hot and dry, until a fine, thick, yellowish-white matter is seen coming 

 from the wound, which generally takes place in from 48 to 60 hours. 

 In my opinion the cold water application seems to extract, and keep 

 in check, the excessive heat usually present ; in fact, a sort of 

 endosmotic and exosmotic current is set up — the cold from the wet 

 blanket passing into the part of the body, as it were, to which it is 

 appHed, the heat being extracted from the part to the blanket, which 

 becomes hot — the action equalising the temperature, and giving tone 

 to the undamaged tissues, at the same time assisting nature in her 

 physiological efforts, and also the pathological action to throw off the 

 damaged or dead portions. 



34. Septicaemia, or Blood-poisoning, — Hot applications, to be of 

 any good, must be continuous ; they are generally badly applied, and, 

 in my opinion, relax the tissues, and favour the process of gangrene. 

 When the part dies, and is not thrown offby sloughing, the surrounding 

 tissues swell, and have a bladder-hke sound, as found in gangrene of 

 the udder in cows and sheep ; at times seen also in the latter stages 

 of milk fever, in the hind quarters of a cow, and from an injury with 

 an external wound, when it is accompanied with a dirty brownish, 

 foetid, watery discharge. There are rigors and tremblings of the 

 body ; pulse small and quick ; respiration hurried ; cold, clammy 

 patches of perspiration all over the body, with head hanging down. 

 We may then rest assured that the case is hopeless, Septicaemia or 

 blood-poisoning having set in. Owing to the extensive swelling, we 

 are often tempted to scarify the distended parts by plunging in the 

 lancet, thus admittmg the air and hurrying on that process we wished 

 most to avoid, viz., mortification, or death of the part, and also of the 

 patient as well. All the formidable effects of blood-poisoning can, 

 however, be induced by a very small punctured wound or scratch 

 with a sharp instrument. 



35. The Causes of Inflammation are various, and are termed 

 Vital, Cheviical, and Mechanical. Vital causes may arise through some 

 occult changes taking place within the body itself ; Chemical, from the 

 application or use of stong acids, alkalies, &c. ; Mechanical, from 



