TREATMENT. 301 



water several times daily, or have heat and moisture applied 

 by means of woollen cloths soaked in warm water and wrapped 

 around the throat, or by the application of poultices, not, it 

 may be, continuously, but for a few hours dail}^ Where 

 poultices and fomentations have been found inadmissible or 

 difficult of application, I have seen equally good results follow 

 the use of cotton-woo] damped with warm oil and retained in 

 its position by means of a cap or hood. When the mouth is 

 disposed to become sour or foetid, or where there is much sub- 

 mucous effusion with the eruption, it ought to be gargled with 

 a solution of common salt or sulphurous acid, or a mixture of 

 vinegar and cold water, or these may be used alternately. 



When the cedematous swellings of the chest and abdomen 

 ap]3ear, the exhibition of a moderate dose of laxative medicine, 

 as sulphate of magnesia or soda, Avhich will not unfrequently 

 be taken in sufficient quantities in the drinking-water, or 

 oil, will generally be productive of good ; this opening of 

 the bowels not operating, as might be imagined, by hope- 

 lessly weakening an already enfeebled system, but seeming 

 rather to confer vigour through its depurative action by the 

 removal from the sj^stem of effete and noxious material. It is 

 at this stage, immediately succeeding the action upon the 

 bowels induced by the exhibition of such mild aperients as 

 indicated, or when the anginal and pyrexial symptoms have 

 been much abated and seem not likely to return, that most 

 benefit is derived from tonics, the most valuable of which are 

 dilute sulphuric acid half a drachm, with from twenty to forty 

 grains of sulphate of iron or sulphate of quinine, in twenty 

 fluid ounces of cold water twice daily. Occasionally, when 

 exhaustion is considerable and the food taken is trifling, it may 

 be needful to attempt the exhibition of some general stimulant. 

 When the horse is inclined to take fluids I have found that 

 milk or good ale may be mingled T\dth the water in quantities 

 sufficient to answer the end we have in view. When there is 

 no desire for fluids, and the power of swallowing is not much 

 impaired, this same stimulant may be given as a draught, or 

 alternated with from two to four ounces of whisky or brandy 

 in cold water or linseed-tea, to which may be added raw eggs 

 thoroughly broken down and whipped up, or good beef-tea. 

 Locally the only treatment necessary is at that particular 



