362 
SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
upon absorption of decomposing animal matter by the lymphatics, 
when placed in actual contact with a living membrane arising 
from the absorption of septic matter, from gangrene, gangienous 
wounds, lungs, pleura, &e., also the result of contaminated di ink¬ 
ing water, (animalcules), water containing putrid or septic matter 
from dead animals, &c. Pyaemia arises from the poison devel¬ 
oped from putrifying pus, either inside or outside of the body, 
as phlebitis, suppurative phlebitis, from atmospheric influences 
producing changes in the blood, and from thrombus and emboli. 
The blood, as a result of the miasmatic infection, exhibits a ten¬ 
dency to coagulate spontaneously in the veins, and especially 
where the current of blood is slowed, as in the capillaiy vessels. 
The blood coagulates spontaneously in the veins, and decomposes 
rapidly after being drawn from the body. In various organs in 
the body there will be infractions, which result in abscesses due 
to the presence of the poison ; the mucous membranes of the 
body will be found thickened, clot in the heart with fibrous 
strings interlacing the chordae tendinae. In septicaemia the blood 
loses its power of coagulation, becomes darker in color, and se¬ 
rum of a dark yellow color ; spleen enlarges and softens ; conges¬ 
tion of mucous membrane of intestines, with catanh of the 
digestive tract; molecular degeneration of the heart, which 
weakens it; congestion and oedema of the lungs, due to the fail¬ 
ure of the heart power ; congestion and oedema of the liver, 
spleen and mucous membranes softened. In septicaemia the sep¬ 
tic matter is absorbed by the lymphatics, in pyaemia by the veins, 
and takes place in the following manner: as, for example, a 
wound of the foot setting up an inflammation of the veins, a 
thrombus is formed, which breaks up, and carried through the 
veins into the heart, the embolus passes from the heart through 
the arterial circulation of the lungs till it stops in a branch too 
small for its passage. Now congestion of the capillaries takes 
place, due to the collateral circulation, then oedema and inflamma¬ 
tion, which take on a suppurative process due to the character of 
the poison; the same take place in other organs, and these in¬ 
fractions may again break down, and carried through the circula¬ 
tion to other parts of the body, form other abscesses. 
