702 SPORADIC DISEASES. 



become dry, if there be a passage of flatus or fiBces, the pulse 

 becoming fuller and softer, and the characteristic anxiety leave 

 the expression, a favourable termination may be anticipated. 

 This, however, is rarely the case. 



TREATMENT. 



Concluding that the constipation which is so prominent a 

 symptom in enteritis is due to obstruction from alimentary 

 matters, veterinarians generally administer powerful cathartics. 

 It has, however, been shown quite conclusively that it is always 

 dangerous to propel fiecal matters through an inflamed portion 

 of bowel ; and that in most cases the effort is useless, so far as 

 exciting peristaltic action in the inflamed portion is concerned. 

 Purgatives, however, stimulate and excite the muscular and 

 excretory action of the healthy intestines anterior to the in- 

 flamed part ; the result of this is, that the inflamed part becomes 

 more and more distended, inflammation is increased, the blood- 

 vessels become ruptured ; it becomes softened, and its vitality is 

 ultimately destroyed. It is therefore a fact that the inflamed 

 part, the function of which is lost, consequent upon tlie inflam- 

 mation, affords an impediment, and that purgatives, as a rule, 

 have no true purgative effect — that is to say, they do not cause 

 the discharge of faecal matters by the anus. 



Two great principles are therefore recognised, namely — first, 

 to relieve pain, and, second, to arrest as far as possible all move- 

 ment of the intestines ; and for these purposes opium is to 

 be administered in large doses. For the horse, one, two, or 

 even four drachms of the powder may be administered, suc- 

 ceeded by smaller quantities at short intervals, or by the sub- 

 cutaneous injection of morphia (the solution of the meconate of 

 morphia being recommended. The first subcutaneous injection 

 should contain, in addition to 5 to 8 grains of morphia, a half 

 grain of atropia ; but the atropia should not be repeated for at 

 least twenty-four hours, whilst the morphia may be administered 

 every few hours, according to the severity of the symptoms. 

 In addition, hot fomentations to the abdomen are viseful ; and 

 they should be continuously applied for at least an hour at a 

 time. Enemas of warm water may also be gently administered : 

 they are not, however, to be repeated too often, and if at any 

 time they increase the pain, they should be discontinued. 



