164 SPECIAL EQUINE THERAPY 



Symptoms. Most eases do not .come to the veterina- 

 rian's attention until the disease has become quite well 

 developed. The earliest sign is usually an edematous 

 enlargement of the nose and face; occasionally the first 

 swelling appears just in front of the trachea in its middle 

 third. Cases which are not so often seen are those in 

 which swellings appear distributed over the body in spots, 

 somewhat resembling pronounced urticarial swellings. 

 Simultaneously with the appearance of these edematous 

 swellings, appear peteehise on the visible mucous mem- 

 branes, and hemorrhagic discharges are emitted from 

 the natural openings. These discharges are thiu and 

 watery in consistency, and frequently have a rusty in- 

 stead of a hemorrhagic tint. 



The edematous swellings become gradually more ex- 

 tensive, so that at the end of three or four days they cover 

 almost the entire animal. They are most marked in the 

 extremities, the head, sides of the abdomen, and the pec- 

 toral region. The surface of some of these swellings, as 

 well as the flexion surfaces of such joints as the hock, 

 carpus and pastern, exude the characteristic rusty or 

 hemorrhagic fluid. 



The temperature in cases of purpura hemorrhagica is 

 high early in the attack, reaching 106 degrees F. quite 

 ordinarily. Later in the course of the disease, the tem- 

 perature is what might be termed "fltful" ; today it may 

 be 104 degrees F. and tomorrow 102 degrees F., while the 

 next day will record a temperature of 105 degrees F. or 

 any number of variations. The general clinical attitude 

 of the case rises and falls sympathetically with the tem- 

 perature variations; today the patient presents a favor- 

 able aspect, tomorrow an unfavorable one. This could 

 be explained most plausibly as a result of hemorrhages 

 into internal organs of considerable importance, or of the 

 out-pouring and absorption of exudates in the region of 



