REPORTS OF CASES. 
773 
REPORTS OF CASES. 
“ Careful observatict makes a skillful practitioner, but his skill dies with him Rv 
PHLEGMONOUS ERYSIPELAS.* 
By John L. Tylkr, M. D., D. V. S., Chebause, Ill. 
Cellulo-cutaneous or phlegmonous erysipelas is a disease in 
snbcntaneons conneetive tissues are alike 
a ected. It is to-day a generally accepted theory that its 
occurrence is due to a^ specific germ, and, while I made no 
microscopical examination in the case I am about to report 
I am satisfied from the development of the severe constitutional 
symptoms that I had a true case, and not a case of septic infec¬ 
tion, which, if developed from this cause, would be due to the 
evelopment and absorption of ptomaines, which result from the 
death of tissues upon being burned, for I consider the cause in 
the followmg case to be practically the same as a burn, although 
produced by a blister, supposed to be composed of cantharides 
although the exact composition could not be learned as the 
party who prescribed it for another horse had left town about 
two years previously, since which time it had stood untouched 
in a tin can until resurrected for its present use. 
The disease is disseminated throughout the system through 
the agency of the lymph canals and spaces, and predisposes to 
localize in a coLection of glands of the sam.e order. The 
case in point _ occurred in a standard bred stallion, three 
years old, in prime condition, and possessed of ' extra life - had 
been in training about two months, and was showing well, when 
he strained his right-front ankle in making the short turns of 
the track over which he was being worked. He was accordingly 
laid up, and, after due consultation with the trainer, the owner 
on Tuesday, August 17, applied a blister of age and constituencv 
as before stated. No effect was noted until Sunday, August 22 
or about five days later, when upon being examined by the 
owner the ankle was seen to be swollen quite severely the 
swelling extending nearly to the knee. No attention was’paid 
to his condition, however, other than to remark that the blister 
was working quite freely. 
Tuesday, August 24, I was called, and found the patient 
ber *3^1897^^^°^^ Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association, at Chicago, Novem- 
