INTRODUCTION 27 



possible to destroy the bacteria by drugs without injury to the 

 patients, and thus the war against germic disease will be more 

 successful than ever ; hence medical agents are being specially 

 prepared by several well-known drug firms, in fluid and tabloid 

 forms, of standardized doses for the treatment of diseases, and are 

 injected either under the skin (hypodermically), into the blood 

 (intravenously), and into the windpipe (intra-trachially), and in many 

 cases have good results. Yet, notwithstanding all this, it is, how- 

 ever, a well-known fact that in many instances Nature has within 

 the body the wherewith — vis medicatrix natures — to repair and heal 

 herself without the aid of medicine. And in respect of this I have, 

 on many occasions, attributed beneficial changes to the simple action 

 of common salt, owing to the patients licking the lump rock-salt 

 placed before them, and therefrom obtaining a desire to take water 

 and food when nothing else would induce them to do so. In all 

 ailments, therefore, affecting horses and cattle, it will be found of 

 great service to have a good-sized piece of lump rock-salt placed in 

 the manger or trough for the animal to lick at leisure, particularly 

 in febrile affections. In all cases of lameness, derangement, and 

 disease in domestic animals, the following essentials are highly 

 necessary : Perfect rest and quietness, proper ventilation, good 

 bedding and sanitation, as well as drainage, and judicious feeding, 

 and, above all, good nursing — conditions greatly needed but rarely 

 met with in country veterinary practice. 



