UMBILICAL PHLEBITIS OR OMPHALO-PHLEBITIS. 403 



infected, micro-organisms make their way between the clot and walls, 

 and extend along the inner surface of the vein, infecting first the clot 

 and then the vein, and thus setting up suppurative phlebitis. 



If suppuration does not continue, recovery may occur spontaneously. 

 Infection may be confined to the clot, producing simple phlebitis, but it 

 often extends along the umbilical vein to the liver, causes infectious 

 hepatitis and purulent infection or septicaemia. Similar results may be 

 produced by infection of the arteries, the organisms making their way 

 as far as the bifurcation of the aorta, and thus gaining the general 

 circulation. Moussu believes that this is the commonest method by 

 which septicaemia is produced in calves. 



Symptoms. In these cases it is usually the general symptoms which 

 first attract attention, the local lesion passing unnoticed for a greater 

 or less time. 



The animal shows intense fever, due to either suppurative phlebitis, 

 infectious hepatitis, or, as often happens, to generalised infection. 

 Appetite is lost, diarrhcea is abundant, the respiration and circulation 

 are accelerated, and the temperature rises to 104^ Fahr., or even 

 105° Fahr. 



The local symptoms are those usually associated with omphalitis or 

 phlebitis. An examination of the umbilical ring reveals an cedematous, 

 hot, sensitive swelling, the lower part of which exhibits a chronic, sup- 

 purating, fungoid, blackish wound of unhealthy appearance. 



This wound is the seat of one or more sinuses which penetrate the 

 vein, arteries, or urachus. If only one sinus exists, it always passes 

 upward and forward into the umbilical vein. The utmost precaution 

 should be employed in examining the parts. Should it be thought 

 desirable to probe the sinus in order to discover its direction, the probe 

 must be very cautiously introduced, and only for a short distance, 

 because rough handling would tear the tissues and carry infective 

 material to deeper .seated points. 



Complications. These are numerous and very grave. Long ago 

 Lecoq described a disease suggestive of laminitis, which beyond doubt 

 was only a form of purulent infection. At a later date Loiset studied 

 a disease following omphalitis, in which interstitial abscesses deve- 

 loped in the cord. This also was simply purulent infection. 



More recently compHcations such as pleurisy, pneumonia, infectious 

 endocarditis, diarrhceic enteritis, and especially suppurative polyarthritis 

 of young animals have been referred to omphalo-phlebitis. All these 

 complications result from infection. The micro-organisms themselves 

 or the toxins they secrete appear to have a particularly injurious action 

 on the serous membranes, a fact which throws light on the frequency of 

 such complications as pleurisy, peritonitis, endocarditis and arthritis. 



DD 2 



