230 DISEASES OF THE DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



and denotes poisoning by any putrefactive matter, although its 

 meaning is generally limited to poisoning by cocci and bacilli ; while 

 Sapremia means poisoning by the products of bacteria, and Pyemia 

 poisoning by the presence of pus-producing microorganisms in 

 the blood. 



Septicemia in its broadest sense, as poisoning of the blood by 

 germs and their products, occurs more or less in all infectious di- 

 seases, but usage commonly limits its scope to infection caused by 

 the entrance of germs through accidental and surgical wounds and 

 through the raw surfaces occasioned by parturition. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms embrace the following: fever, 

 rapid pulse, depression and weakness, chills, seen especially in 

 pyemia, with intermittent rise of temperature and the formation of 

 purulent foci, and diarrhea. 



Sapremia is seen in surgery owing to absorption of blood clots 

 or tissue in comparatively aseptic wounds, and also after labor with 

 bruising of tissue but without much contamination with germs. The 

 symptoms of sapremia are comparatively mild, consisting of tran- 

 sient fever in most cases. The symptoms of septicemia vary with 

 the degree of infection from slight and temporary fever to the most 

 severe type. 



Treatment. — The treatment of this condition is chiefly surgical, 

 as by the use of antiseptics, the removal of septic material by the 

 knife, curette, etc., drainage of purulent foci, in order to prevent the 

 entrance of bacteria into the circulation. The diet should be par- 

 ticularly nourishing and should be reinforced by the use of milk and 

 eggs. Oil of turpentine is a useful stimulant and antiseptic and 

 may be given internally (H., §i) thrice daily in emulsion with eggs 

 and milk. 



As a cathartic calomel may be selected for its antiseptic action 

 (H., 3i), and may be given with oil. As special measures which 

 have proven of value in septicemia we have the intravenous injec- 

 tion of normal salt solution, which tends to dilute the toxins in the 



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