138 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 



A handful of common salt to three quarts of tepid water forms a 

 very good injection. 

 , Whether the medicine be repeated or not, there is no safety nor 

 J^**Sase for the patient until the irritating fa2ces have passed off. 

 J With a view then of diffusing the medicine, and diluting the hard- 

 ened mass within, diluting drinks should be allowed ; if the patient 

 has no inclination to drink, some warm water must be poured^ 

 down ; at any rate, it will do no harm, for warm water is nauseat- 

 ing, and of course relaxing, therefore is a valuable antispasmodic. 



Some practitioners resort to counter irritants, as mustard em- 

 brocations, tincture of cantharides, &c. The former is prepared 

 by mixing it to a proper consistency with hot vinegar ; the latter, 

 by steeping powdered cantharides in spirits of turpentine. Still 

 we think that warmth and moisture, in the form of warm water 

 and flannel bandages applied to the abdomen, and renewed often, 

 will fulfil every necessary indication. 



We believe that counter irritation, in the form of external 

 applications, does more good when applied to parts remote than 

 when made in the vicinity of the morbid phenomena, as in the 

 malady we are now treating of. 



Hence warm water must be faithfully applied ; yet in order to 

 derive any benefit from it, the process of evaporation must be 

 somewhat checked, by winding dry sheets over the wet flannels : 

 this insures, comparatively speaking, a more equal temperature 

 of the parts, and tends to relax the capillary vessels. 



At times, especially when the patient is in great pain, fomen- 

 tations of hops will be found of great benefit, for they are consid- 

 ered anodyne — soothing; and an occasional drench of hop tea 

 may be given, instead of opium, which some practitioners recom- 

 mend. Hop tea may be thus made : — 



Hops, 2 ounces, 



Boiiing water, 1 quart. 



Pour the boiling water upon the hops: when cool, strain and 

 sweeten with honey. 



The diet should consist, during the inflammatory stage, of thin 

 6lippery-elm gruel. After the acute symptoms have subsided, 

 hay tea, thickened with oatmeal, may be allowed. To relievo 



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