PUPURA HAEMORRHAGIC A—CEDEMA, ANASRCA, ETC. 
337 ’ 
condemn it until you have given it careful study and trial. I 
was, a few years ago, as sceptical in regard to homoeopathy as 
any of you, but reflection, study and actual practice have con¬ 
vinced me that curable diseases can be cured more easily and 
quickly by a rational homoeopathy than by any other known 
method. And if this be true of men, why not apply the 
principle to veterinary practice ? 
PURPURA HAEMORRHAGIGA—OEDEMA, ANASARCA, ETC. 
By H. E. Spencer, D.V.S., San Jose, Cal. 
A paper read before the California Veterinary Medical Association. 
In response to the chair, I have prepared a paper on the 
above subject, not with the idea that I could enlighten you 
gentlemen on this disease, but with the hope that something 
would be learned by the exchange of ideas that the discussion 
of this paper would bring forth. 
I have been singularly fortunate in the treatment of this 
disease, having not lost a case of it in two years, save one that 
was taken out of my charge on the second day and given over 
to the tender mercies of the groom. And I have treated a great 
many, as our locality seems to be a hot-bed for influenza, catarrhal 
fever, pyogenic fever, or, as it is commonly called, distemper. 
Purpura hsemorrhagica is due to a paralysis of the vaso¬ 
motor nerves which govern the circulation in the smaller blood¬ 
vessels and capillaries, and also to an altered condition of the 
blood, the red blood corpuscles being smaller and shriveled in 
appearance, as though treated to the action of ammonia; the 
white blood corpuscles are increased in number, and there is an 
excess of the aqueous portion, causing the coagulability of the 
blood to be greatly lessened. 
Purpura usually follows some debilitating disease, as influ¬ 
enza, but has been known when it was due to unsanitary 
surroundings and poor provender. It usually follows a slight 
attack of catarrhal fever when the horse has made a rapid 
recovery, the exciting cause being usually exposure to cold, 
