Actinomykosis : a new infectious disease of animals and mankind / by George Fleming.

  • Fleming, George, 1833-1901.
Date:
[1883]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Actinomykosis : a new infectious disease of animals and mankind / by George Fleming. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    19/56 (page 17)
    These are the chief symptoms when the tongue is the seat of the disease. The pimple-like excrescences are often only the size of a pin’s head or a millet-seed, but they are more frequently larger—from the size of a cherry to that of a walnut, or even greater. The inflammation (if any is present) and interstitial induration appear to proceed from the surface towards the centre, and the growth of the nodules takes place rapidly ; and this is evidently proven from the circumstance attending their reappearance when they have been removed by operation. Mr. James has noticed this speedy reproduction, as in a letter to me he writes : “ I am of opinion that most of the nodules or tubercles found in the substance of the tongue come to the sur- face at some time or other. For when treating such a tongue (as the one he first sent), we find sometimes that we have suc- ceeded in curing the ulcers on the surface, but the next day or two we see a regular crop of ulcers and nodules on the surface again, and the poor animal protruding its tongue several inches from the mouth.” The appearance of the tongue, then, is characteristic of the affection, whether inspected while the animal is alive, or examined after death. In the great majority of cases, there are perceived a more or less considerable number of prominences, on the dorsum most frequently, on one or both sides of the tongue, or over the whole of its surface ; these’look like nodules or tubercles, sometimes like warty excrescences flattened on the top, and vary in size from a millet-seed, a hemp-seed, or a pea, to that of a walnut; they may be single or in clusters. The tongue is enlarged, indu- rated, “lumpy,” often more or less extensively ulcerated in one or more places ; there is very considerable hypertrophy of the submucous and interstitial connective tissue ; atrophy or degeneration, more or less marked, of the muscular tissue ; and the peculiar yellowish-white round nodules disseminated singly, or in masses throughout, each containing a cluster, or at least a tuft of the Actinomyces. The gums, cheeks, palate or jaws may also be involved. In addition to the description given of that first sent by Mr James, as well as the second specimen, I will select c