PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 57 



perature in certain diseases often prove harmful to the fever- 

 ish subject. 



The surgical fevers, so-called, are aseptic fever, surgical 

 septicEemia, and purulent infection or pyaemia, the latter two 

 being special morbid processes described in subsequent chap- 

 ters. 



Aseptic traumatic fever refers to the febrile state that is 

 supposed to follow strictly aseptic operations. It is recog- 

 nized from the septic febrile states by its strictly benign form. 

 There is a nominal elevation of temperature, but no per- 

 ceptible systemic derangement. The pulse is almost normal, 

 or but slightly accelerated, the mucous membranes are of a 

 natural color and the appetite is not impaired. The wound 

 shows no sign of septic complications. The cause of these 

 febrile conditions is usually explained as being due to ner- 

 vous disturbances as before stated, but the present knowl- 

 edge of wound diseases points more to the microbian origin 

 of even these simple aberrations. That there are indeed few 

 strictly aseptic surgical operations in animals is no longer de- 

 nied. The deeper layers of the skin are known to contain 

 micro-organisms at all times, that are ever ready to elaborate 

 poisons at the proper opportunity. In comparatively clean 

 operations, when the micro-organisms are few and the tissues 

 healthy, it is only reasonable to suppose that a transient fever 

 may result from a brief fight between the animal- and the 

 micro-organisms, in which the former is victorious before 

 any perceptible alterations in the wound can appear. Ex- 

 perimental proof or disproof is, however, wanting. 



SYMPTOMS. — The symptoms of fever are elevation of 

 the temperature, determined by the clinical thermometer or 

 by the tactile sense; more or less acceleration of the respira- 

 tions; pronounced increase in the pulse rate; loss of spirits, 

 dejected countenance and torpidity; injection of the visible 

 mucous membranes ; and more or less anorexia. Frequently 



