GENERAL DISEASES OF THE BLOOD. 445 



The favorable symptoms will be a diminution of the swellings, return of 

 the secretions and appetite, improvement of the pulse, and disappearance 

 of the purple (echymosed) spots. 



in. Rheumatism. 



Causes. — This is supposed to be an accumulation, in the blood, of a 

 peculiar acid that settles around joints, along tendons and sometimes in 

 muscles. Upon the slightest provocation in the way of exposure or 

 derangements of the stomach or bowels, it is apt to assume the acute form, 

 and to cause intense pain and lameness. 



How to know it. — There is lameness, usually of a peculiar kind, flying 

 from one joint to another, and from one leg to another; sometimes the 

 parts swell and sometimes not; the joints most commonly affected are the 

 fetlocks, knees, shoulders and hips. There is usually more or less fever, 

 high pulse, and sometimes suppuration of the affected parts. 



What to do. — Give recipe No. 36, Foment the affected parts with 

 hot water three times a day and apply, as a liniment, recipe No. 15, after 

 wiping down the legs quite dry, and bandage warmly with flannel. After 

 the most acute symptoms are gone, give walking exercise. 



IV. Abscesses. 



An abscess is a gathering of pus in a sac from a morbid process in the 

 tissues. It may develop in any part of the body. The most common 

 locations of them are on the ribs, on the belly, in the groin, in the levator 

 humeri muscles, etc. They sometimes attain to tremendous proportions; 

 they are not painful as a rule, but if they come in or near a nerve center 

 there is great pain; when they form in the groin, for instance, there is 

 great pain; while on the ribs they cause little or no pain. 



Causes. — Impurities in the blood from retention in the system of effete 

 matter that should be eliminated through the excretory organs — the bowels, 

 kidneys and skin. The exciting causes are sometimes bruises from blows, 

 kicks or other injury; but these bruises are not sufficient in themselves to 

 cause an abscess, but must be accompanied by the morbid condition of the 

 blood; then the injury may simply afford an excuse for its breaking out in 

 that particular place. The pus germ is usually found in them, and is 

 thought, by bacteriologists, to be the same as suppui-ation. 



How to know it. — There is always a great amount of swelling, hard at 

 first all over; but as it grows and approaches a full development it gets 

 soft in the center, pitty in a ring around the center, and hard on the out- 

 side. It is hot, red, and sore to the touch. It takes from one to six 

 weeks to mature an abscess so it will break of itself, according to its loca- 

 tion and depth. Those in the groin take three or four weeks to mature; 



