528 MATERIA MEDIC A AND THERAPEUTICS. 



Pulvis Antimonialis or Vinum Antimoniale, and Tincture of 

 Aconite are the drugs chiefly used to provoke perspiration in 

 fever. With these, the use of the warm bath may be com- 

 bined. 



(d) A focus of increased heat-production, such as an abscess, 

 must be removed as soon as possible. 



(e) Increased metabolism generally, which is the principal 

 cause of pyrexia, is rationally treated by Quinia, Salicin, 

 Alcohol, the Phenol Derivates, and Aromatic Substances. 

 The rule commonly followed is to give a single large dose of 

 quinia, say 10 grains, when the temperature rises above a certain 

 point 104 or 105, according to circumstances; or repeated 

 moderate doses or a single large dose may be given in antici- 

 pation of the exacerbation. Ague is thus combated by Quinia, 

 and rheumatism by Salicin or the Salicylates. 



(/) Foreign organisms or substances in the system. Fever pro- 

 duced by these bodies and their life-processes would be rationally 

 treated by destroying them. We attempt to do so by adminis- 

 tering internally some of the substances which are destructive 

 to lowly organised life apart from the body, or in wounds on the 

 surface of the body the antiseptics and disinfectants, and which 

 may be named disinfectant antipyretics. The value of Quinia 

 in ague is so great, that it is referred to a specific influence 

 upon the organism of the disease. The powerful effect of 

 Salicin upon rheumatism has been similarly explained. 



(ff) Combinations of causes. Just as fever is generally trace- 

 able to a combination of the preceding causes, so it must, as a 

 rule, be treated by the application of remedies which act in 

 several ways, or by a combination of antipyretic measures. 

 Thus Alcohol will be indicated in many cases of fever, because 

 it dilates the vessels of the skin, increases the circulation 

 through them, and stimulates the sweat glands, whilst it 

 spares tissue damage, and acts as an antiseptic antipyretic. 

 Quinia will be employed with advantage when the tempera- 

 ture mounts high, since it controls the metabolism not 

 only of the animal tissues, but of the septic and foreign 

 organisms which may be wasting these. Indeed all the 

 measures which we have analysed under the preceding heads 

 are to be freely combined, constituting the general treatment of 

 fever. An abundant supply of nutritious and digestible food 

 is essential, to compensate for the great increase of metabo- 

 lism which is going on. Alcohol is a true food, easily taken, 

 rapidly assimilated, and yielding abundance of energy at little 

 cost to the tissues, and therefore it is in general use in fevers, 

 although it is by no means an indispensable remedy. 



