610 PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 



but without any tendency toward the formation of a callus. 

 The ends are worn and inflamed, and may be the seat of 

 an imperfect fibrous callus. As many as thirty fractures 

 have been observed in the ribs, some of which were in the 

 course of cartilaginous consolidation. In the pelvis frac- 

 tures may involve the acetabulum. In the long bones the 

 medullary canal is found to be enlarged and to contain an 

 increased amount of marrow presenting haemorrhagic foci. 

 The compact tissue becomes spongy and presents areolae 

 much larger than in the normal state, and the lamellas may 

 be detached. When the disease has reached the last phase, 

 the lesions are still more accentuated. The compact tissue 

 assumes the character of cancellated tissue, and is reduced 

 to thin lamellae at the surface. The marrow assumes the 

 aspect of splenic pulp, then becomes yellow, gelatinous 

 and sometimes as liquid as oil. The histological study of 

 osseous cachexia should be directed to both the marrow 

 and the osseous tissue.- 



The marrow is congested, is rich in blood vessels and 

 exhibits interstitial haemorrhages. The fat cells are dimin- 

 ished and the whole mass is transformed into a gelatinous 

 substance of a more or less reddish color. The osseous tis- 

 sue exhibits modifications similar to that of a normal bone 

 decalcified by an acid, — in fact the essential process is a de- 

 calcification of the osseous elements. The fundamental 

 substance, deprived of its mineral matter, becomes finely 

 striated, and is diflferentiated from the part remaining nor- 

 mal, by the manner it fixes the stain (carmin). In the 

 fundamental substances thus modified are included osseous 

 cells which, deprived of anastomotic prolongations, display 

 small, dark spots, linear or rounded, and frequently full of 

 fat. 



The lesions move from the center to the circumference. 

 They are well marked around the Haversian canals, which 

 are enlarged and exhibit an irregular outline, with points 



