On the Use of Indigo. 33 



III. On the Use of Indigo, in the Strangles of Horses. 

 In a letter to the Editor, from Mr. Thomas 

 Turpin, A. M., Student of Medicine in the Uni- 

 versity of Pemisyhania. 



Sir, 



HAVING, in the First Part of your valuable 

 publication, observed a " Memorandum concerning 

 the use of Indigo in the disease of Cynanche Trache- 

 alis*," I am thereby induced to communicate to you 

 some circumstances relative to the employment of 

 the same article in that disease, to which horses are 

 liable ; viz. the " Strangles," but more generally 

 called " the Distemper." 



I have several times, and I think with advantage, 

 administered the Indigo, in the quantity of one ounce 

 at a dose, in the form of one or two boluses. The 

 medicine was given in the evening ; the horse was 

 stabled, and not allowed to drink cold water, until 

 twenty-four hours had elapsed. 



I am unable to say, in what manner its good effects 

 were produced, or what particular organs were more 

 especially affected, though my ideas were, that it 

 operated as a diaphoretic, and relieved the stertorous 

 breathing with which, in this disease, the animal is 

 commonly affected ; which, probably, is caused by a 

 spasmodic contraction of the muscles of the glottis. 



* Section First. Article x. 

 VOL. I. PART II. E 



