220 ON THE NATURE AND PRINCIPLES OF 



active form. It is also less practicable : but as the 

 treatment of most chronic internal affections presents 

 many points of resemblance, the probability of any 

 serious error arising from its confusion with other 

 disorders is very much diminished. 



Resuming, then, the consideration of the principles 

 on which the treatment of acute inflammation is to be 

 conducted, let us examine the action of the remedies 

 calculated to effect the first mentioned indication ; 

 namely, the diminution of the unnatural pressure of 

 the blood contained within the vessels of the affected 

 part. It has already been explained that the amount 

 of distending pressure exercised by the blood detained 

 in the obstructed capillaries is mainly regulated by 

 the degree of impulse imparted to each minute arterial 

 column by the pressure of the great mass of aortic 

 blood. By reducing the general pressure of the 

 blood contained within the arterial system, we there- 

 fore necessarily diminish the lateral pressure of the 

 blood accumulated behind the obstructed portion of 

 the affected capillaries, and thus relieve the intensity 

 of the symptoms and reduce the activity of the in- 

 flammatory attack. The measures by which we are 

 enabled to accomplish this object are very numerous ; 

 and the relative permanency of their depressing in- 

 fluence upon the system varying much, a wide field 

 is left for the skill of the practitioner to exercise 

 itself in selecting those best adapted to the peculiar 

 circumstances of each case. 



AVc reduce the general pressure of the arterial 

 blood 



1. l>y diminishing the quantity of the circulating 

 fluid : 



