288 PURPURA HtEMORRHAGICA. 



exhibition of certain salines, some acids, and terebintliinates. 

 Of salines, the preparations of potash, particular!}' the chlorate, 

 are most largel}^ employed ; this latter for the first few days 

 may be given alone in three or fom- drachms two or three 

 times daily, and is readily enough taken in the food and 

 drinking-water ; after this period we have generally preferred 

 to allow it in smaller doses — two drachms — combined with 

 one of the nitrate, and continued for some days longer. The 

 salts of iron usually employed are the sulphate or solution 

 of the perchloride — the former is to be preferred, combined 

 Avith' diluted sulphuric acid — thirty grains of the sulphate 

 with half a fluid drachm of the acid in cold water twice or 

 thrice daily. This may either be given alternately from the 

 commencement of the treatment with the chlorate of potash, or 

 its administration may be deferred for some days, and then em- 

 ployed in this alternate manner. When benefit does not seem 

 to follow the use of the iron salt in conjunction with the 

 potash compound, when the local swellings do not give 

 evidence of subsidence, the substitution of the oil of turpentine 

 for the former is advisable ; the quantities to be administered 

 being from six to ten fluid drachms in combination with 

 linseed oil, good gruel, raw eggs, or a combination of the last two. 



In those cases where exhaustion and depression are great, 

 and where sufficient food is not being taken into the system, a 

 steady but moderate stimulation is indicated ; this may be 

 accomplished while the administration of the medicines already 

 mentioned is being carried out, and alcoholic are to be pre- 

 ferred to the ammoniacal stimulants. 



As an agent capable of acting on the capillary bloodvessels 

 through the vaso-motor nerves, maintaining their tonicity and 

 general contractiblc power, ergot in some form or another has 

 been recommended ; but from what I have observed and 

 learned of its results, it has not generally fulfilled the expecta- 

 tions entertained regarding it. This may arise from the fact 

 that when the cause of the blood extravasation or effusion is 

 connected with changes in the minute bloodvessels, it is less 

 owing to the simple want or loss of functional power in these 

 vessels than to degenerative or other changes in their textural 

 structure. From the use of the ordinary astringents, tannic and 

 gallic acid and acetate of lead, I have frequently seen very good 



