Arthritis

inflammation of a joint. Thus, acute arthritis may be set up by injury; again, there is gouty arthritis, which affects by preference the joint of the big toe (GouT), or tubercular ‘arthritis, which in its most common form constitutes the “‘ hip-joint disease” of children. In acute rheumatism one or more joints are inflamed, and the condition may be spoken of as rheumatic arthritis; this form of joint disease must not, however, be confused with chronic rheumatic arthritis. The last-named affection, which is also designated by the terms “rheumatoid arthritis,” or “ arthritis deformans,” has nothing to do with acute rheumatism. It is, as a rule, chronic, and occurs during middle life, affecting the small joints. The articular cartilages are gradually worn away, and the exposed bony surface becomes polished, rooved, and hardened or “eburnated.” Bony epos it also occurs in the ti ues around the joint, and thus deformity results, hence the name. The course of rheumatoid arthritis is slow, but unfortunately it is not very amenable to treatment. Still something can be effected by regulating diet, by suitable exercise, by baths, and by the administration of certain remedies, such as guaiacum and iodide of pota ium.