THE CARDIAC INDICATIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS IN THE TREATMENT OF PNEUMONIA.

Abstract

It is a well known fact that in acute lobar pneumonia failure of heart power is the immediate cause of death, as a rule. In the first place there are three leading factors which enter into the causation of cardiac-insufficiency in this disease, which factors may operate singly or in combination. They may be conveniently considered under as many different heads, to-wit: First. The heart failure may be due to the toxic effects of the ptomaines present in the blood, on the heart muscle and ganglia. Secondly. It may be due in part at least to the obstruction offered to the pulmonary circulation by the inflammatory exudate in the air vessicles. Thirdly. The formation of cardiac thrombi may lead to right ventricular dilatation and exhaustion of heart power. Pneumonia belongs to the acute infectious diseases, hence it is intelligible that on account of the overwhelming of the system by the