fl2 GENERAL THEBAPEUTIC MEASUEES 



HEAT 



Water at a moderate degree of heat — what is termed 

 lukewarm — i. e., 86° to 95° F., applied to the body, stimu- 

 lates the action of the skin, relaxes peripheral vessels and 

 diminishes nervous excitability, pain and spasm in neigh- 

 boring parts. Water at a temperature of 112° to 120° F. 

 contracts blood vessels of underlying parts, relieving con- 

 gestion and pain. Such a degree of heat resembles cold in 

 its effect, and they may often be used interchangeably. Still 

 stronger heat has much the same effect as excessive cold, 

 only acting more quickly, causing dilatation of the vessels, 

 pain, inflammation and destruction of tissue. The action of 

 powerful heat on the whole body, or upon single organs, is 

 similar to that of counter-irritants. Mild, moist heat is 

 beneficial in the treatment of wounds in poorly vascular 

 parts where there is a tendency to indolent granulation, as 

 about the feet in horses. Again, in low grades of inflamma- 

 tion with induration, as in strains of tendons, where mod- 

 erate heat tends to stimulate the circulation and hasten 

 absorption. In the treatment of abscess and burns, with 

 destruction of tissue and suppuration, moist heat applied 

 locally macerates the dead tissue, hastens sloughing and 

 relieves pain, and in softening parts prevents the burrow- 

 ing of pus and the formation of deep-seated pockets and 

 sinus's. 



A modern view of poulticing is that it aids the migra- 

 tion of leucocytes, and therefore is productive of good in 

 assisting their phagocytic action.* The abscess can thus be 

 more speedily formed and more quickly deflned. Herein 

 heat differs from cold. In irritable and spasmodic troubles 

 of muscular origin in various organs, heat is distinctly reme- 

 dial, as in pelvic and abdominal pain and colic, when 

 employed in the form of rectal injections. Heat may, iu 

 many conditions, be used interchangeably with, or in the 

 place of, cold, according to the preference of the practitioner, 



o„j „* ?°' applications Increase exudation, congestion, eoUection of leucocytes 

 and opsnims, locally. All these results are inimical to bacterial growth. 



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