Inflammation, Fever, Treatment. 67 



Alkalies. Resolvents. When the organ inflamed is a serous 

 membrane in which dangerous adhesions or other functional dis- 

 orders are likely to occur from newly formed false membranes, 

 their formation should be counteracted as far as possible by the 

 free use of alkalies (carbonates of soda, potash, or ammonia, 

 nitre, iodide of potassium, muriate of ammonia, etc. ) , and in the 

 same conditions excessive effusion should be controlled by free 

 action on the kidneys. 



Antipyretics. To reduce the febrile temperature and especi- 

 ally, when caused by the ptomaines and toxins of bacterial infec- 

 tion, agents like acetanilid, antipyrin, exalgin, analgene, benzan- 

 ilid, salicylate of soda, and quinine have been largely employed 

 and will usually lower the temperature several degrees in a few 

 hours. They nearly all depress the vital forces, or hinder repar- 

 atory processes, so that their use is to be carefully guarded. 

 Quinine which is less depressing than the others hinders migration 

 of the leucocytes and thus stands in the way of successful phago- 

 cytosis. With a dangerously high temperature they may be tem- 

 porarily admissible, but they should be suspended as soon as pos- 

 sible. In all ordinary cases they are probably better avoided. A 

 judicious use of the cold or tepid bath, or of wet compresses is in- 

 comparably safer and more generally applicable. 



Stimulants. When the disease results in great prostration or 

 when symptoms of septic or ptomaine poisoning set in stimulants 

 are often required to sustain the flagging heart and circulation. 

 These may be alcohol, ammonia, ether, camphor, digitalis, etc. 



Tonic Refrigerants. I^ater, when both inflammation and fever 

 have been somewhat reduced, temperature, breathing, and pulse 

 rendered more moderate, eye clearer, and even appetite perhaps 

 slightly improved, the sedatives may give place to refrigerating 

 tonics, such as mineral acids (nitric, muriatic, sulphuric, or phos- 

 phoric), in combination with bitters (quassia, cascarilla, calumba, 

 gentian, salicin), without as yet the suspension of refrigerant di- 

 uretics. Thus for the horse the following : Recipe : Pharmaceu- 

 tical nitric acid, two drams ; infusion of gentian, ten ounces ; 

 nitrate of potassa, two ounces. Dissolve. Give one ounce every 

 six hours. 



In Convalescence. When convalescence has fairly set in, the 

 fever has subsided, and there remains merely some debility with 



