336 FAILURE OF THE HEARTS ACTION 



been no undue development of animal heat no fever. 

 This, then, seems to be the change of which the febrile 

 or inflammatory state is an immediate consequence, 

 and it is therefore of the utmost importance to con- 

 sider carefully the various means at our disposal for 

 preventing or modifying, or cutting- short the con- 

 ditions which favour the occurrence of such a morbid 

 change, or which may modify the intensity of the 

 latter when it has occurred. It is also highly desirable 

 to discuss the circumstances which, in severe forms of 

 disease, occasion the fatal result, either suddenly or 

 more gradually, by inducing structural changes which 

 render impossible the continuance of life. 



In very severe cases of fever, what we have to 

 apprehend, and that which our greatest efforts should 

 be directed to avert, is, stagnation of the blood in the 

 small vessels, and cessation of the capillary circulation 

 over a considerable part of the body. To bring about 

 this result, the following circumstances contribute : 



1. Failure of the force of the heart's action. 



2. Alteration in the composition of the blood. 



3. Growth of the bioplasm of the blood, vessels, and 



tissues. 



I. Failure of Heart's Action. 



In many severe attacks of fever, the danger to life 

 depends upon the weakness of the heart's action ; and 

 of those who succumb to fever, not a few are known 

 to have had a weak heart. Such a condition of the 



