THE KQUINK HOSPITAL FORMULARY. 131 



insufficient food may be mentioned as predisposing causes 

 of idioj^athic peritonitis. The traumatic form of the disease 

 results from wounds of the abdomen and several suri^ical 

 operations implicating the peritoneum, such as castration 

 and operations for liernia, or as a consequence of injuries 

 from within, such, for instance, as rupture, or perforation of 

 organs in connection with it, or bursting of the bladder 

 from over-distension. Peritonitis, either general or localized, 

 may be set up by communication of inflammation from the 

 bowels, liver, uterus, and mammary glands. Secondary 

 peritonitis may occur in certain specific fevers and consti- 

 tutional diseases. Blood may be abstracted in the early 

 stage, and tincture of aconite is useful, together with full 

 doses of opium or hypodermic injection of morphia. Hot 

 fomentations and liniments containing opium may be tried. 

 To the water supplied for drinking add liq. amm. acet., or 

 other saline. After subsidence of the acute symptoms, half- 

 drachm doses of digitalis with sp. seth. nit. and liq. amm. 

 acet. every three or four hours. Tonics may be given to 

 hasten recovery. 



Draught. 



Fleming's tincture of aconite, eight minims. 

 Tincture of opium, one fluid ounce. 

 Spirit of chloroform, half a fluid ounce. 

 Water, sufficient to make six fluid ounces in all. 

 This draught may be given every four hours. 



Draught. 



Tincture of opium, one fluid ounce. 



Spirit of chloroform, one fluid ounce. 



Water, six fluid ounces. 



This draught may be given every four or every eight 



hours. 



9—2 



