DISEASES OF THE STOMACH AND BOWELS. 321 



less that there need not be the least fear in administering 

 it; for, although chloroform is heating in its tendencies, its 

 properties, when the stomach is in the condition we have 

 described, undergo an entire change before it reaches the seat 

 of inflammation in the bowels. 



The object of this simple medication, it must be borne in 

 mind, is not to afiect the hot; because not only does no 

 medicine reach that portion of the stomach where the hot 

 is located, but it would not disturb him if it did. Of the 

 thousand baneful compounds given to kill the hot, or to 

 " make him let go his hold," as the common phrase is, not 

 one ever accomplished its object, unless at the expense of 

 the horse's life also. They are much less offensive to the 

 hot than scores of substances of which the horse often par- 

 takes freely. If the hot is invulnerable to the effects of 

 oak and hickory leaves, pennyroyal, dog-fennel,- " jimson " 

 leaves and berries, and many other plants equally noxious, 

 the sage tea, the milk, the molasses, and the like, may as 

 well be thrown out to the pigs. These can do no good 

 whatever, except as they may possibly tend, in a limited 

 degree, to correct the acidity of the stomach. 



In case the chloroform can not readily be procured, 

 some strong soap-suds, weak lye, or a table-spoonful of 

 soda, dissolved in a pint of milk, will serve as a substitute; 

 and even the simple mixture of common salt and water 

 will answer an admirable purpose. If the last named is 

 used, it should be made by dissolving in a pint of warm 

 water — as hot as the horse will bear it — all the salt which 

 the liquid will hold in solution. It often proves almost as 

 eflicacious as chloroform. 



Having proceeded energetically with the treatment thus 

 far, the practitioner, for the rest, must rely upon the im- 

 mediate use of the clyster. Three table-spoonfuls of tur- 

 p'entine, added to a pint of melted lard, makes one of the 

 best and safest clysters known. Warm soap-suds, thin 

 starch, or salt and water, may be used for the same pur- 

 pose, and are very simple and effective. If no syringe is at 

 21 



