BEFORE THE A TTA CK OF FE VER. 3 5 g 



perhaps dangerous fever. Sometimes during the time 

 when the poison is growing and multiplying in the 

 blood, the person is easily fatigued, and only able to 

 perform his usual amount of work by dint of making 

 a great effort ; or by an unfortunate coincidence he 

 may have been compelled to work unusually hard, 

 while at the same time, in consequence of his appetite 

 being bad, he has been able to take little sustenance. 

 The severity of the subsequent fever, as well as the 

 danger to life, are much increased by such circum- 

 stances and by want of care during the period of 

 incubation. But the feverish symptoms may come 

 on so gradually that the patient himself is hardly 

 aware he is really unwell, although his temperature 

 may be four or five degrees above the normal 

 standard. Some persons have so much courage that 

 they refuse to yield until they are no longer able to 

 move about, and the state of fever is thoroughly 

 established. If, however, the patient rests much 

 during the ante-febrile period, takes beef-tea and a 

 little wine, and makes no effort to conquer the feel- 

 ing of lassitude he experiences, he will be more 

 likely to pass through the illness favourably, and, if 

 he have a severe attack, battle successfully against it, 

 than if his strength be exhausted before or during the 

 first few days of the feverish state. 



There is, however, reason to think that changes 

 have been going on long prior to the development of 

 the fever, and that the body of the victim of fever- 



2 B 2 



