W. L* ZUILL. 
There are two facts to be remembered in the treatment, the 
first of which is, that there is, from the very beginning all the 
general phenomena of an intense febrile condition, and secondly 
a marked tendency to congestion of the most vascular organs, 
with blood stasis. Given these facts we naturally ask, how are 
we to counteract these conditions most effectually and quickly ? 
Notwithstanding everything that may be said to the contrary, 
the first indication is to bleed. The great benefits to be derived 
from bleeding were very clearly demonstrated by M. Trasbotin 
what he intended to be a series of experiments, finding no seri¬ 
ous results from small bleeding, the quantity of blood taken was 
gradually increased until as much as 6 or 7 litres were with¬ 
drawn from plethoric animals. This treatment instead of kill¬ 
ing the animals as was contended a priori produced an instant 
relief. The great advantage of this treatment, was the immedi¬ 
ate improvement of the most dangerous symptoms, the emission 
of blood being always followed by improvement. 
During the last few years I have had many opportunities to 
thoroughly test the value of this treatment, and in not a single 
instance have I had occasion to regret it, many of the cases so 
treated, requiring no other treatment. 
Objection to venesection undoubtedly arose from the fact 
that earlier investigators erroneously supposed that this was 
allied to charbon or septicesemia, in which diseases bleeding is 
contra-indicated. Bleeding in the early stages of influenza or 
typhoid fever in the horse, was first brought to my notice 
through the writings of Prof. Trasbotof Alfort, and so thoroughly 
satisfied am I of ts great value when used promptly and fear¬ 
lessly, that I do not feel as if an apology was necessary for this 
repetition. 
The practice of bleeding cannot do harm, and is not ob¬ 
jectionable in any respect, but yet there are practitioners who 
will learnedly argue against it, without having tried its effects 
in a single instance. When pulmonary congestion is threatened, 
bleeding is absolutely necessary, and free bleeding in these 
cases is the only thing that will abort that complication, which 
