REMEDY FOR COLIC 219 



evacuated, the effects of the drug cease, and even during its 

 operation there is little or no constitutional disturbance. 

 Large doses may cause pain by exciting intestinal spasm. 

 An underdose has no apparent effect ; but an overdose may 

 be followed by fatal spinal paralysis. The activity of the 

 chloride depends on its mode of administration. Given intra- 

 venously in suitable dose, the bowels respond in a minute or 

 two, and faeces may continue to be passed at intervals of 

 fifteen minutes for five or six hours. Administered in drench 

 or in bolus it is less active. In some horses it has a powerful 

 action on the heart. It paralyses the central nervous system, 

 and a second dose administered within twelve hours of the 

 first is not without danger (Veterinarian, 1895). 



Zschokke experimented with the drug on apparently 

 healthy horses. He gave three horses, 11^150 ; two, Tl\105 ; 

 one horse, TT[75 ; and another, IT\225, of a ten per cent, 

 aqueous solution injected into the jugular vein. Within 

 thirty seconds all the subjects exhibited masticatory move- 

 ments of the jaws, and in less than three minutes and a half 

 there was expulsion of gas followed by faeces. The horse 

 that received the largest dose groaned and strained. 



Roder injected into the jugular of a horse three grammes 

 of the chloride dissolved in thirty grammes of water. In a 

 minute loud borborygmus was heard, and in two minutes 

 profuse sweating occurred, followed by defaecation, with 

 violent straining. In half an hour the horse was all right. 



Barium chloride, as a remedy for colic in horses, was intro- 

 duced in 1895 by Dieckerhoff. In seven months he treated 

 400 cases, with only one death. Cadiot recommends the 

 drug after an experience of its effects in 32 cases, with three 

 deaths, two from gastric rupture, and one from volvulus. 

 Mollereau used it successfully in 38 consecutive cases, and 

 then lost three suddenly. 



In cattle practice, and particularly in the treatment of 

 tympanites, Kreutzer obtained excellent results from the 

 administration of barium chloride in doses of grains Ixxv. 

 for calves ; 3J V - f r cows ; and 3v. for bulls, in drench. 



The toxic effects are salivation, champing of the jaws, 

 dyspnoea, loss of pulse, distension of the superficial veins, 

 sweating, tremors, muscular cramps, incoordination, con- 



