PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 409 



ination reveals the typical lesions of malignant-oedema cases occurring from 

 wounds in other parts of the body, and bacteriological investigations prove 

 the presence of the vibrio septic of Pasteur. 



The cases following wounds about the body are so absolutely character- 

 istic, so absolutely unlike any other disease of the horse, that a clinical 

 diagnosis is always sufficient, but the nail-puncture oedema, having its seat 

 between two unyielding walls that always mask the true character of the 

 affection, often remains incognito. — L. A. M. 



In all the animals it is possible to complete the clinical 

 diagnosis by bacteriological examination and inoculation. 

 The experimental indication we have described will nearly 

 always lead to a correct diagnosis. It is nevertheless well to 

 state, as shown by Nocard and Leclainche, that there 

 seem to exist in domestic animals, as in man, crepitant 

 tumors of microbian origin that have nothing in common 

 with malignant oedema. Airlong, et al., have studied vari- 

 ous cases in man that furnish evident demonstration. In 

 veterinary subjects it is possible that certain cases might be 

 traced to other bacilli. The cases of limited gaseous gan- 

 grene mentioned by Violet probably belong to this cate- 

 gory. In Germany Kitt seems to have the credit of com- 

 mencing the study of this question. In a work published 

 in 1897 he speaks of the bacillus of malignant oedema and 

 of a bacillus of pseudo-malignant oedema. 



Storch describes four cases of gangrene of the vulva of 

 cows that have considerable analogy with malignant 

 oedema. All four of the animals died. It is probable that 

 they were not cases of gaseous gangrene because the clini- 

 cal characteristics of the oedema were different from those 

 of gangrenous septicaemia. Section through the affected 

 tissues showed them to be relatively dry, red, strewn with 

 petechia and ecchymoses, and without gaseous infiltration. 

 A bacteriological examination revealed, in the lesions, 

 cocci and bacilli that were different from those of malignant 

 odema in their pathological reactions. 



PROGNOSIS. — Malignant oedema is an exceptionally 



