458 VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS. 
cervical vertebra (Caudwell, Coremans). In birds, it is frequent, specially 
in parrots (Larcher, Eberlein). (See Zuderculosis.) 
Glanderous osteitis, in horses, is actually without interest from the thera- 
peutic point of view. We will only mention it. The abscesses which, in 
the course of this affection, occur in the periosseous tissues, may reach 
the bone and give rise to osteitis and osteomyelitis. . There are cases 
where osteitis occurs without previous alteration of the surrounding soft 
tissues; the diagnosis is then sometimes very difficult. . At the post- 
mortem of a glanderous horse killed on account of an incurable lameness 
of the left foreleg, Nocard found a voluminous abscess in the diaphysis of 
the humerus. This bone “seemed to have sustained a considerable 
swelling in all its superior-half; a thick layer of fibrous tissue, indurated, 
lardaceous, infiltrated with serosity, surrounded it and was intimately 
united to it.’ In the superior part of the medullary canal, there was an 
abscess as big as a hen’s egg. 
Rheumatoid osteititis appears very rare in all species. It assumes, 
almost always, a chronic march, intermixed with acute access, of very 
long duration, and ends ordinarily by the production of an hyperostosis. 
Rheumatism of bones demands a long treatment; and when by the ad- 
ministration of salicylate of soda or other agents, the acute symptoms are 
controlled, alkalines and arsenic preparations must be used. With them 
a tonic diet and moderate exercise are essential. The local treatment, 
at most of little benefit, does not differ from that of simple osteitis; it 
includes blisters and cauterization. 
Diffuse spontaneous osteomyelitis, which affects long bones near the 
epiphysar cartilages, is well known in man. Bacteriological researches 
have taught that staphylococci are its ordinary agents; other micro-or- 
ganisms (streptococci, coli-bacillus, micrococcus tenuis) may produce it. 
It seems as if the pathogenous elements, carried by the blood, need an 
exciting cause to enter into action. A blow, a knock, is sufficient to 
create a center of less resistance, in which the micro-organism can come 
to proliferate and create lesions of the highest gravity. Epiphysar loose- 
ness, arthritis, prevalent and septic infections are the possible complica- 
tions. 
This disease is little known in animals. It was produced experiment- 
ally on young subjects by associating the trauma to the injection of staphy- 
lococci in veins. We have seen'a remarkable case ina two-year-old colt. 
Cultivation of the bony marrow has given colonies of staphylococci. 
When a single bone is affected, the disease recent, ‘and the troubles 
not too great, treatment may be followed by recovery. (See Caries and 
LVecrosis.). With diffuse osteo-myelitis, when specially several bones are 
-affected, it is useless to undertake treatment. 
