318 ACUTE GENERAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES 



brown sugar may be strewn over the feed. In case a meal is 

 refused or not entirely eaten it should not remain indefinitely 

 in the feed box, but be removed and the box cleaned. Skim 

 milk may be given (three or four gallons daily) if the patient 

 will drink it. Hanging blankets wet with cold formalin solu- 

 tion in the stable helps lower the temperature in hot weather 

 and assists disinfection. A thorough cleaning up and dis- 

 infection of the infected quarters will do more to reduce the 

 mortality than drugs. The unequal distribution of the surface 

 temperature should be regulated by proper grooming. The 

 legs should be covered with Derby or flannel bandages, which 

 tend to prevent edema. Medicinal treatment should only 

 be employed when absolutely necessary. Overdrugging in 

 influenza always increases the mortality. The following 

 conditions may require medicinal aid : 



Fever. — The fever should be let alone unless it reaches an 

 unusual height or is continuing rather indefinitely and seri- 

 ously affecting the heart action. It may be reduced by cold 

 rectal infusions which not only lower temperature but stimu- 

 late peristalsis and unload the bowels. The use of antipy- 

 retics, such as acetanilid or phenacetin (3ij every three hours) 

 is dangerous, as both drugs are powerful heart depressants. 

 They should be administered, if at all, with caution. Sodium 

 salicylate (3iv) is less dangerous in this regard, but may 

 irritate the stomach. 



Heart Weakness. — When the pulse becomes rapid and weak 

 'one dose of digitalis (Squibb's fluidextract 5ij~i v ) has a 

 remarkable toning effect. Strophanthus (3 ij— iv) , caffein 

 (5ss-j), camphor oil (subcutaneously Sss-j) are also effec- 

 tive. When the pulse is strong enough, alcohol (brandy 

 (5 iij) with ether (§ ss) in a pint of cold water) is of service. 



G 'astro-intestinal Tract. — Artificial Carlsbad salts (Bij-iij) 

 to which bitter agents (gentian, nux vomica) are added are 

 useful. Dram doses of a solution of strychnin nitrate in water 

 (strychnin gr. j, water 3j) may be used. Bowel disinfectants 

 are also employed, as creolin (§ss-5j) or naphtholin (Bss). 

 Diarrhea may be fought with astringents like tannin with 

 opium. Starch clysters are helpful. The profuse diarrhea 

 attending septicemia is impossible to check. Calomel (gr. 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



