THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 39 



being surcharged, probably first led to the use of the fleam. If 

 the brain be in a state of congestion, there is a cause for it — a 

 distended stomach ; relieve that of its burden, remove the cause, 

 and the congestion will disappear. 



After the animal has swallowed several doses of the capsicum 

 and salt, and seems to improve, we may then venture on a dose 

 of cathartic medicine, with a view of carrying off the superabun- 

 dant carbon; whereas, had the cathartic medicine been given 

 before the stomach had resumed its digestive function, — which 

 is now presumed to have taken place, — it would have done more 

 harm than good. The author admits that he was formerly in 

 favor of early purging, that is, so soon as the disease manifested 

 itself; yet a few years of practical experience has weaned him 

 from the hobby; and what contributed most to produce this 

 change in practice was, that by making several post mortem ex- 

 aminations of subjects which had died from staggers of this descrip- 

 tion, and who had been pretty essentially dosed by advice of the 

 neighbors, he often found in the cardiac portion of the stomach a 

 mixture of salts, aloes, castor oil, &c, which had not reached the 

 sensitive tissues of this organ in consequence of its distended 

 state, and the pressure kept up from within by the enormous 

 bulk it contained. In some cases, on removing the food, a por- 

 tion of the living membrane of the stomach would peel off. So 

 great pressure had the food been submitted to in some cases, 

 that it was about as firm as a Dutch cheese, and the stomach en- 

 veloped it with drum-like tightness. There might have been no 

 help in such cases ; but, as we have said, the post mortems have 

 changed our views as to the treatment of the malady now under 

 consideration. 



Rarely, if ever, any bad consequence follows the exhibition of 

 cathartic medicine when the vessels of the brain are surcharged, 

 provided it be given as here recommended, for it matters not 

 which of these articles — aloes, croton farina, salts, or castor oil — 

 are given: they all act on alimentary surfaces as mechanical 

 irritants, exhaust the fluids of the parts, and tend to draw 

 blood from the brain, and thus favor the more equal distribution 

 of that fluid. 



Catharsis once established, the bowels should be kept soluble 



