Petechial Fever. 151 



In the slighter cases ergotine, 5 grains daily in two doses, has 

 been apparently useful. An objection is that its continued action 

 on the nerve centres and digestive organs is liable to prove 

 depressing and injurious. Of the acids, tannic is liable to 

 engender constipation, locking up the injurious products to which, 

 however, it acts to some extent as an antiseptic. Sulphuric and 

 hydrochloric acids have a tonic effect, and the latter is a stomachic 

 under ordinary conditions. The same may be said of the iron 

 salts and to some extent of oil of turpentine, which have both 

 proved useful in favorable cases. Cadeac condemns ol. terebrinth 

 as calculated to abolish kidney secretions. The potash salts, 

 bichromate and chlorate, and quinia sulphate are decided antiseptics 

 and though the admissible dose would not ensure the destruction 

 of bacteria, yet, acting in the system, with leucocytes and leuco- 

 rnaines, they may serve by keeping them in check. The chlorate 

 of potash is given to the extent of an ounce the first day, and of 

 half an ounce on succeeding days. The quinine salt is given in 

 half ounce doses once or twice daily. In combination with bitters 

 they seem to be of material value. Nux vomica (1 dram) or 

 strychnia sulphate or arse?iate (2 grains) given twice daily has 

 seemed to be among the most promising agents of this class. As 

 a potent vasomotor stimulant, a bitter tonic and stomachic, 

 strychnia has seemed at times to rouse the vitality and enable the 

 system to throw off the load of poison that depresses it. The 

 wonderful power of adrenalin chloride as a vaso-motor stimulant 

 more than warrants its use both locally and generally. In using 

 any one of these agents, we should not neglect concurrent atten- 

 tion to the bowels and kidneys, to antisepsis internally and 

 externally, to hygienic and tonic measures generally. 



Antiseptic agents have been given by the alimentary canal, the 

 skin, the subcutis, and the air passages. 



By the stomach the following have proved more or less useful 

 in checking gastro-intestinal fermentations, and perhaps in hin- 

 dering absorption of toxins from the specific lesions on this track : 

 phenic acid, creolin, lysol, ichthyol, boric acid, salicylic acid, sodium 

 salicylate and hyposulphite, and calomel. 



To the superficial swellings, fis stir es and sores the same agents 

 may be freely applied, alone, or combined with astringents, such 

 as alum, lead acetate, aluminum acetate. In the hot season they 



