A system of practical medicine. By American authors. Vol. 1 : $b Pathology and general diseases
History
A system of practical medicine. By American authors. Vol. 1 : $b Pathology and general diseases
Medicine -- Practice
A bland pus is usually in a state of beginning putrescence, so that it
is only relatively bland, and acquires extreme virulence when long
exposed to putrefactive agencies. It is possible that those agencies
producing an ichorous pus are the same or different from those present
in bland pus. The ichorous exudation contains less corpuscles than
bland pus, is more fluid, less opaque, strongly alkaline, of a
greenish color, and of offensive odor.
In hemorrhagic inflammation the exudation contains large numbers of
red blood-corpuscles. The occurrence of this form is sometimes
associated {49} with peculiarities of the cause, as is obvious from
the epidemics of hemorrhagic small-pox, measles, scarlatina, and
cerebro-spinal meningitis. It is also associated with peculiarities of
the individual, as in such epidemics all cases are not equally
hemorrhagic, and in scurvy the hemorrhages are attributable to the
abnormal conditions to which the sufferers are exposed. Hemorrhagic
exudations are also met with in those inflammations of serous surfaces
accompanying the outcropping of tubercular and cancerous or
sarcomatous growths. In all cases a hemorrhagic exudation represents a
grave complication, and when found in serous cavities has a certain
diagnostic, as well as prognostic, importance.
Fibrinous inflammations are characterized by the presence in the
exudation of considerable quantities of fibrin. As the prevailing
theory of the formation of fibrin demands fibrino-plastic as well as
fibrinogenous material, both are to be sought for in the exudation.
The latter is present in the liquid portion of the exudation; the
existence of the former, as well as that of the ferment, is dependent
upon the presence of the white blood-corpuscles. The more numerous
these, within certain limits, the more abundant the formation of
fibrin. As their death appears essential for the fibrinous
coagulation, the latter is most constantly met with in those parts of
the body where the white blood-corpuscles are quickest separated from
influences favoring their life. The farther removed they are from the
blood-vessels, the more likely is their early death. Fibrinous
exudations are therefore frequent and abundant in cellular and serous
(sero-cellular) inflammation of the great serous cavities of the body.
The clotted fibrin appears as false membrane lying upon the serous
surface, either smooth or rough, tripe-like, or as villosities
projecting above the surface, and again as bands, fibrinous adhesions,
stretching across the cavity and uniting opposed surfaces.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account