114 COLICS AND THEIR TREATMENT 



2. Aconite; an agent that is sometimes used in 

 stock colic mixtures, and one that oftentimes paralyzes 

 the gastric functions and leads to flatulence. 



3. Drugs that evolve gases under certain condi- 

 tions, such as ammonium carbonate or sodium bicar- 

 bonate, and on that account should never be used in 

 stock mixtures. When such agents are administered 

 in gastric flatulence (and stock mixtures are of course 

 liable to be given, in any and all types of colics), they 

 are very liable to cause rupture of the stomach by the 

 rapid evolution of carbon dioxide, when they come in 

 contact with the acid, fermenting material in the stom- 

 ach. This sudden increase of pressure in the already 

 gas-filled stomach is almost sure to rupture that organ. 



4. Croton Oil; this is a drug that the horse is espe- 

 cially susceptible to, and even when well diluted in 

 bland oils, it frequently gives rise to a fatal gastritis 

 or muco-enteritis. 



5. Irritant drugs improperly diluted. These should 

 also be considered as prohibited by the first law. The 

 writer knows of many cases of gastritis that were 

 caused by insufficient dilution of such drugs as am- 

 monium carbonate, aqua ammonia, aromatic spirits of 

 ammonia, tincture of capsicum, tincture of ginger, oil 

 of peppermint and other volatile essential oils, etc., etc. 



The administration of aromatic spirits of ammonia 

 in capsules is, in the writer's opinion, nothing short 

 of malpractice ; first on account of the danger of such 

 capsules being broken in the mouth, and the conse- 

 quent dire results due to its caustic action, and sec- 



