STOMACH LAVAGE 43 



very little else to do. No medicinal treatment is needed 

 unless it be a small dose of strychnine, one-quarter grain, 

 as a heart stimulant. 



Convalescence. — Should the horse become un- 

 easy, an hour or two later pass the tube again. Such 

 relapses are due to a retrograde peristalsis, that again 

 fills the stomach ; pass the stomach tube and a return of 

 fluid through it will result. The fluids at this time will 

 be colored, but not nearly so much as at the time of first 

 using the tube. 



It is rarely the case that the animal will need an- 

 other thing after using the stomach tube in this class. 

 After using the tube until the stomach no longer fills by 

 antiperistalsis, these patients will stand around drowsy 

 from one to two hours, as though partially asleep, then 

 will want to eat. I usually let them have some good 

 prairie hay, no alfalfa, and so far have had no bad re- 

 sults from it. Keep the grain away for about thirty- 

 six hours, after which it is not likely to be harmful. 



Resume. — To go back again — if when called 

 to this class of cases the symptoms have gone far enough, 

 there will be belching of gas, and very frequently fluids 

 will be returned through the nose. While this is not 

 what one would wish to see in any of these cases, I 

 had always rather see this than to be told my patient 

 has just lately become easier, and they think he is doing 

 all right, for in almost all of such cases that have gone 

 through this train of symptoms and have become easy, 

 you will find that a nervous shock has set in. The animal 

 is trembling in certain groups of muscles, usually the 

 shoulders and flanks, a sweat has broken out that has a 



