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hot
treatment until it bursts and discharges. For treatment then, see Abscess;

Wounds.
During all this treatment the whole back should be gently rubbed daily
with warm olive oil for half an hour, if as much can be borne.
Assimilation.--Is the process whereby the digested food is carried into
the blood stream, and thus conveyed to the different parts of the body
where the hungry cells are in need of it.
[Illustration: Fig. 1.--A bit of the inner coat of the small intestine.]
Fine threads of blood vessels (capillaries) take it up from the stomach
and intestines. Also along the intestines there are little projections
(villi), through which the food passes into a blood stream leading to the
liver, where the blood is then purified. These projections also contain
lacteals or little vessels containing blood without its red corpuscles. A
duct carries this colourless blood mixed with absorbed food to the left
side of the neck, where it empties into the blood stream. These lacteals
have a special affinity for the fat of the food. Most of the rest of the
food, including the proteid and the carbohydrate or starchy portion now
in the form of sugar, passes into the capillaries, and then is led to the
liver.
The liver will not let through more sugar than is required, storing it up
for future use. It also acts as a careful guardian, by arresting many
poisons which would otherwise pass into the general circulation. The
liver requires for the proper performance of its functions plenty of pure
blood, hence the necessity for fresh air and exercise, that the lungs may
work well. The liver is easily influenced by alcoholic beverages, and by
getting too hard work to do through eating rich foods. A consideration
of this delicate and intricate process, whereby the digested food is
absorbed, will show that badly-digested food can not hope to be well
assimilated, consequently attention should be paid to the quantity and
quality of the food we eat (see Digestion; Diet).
[Illustration: Fig. 2.--Two villi containing lacteals. The white canals are
lacteals, the darker lines indicate blood vessels (capillaries). Magnified
100 diameters. (From "Quain's Anatomy.")]

Whatever thus makes living substance is nourishment; whatever fails to
do so is not. If food be taken, and even digested, without being thus
assimilated, it becomes an injury to a patient instead of a help. In cases
of fever, inflammatory disease, or wasting sores, much rich food feeds
the fire. It is like laying rafters on the roof of a burning house for
purposes of repair. In such a case small quantities of milk, or milk and
hot water (see Digestion), represent the total food which can be
effectively used in the body. We write on this subject that in treatment
our friends may watch not to injure by making the blood too rich in
elements which the system cannot usefully assimilate. Such foods as
oatmeal jelly and wheaten porridge will often furnish more real
nourishment than pounds of bread, beef, and potatoes. A little careful
thought will guide to correct treatment in this matter. An easily
assimilated diet is found in Saltcoats biscuits and hot water; many
inveterate stomach troubles have yielded to this, when taken as sole
diet for some weeks (see Biscuits and Water).
Treatment may also be given for lack of assimilative power. The back,
especially on either side of the spine, is rubbed with gentle pressure and
hot olive oil. This pressure is so applied that a genial heat arises along
the whole spinal column. This done twice a day, for half-an-hour at a
time, and continued for several weeks, will markedly restore
assimilative power. Cases which have been perfectly helpless for eight
and even ten years are cured by this simple method, sufficiently and
carefully followed.
We had a patient who was stout, but weak and weary, with the muscles
slack and showing loss of power. The effect of back-rubbing,
accompanied by easily assimilated food in small quantities and often,
was to lessen his weight by a considerable amount. But the muscular
power at once began to increase, and the man was soon like one made
anew. Digestion had not been impaired in this case, but the blood
formed by it was not converted into good living substance. Sight and
hearing have even been restored by these means when the failure in eye
or ear has been due to waste material accumulating, as frequently is the
case.

In connection with many troubles, what may be called local
assimilation has to be considered. A foot, say, with a bad abscess or
diseased bone (see Pain, Severe) is cured by hot bathing and pressure.
From a shrunken and feeble limb, the leg grows to a healthy and strong
one. This occurs because the heat and pressure have so