As in the thorax, the tuberculous lesions seldom produce extensive liquid exudation, so that ascites does not occur, but on palpation the abdominal walls appear to have entirely lost their pliability and to be unyielding and greatly thickened, a point which is the more remarkable as the animals are thinner.
The wall of the abdomen is stiff, incapable of being depressed as in ordinary subjects, and gives to the fingers the sensation of a thick hard covering, through which the subjacent organs and their contents, that is, the rumen, intestine and alimentary material, can no longer be felt. This rigidity is always most marked in the lower abdominal region. The digestive peristaltic movement can no longer be detected, and on auscultation the normal sounds are manifestly much slower than usual.
TUBERCULOSIS OF LYMPHATIC GLANDS.
It might perhaps have seemed more logical to place tuberculosis of the lymphatic glands at the commencement of these clinical divisions of tuberculosis, as when tuberculous lesions, of whatever kind, occur in the lung, pleura, abdomen, etc., the lymphatic glands in the neighbourhood are invariably invaded. In such cases, however, the lesions in question are not the dominant features.
Under this heading must be classed tuberculous lesions which, on the contrary, affect the lymphatic glands in so marked a manner that lesions in other organs may be regarded as secondary. This occurs somewhat frequently, because at the present day there is a tendency to believe that inoculation takes place mainly through the mucous membrane of the pharynx, and thence extends towards the neighbouring lymphatic glands. At any rate, it is unquestionable that tuberculosis of the lymphatic glands may exist quite apart from any other lesion visible to the naked eye.
Two forms are very common, tuberculosis of the retro-pharyngeal region and of the neck, and tuberculosis of the mediastinal lymphatic glands.
Tuberculosis of the Retro-pharyngeal Glands.—In addition to the retro-pharyngeal glands the cervical chain of lymphatic glands, the subglossal, subatloid, preparotid, and even the prescapular lymphatic glands and those at the entrance to the chest, may also be invaded more or less.
This form of tuberculosis may remain latent for a long time, attention being attracted to it only when deglutition is impeded and local deformity becomes apparent.
Swelling of lymphatic glands resulting from tuberculous infection is slow and progressive, differing entirely from that which accompanies suppurative adenitis. The neighbouring connective tissue is certainly somewhat thickened or infiltrated, but the glands themselves can always be detected. The region of the gullet is enlarged, the depression marginating the lower jaw is filled up, the subatloid space disappears, the subglossal glands occupy the space beneath the tongue, and in cases where the lesions are very pronounced the œsophagus and larynx may even be pushed downwards.
