124 COLICS AND THEIR TREATMENT 



nium to overcome this spasm of the bronchioles so disas- 

 trous in animals suffering from heaves, because of its 

 more lasting effect. 



An hour after the first dose of the antidote, a second 

 dose may have to be administered, oral admin- 

 istration will usually suffice for the second and third 

 doses, should they be necessary. In using eserine or 

 arecoline where the patient is afflicted with heaves, it 

 naturally is advisable that the veterinarian watch his 

 patient until danger has passed. 



All quick-acting cathartics are also more or less liable 

 to produce abortion in pregnant animals ; this is espec- 

 ially true if they be near full term. 



SPECIFIC CONSIDERATION OF COLICS 



Without reference to the symptoms of the various 

 forms of colic, which are discussed at length in other 

 articles in this book, we may take up a discussion of their 

 treatment as follows: 



Gastric Flatulence 



Synonyms : Gastric tympany, gastrectasis, acute in- 

 digestion. 



The time was, and that during my time, when a case 

 of gastric flatulence meant a six or eight-hour job for 

 the veterinarian, provided the patient survived that long, 

 but thanks to the perfection of the stomach tube, or to 

 the discovery that a capsule of salicylic acid, preferably 

 but not necessarily, augmented by a hypodermatic injec- 

 tion of physostigmine sulphate will relieve this condition, 



