DISEASES OF THE EYE. 6^ 



It has b'een argued, however, that the immediate effect of bUH)d- 

 letting justifies the practice. But, assuming it is granted that 

 •n some cases the pain is for a time relieved by blecdinir, and 

 that in pneumonia the respiration temporarily becomes more free 

 at what a cost are those advantages obtained, should the patient 

 ijc so weakened as to be unable to rally ! Even if he does rally, 

 a large bleeding almost always prolongs the disease. Of course, 

 v^e are now speaking of a true pneumonia, and not of that com- 

 bination of symptoms commonly called a chill, or lung fever. 



4th Prop. — That an inflammation once established can not 6< 

 cut short, and that the object of judicious medical j^ractice is to 

 conduct it to a favorable termination. 



There was a time when it was su]){)osed that the progress of 

 influenza, distemper, and many other specific fevers which are now 

 generally allowed to run their natural course, could be arrested by 

 medical interference. But with regard to them has been estab- 

 lished the principles, first, of prevention, and, second, when this 

 f'iils, of simply conducting them to a favorable termination. 



It appears to me that the same rule ought to liohl with regard 

 t > internal inflammations, and that this will be admitted when it 

 is made apparent, not only that every inflammation, once formed, 

 r ms through a definite course, but what that course is. This I 

 now proceed shoftly to consider. If a violent blow or injury has 

 been received, a greater or less amount of exudation is infiltrated 

 among the contused and torn tissues, which undergo disintegra- 

 tion, is absorbed and excreted from the economy; if not, it col- 

 Ucts, in the form of a fluid, and constitutes an abscess. The 

 S'.ries of changes here referred to have always been found to bo 

 best perfected in animals of s-igorous constitutions, wliile in the 

 weak, poor, and broken-down they proceed slowly, or not at nil. 

 Surely, it can not be maintained that in cases similar to the above, 

 we can favor the reparative processess by blood-letting and low- 

 ering the strength of the economy? 



But in internal inflammations, say of the lungs or intcstiiies, 

 fti-e the processes different ? Certainly not. But because the ])rf»- 

 ees.^cs by which Nature relieves herself have been hid from view, 

 phydcians have supposed that instead of treating tlie inflamed 

 parts, as the surgeon does, he ought to attack tlie general symp- 

 toms which result from (he lesion. In cases of fracture and cou- 

 tiiaion there are also febrile syrnj)toms, increased jmlse, and b^ on: 



