SUBACUTE OBSTRUCTION OF THE DOUBLE COLON 97 



peristalsis, which means life to our patient, and whose 

 cessation means death. I do not, however, believe a full 

 dose to be always necessary, and have seen doses of 



1 grain do all that the most fastidious would require. 

 That dose is sufficient to incite the bowels to action in 

 most cases, and that without an exhausting and painful 

 evacuation of large volumes of faeces. If it fails, it may 

 safely be repeated later in an increased quantity — say, 



2 grains, beyond which it is not wise to push its ad- 

 ministration. 



(/) Sedatives. — Our choice of these is a large one, 

 but before saying more I would ask : ' Should we give 

 sedatives at all in obstructive colic ?' Personally, I 

 think we should not. I know that in saying so I am 

 opposed to a large number of practitioners, but still, 

 after the experience of a very large number of cases, 

 such is my conviction. In the horse I am convinced 

 we have a type of colic to deal with that can in no 

 way whatever be compared with the same disorder in 

 the human subject ; and when reading the report of a 

 case, nothing gives me greater annoyance than to find 

 the veterinary writer trying, in conclusion, to bolster 

 up his theories, arguments, and treatment with extracts 

 from books on human medicine. As a profession, we 

 are undoubtedly largely indebted to the medical for 

 much kind help afforded us in the first tottering steps of 

 our babyhood. Now, however, we can and must stand 

 alone. We have here a subject that fairly allows us to 

 do so. It needs a distinct and totally different line of 

 thought from that the medical profession can supply us 

 with in order to enable us to properly grapple with it. 

 There is still room for special research of the most pains- 

 taking order. What is wanted is a long array of con- 

 secutive cases, with notes and remarks taken on the 



7 



