IN THE FEBRILE STATE. 369 



siderable quantities of fluid may be taken with, 

 apparent advantage, and, at least in the majority of 

 cases, the yielding to the desire for cool liquids seems 

 to do no harm. I have known many patients take 

 more than twelve pints of fluid in the twenty-four 

 hours. Broth is probably of use in fever, mainly on 

 account of the water it contains, and the same remark 

 is applicable to much of the beef-te'a that is given, as 

 well as to the diluents in favour. In cases, however, 

 in which the stomach is distended and the abdomen 

 tympanitic, the physician should not permit a very 

 large amount of fluid to be swallowed. Sometimes, 

 'even when taken in very small quantities, the fluid is 

 not absorbed, and by accumulating in the bowels 

 stretches their coats, and thus paralysis of their 

 peristaltic action may be occasioned. I have known 

 a strong man destroyed in the course of twenty-four 

 hours in consequence of paralysis of the muscular 

 coat of the intestine, the cavity of which was found 

 after death to be enormously distended with liquid. 



In dieting a fever patient the actual quantity of 

 fluid which is to be given should always be carefully 

 stated. From two 'to four ounces an hour is a good 

 allowance, and more than sufficient in most cases ; but 

 this proportion is often greatly exceeded, particularly 

 in hospital practice many a patient during the 

 twenty-four hours taking as much as two pints of 

 milk, about the same quantity of beef-tea, besides 

 water almost ad libitum. And in the majority of 



