34 
ANALYSIS OF CONTINENTAL JOURNALS. 
epizootic, appears to be an effort to take in more oxygen 
than can be received through the nostrils, and seems to indi¬ 
cate a loss of oxygen in the elements of the blood. 
5th. The blood, though not undergoing the natural coagu¬ 
lation, nevertheless separates into serum and clot; the former 
of a turbid and whitish-yellow colour, and much reduced in 
quantity. This diminution goes on increasing as death 
approaches. 
6th. The buffy coat is not present, but soon after the 
invasion of the malady the surface of the clot is depressed, 
and on it bubbles of carbonic acid gas are found. 
7th. Finally, the blood soon passes into decomposition when 
left exposed to external influences, which tendency increases 
w’ith the progress of the malady. 
The chemical alteration of the blood .will be hereafter more 
carefully examined, in order to discover the true nature of 
the malady. 
Necroscopia .—The external appearance of the carcase is as 
follows :—Mucous membranes pale yellow, and the eyes 
limpid; skin dry, adhering to the subjacent tissue, abdomen 
distended, rigor mortis not so marked as in ordinary cases of 
death, or it is at least slower and more incomplete. On 
section, the adipose tissue is found to be much diminished, 
the small vessels empty, and only a few drops of blood in the 
large trunks. The aponeurosis is of a whitish-purple colour; 
the muscles throughout are of a dark violet colour, flaccid, and 
softened, showing signs of decomposition having set in before 
life was extinct, and which probably accounts for the absence of 
the rigor mortis. Abdomen—on opening this cavity, instead of 
finding an accumulation of gas, as the external appearance of 
the carcase had indicated, there was found a quantity of yellow 
serum. The large intestines were infiltrated with yellow 
serum, black spots were seen on their peritoneal surface, 
caused by extravasated blood; these appearances denoted 
gangrene. Incising the thickened coat of the intestines, the 
serum was found to have acquired the consistence of jelly. 
The surface of the caecum was also infiltrated with a yellow 
coloured serum; hyperaemic spots were also seen, but its 
coat was not so thickened as those of the other large 
intestines. The mesentery presented the same yellow colour, 
and was much injected ; principally near to the mesenteric 
glands. The mesenteric glands were hypertrophied ex¬ 
ternally, some were of a dark purple colour, and others 
marbled ; on incising them they presented the same colour 
internally; their substance was hard and resisting to the knife. 
The rest of the abdominal viscera presented the same morbid 
