SS6 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



convulsive struggles and dies — usually a victim of his 

 master's kindness. 



Treatment. — The treatment of acute indigestion, to be 

 successful, should be prompt and energetic. Stimulants and 

 purgatives are the remedies to give in a majority of cases, 

 and if pain be excessive, it should be relieved by the 

 judicious administration of opiates, ^th. sulph., or ?eth. 

 nitrici, the former being preferable, may be given in the 

 usual quantities, and are valuable to arouse and stimulate 

 the vital energies. A valuable draught in most cases is 

 as follows: ^th. sulph. gi. — ii., tr. opii. 5i., ol. lini., O.i. ; 

 ol. terebinth is preferable to aether, and may with advantage 

 be substituted for it in the above draught, and follow with 

 a full dose of cathartic medicine. A ball composed of 

 aloes b.b., sodse. carb. aa. 5vi. should be given. If much 

 pain is present, it may be allayed by the subcutaneous 

 injection of morphia. Enemas cannot be overdone in a case 

 of acute indigestion; they should consist of tepid water, with 

 a sufficient quantity of soap in it to make it slij^pery to the 

 toucli, and ol. terebinth ^i. — 3ij. Judicious counter-irritation, 

 as mustard to the belly, hand-rubbing the abdomen, etc., is 

 often of great benefit. If relief is not afforded by the first 

 draught, another should be administered in the course of 

 twenty minutes or half an hour. Where there is any 

 tendency to inflammatory action, ol. terebinth should be 

 withheld ; but where there is no such tendency, it is far 

 preferable to ether. Calcium chloride, sodium carb., ammon. 

 carb., etc., are often given to dissipate the gases generated 

 within the stomach, prevent further formation of gas, and 

 counteract the acidity of the stomach. In certain cases 

 belladonna may, as an anodyne, be given with more saiis- 

 factory results than any of the preparations of opium. It 

 is as necessary to know when to stop the administration of 

 medicine, as it is to know when to begin; hence when 



