TOXIC QASTRO-ENTEBITIS. 



211 



typhus of man ; injection of the intestinal mucous membrane, with 

 large ecchymoses, tumefaction, and purulent infiltration of the 

 solitary follicles and Peyer's patches ; also ulcers and scars which 

 might affect the whole thickness of the intestinal walls ; the con- 

 tents of the intestine were liquid, pitchy, purulent ; the muscles 

 were discolored, the liver soft and friable ; the heart had a cooked 

 appearance ; the uncoagulated blood contained bacilli ; the volume 

 of the spleen was not increased ; there were no anthrax tumefac- 

 tions to be detected in the subcutaneous and submucous connective 

 tissue ; the cadaver passed rapidly into a condition of putrefaction. 

 All attempts to inoculate the disease (even by intravenous injection) 

 were unsuccessful. 



By its anatomo-pathological characters this disease resembles 

 abdominal typhus of man very closely, but the identity of these 

 two morbid conditions cannot be admitted. No fact observed 

 absolutely demonstrates it, and all attempts at inoculation of typhus 

 (calf, pig) tried by Bollinger, Obermeier, Lebert, and others, have 

 failed. Abdominal typhus is unknown among our animals. 



Treatment. In the dog, at the outset, emetics ; later on, pur- 

 gatives, especially calomel, which last is preferred for the horse, on 

 account of its disinfecting action (formation of sublimate). In 

 ruminants we should use saline purgatives. In the larger number 

 of cases tonic medication and stimulants (wine, alcohol, camphor) 

 are indicated. The same general treatment is to be adopted as in 

 uncomplicated gastro enteritis. 



Toxic G-astro-enteritis. 



Toxic gastro-enteritis can be produced by numerous poisons, 

 which are classified in two groups : 



1. Acrid poisons ; 



2. Acrid narcotic poisons. 



A knowledge of the different poisons is very important for the 

 practitioner ; therefore, instead of giving a general description of 

 toxic gastro-enteritis, we have preferred to examine the clinical 

 effects of the principal poisons. We can give here but a brief de- 

 scription of the different intoxications. As to the details, we must 

 refer to special works, and notably to the Traité de Médécine vétéri- 

 naire judiciaire of Gerlach. 



The poisonings from narcotics have been added to the others 

 from practical considerations. 



