504 GENERAL THERAPEUTIC MEASURES 



Counter-irritation, as has been pointed out, is produced by hot poul- 

 ticing as well as by drugs. A combination of the two is obtained in stupes. 



Stupes, Stupa. — A stupe consists of a flannel or other cloth, wrung 

 out in plain or medicated hot water, and applied to the skin. These are 

 often covered by waterproof protection, the better to retain heat. In 

 the veterinary art, hot blankets are often applied over the whole chest or 

 abdomen to relieve internal congestion and pain in pleuritis, pneumonia 

 and colic. Turpentine stupes are more in favor with abdominal troubles. 

 These are made by simply sprinkling oil of turpentine over the hot blank- 

 ets, or by saturating flannel cloths in turpentine and wringing them out 

 in very hot water. To get a very active counter-irritant effect, a mustard 

 paste may be rubbed over the chest, and then hot blankets applied. 



Hot Water Bags, made of rubber, and enclosing water at a tempera- 

 ture of 120° F., may be placed along the spine, and by stimulating the 

 cord and sympathetic ganglia, cause stimulation of vasoconstrictors in 

 regions corresponding to the controlling areas over which the heat is 

 applied. In this manner inflammatory conditions of the throat, chest, 

 and abdomen are said to have been aborted, and internal hemorrhage 

 effectually arrested. Conversely, cold may be used over the spine to 

 dilate distal arterioles. 



Fomentations are simply local baths. As technically employed, the 

 word refers to bathing parts with plain or medicated hot water, by means 

 of sponge or cloths. They may be used to cleanse wounds or parts of 

 dried discharges; they act as counter-irritants if very hot, or as mild, 

 stimulating, soothing and softening applications if warm. In order to 

 produce much effect, besides a mere detergent one, they should be applied 

 for a considerable length of time — one-half hour at least — and be fol- 

 lowed by drying and bandaging. Fomentations reduce swelling and pain, 

 and hasten repair in bruises, strains and local inflammatory lesions. 



Injections of hot water are employed to clfianse wounds, stop bleed- 

 ing and relieve pain and spasm. Injections may be thrown into the 

 rectum or vagina at a temperature of 115° to 120° F. In the vagina, 

 hot water may stop postpartum hemorrhage, pain and congestion in the 

 pelvis, by producing uterine contractions, and atonic constriction of ves- 

 sels in neighboring parts, which lasts for several hours following its use. 

 Hot rectal injections (115° F.) subdue abdominal and pelvic pain or 

 spasm, as intestinal or renal colic and spasm of the neck of the bladder. 

 The heat per se in such injections may be invaluable in shock and col- 

 lapse as noted above. 



The water may either be led off through a rubber tube, from a stop- 

 cock in a pail or reservoir, placed above the patient, or else siphonage may 

 be done off-hand through a bit of small-sized hose. Having hung a pail 

 filled with water one or two feet above the patient, the hose is filled with 

 water, and, closing the ends to keep it full, the upper part is put '" '-^e 

 pail, while the lower, smooth and greased, is passed into the rectum or 

 vagina ; or water may be poured through a large tin funnel into the upper 

 end of the tube. The ordinary fountain syringe is the best apparatus for 

 smaller animals'. 



Dry Heat may be applied by means of hot blankets, hot water bags, 



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