INFLAMMA′TION. Syn. Inflammatio, L. In pathology, a certain state of disease. The common symptoms of inflammation are pain, swelling, heat, and redness, attended with fever, and general constitutional derangement when severe.
The treatment of inflammations, whether trifling; or serious, is essentially the same in principle, and only differs in degree. This consists in the adoption of the usual means for lowering the force of the circulation and the frequency of the pulse; of which leeching, purging, a low diet, and the use of refrigerant drinks and lotions, form the most important part. The constitutional derangement or symptomatic inflammatory fever, and inflammatory condition of the blood always accompany local inflammation, and progress with its intensity. In inflammations of a more purely local character, cupping or leeching the part immediately affected, or the parts adjacent to it, is in general more appropriate and successful. In these cases the application of refrigerant or sedative lotions, baths, &c., generally proves of much advantage. In cases in which there is induration or dryness of the part, the use of warm embrocations is indicated.
Inflammation often arises from apparently very trifling causes, particularly in persons of a full or bad habit of body, or who indulge in the free use of malt liquors. In some persons a very trifling local injury, as a slight abrasion, cut, prick, or sprain, produces a considerable amount of tumefaction, attended with severe constitutional excitement. Punctured wounds, sprains, and dislocations commonly furnish the most serious cases of inflammation that depend on mere external injury.[359] See Abscess, Fever, Tumour, &c.
[359] In all inflammatory cases of a serious nature, the reader is strongly advised to commit himself to the care of a medical practitioner.
Inflammation of the Bowels. The common causes are incautious exposure to cold, the use of improper food, and the presence of acrid substances or hardened fæces in the bowels. The more constant symptoms are pain over the abdomen, thirst, heat, and extensive restlessness and anxiety; sickness, obstinate constipation, and a hard, small, quick pulse. In the later stages the pain and tenderness of the abdomen, especially around the navel, become excessive, and there is difficult micturition. In some cases the pain suddenly ceases, the belly becomes tumid, the pulse scarcely perceptible, the countenance ghastly, and the patient dies in a few hours. The treatment consists in blisters, leeches to the abdomen, hot bath and fomentations, aperient clysters, and mercurial purges; with effervescing draughts and opium to allay sickness, followed by diaphoretic salines and gentle aperients. See Stomach affections, &c.
INFLAMMATORY FE′VER. See Fever and Inflammation.
INFLUEN′ZA. See Catarrh.
INFU′SION. Syn. Infusum, Infusio, L. A liquid medicine, prepared by macerating vegetable or animal substances in water, at any temperature below that of ebullition.
The mode of preparing infusions is, with most substances, precisely similar to that pursued for making the almost universal beverage—TEA. The ingredients are commonly placed in a stoneware pot or vessel (an ‘infusion pot’), previously made hot; boiling water is then poured over them, and the cover being placed on, the whole is allowed to digest together, at first, for a short time, in a warm situation, as on the hob or the fender, and afterwards (the vessel being removed from the heat) until the whole becomes cold. The liquid is then poured from the ingredients, and the latter, being slightly pressed, if necessary, the infusion is strained through a piece of clean linen or a hair sieve for use. During the digestion the ingredients should be occasionally stirred, an important matter often neglected, and not even referred to by most pharmaceutical writers.
The substances employed for making infusions receive the same preliminary treatment as those intended for making DECOCTIONS. Shavings, leaves, and flowers require no previous preparation beyond being pulled asunder; but roots, woods, and other solid substances must be bruised or sliced, if in the green or recent state, or bruised or coarsely pulverised, if dry, for the purpose of exposing as large a surface as possible to the action of the menstruum.