60 PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 



some reason can not be executed, other means of treatment 

 may be necessary. Diaphoresis, induced by diffusible stimu- 

 lants and warm clothing, is one of the most valuable expedi- 

 ents in veterinary patients, especially in the horse. The 

 perspiration, by causing the dissipation of heat, is generally 

 followed by a drop in the temperature. This recourse is 

 specially valuable during the period of invasion. Often it 

 actually will permanently "break up" an approaching febrile 

 state. In the later stages perspiration is less effectual, but 

 it is always admissible. In fact, fever in animals can not be 

 very successfully combated when the skin is kept cold. 

 Clothing that will keep the body in a constant state of 

 warmth, verging on perspiration, constitutes no small part 

 in the treatment of any fever. Cold baths or tepid baths will 

 lower the temperature to any point desired, and under all 

 circumstances. Hence if the lowering of the temperature 

 were the only essential in the treatment of fever a universal 

 remedy is at hand. But since it has been shown by experi- 

 ence that such marked decrease of temperature as is pro- 

 duced by baths is more harmful than beneficial to the fever 

 patient, these expedients are now only utilized to keep the 

 fever within due bounds. In the treatment of heat stroke, 

 a disease due to heat, one without internal lesions, the cold 

 bath is a specific. In these cases when the temperature is 

 lowered by a point nearing the normal the patient rises per- 

 fectly cured. In symptomatic fevers the case is entirely dif- 

 ferent. Chilling the periphery, or even gradually cooling it, 

 seems always to lower the temperature at the expense of the 

 internal strength. Internal medicines, aconite, acetanilid, 

 antipyrin, quinine, and many others, may often be given to 

 advantage, but they must never be depended upon alone to 

 accomplish much, nor must they be expected to accomplish 

 wonders. Aconite lowers the temperature by depressing the 

 heart, acetanilid by diminishing combustion, quinine by pre- 



