70S MEDICAL DICTIONARY

point to observe in taking purgatives is to ascertain what is the direct cause of constipation. It may be due to errors of diet, want of exercise, indigestion, or habitual neglect of the calls of nature, when of course the lower bowel becomes distended and;semi-paralyzed in consequence of the accumulations which have existed so long within its canal, because the parts have got Stretched and unable to act by unaided efforts. If the laws of nature were properly attended to purgatives would be rarely callecf for, but when they are nece ary it is important that they should be employed without hesitation, as many evil consequences arise from constipation, and predisposition to disease is induced by accumulations within the intestine, while the absorption of Pus foetid fluids naturally arises therefrom. upon granulating surfaces, open wounds, and ulcers. It vanes very much in character, but in every instance is the result of decomposition. At one time pus was it thought to be e ential to the act of healing; now, however, it is always considered an unnece ary evil, as its presence can always be avoided by the judicious and careful employment of antiseptics, except of course in the formation of absce es which are beyond the contrcS of the aurgeon until they have actually formed yet, by prompt interference, these absce es can be frequently aborted and prevented from extending in their dimensions. The formation of pus is due to the action of certain minute organisms which prey upon the secretion of the membrane, granulations, or other part which has been weakened either by disease or injury, and thus rendered an easy prey to these microbes. contain pus. They are invariably due to decomposition taking place in serum which has been effused in limited areas on the surface of the skin. They generally appear as clear vesicles, and these undergo a purulent change. The formation of pus in such circumstances, if the eruption is extensive, as in some cases of small-pox, is always attended by very high fever hence the great danger which attends the development; of pus in this disease, and which gives rise to the secondary fever of small-pox. of the poison of anthrax or charbon into the skin. It is a most painful, and at one time was considered a fatal, disease now, however, by the introduction subcutaneously; of antiseptics round the neighbourhood of the pustule the disease can frequently De destroyed, in consequence of the parasite being killed. In olden times it was thought nece ary to avert a fatal i ue by excising the pustule along with a considerable portion of the healthy skin, or else to destroy the diseased area by the use of powerful caustics. There can be little doubt that this disease may be communicated by means of flies, which have been feeding on putrid matter, alighting on the skin and depositing the poison there so that if irritation commences after the bite of one of; these insects the greatestjwatchfulne should be paid to its immediate effects. always attended with very high fever, which may abate for a period, but always comes on again with renewed vigour. The fever is due to the blood being poisoned from absorption of foetid matter from any given point The suppuration occurs in the blood itself, but this invariably gives rise to coagulation of the blood in its immediate neighbourhood within the ve el. The pus germs, however, invade this clot and reduce it to pus, when a fresh exacerbation of the fever immediately ensues. This succe ion of feverish attacks comes on for a limited period, but sooner or later the patient succumbs to the general septicaemia which always results if the disease has not been checked. In olden times, before antiseptics were thoroughly understood, pyaemia, or septicaemia, was a very common occurrence in the practice of surgery now, however, thanks to cleanline and antiseptics,; and the laws which the employment of these substances have naturally developed, this disease is rarelv or never met with, and if it does show itself it can always be traced to negligence on the part of the medical man or the nurses in attendance upon the patient. It commences with