DYSENTERY. 37 1 



when the disease came on more gradually, was not much 

 affected ; but afterwards it became frequent, small, and 

 hard, beating at the rate of seventy or eighty pulsations per 

 minute. In extreme cases the febrile action set in from the 

 first, accompanied with violent dysentery and tenesmus ; the 

 faecal discharge being intolerably offensive, and consisting of 

 a thin, watery, dirty, green-coloured fluid, full of shreds of 

 coagulable lymph, mucus, and grumous blood. In some, it 

 consisted of a blackish green mucous discharge ; in others, 

 it was principally mucus, coagulable, lymph, and blood, with, 

 comparatively speaking, no portion of faeces along with it. 

 The extremities were alternately hot and cold ; the surface 

 of the nose sometimes dry, at others having a dew upon it ; 

 occasionally during the cold fit the eyes would become sunk 

 in their orbits, the features collapsed, the nose, inner part 

 of the lips, and tongue were of a deadly pallidness, which 

 would be followed up by reaction, and a consequent hot fit 

 again. The bow^els were affected, in some of the extreme 

 cases, with colicky pains ; and in every case there w^as ob- 

 stinate constipation and obstruction in the second and third 

 stomachs. If relief was not afforded, the disease terminated 

 fatally on the third or fourth day." 



Treatment. — If the disease is discovered while costiveness 

 and a hard pulse exists, a little blood may be taken, but 

 the animal w^ere better left alone : a drink administered, 

 consisting of Epsom salts half a pound, sulphur a quarter 

 of a pound, nitrous ether two ounces, tincture of aconite 

 half an ounce, cold water a pint, will do good. After this, 

 medicines which act upon the liver are to be given, viz. a 

 scruple of calomel and a drachm of opium twice a day. 

 The beast must be housed, and the food partially digested 

 by boiling ; while the drink must consist of warm water, in 

 w hich starch has been dissolved or flour stirred. The shed 

 must be kept scrupulously clean. If none of the above 

 medicines act, the following astringent may be tried, which 

 when it fails, may be changed for any other scattered 

 throughout this work : — 



Ipecacuanha (powdered) half an ounce. 



Colchiciim (powdered) one ounce. 



Tincture of galls one ounce. 



Tincture of capsicums half an ounce. 



Water one pint. 



Bb2 



