ON PURGINa 19 



their arteries becoming augmented, the secretion 

 of fluids into the intestines is increased. 



Mild cathartics operate merely by emptying the 

 contents of the bowels ; brisk cathartics affect 

 more or less the whole system. 



In fevers, and inflammations attended with 

 symptomatic fever, the faeces, from the beginning 

 to the termination of the disease, must not be 

 permitted to accumulate in the bowels, lest they 

 aggravate the symptoms. But in these diseases 

 mild purgatives will be found ordered to bring off 

 their contents, such as castor oil, or olive oil com- 

 bined with Epsom or Glauber salts ; aloes and 

 calomel in reduced doses. (See Fevers and Inflam- 

 mations.) 



In those cases of fulness of habit which require 

 bleeding (see Bleeding), a purging ball may be 

 given the second or third morning following, the 

 horse being prepared by bran mashes. Here 

 cathartics aid very much the bleeding, in restcn-- 

 ing the healthful functions of the body, by its 

 assisting in evacuating the system, and in cooling 

 and refreshing the body. In slight cases of this 

 kind, a brisk purge will frequently alone suffice to 

 remove this fulness of the system. 



c 2 



