246 
R. B. PLAGEMAN. 
stable is fairly comfortable and free from draughts—the most 
rational. 
Treatment .—In the hyperasmic stage acetanilid possesses 
practical value when the fever is threateningly high ; after 
exudation has taken place, the three sheet-anchors are digi¬ 
talis, nux vomica and belladonna. If only one is used I think 
nux has the preference. Digitalis alone almost always fails 
to stimulate the vaso-motor system sufficiently, and the bel¬ 
ladonna has to be added to regulate the blood-flow by its 
vascular action. The nux finds its greatest value as a tonic 
to the entire system when the poison of the disease is at¬ 
tacking the nerve-centres. 
When the fall of temperature begins to mark the stage of 
consolidation (the critical stage) then is strychnine and bella¬ 
donna particularly useful. Under favorable and peculiar cir¬ 
cumstances hydro-therapeutics may be advantageously used 
in the hyperaemic stage, when the temperature is critically 
high. When I use the term hydro-therapeutics in hippopa- 
thology I do not mean deluging the patient with cold water, 
but I mean frequently sponging with alcohol and water in 
the manner as before stated. The cold water sponging:* 
lowers the temperature. It acts in two ways: it alleviates 
nervous irritability, calms excitement, and stimulates metabol¬ 
ism. All heat is produced by motion or activity; the tem¬ 
perature of the body depends upon the vital power of the 
cell as it goes through its cycle of growth, nutrition and 
reproduction. The movements are modified by certain con¬ 
ditions ; when these are normal we have a natural amount of 
heat production, but under accidental circumstances the cell 
is compelled to act more energetically, and with its increased 
energy there is produced more heat, which is manifested as 
fever. 
Hyperthermia may be treated in two ways: First, by 
those agents which abstract heat from the body, as local or 
general application of cold water. Second, those drugs 
which diminish the internal generation of heat, either by 
stimulating the inhibitory heat nerve centres or by antago¬ 
nizing the heat-exciting factors in the blood. Among the 
