614 CERTAIN GASTRIC SYMPTOMS AND FUNCTIONAL DISORDERS. 



require their stomachs filled to repletion with material, 

 nutritious or innutritious ; while to present them largely with 

 food requiring little or no mastication, from the mistaken idea 

 that this is beneficial to the animals as well as a saving of 

 time by the rapidity with which they may fill their stomach, 

 is the sure way to further gastric derangement from repletion. 

 ^ In the purely medical treatment of these cases of indigestion 

 from engorgement, the first indication to be attended to is 

 restoration of functional power to the organ by removal of the 

 cause of disturbance— the excess of food. Our ordinary 

 method of securing this is by inciting the entire alimentary 

 canal to increased action through the administration of pur- 

 gatives. In addition to these it is generally needful, at least 

 in all cases where pain is a prominent symptom, that at- 

 tention be given to relieve this. Our chief reliance for cure is 

 certainly the purgative, which may be either aloes or oil,^r 

 both combined. Salines, as the sulphate of soda or magnesia, 

 ramly ^cTscTwell. For the relief of pain, when it exists, sul- 

 phuric ether, from half an ounce to an ounce, may be given in 

 cold gruel every two or three hours until two or three doses 

 have been administered ; or from two to four fluid ounces of 

 sweet spirits of nitre with five minims of Fleming's tincture of 

 aconite in a similar vehicle. When liquids, either from choice 

 or difficulty of administration, are objected to, the subcutaneous 

 injection of the solution of the acetate of morphia may be em- 

 ployed with advantage. As a medium dose, forty minims may 

 be injected under the skin in any part of the body, while for 

 the ordinary cases requiring its use the anterior part of the 

 sternum is probably more accessible than any other situation. 

 It may be repeated if considered needful. Should the bowels 

 not respond to the aloe s first given, it may be needful to 

 administer a second dose, but not before forty-eight hours^ 

 have__elapsed. When repeating the laxative the aloes had 

 better be combined with one or two drachms of gentian and_ 

 half J. d rachm of ^calorael. Four drachms of aloes with one t^ 

 one and a half jlrachms of powdered gentian, and half a drachm 

 of^ _calom eirwill generally produce an action equal to six 

 draciims_of_alpes^ 



If there is a moderate discharge of material from the bowels, 

 although not fluid in character, it will probably not be requisite 



