Inflammation of the Bowels ; its Treatment. 261 



much as the neglect of rubbing dry. When 

 this complaint is accompanied by excessive 

 purging with great pain, astringent medicine 

 should not be administered. All kinds of food 

 should be denied it, and in its stead give gruel, 

 a decoction of linseed, thin starch or arrowroot, 

 and a strong solution of gum-arabic ; clysters of 

 warm gruel should also be given, in which a 

 quarter of an ounce of aloes is mixed. Some 

 prefer from six ounces to half a pound of Epsom 

 salts. These should be administered with the 

 clyster-pipe ; Eeid's patent pump is by far the 

 best, but a good and cheap pipe can be made of 

 a piece of elder and an ox-bladder. Take a piece 

 of elder about a foot long, and after taking out 

 the pith, tie the bladder on one end, and pour 

 your gruel into the bladder, then force the stick 

 of elder up the rectum and withdraw gently, the 

 suction will nearly empty the bladder. If the 

 irritation and continuation of pain continue after 

 twelve or fourteen hours have elapsed, it will be 

 necessary to give the following in two quarts of 

 gruel : — 



Prepared chalk 1 ounce. 



Catechu 4 ounces. 



Opium 2 scruples. 



This should be repeated every four hours until 

 the purging and paias are allayed, after which 

 the doses should be lessened in quantity, and 

 given at greater intervals. If the inflammatory 

 symptoms are very great, it may be necessary to 

 blister the belly and sides with mustard, and in 

 extreme cases recourse must be had to bleeding, 



