42 ENDOCRINE THERAPEUTICS 



adrenal haemorrhage thus : "as an extravasation 

 of blood into one or both adrenals due to rupture 

 of some of their blood-vessels when, as a result 

 of high blood-pressure throughout the body from 

 any cause, toxins, toxin wastes, etc., these vessels 

 are subjected to centrifugal pressure exceeding 

 the resistance of their walls." 



One remedy in this stage of fever and high 

 pressure is not used or valued as it should be, 

 that is aconite ; less depressing than antifnony, it 

 helps much to reduce fever and pressure in a safe 

 way. It is best given in drop doses of the B.P. 

 tincture every half-hour for ten or twelve doses, 

 or till perspiration comes on. It seems to have 

 little or no effect on high pressure when fever is 

 absent. Aspirin, again, is very useful often, but 

 should not be pushed to the point of cardiac 

 depression ; in acute rheumatism the salicylate 

 of soda is the best. Later the manometer will 

 show us the turn of the tide, and the time for 

 adrenal or pituitary interference. In lung cases 

 especially, the adrenal is indicated, for it not only 

 strengthens the contractions of the ventricles, but 

 it hastens and increases the oxygenation of the 

 blood. Adrenal haemorrhage, or as it is sometimes 

 called apoplexy, is fairly common in the first few 

 days of infancy, and is often the unrecognized 



