COLD AND HEAT 681 



destruction of tissue and suppuration, moist heat applied 

 locally macerates the dead tissue, hastens sloughing and 

 relieves pain, and in softening parts prevents the burrow- 

 ing of pus and the formation of deep-seated pockets and 

 sinus's. 



A modern view of poulticing is that it aids the migra- 

 tion of leucocytes, and therefore is productive of good in 

 assisting their phagocytic action. The abscess can thus be 

 more speedily formed and more quickly defined. Herein 

 heat differs from cold. In irritable and spasmodic troubles 

 of muscular origin in various organs, heat is distinctly reme- 

 dial, as in pelvic and abdominal pain and colic, when 

 employed in the form of rectal injections. Heat may, in 

 many conditions, be used interchangeably with, or in the 

 place of, cold, according to the preference of the practitioner, 

 or the effect upon the patient. As, for instance, in the case 

 of pneumonia, pleuritis, angina, and in checking haemorr- 

 hage. Heat may be utilized in simply preventing the natural 

 radiation of it from the body. Thus, simple, warm, dry 

 blankets, applied all over the surface of the body, may abort 

 catarrhal or rheumatic conditions by merely causing reten- 

 tion of the body heat, dilatation of the peripheral vessels 

 and equalization of the circulation. Covering a portion of- 

 the skin with such dense preparations as tar, pitch or collo- 

 dion, in mild superficial inflammatory lesions, is said to 

 produfie favorable results by restraining radiation and in- 

 creasing heat and blood supply in the part. Even thickened 

 tendons and indurated glands may be benefited thereby.- 

 The Priessnitz poultice continuously applied has a similar 

 action. In vasomotor paralysis, seen in collapse, following 

 loss of blood or poisoning, and in shock due to traumatism 

 or surgical operation, heat is eminently a life-saving means. 

 In such conditions the loss of vascular tone and dilatation of 

 the vessels leads to dangerous, and even fatal, cooling of the 

 body. Heated dry blankets, or those wrung out in hot 

 water, should be applied to the larger animals, together with 

 hot rectal injections; while the smaller animals may be 



