DIETETIC AND CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES. 69 



fourth day the disease will usually last over twelve or fourteen 

 days, and the resulting sores even for months. 



Prevention. — Keep in strong, vigorous health, and avoid the 

 various causes (exposure, etc.), known to precipitate the malady. 

 Drainage of damp localities is not without its influence. Lastly, 

 avoid weakening treatment in diseases of the respiratory organs, 

 especially such as are attended with a low type of fever like 

 influenza, and, above all, avoid exercising such animals to 

 fatigue, or exposing to inclement weather. 



Treatment. — Give a mild laxative (olive oil, linseed oil, 

 aloes), and follow up by diuretics (sweet spirits of nitre, oil of 

 turpentine, biichu, nitrate of potassa), carefully graduated in 

 amount to the strength of the patient, and use freely agents 

 calculated to increase the viscidity of the blood (tincture of 

 muriate of iron i dr., chlorate of potassa 2 to 4 dr., biclu-omate 

 of potassa \ grain), with bitter tonics (quinia, cascarilla, camo- 

 mile), and, if necessary to moderate suffering, anodynes (bella- 

 donna), or in very prostrate conditions stimulants (alcoholic 

 liquors, oil of turpentine). Locally the swellings should be 

 often bathed with tepid lotions of tincture of muriate of iron, 

 carbolic acid, or chloride of zinc diluted so as to be non- 

 irritating. Astringent solutions should be assiduously employed 

 about the head, and, if suffocation is threatened, tubes of gutta- 

 percha may be inserted in the nostrils to keep them open. 

 Tracheotomy is to be avoided if possible, together with scarify- 

 ing of the swellings, because of the risk of unhealthy sores 

 resulting. 



Modified Forms. — The mild forms of this affection have been 

 described as scarlatina, the distinction being based on the 

 punctiform nature of the blood-staining, the severity of the 

 sore-throat and the more moderate exudation. But there is 

 no contagion, nor indeed anything that seems to warrant the 

 distinction claimed. This form may be especially benefited 

 by poultices and counter-irritants to the throat, by the inhal- 



