Petechial Fever 183 



serous exudate ; the appearance of oppressed breathing and other 

 indications of exudate with -the lungs and chest, or of colics, 

 diarrhoea, and other suggestions of effusion on the bowels or in 

 the abdomen. Extreme fetor of the expired air and of the faeces 

 is a bad symptom, though not always a fatal one.- Sudden retro- 

 cession of the cutaneous swellings, may be the precursor of 

 internal exudations and death, yet in the absence of marked accel- 

 eration of the pulse, and of the objective symptoms of disease of 

 the chest or abdomen, it is rather to be taken as a herald of re- 

 covery. 



Treatment. Whatever may be the precise cause of petechial 

 fever it is largely connected with and maintained by an unhealthy 

 condition of the blood, and especially with the presence of toxins 

 and waste products in that liquid. The first consideration is to 

 secure for the patient the best possible sanitary conditions. A 

 roomy loose box, dry, clean, well lighted and well aired, nour- 

 ishing, easily digested food-^green food, carrots, turnips, or 

 mashes — and pure water .are desiderata. ' A sunny exposure is 

 desirable especially in winter, and everything like chill should be 

 guarded against. Blanketing may be called for in cold weather, 

 but the circingle like the halter should be avoided as being 

 calculated to cause indentation, cracking or sloughing of the 

 swellings. 



A moderate action of the bowels should be secured by the 

 nature of the food (linseed meal or tea), or by small doses of 

 saline laxatives (sodium sulphate), or calomel. Suppression of 

 the urine too, must be counteracted by diuretics (saltpeter, oil of 

 turpentine) when necessary. 



Further internal medication has been aimed to correct the 

 dilatation of the capillaries, and to prove antidotal to, or to 

 eliminate the poisons present in the blood. 



As z/fljo-wo/or stimulants have been employed ergot, belladonna, 

 tannic, sulphuric and hydrochloric acids, oil of turpentine, iron 

 sulphate, potassium bichromate and chlorate, quinia sulphate, 

 and strychnia sulphate and arsenate. The value of any one of 

 these is dependent on its early employment, the slight character 

 of the lesions and the remissions that so often occur even in 

 severe attacks. None are of much account in a violent attack at 

 its worst. 



