Inflammation, Fever, Treatment. 65 



nation from the skin and other secreting surfaces. They may be 

 commenced warm (80° F.) and gradually cooled down to 65° F. 

 after the skin has become freely active. In the larger quadru- 

 peds, in which the warm bath is too often practically impossible, 

 the same revulsion of blood and warmth to the skin may be se- 

 cured by rags wrung out of hot (^almost scalding^) water, wrapped 

 tightly round the body, covered with two or more dry blankets, 

 and kept tightly applied against the surface by elastic circingles. 

 The legs may be rubbed with straw wisps till warm, and then 

 loosely bandaged, or applications of red pepper, ammonia, or 

 mustard, may be made prior to bandaging. In place of hot water 

 rugs, bags loosely filled with bran, chaff, or other light agent, 

 heated to tio° P., may be applied round the body, or, where it is 

 available, a Turkish or steam bath may be resorted to. These 

 hot cutaneous applications, to produce glow and perspiration, are 

 especially valuable in the chill that heralds a violent inflamma- 

 tion, and if that can be suddenly checked by this means the in- 

 flammation will often be warded off, or at least rendered slight 

 and easily controllable. After perspiring for half an hour the 

 patient may be gradually uncovered, rubbed dry, and covered 

 with a dry, warm blanket. If the skin is still glowing, a slight 

 sponging with cool or cold water may beneficially precede the 

 rubbing and drying. 



Cold Baths. In cases of very high fever a full cold bath 

 (68° F.) may be employed for fifteen minutes, and repeated as 

 often as the temperature rises. In many cases of parturition 

 fever in cows great benefit accrues from sponging the body with 

 cold water and allowing it to evaporate from the burning skin. 

 In the extreme fever of heat apoplexy (sunstroke), with a tem- 

 perature of 1 10° F. and upward, a strong current of cold water 

 from a hose directed on the head and body often gives the best 

 results. In ordinary fevers in large animals the cold pack will 

 often serve a good purpose. Wring a blanket out of water (cold 

 or tepid, according to the height of the fever and the strength 

 and power of reaction of the patient), wrap it round the body, 

 cover it with several dry blankets so that no part is exposed, and 

 keep the whole in close contact with the skin by elastic circingles. 

 In fifteen minutes the skin should be glowing and perspiring, and 

 in half an hour the wrappings should be removed, a little at a 



