Specific Contagious Diseases. 121 



Oeneral Treatment. In very plethoric subjects bleeding 

 may prove beneficial at the outset, but in advanced stages, 

 in poor and weak subjects, and in those with feeble con- 

 stitutions, like sheep, it is to be strongly condemned. Act 

 on the bowels, kidneys, and skin to eliminate the poison 

 (sulphates of soda, or magnesia, acetate, nitrate, or tartrate 

 of potassa, common salt, oil of turpentine). Sponge with 

 cold water and rub actively till dry. Eub with camphor- 

 ated spirit or oil of turpentine. Give tonics (quinia, sali- 

 cin, etc.), antiseptics (mineral acids, nitro-muriatic acid, 

 tincture of the muriate of iron, chlorate of potassa, car- 

 bolic acid, bisulphite of soda, tincture of iodine, iodide of 

 potassium, biniodide of mercury, salicylate of soda, bichro- 

 mate of potassa). In the Genesee outbreak of 1875 I had 

 admirable results from the use of nitro-muriatic acid sixty 

 drops, bichromate of potassa three grs., and chlorate of 

 potassa two drachms, twice daily by the mouth, and two or 

 three drachms of a saturated solution of sulphate of quinia, 

 iodide of potassium and bisulphate of soda injected at 

 equal intervals beneath the skin. Of fifty very sick oxen 

 only four died. 



In the advanced and weak conditions stimulants (alco- 

 hol, turpentine, ether, valerian, angelica, camphor, etc.), 

 are useful. 



Local Treatment. This is very successful with inocu- 

 lated forms of the disease (malignant pustule, boil-plague, 

 gloss-anthrax, malignant sore throat) if employed before 

 the poison has passed into the system and produced fever. 

 For these, free cauterization, and especially with the anti- 

 septic caustics (crystallized carbolic acid, the mineral acids, 

 cliloride of zinc, chloride of iron, sulphate of iron or cop- 

 per, tincture of iodine), is successful. But the whole dis- 

 eased tissue must be reached, and in the case of the 

 tongue the blisters must be first laid open and the agent ap- 

 plied in small quantity with a brush, or more freely in a di- 

 ll 



