198 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 



Injections. — In view of evacuating the lower bowels and rec- 

 tum, we give clysters of soap suds, and in view of supporting the 

 strength, (after evacuating the former,) we resort to meat broth 

 and flour gruel, to be used as occasion may require. If the 

 patient be of plethoric diathesis, we need not be in too great hurry 

 to administer nutriment,* but should simply keep the bowels in 

 a soluble state, by a dose of cream of tartar and sulphur ; four 

 drachms of the former to about six of the latter, being about the 

 right proportion. If any exciting cause exists, we, of course, pay 

 attention to this, and to the relaxation of the jaws. If they are 

 rigidly set, and the external application fails to give relief, we 

 may try warmth and moisture. A lobelia poultice applied around 

 the jaws, and kept moist with warm water, will generally do good, 

 even in the very worst cases. 



Some patients, at the commencement, show unmistakable symp- 

 toms of debility ; to all such we give, with a liberal hand, strong 

 sage tea, or infusion of gentian, sweetened with honey. The 

 cases that have terminated favorably, have been treated some- 

 what after this simple fashion. We have tried chloroform, and 

 cold water, and feel satisfied that they did more harm than good, 

 and thus hastened the death of several patients. 



The disease frequently sets in after docking and nicking. In 

 such cases the books tell us to prick, or nick deeper, and dock a 

 little higher up. This looks very well on paper, but fails in ap- 

 plication. We never saw any benefit derived from the barba- 

 rism ; we think, however, that a good poultice of bayberry bark 

 and lobelia, applied to the tail, might answer a better purpose. 

 But the trouble is not in the tail ; yet it might be gangrenous ; 

 then, in view of removing exciting causes, it must be amputated : 

 at such stage, however, we have doubts of its efficiency, for the 

 disease is beyond the reach of the knife. 



Very little improvement has taken place in the treatment of 

 tetanus. Veterinary surgeons have generally followed somewhat 



* Nutritive Enemaia. — A horse may, for a long time, be supported on nu- 

 tritive enemata, composed of flour, or fine oatmeal gruel, mixed occasionally 

 •with a little salt. There is a case recorded in the Foreign Quarterly Retro- 

 spect, of a man unable to swallow, who was supported thirty-nine days on nutri- 

 ment administered per rectum. 



