Surgery.

Date:
[1913]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Surgery. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Mention its Clinical Features. At the seat of infection a small reddish papule appears ; this quickly becomes vesicular, the blister usually contain- ing a sanious fluid. The vesicle ruptures and is replaced by a black scab. Surrounding the latter is a zone of hyperaemia, which develops fresh blisters, these subsequently forming a scab. Accordingly, a typical malignant pustule presents three areas : (a) scabs ; (b) vesicles ; and (c) hyperaemia and oedema. The pustule is very itchy, and the patient complains of a burning sensation in it. Lymphadenitis of the neighbouring glands occurs. Constitutional symptoms are not severe until the disease becomes generalised throughout the body, anthracsemia. Headache, dizziness, and a slight rise of temperature are the common features. In anthracsernia the signs are :— (a) Rapid and weak pulse. (b) Temperature rising to 103° or 104° F. (c) Vomiting and diarrhoea. (d) Haematuria. (e) Rapid and shallow breathing. (/) Delirium. An anthrax pustule must be diagnosed from a boil, carbuncle, or cutaneous septic lesion. Give the Treatment. In early cases the pustule may be completely excised and the wound cauterised. In later cases the fear of increasing the spread of infection makes excision inadvisable and ordinary antiseptic dressings are applied. Sclavo s anti- anthrax serum is given intravenously in doses of 40-80 c.c. Describe Glanders. This is a disease caused by the bacillus mallei. It is common in equine animals, but rare in human beings. In the latter the incubation period averages three to five days. Glanders occurs in men working amongst infected horses, particularly in grooms, ostlers, veterinary surgeons, and
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