TREATMENT. All sources of irritation and all causes of the condition must be sought and re moved; local action must be lessened. complica tion: must be avoided, or treated if present: pain must be relieved: and the patient's strength most be supported. Rest. must be obtained. The patient in an exhausting, case must be put to bed: inflamed parts must be supported with bandages, splints, slings. or cushions, securing proper position and slant. In many eases the application of cold is desirable, and this is se cured by using an ice-bag or ice-coil, evaporating, lotions, or irrigation with cold water. pleat may be desirable. to favor suppuration and en courage 'pointing' of an abscess or a furuncle. But in the case of bacterial infection heat often does harm by lowering the of tissue and inviting further spread of the micro-organ isms. Poultices, especially, offer rich ground for the p ropagation of bacteria. Local blood-letting ina) be desirable. by means of the artificial cut ping. in, isions or searitications, or by means of game or rub ber bandages, is of:elision:111y indicated. Inci sions may he necessary to relie%c tension. as in
er3sipelas, %%here deep cuts in the axis of the limb relieve pain. .1stringent ;and stimulating drug, may be used. such as belladonna, silver lotrate. tannic acid. hydrastis, zinc salts. cif, Counter- i Frit at ion is effectual in certain eases, in the cautery, caustics, vesicant-., or rubcfaeients are fused.
.1niong the con,titutional agents used in com bating inflammation are bloodletting in certain cerebral or thoraeie conditions; diet; drugs, in cluding aconite, colt-lin-um. belladonna. diuretics, iodide of potassium. opium, quinine, mercury, and purgatives. Stimulants. together with in creased nourishment, may be demanded in ex haustion or in chronic cases. The measures ap propriate to each disease in which inflammatory conditions arise are mentioned under the appro priate title. Consult; .1. II. Smith, "Intermedi ate Inflammatory Process." in Transactions of r .1 ssoria t ion of I Illeriegli New York, 1900) ; Delafichl and Pi-widen. //andbook of Pathological Anatomy and 11 ist °logy I Cali ed., New York, 1901).