TREATMENT.--Very mild cases of purpura simplex require no treatment, not even confinement within doors. The patient is often first made aware of his disease by accident; doubtless it frequently escapes detection altogether. It has been observed that purpura often appears upon the lower limbs of convalescents from other diseases when they first essay the upright position. Relapses of purpura also frequently appear as the patient leaves his bed. We have here an important indication for treatment--viz. the maintenance of the recumbent posture in cases of any degree of severity. Fresh vegetables and vegetable acids do not have the same happy influence as in scurvy. It is manifestly important that appropriate food should be administered in sufficient quantity, both to improve the general health and to repair the exhausting losses of blood. Milk is an exceedingly valuable article of diet in these cases, being but little apt to irritate the mucous membrane of the alimentary canal. The patient should be guarded against violence. Injuries that may be of no consequence to healthy persons may excite in the purpuric profuse hemorrhage, free or interstitial. Violent emotions and physical efforts should be avoided, as in stimulating the heart's action a condition of increased blood-pressure ensues that may readily result in extravasation. There are no remedies that exert a specific influence over purpura, and yet quite a number have enjoyed, and still enjoy, high reputation in controlling the symptoms. Probably the most frequently employed remedy against purpura is sulphuric acid, preferably the aromatic sulphuric acid, in doses of from 15 to 20 drops, diluted well with water and administered every third or fourth hour. It is certainly an agent of value, though some authors maintain that it has no efficacy (Immermann). Acetate of lead undoubtedly exercises an influence over the course of the disease. More recently, ergot has been employed. Its use has been highly extolled by Buckley and others. Very large doses may be given. The hypodermic use of ergotin has been followed by results most gratifying to those employing it. Oil of turpentine has enjoyed considerable reputation. A remedy that undoubtedly has a good effect is iron, both as {194} exercising a controlling action over the bleeding and as assisting to repair the resulting anæmia. The tincture of the chloride is the most suitable preparation, and may be given in large doses (from minim xx to fluidrachm ss), well diluted, every fourth hour. Care must be exercised to avoid irritating the digestive organs with it. Formerly, venesection was employed to prevent the occurrence of hemorrhage, but its efficacy in this direction is at least doubtful, and cannot but help to intensify the disastrous consequences of severe and protracted attacks.