Cold ablutions on the affected parts, air and water cushions, must be employed early enough to avert any danger of bed-sores.

This strict treatment of the patient—­physically and mentally, will in most cases be sufficient to render his condition endurable; otherwise the struggle against the irritation of complications becomes intense, rendering it imperative, in the first degree, that the brain symptoms should be carefully watched.

Cold compresses on the head must be used in case such symptoms appear, but absolute undisturbed rest will conduce more than anything else to their infrequent occurrence.

Collapse must be contended against with light stimulating food (light bouillon of veal or chicken with a little condensed substance).  Wine with alcohol might endanger the life of the patient.  If the collapse is protracted, constituting a menace to life, the addition of cold water to the lukewarm bath and similar procedure may be tried, but only by a skilled expert.

Diarrhoea must be resisted by means of diet and clysters (enemas) with rice-water, if necessary; the enemas must be given cautiously.  They are dangerous on account of possible violations and consequently rupture of the ulcerated intestines.  These and other points, however, such as threatening paralysis etc., are entirely in the hands of the physician.

The contest against all the complications of typhus must be directed by absolutely skilled and experienced persons only, since in this disease particularly every mistake of any importance whatsoever, may cost the life of the patient.

Besides this specific form of typhus which commands general attention, the others are of merely theoretical interest.  One, however, I wish to mention in passing; namely: 

E.  Relapsing Fever (Typhus Recurrens).

This also begins with chills and shivering, and a general tired feeling, and is immediately followed by high fever, up to a temperature of 104 deg..  The skin is covered with excretory perspiration.  The brain symptoms are lacking.  The illness reaches its climax very quickly; but suddenly the patient feels much better, after extremely free perspiration.  He continues remarkably well for about a week, when a new attack of the illness, a relapse, occurs.  There are frequently from three to four relapses of this kind, which severely tax the strength of the patient.

The number and the intensity of these relapses determines the degree of the illness.

The treatment is regulated in accordance with the principles to be applied in abdominal typhus.  The relapses may be averted or at any rate reduced to a great degree, by strict observance of the methods herein prescribed, especially in regard to diet.

F.  Diet in Cases of Typhus.

Typhus abdominalis is a form of disease which requires the most careful dietetic treatment, since it combines high fever, which lasts for several weeks, with a severe ulcerous process in the small and large intestines.