Dietetic and Cofistitiitional Diseases. 159 



room; warm clothing; rugs wrung out of boiling water 

 closely applied to the skin and covered with dry ; bags of 

 dry grain, bran or sand ; rubbing with hot smoothing-irons 

 over a thin covering; hot air or steam baths; aconite; 

 acetate of ammonia ; guarana, etc.,) are in the highest de- 

 gree beneficial. Some agents, like propylamine and muri- 

 ate of iron, have been very serviceable in certain hands. 

 Local treatment consists in the application of warmth, 

 etc., as above indicated, and also blisters (strong aqua 

 ammonia and olive oil) which may be appHed several 

 times a day and the inflammation followed up as it re- 

 cedes from structure to structure. 



ACUTE ANASARCA. PUEPDEA H^MOEEHAGICA. 



The affection to be described here is altogether different 

 m its nature from the dropsies which result from obstruc- 

 tion of veins, in phlebitis, or because of pressure by a dis- 

 eased structure, as also from those dependent on suppres- 

 sion of the secretion of urine, on heart-disease or a watery 

 state of the blood with deficiency of blood globules. It is 

 not at aU inflammatory nor of the nature of malignant an- 

 thrax as is generally assumed. It is exceedingly common 

 after influenza and other affections of the respiratory organs, 

 in ill-ventilated stables where animals are compelled to use 

 rebreathed air, and in very open, cold barns where they 

 are liable to be chilled after being heated at work. Sud- 

 den excessive lowering of temperature or exposure to cold 

 rain or wind storms, especially when hot and perspiring, 

 are efficient causes by reason of the sudden check to the 

 secretions of the skin. The disease is much more fre- 

 quent under the extreme vicissitudes of temperature of the 

 Northern States than in the more equable chmate of ihe 

 British Isles. 



Symptoms. The disease is manifested abruptly by ap- 

 pearance of tense, painful, rounded or diffuse swellings on 

 the nose, lips, face, neck, inner sides of the limbs, belly or 

 indeed anywhere over the body. These tend to enlarge, 



