244 THE CONTAGIOUS TYPHUS 



we should certainly increase the number of 

 victims. 



In this stage of the disease we have to con- 

 tend with the derangements of the circulation 

 and secretions. The fever is generally intense, 

 the blood is inflamed or vitiated, the mucous 

 membranes are dried up ; shiverings, alterna- 

 tions of cold and heat, &c., occur. We must 

 then mitigate these morbid phenomena either 

 by bleeding or purging. The bleeding must 

 be more or less copious, according to the 

 strength of the animal. For, it must not be 

 forgotten that we have several critical phases 

 to pass through, and if we exhaust the animal 

 by too largely draining him of blood, we may 

 forfeit the success of the treatment. If bleed- 

 ing is considered unnecessary, let the sufferer 

 be purged at once, by administering either 

 sulphate of magnesia (Epsom salts), or sulphate 

 of soda (Glauber s salt). These purges to be 

 taken daily, for two or three days, accord- 

 ing to the way they operate. Linseed 

 oil, mixed in some warm beverage, may be 

 given instead of these, or else a mixture of 

 rhubarb and calomel, or even a decoction of 

 senna. Preference should be given to saline 



