GENERAL THERAPEUTICS OF FEVER 



Nature of Fever. — By the term fever is understood a symptom- 

 complex, in which the general condition is disturbed in several 

 respects. The most important changes are elevation of the body 

 temperature, increased frequency of the pulse, change in the dis- 

 tribution of the blood and of the blood-pressure, alteration of the 

 composition of the blood and derangement of the digestive, respi- 

 ratory and nervous apparatuses. Increase of the body tempera- 

 ture is not the only s3m[iptom of fever. 



The exact processes concerned in the generation of fever are not 

 entirely understood. Like Laflammation, fever is to be regarded 

 as a natural reaction of the body designed to protect it against 

 invading disease-producing agents. In this connection, the most 

 important role seems to be played by the formation of antitoxins 

 (antibodies) on the one hand, and by the heat centre in the brain 

 on the other. The antitoxins neutralize the bacterial poisons 

 (toxins) with the augmentation of albumin decomposition and 

 increase of metabolism. The heat centre regulates the uniform 

 distribution of heat and also the generation of heat in the body 

 (calorific centre). When the heat centre is stimulated the body 

 temperature rises; when it is depressed or paralyzed the tempera- 

 ture falls. The centre may be stimulated in several ways: trau- 

 matically, by puncturing with an instrument or wounding it other- 

 wise (heat puncture in rabbits); thermically, by high degrees of 

 heat (heat stroke, sun stroke) ; chemically, by numerous chemical 

 substances (toxins, ferments, mallein, tuberculin); or reflexly, by 

 pain (so-called nervous fever). On the other hand, the heat centre 

 may be depressed and the body temperature lowered by trau- 

 matic (destruction of the centre), thermic (cold) and chemical 

 (acetanilid, antipyrine) influences. 



Causes and Forms of Fever. — The causes of fever are various. 

 Bacteria are most frequently the cause (wound fever, infectious 

 fever). Not rarely, however, fever occurs without the inter- 

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