one is thrown back on medical treatment 

 which is rarely satisfactory in severe cases. 



Treatment. When accessible even the secondary abscesses may 

 be opened, washed out with a weak antiseptic (3 per cent, car- 

 bolic acid solution), and covered with antiseptic dressing. Anti- 

 pyretics are worse than useless, because of the resulting depression 

 of the vital powers, and the reduction of the natural powers of 

 resistance. Calomel in small and repeated doses tends to assist in 

 elimination, and to counteract complications through sepsis of the 

 contents of the bowels. Quinine and chloride of iron continued 

 in large doses have been especially relied on as antiseptic tonics. 

 Iviberal feeding, if the appetite will admit, is all important, to tide 

 the patient over the period of depression. In the chronic cases 

 tepid bathing is of great value. (Senn). Senn has great confi- 

 dence in the stimulating and supporting action of alcoholic liquors 

 — beer, ale, porter and even whisky, and in human beings accus- 

 tomed to the daily use of these beverages they are more impera- 

 tive than in the lower animals. 



Septicaemia. The micro-organisms causing septicaemia are the 

 same as those of pyaemia, but they differ somewhat in activity, 

 and act upon a system with a modified susceptibility, and above 

 all one void of lesions in the internal membrane of the vascular 

 system. The symptoms can be developed by the introduction of 

 the ptomaines and toxins alone, which hypothetical condition has 

 been named septic-intoxication. In case of excessive doses of 

 septic material, death occurs so early as to indicate simple narcosis. 

 If, as is usually the ca.se, the microbes also gain access to the 

 blood and multiply there, the condition has been known as septic 

 infection. In any prolonged case of septicaemia, the tendency is 

 to the formation of suppurating foci {septico-pycemia') , so that 

 the two affections may be looked upon as probably the same, with 

 modifications of the earlier phenomena. 



In connection with septicaemia must be mentioned the fermen- 

 tation fever of Bergmann, {aseptic or resorption fever") which 

 follows on extensive wounds, even if aseptic", on the intravenous 

 injection of the blood of healthy animals or even of fine foreign 

 particles (charcoal, flour), of a normal salt solution, or of well 

 water, or of pancreatin, pepsin or trypsin. It has been attributed 



