General Principles of Veterinary Medicine 



better will be our success. In case of bowel disorder or where the 

 system is filled with poison a physic is usually given first. 



In cases of intense pain medicines are given to relieve the spasm 

 of the effected organ. In cases of gas formation drugs are given to open 

 up the bowels and absorb the gas. 



In cases of blood disorders we give medicines to purify the blood 

 and as most blood diseases are contagious, bacterins, vaccines, or anti- 

 toxins are injected under the skin of the healthy animals to prevent them 

 from developing the disease. 



In cases of sprains, bruises etc. we try to reduce the swelling by 

 causing increased circulation of the blood to the effected part. One of 

 the duties of the blood is to equalize body temperature therefore if 

 any part of the body is abnormal in temperature the blood rushes to that 

 part and the excess of blood carries away the poisons associated with 

 the disease. This is done in the case of swellings, bruises etc, by the 

 alternate application of hot and cold clothes, lineaments, blistering and 

 bandaging. Ordinary cotton batting tied on a swelling holds the flow 

 of blood to the part to equalize the body temperature, and the excess 

 blood brings many white blood corpuscles which are the scavangers 

 of the animal's body that kill bacteria. 



If the cause of the disease can be located it must be removed. If 

 the cause is in the food change the diet. If the cause is due to work put 

 the animal on a rest. If the fever is high furnish abundance of water 

 at frequent intervals. These matters of care as feed and water are im- 

 portant to success and no one will furnish the care as efficient as the 

 owner himself. Some medicines lose their strength when they become old, 

 some evaporate when exposed to the air. One can not expect good re- 

 sults with deterioated or diluted drugs. Some drugs and formulas 

 are sold under patent names for exorbinate prices, frequently they give 

 good results for the disease for which they were formulated. 



