THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 137 



■ — they are styled a good medicine, although, they shall leave the 

 mucous surfaces of the alimentary canal in a weak state, and 

 otherwise impair the digestive function ; yet this is a secondary 

 consideration. For if the symptoms of the present malady, for 

 which the salts are given, shall disappear, nothing is thought of 

 the after consequences. The animal may be constipated for 

 several succeeding days, and finally refuse its food, and ultimately 

 die ; but who suspects that the salts were the cause of such result ? 

 If ever symptoms are altered by medicinal agents, they should be 

 for the better. 



It will be seen, then, that bloodletting is resorted to in view 

 of a prostrating or sedative effect, which can be more sanatively 

 brought about under the more rational use of laxative medicines. 

 Purgatives, however, cannot always be given with safety in inflam- 

 mation of the bowels, because they might tend to augment the 

 previous irritability of the alimentary canal. A dose of cathartic 

 medicine may, however, be mixed with lubricants, — for example, 

 slippery-elm, mucilage of gum arabic, or olive oil, — so as to defend 

 the sensitive parts, and at the same time not deprive the medicine 

 of its cathartic properties. 



After having ascertained the case to be one of enteritis, we 

 administer the following: — 



Linseed oil, 8 ounces, 



Lime water, 2 ounces. 



Another : 



Epsom salts, 8 ounces, 



Thin gruel, 1 quart. 



Another : — 



Another : 



Pulverized aloes, 4 drachms. 



Mucilage of slippery elm, ... 1 pint. 



Common salt, 6 ounces, 



Warm water, 1 pint. 



Frequent injections are to be given until the bowels respond ; 

 and if after a reasonable time they should not do so, one of the 

 above prescriptions, in about half the proportion, may be ventured 

 on ; yet it is best not to be too hasty, for super-purgation induced 

 by active cathartics would be equivalent to a sentence of death. 

 12* 



