Inflammation is a vascular and nutrition re action of any tissue to an irritant, and shows a contraction followed by a distension of the capillary vessels, an increased and somewhat depraved action of the tissue cells and an ex udation into the affected and adjacent struc tures, or even into an internal cavity, of a liquid (lymph) and even blood, also a de ranged nervous control. It may kill or it may result in tissue changes of many kinds — death of the part from exclusion of blood, forma tion of new tissue, the formation of pus (abscess) and various degenerations.
Fever is a reaction, marked by an increase of body temperature, derangement of the nerv ous heat-producing centres, and of secretions generally, scanty high-colored urine of in creased density, costiveness, dry skin, etc. It attends on all acute extensive inflammations, rises and falls with them, and leads to many derangements and degenerations.
Treatment of Fever and Inflammation.— Up to a given point a general system of treatment can be laid down. The profound changes in the blood, the excess of fibrin and its en creasing coagulability, increase of white cells, enzymes and other poisons produced in the inflammatory and febrile processes, from the fermentations in the torpid bowels and else where, and from the altered products and sus pended secretions of glands, especially of the kidneys and skin, and from the generally al tered functions of the body cells, the system is charged with deleterious material. This can be to a large extent arrested or counteracted by a dose of laxative medicine (1 lb. Epsom salts) which will clear out the mass of ferment ing materials from the bowels and of fer mented product even from the blood and sys tem at large. If the already-formed poisons have given rise to diarrhoea this may be omitted or given in smaller doses, until the bowels and system have become more normal. With the bowels cleared, saltpetre may be usefully em ployed (54 or- twice a day) to lower heart action, increase the discharge from the kid neys and eliminate from the blood much injuri ous morbid product. Short of this the free use of water to drink will do much to activate both kidneys and skin, lowering body heat, and expelling and diluting the poisons. When body heat remains very high (103° F. and +) aspirin (2-4 drams in ball) increases kidney secretion and is especially useful in rheumatism, acetanilid (1-2 drams) or phenacetin (2-4 drams) may be given. A simple course is to
give pure cool air and water, clothing if chilly, and even damp compresses covering the af fected region or even the whole trunk. The skin over the region of the affected throat, lung, kidney or other part becomes nervously susceptible and even tender, and the applica tion of warmth relaxes and soothes the deep-.
inflamed nflamed part. The effect is still better if a damp compress is applied, warm if the animal is i cold, but cold if the surface is burn ing hot; t should be well wrung out so as not to drip, and at once covered, closely at all points, by a dry blanket or bandage sufficiently thick to prevent too sudden evapotation of the water and chilling of the skin. It must be a mode of applying warmth and thereby soothing. The good effect may be secured in other ways— by active friction to the skin, by rubbing actively with stimulating, essential oils, by an electric pad or by detaining the blood for an hour in the skin and then setting it free again. This was formerly effected by cupping. Chase most of the air out of the inverted cup by heating it with a taper; withdrawing the taper, suddenly apply the mouth of the empty cup on the skin over the affected part, and hold it there until it cools, increasing the partial vacuum, draw ing the skin up into the cup, and the blood into the skin. Apply cups over an area correspond ing to the size of the organ affected, and allow them to stay on for an hour. Then they can be taken off by separating the cup from the skin at one side and admitting air, when the blood will resume its original flow and pass out into the system. Biel's modern plan of enveloping an extended area of skin or a whole limb in a rigid, close-fitting cover and exhausting the air is essentially the same in principle. Both alike avail of the autotherapy method, for the blood coming with a ready prepared charge of toxins and defensive prod ucts from a microbian, inflammatory and febrile source is held for a time semi-stagnant in direct contact with healthy, active body cells until even more fully charged with the defen sive materials evolved from these under the most appropriate stimulus and is then sent back to carry out its recuperative work in the sys tem at large. Similarly, blistering uncon sciously availed of this source of defense and often with excellent results. In diseases of bones and joints even the hot iron judiciously applied will often work wonders.