blood-vessels beat and throb ; being roused
to endeavor, so to speak, to overcome the
obstruction there. Heat, redness, swelling,
and pain, all belong to this stage.
Then follows exudation. This is the
forcing of some of the fluid portion of the
blood (often with some of the wliite coi^-
pitscles ; occasionally also a number of the
red corpuscles) out, under the pressure of the
excitement and resistance together, through
the walls of the vessels, into the substance
of the part. If this fluid is thin, it may col-
lect as a " serous effusion ; ' ' such as is fre-
quently the result of pleurisy. When thick
and adhesive, it glues parts together (^plastic
lynipli) ; this happens in the pleura, in the
peritoneum, in the pericardium, and in the
membranes of the brain. If, again, there
are many white corpuscles in it, and the
vitality of the part is disturbed much, pus
is formed ; we have suppuration ; with
either an abscess, or, at once, a yellowish or
greenish prudent discharge (as in severe
bronchitis) .
This is one way in which the three stages
of inflammation may follow one another.
But, differently from this, there may be the
firststageof excitement, and thesecond, of ex-
udation (effusion), with, for a third, instead
of suppuration, gangrene, or viortification.
More frequently we have inflammatory
excitement, and moderate or small exuda-
tion, followed by resolution; that is, the
inflammatory process ceases, without either
suppuration or gangrene ; and the part and
the patient get well.
Now, what can be done by treatment
against the going on of inflammation to its
worst (gangrene), or the next worst (sup-
puration), or the third in seriousness (liquid
effusion) ?
We can attack it in the first stage of ex-
citement, with, in many cases, very good
effect. This is what we mean by reducing
inflammation ; moderating the violence of
the conflict between the surrounding throb-
bing blood-vessels and the obstructed centre,
so that the least possible damage shall be
done by it.
Means Used in Reducing Inflammatoin.
For this purpose, the means available in
different cases are, chiefly, these :
492
Rest ; Position ; Cold ; Diet ; Purgation ;
Blood-letting ; Cooling Medicines ; Nervous
Sedatives ; Counter-irritation.
Rest of the part is indispensable in all
inflammations. When the part is small,
and is not used in moving about, the body
need not be absolutely confined. If it be
otherwise, as when an ankle is inflamed
from a severe sprain, and still more when a
lung, or the pleura, or a bowel, is so af-
fected, the rest must be complete, in bed.
Carrying a sore hand in a sling rests it ;
covering an inflamed eye with adhesive
plaster closing the lids, or remaining in a
darkened room, gives it repose. But any
one with an inflamed lung must be kept as
still as possible ; and must not even speak,
unless in a whisper. If the brain be in-
flamed, quietness and almost darkness will
be necessary, to avoid mental as well as
bodily disturbance.
Position can be made to help when a
hand or a foot is inflamed. By keeping the
part raised, the tendency of blood towards
it will be lessened advantageously.
Page 154
Presented as published in 1901. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
blood-vessels beat and throb ; being roused to endeavor, so to speak, to overcome the obstruction there. Heat, redness, swelling, and pain, all belong to this stage.
Then follows exudation. This is the forcing of some of the fluid portion of the blood (often with some of the white corpuscles ; occasionally also a number of the red corpuscles) out, under the pressure of the excitement and resistance together, through the walls of the vessels, into the substance of the part. If this fluid is thin, it may collect as a " serous effusion ; ' ' such as is frequently the result of pleurisy. When thick and adhesive, it glues parts together (^plastic lymph) ; this happens in the pleura, in the peritoneum, in the pericardium, and in the membranes of the brain. If, again, there are many white corpuscles in it, and the vitality of the part is disturbed much, pus is formed ; we have suppuration ; with either an abscess, or, at once, a yellowish or greenish purulent discharge (as in severe bronchitis) .
This is one way in which the three stages of inflammation may follow one another. But, differently from this, there may be the firststageof excitement, and the second, of exudation (effusion), with, for a third, instead of suppuration, gangrene, or mortification.
More frequently we have inflammatory excitement, and moderate or small exudation, followed by resolution; that is, the inflammatory process ceases, without either suppuration or gangrene ; and the part and the patient get well.
Now, what can be done by treatment against the going on of inflammation to its worst (gangrene), or the next worst (suppuration), or the third in seriousness (liquid effusion) ?
We can attack it in the first stage of excitement, with, in many cases, very good effect. This is what we mean by reducing inflammation ; moderating the violence of the conflict between the surrounding throbbing blood-vessels and the obstructed centre, so that the least possible damage shall be done by it.
Means Used in Reducing Inflammation.
For this purpose, the means available in different cases are, chiefly, these :
Rest ; Position ; Cold ; Diet ; Purgation ; Blood-letting ; Cooling Medicines ; Nervous Sedatives ; Counter-irritation.
Rest of the part is indispensable in all inflammations. When the part is small, and is not used in moving about, the body need not be absolutely confined. If it be otherwise, as when an ankle is inflamed from a severe sprain, and still more when a lung, or the pleura, or a bowel, is so affected, the rest must be complete, in bed. Carrying a sore hand in a sling rests it ; covering an inflamed eye with adhesive plaster closing the lids, or remaining in a darkened room, gives it repose. But any one with an inflamed lung must be kept as still as possible ; and must not even speak, unless in a whisper. If the brain be inflamed, quietness and almost darkness will be necessary, to avoid mental as well as bodily disturbance.
Position can be made to help when a hand or a foot is inflamed. By keeping the part raised, the tendency of blood towards it will be lessened advantageously.