36 TERMINATIONS OF INFLAMMATION. 



thickly covered, a very nice-practised sense of touch, the tadus 

 erudihis, is requisite for detecting its presence ; but if the 

 abscess be large or superficial, simple palpation at one point is 

 sufficient to detect it. 



In feeling for fluctuation, the points of the fingers of one 

 hand are placed on the dependent part of the abscess, whilst 

 witli the fingers of the other hand the upj^er part of the swell- 

 ing is gently pressed or tapped, when the undulations of the pus 

 will be distinctly felt. 



In the treatment of acute abscess soothing remedies are the 

 most useful, and of these heat and moisture are the best, as 

 they not only soothe, but promote the formation and growth 

 of pus. They should consist of warm fomentations and 

 poidtices, and if the pain be excessive, anodynes may be given 

 internally and applied locally. As soon as pus is formed, a free 

 incision should be made into the abscess, to aUow its ready 

 escape ; then a warm poultice is to be applied for a few days, 

 but a long-continued application of poultices is apt to give 

 rise to weak action in the cavity of the abscess. There is no 

 necessity for violently squeezing the abscess after it is opened, 

 nor to introduce pledgets of tow into it, as practised by some. 

 After the removal of the poultice all that is necessary is to keep 

 the parts clean, and apply a weak solution of carbolic acid to 

 the lips of the wound. Generally, abscesses should be opened ; 

 they should always be opened when too deep-seated to point ; 

 but abscesses in the neighbourhood of a joint should be treated 

 with great caution, and, as a rule, allowed to burst spontaneously. 

 The abscess of simple strangles should not, in my opinion, be 

 opened, but allowed to run its natural course. 



The best instrument for opening an abscess is Syme's abscess 

 knife, the point to be inserted, and the opening so made enlarged 

 as the knife is withdrawn. 



DIFFUSE SUPPURATION. 



We have examples of this in purulent infiltration of an organ, 

 as in the lungs in acute glanders. The inflammation extends 

 through a wide extent of tissue, and the boundaries of the dis- 

 ease are ill defined. The development and growth of the pus 

 cells is exceedingly rapid, the tissue being as if soaked in pus, 



