CHAPTER VI. 

 DISEASES OF THE PERITONEUM. 



PERITONITIS. 



Definition. — An inflammation of the peritoneum. The fol- 

 lowing forms may be distinguished : From the standpoint of 

 course, acute and chronic; extent, circumscribed and diffuse. 

 According to the exudate a dry (sicca) and an exudative, the 

 latter being serous, serofibrinous, purulent, ichoric or hemor- 

 rhagic. Specific types are the tubercular and glanders peri- 

 tonitis. 



Occurrence. — Peritonitis is usually secondary in animals. 

 The horse is most commonly subject to it, the result of colics 

 and laparotomies (cryptorchid castration). It is also seen in 

 cattle,, due to puerperal infection and traumatic gastritis. 



Etiology. — The causes of peritonitis are varied and from an 

 etiological standpoint the following forms may be dis- 

 tinguished : 



(a) Traumatic peritonitis due to penetrating abdominal 

 wounds from without or from rupture and perforation of 

 internal organs (stomach, bowel, uterus, bladder, spleen, or 

 liver), or the bursting of a mesenteric abscess from within. 

 Most active in traumatic peritonitis are streptococci and the 

 colon bacillus. In peritonitis following stomach or bowel 

 rupture death may occur before peritonitis actually develops, 

 due to peritoneal sepsis. 



(b) Peritonitis is secondary to inflammation of organs con- 

 tiguous to the peritoneum, the inflammation spreading from 

 the stomach, bowel, uterus, bladder, or liver. Peritonitis 

 may be secondary to pleuritis. 



(c) Via metastasis peritonitis may develop in the course of 

 pyemia and septicemia, tuberculosis and glanders. Carci- 

 noma and sarcoma may involve the peritoneum. Peritonitis 

 may also accompany hemorrhagic septicemia in cattle. 



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