spasmodic CKoticl 65 



legs), were nevertheless to order the attendants to flog the patient 

 "with the utmost severity, until he should rise and run, what would 

 be thought of the skill or judgment of the practitioner— 'Tis true 

 indeed that the dread of the lash might, in an interval of ease, 

 induce the patient to run, but surely no rational man would expect 

 that relief would be obtained by the exertion. If, however, the prac- 

 tice were merely cruel, and only nugatory in its effects, the Veteri- 

 narian would be justified, perhaps, in slightly reprobating it ; but 

 this is by no means the case. — For (as has been already explained,) 

 the parts affected with Spasm or Obstruction are in a condition that 

 win readily be followed by Inflammation, (especially when mucU 

 ^exhaustion and prostrations of strength have taken place, in conse- 

 quence of the continuence of violent pain) and when once Inflamma- 

 tion takes place under those circumstances, it frequently terminates 

 in mortification, in the course of a few hours. 



Now, if only Spasm or Obstruction exist in the Bowels, we have,, 

 certainly, other and more decided mean« of relief in our power, but 

 if inflammation have actually taken place, it would, most assuredly, 

 puzzle us to devise more effectual means, to hurry on mortification 

 and death. — There is another part of the ordinary treatment of this 

 disease, which I consider to be highly prejudicial to the animal, and 

 which cannot be too much reprobated — I mean the custom of giving 

 ardent spirits, mixed with pepper, grains of paradice, and such like 

 acrid, stimulating substances, which -can rarely, if ever, be necessary 

 and, in many cases, must be productive of infinite mischief. 



For that class of medicines called Antispasmodics or Carminatives, 

 (though in one sense they m.ust be allowed to be stimulants) ought 

 not be confounded with those, t-ic use of which I have reprobated ; 



