THE EQUINE HOSPITAL FORMULARY. 77 



gestion of irritating foods or liquids, impure water or air. 

 Some purgatives act by exciting the muscular fibre, others 

 by stimulating the intestinal glands, and others by even 

 causing an actual inflararaation of the coats of the bowel. 

 Diarrhoea may occur in septicaemia and at the close of 

 pneumonia or other acute fevers, sometimes by way of 

 what is called crisis. It is important to remember that 

 a frequent discharge of liquids in small quantity does not 

 necessarily prove that the canal is quite free. Opium 

 is of the greatest value, and it may be combined with 

 the direct astringents, such as ha^matoxylin, catechu, kino, 

 hamamelis, chalk, bismuth, sulphate of copper, or diluted 

 sulphuric acid. Not unfrequently antiseptics are bene- 

 ficial, such as sulphurous acid in small doses, salicylic acid, 

 salicylate of bismuth, wood charcoal, or perchloride of 

 mercury in small doses. 



No cold water must be given. The food should be easily 

 digestible, and linseed gruel or other demulcent drinks are 

 valuable. If the pain be very great, a draught composed 

 of tincture of opium, sulphuric ether, spirit of chloroform, 

 and brandy, in doses varying with the amount of pain, 

 should be given thrice daily. To the abdomen a stimu- 

 lating embrocation should be applied. When diarrhoea is 

 due to engorgement of the liver, a draught containing small 

 doses of diluted nitric acid and nux vomica^ with gentian, 

 should be given twice daily. In the case of young animals, 

 it is well to commence treatment with castor oil and a small 

 dose of tincture of opium, and follow up with camphor and 

 opium and spirit of chloroform, in suitable doses, thrice 

 daily. Alcohol may also be given, and hot cloths applied 

 to the abdomen. Other remedies are carbonate of mas- 

 nesium, catechu, bael fruit, and prepared chalk. To young 

 foals suffering from diarrhoea when suckliugj pepsin, five to 



