380 PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 



ervene in the ox and dog. Oxen brought to the abattoir for 

 slaughter are condemned. 



TREATMENT.— The best method of combating ery- 

 sipelas is to prevent it. As in all surgical complications, 

 prophylaxis is the essential part of the therapeutics. Com- 

 plete and methodical disinfection of the wounds and the pre- 

 servation of the breach from every infecting object are the 

 important directions. When infection has taken place and 

 the disease has appeared antisepsis in all of its forms is the 

 surgeon's recourse. The prolonged employment of tepid 

 antiseptic lotions, subcutaneous and intradermic injections 

 of disinfecting substances — powders and solutions — are gen- 

 erally sufificient to stop the extension of the tumefaction. 

 Carbolic acid and mercuric chloride solutions give excel- 

 lent results. When complicated with abscess formation, 

 lancing and disinfection or cauterizations is essential. 



SURGICAL SEPTICEMIA. 



The expression, "surgical septicsemia" is used to describe 

 a group of pathological conditions that are less clearly de- 

 fined in veterinary science than in human pathology. The 

 group includes traumatic fever, acute septicemia and putrid 

 infection or hectic fever. These different morbid manifesta- 

 tions should be regarded as different phases of the same in- 

 fection. Traumatic fever represents the initial stage — the 

 most benign stage. It is a slight surgical septicaemia. If the 

 symptoms by which it is revealed become more aggravated 

 and persistent, the traumatic fever becomes acute septicaemia. 

 The distinction between these two conditions is therefore not 

 well defined; they blend into each other with all the inter- 

 mediate stages between a passing traumatic fever and a 

 very acute septicaemia which rapidly terminates fatally. 

 Chronic septicaemia is the condition designated as putrid in- 



