Medicinal Treatment of "Colics" 



BY E. L. QUITMAN, M.D.C., CHICAGO 

 PROFESSOR OF THERAPEUTICS, CHICAGO VETERINARY 



COLLEGE 



GENERAL CONSIDERATION 



It is the writer's opinion, that in the larger cities, 

 "colics" kill more horses than all other diseases com- 

 bined. The high mortality from colics, and the enor- 

 mous economic loss, that it entails, are due, in part, to 

 dosing by the horse owners, those in charge, or on- 

 lookers, or by the accommodating "near doctor." To 

 this source, about sixty-five per cent of the deaths 

 from colics should be charged. The thoughtless and 

 unscientific methods employed by some veterinarians 

 in the treatment of this class of ailments is respon- 

 sible for another twenty-five per cent, leaving only ten 

 per cent of the deaths to be charged to absolutely 

 hopeless cases. 



I would lay down two laws for the treatment of the 

 various forms of gastric and intestinal disorders in 

 horses, that are included under the generic term 

 "colic." They are : 



1. Do not use any treatment that may kill. 



2. Do not use any treatment that will mask the 

 symptoms. 



Use No Treatment That May Kill 

 Among the medicinal agents prohibited by our first 

 law, i. e., those that may kill, I will include : 

 1. Aloes and other severe purgatives. 



