PLETHORA, or HYPEREMIA, a con dition of overfulness of the blood-vascular sys tem, a condition in which there is obvious ex cess of blood in the body. It can hardly be called a disease. That is to say, the quantity of blood may be in excess of the normal, but itsquality may be unaltered. On the other hand, there is a condition of plethora, called by pathologists hydnemic plethora, in which there is not only excess in the total volume of blood, but the excess is due to retention of water, so that the blood is more watery than usual. But the term plethora as ordinarily used signifies simply excess of blood.
Amputation is a frequent cause of plethora, as the digestive powers dO not immediately ac commodate themselves to the reduced wants of the system, and too much food is liable to be taken and too much blood formed. Plethora has two leading causes — the introduction into the vascular system of too much nutriment,. and the deficient activity of tissue-change' in the various organs, whereby the nutritive matter is insufficiently removed from the blood. A ten
dency to plethora thus generally develops at an advanced, age, when the activity of tissue processes has been considerably diminished. Plethora is often confounded with obesity, from which it is quite distinct. Plethoric persons, however, are usually unduly stout, much of the excess of nutritive material being deposited as fat under the skin. Plethora produces a diminu tion of activity and a greater tendency to sleep than belongs with health; these symptoms in crease as it becomes aggravated, and culminate in lassitude and vertigo, turgid countenance, suf fused eyes, palpitation of the heart, and similar phenomena. The treatment of plethora is en tirely negative, and is suggested by the causes of the disease. Abstinence and exercise are its two most important elements, and their com bination depends upon the circumstances of the Individual case. Generally abstinence from malt liquors, wines or spirits is recommended.