28 PEINCIPLES OP VETEEINABY SURGEEY 



TRAUMATIC FEVER. 



Describe its nature and causes. 



It represents a constitutional disturbance accompanied by 

 various symptoms, as increased body temperature, increased 

 pulse rate, changes in the composition of tbe blood, changes 

 in the distribution of the blood, disturbances of the nerva.tory, 

 digestive and respiratory apparatus. Fever following non- 

 infected wounds is termed aseptic fever, explained by the 

 absorption of broken down bits of tissue, blood clots, effused 

 serum, which are known to have a pyrogenous action (fever- 

 producing). Fever following infected wounds is termed septic 

 or bacterial fever, also intoxication-infection fever, explained 

 by the absorption of chemical poisons (toxines) of the wound 

 'secretion, the result of the action of pyogenic micro-- 

 organisms. 



How is the generation of traumatic fevers explained ? 



The exact origin of fevers is still somewhat dark. Never- 

 theless it appears that the heat centre in the brain produces 

 and regulates calorification. Experiments have shown that 

 irritation of the heat centre causes a rise of temperature, 

 while paralysis of the centre is followed by a sinking of the 

 body temperature. Irritation of the heat centre may b& 

 produced by the action of chemicals, as mallein, tuberculin, 

 argenti coUoidalis, albumoses, toxines, etc., while a depres- 

 sing influence is exterted upon the heat centre by such 

 chemicals as antifebrin, antipyrin, etc. Traumatic fevers, 

 therefore, in the light of modern science, probably depend on 

 the irritation of the heat centre by the absorption of poisonous 

 chemical products contained in the wound secretion. 



