COLD APPLICATIONS VS. COUNTER—IRRITATION. 
731 
trouble? We know that before this sensation of pain occurs 
the nerves must have been injured. Certain experiments on 
animals by Wood and others have proven that injuries to the 
nervous system cause a rise in temperature, and Dr. White, 
lecturer at Guy’s Hospital, London, in an able paper, lias 
tried to prove that all pyrexias are of a nervous origin, and 
in following up the history of a case of pneumonia we can 
thoroughly substantiate that fact. The action of the blister 
then, because of its irritating effect on the nerves, cannot but 
increase the temperature and by so doing aggravate the 
disease. 
True, we find the capillaries and veins and, in fact, all the 
cutaneous circulation around the irritated part in a congested 
condition, aud in this way an external congestion is estab¬ 
lished and a “ reservoir ” formed where a large quantity of 
blood can be stored away, thus drawing a great deal from the 
internal organs, and by so doing the advocate of counter-irri¬ 
tation reasons we will relieve the congested condition of the 
vessels in the inflamed lungs; but before jumping at this con¬ 
clusion, let us look a little further into its action. When the 
pain due to the blister first commences, it causes great uneasi¬ 
ness of the animal, as is shown by pawing, perspiring and un¬ 
easy movements generally, which in a short time gives place 
to a pain that is more settled, that is, it is not so severe when 
standing quietly, but that is intense when any movement is 
made. 
The patient if made to move, does so very reluctantly and 
frequently groans with the pain so caused, and in order to 
move this blistered area as little as possible, we find the ani¬ 
mal stationary, with breathing faster and more shallow, the 
upper portion of the lung doing the greatest amount of work. 
At every inspiration there is a stretching of the muscles over 
which the blister is, and the sufferer finds that by standing 
quietly, and using these muscles as little as possible, he en¬ 
dures less pain ; thus we find the upper portion of the lungs 
called upon to do more, while the lower, the inflamed por¬ 
tion, and the parts immediately adjacent to the diseased area, 
do less than formerly, so that the blood stasis is much more 
