FEVERS. 497 



fever we have (he tissues and the walls of the blood vessels weakened, 

 we have an increased current of more or less altered blood, flowin*; 

 through the vessels and stagnating in the cainllaries, which need but 

 an exciting cause to transform the passive congestion of fever into 

 an active congestion and acute inflammation. These conditions be- 

 come still more distinct when the fever is accompanied by a decided 

 deterioration in the blood itt^elf, as is seen in influenza, septicemia, 

 and at the termination of severe pneumonias. 



Fever, with its symptoms of increased temperature, acceleration of 

 the pulse, acceleration of respiration, dry skin, diminished secretions, 

 etc., must be considered as an indication of organic disturbance. 

 This organic disturbance may be llie result of local inflammation 

 or other irritants acting through the nerves on nerve centers; altera- 

 tions of the blood, in which a poison is carried to the nerve centers, 

 or direct irritants to the nerve centers themselves, as in cases of 

 heat stroke, injury to the brain, etc. 



The treatment of fever depends upon its cause. One of the im- 

 portant factors in treatment is absolute quiet. This may be obtained 

 b}' placing a sick horse in a box stall, away from other animals and 

 extraneous noises, and sheltered from excessive light and drafts of 

 air. Anodynes, belladonna, hyoscyamus, and oi:)ium act as antipy- 

 retics simply by quieting the nervous system. As an irritant exists 

 in the blood in most cases of fever, any remedy which Avill favor the 

 excretion of foreign elements from it will diminish this cause. We 

 therefore employ diaphoretics to stimulate the sweat and excretions 

 from the skin ; diuretics to favor the elimination of matter l)v the 

 kidneys; cholagogues and laxatives to increase the action of the liver 

 and intestines, and to drain from these important organs all the waste 

 material which is aiding to choke up and congest thfii- rich plexuses 

 of blood vessels. The heart becomes stinndated to increased action 

 at the outset of a fever, but (his does not indicate increased strength; 

 on the contrary, it indicates the action of an irritant to the heart 

 that will soon weaken it. It is therefore irrational to further depress 

 the heart by the use of such drugs as aconite. It is better to 

 strengthen the heart and to favor the elimination of the substance 

 that is irritating it. The increased blood pressure throughout the 

 body may be diminished by lessening the quantity of l)lood. This 

 is obtained in some cases with advantage where the disease is l)Ut 

 starting and the animal is plethoric by direct abstraction of blood, 

 as in bleeding from the jugular oi- otlier veins; or I)y derivatives, 

 such as mustard, turpentine, or blisters ai)plied to the skin; or b}' 

 setons, Avhich draw to the surface the fluid of the blood, thereby 

 lessening is volume, without having the disadvantagi' of impoverish- 

 ing the elements of the blood found in bleeding. Antipyretics given 

 H. Doc. 79.U, r>0-2 .32 



