364 MANUAL OF EQUINE MEDICINE. 



After death the stomach is much inflamed, and in patches 

 intensely so. 



The whole intestine is likewise inflamed, and gangrenous 

 in patches. 



Antidotes, as white of egg mixed with water, or thick 

 starch or arrowroot, may be given. 



HELLEBORE. 



Black hellebore, or the Christmas rose, and white hellebore, 

 or veratrum album, are both poisonous when administered 

 in large doses. 



The action of the latter is similar to that of the former, 

 but is more irritant. 



Hellebore is occasionally administered by grooms to horses 

 under their charge, as they suppose it to have a valuable 

 alterative eff"ect. 



Symptoms. — In a case recently under treatment by us, 

 two drachms of the pulverised root of the white hellebore 

 were given by the groom to a carriage horse. 



When called in, the head of the animal was protruded ; 

 the pulse was much accelerated, and varied from 90 to 100 

 beats per minute ; the resj)irations were considerably quick- 

 ened ; the extremities were deathly cold, and there was 

 marked nausea, and frequent attempts at vomition. The 

 appetite was completely lost for forty-eight hours, after 

 which it gradually returned, and the animal made a slow, 

 but complete recovery. 



The late Mr. D. Gresswell, who had a large number of 

 cases of poisoning by hellebore under treatment at diff'erent 

 times, observed complete vomition in some instances, and 

 was of opinion that if given in large doses this drug gene- 

 rally causes actual sickness. 



