DIARRHOEA AND DYSENiERY. 



is to be hailed as the precursor of health, rather than feared as the 

 attack of a new raalady : it should be so in pneumonia, red water, 

 and puerperal fever. All that is then to be done is to prevent its 

 becoming so violent as to depress the vital energies. Diarrhoea may- 

 assume a chronic form, with greater or less severity, and producing 

 loss of condition and debility ; it may be prolonged for many a 

 month, and even for years, and at length terminate fatally. This is 

 often the case with cows that have been drained of their milk and 

 badly kept. The diarrhoea of calves will be considered when the 

 diseases of those animals come under notice. 



The treatment of chronic diarrhoea is difficult ana unsatisfactory. 

 Purgatives cannot be dispensed with, but they must be administered 

 with considerable caution. Both the medicine and the quantity 

 should be well considered, for if the aperient be not strong enough, 

 the disorder will be increased and prolonged ; and if it be too strono-, 

 both these effects will be produced to a greater extent, and fatal 

 inflammation and superpurgation may ensue. Castor oil will be the 

 safest, and the most effectual medicine, in doses from a pint to a 

 quart : and a small quantity, ten grains, of powdered opium, will not 

 interfere with the aperient quality of the oil, while it may allay irri- 

 tation. After two doses of the oil have been given, the powder 

 already recommended may bo tried, but with a double quantity of 

 ginger, and half a drachm of powdered gentian. After a while, a 

 drachm of Dover's powder may be given, morning and night ; and, 

 that also ceasing to have effect, the first powder may again be ad- 

 ministered. Alum whey is often of considerable service. If the 

 animal be turned out, it should be on the driest pasture, but it w^ill 

 be better for her to be kept up with plenty of hay, and gruel to 

 drink. 



Homoeopathic treatment — The cure of diarrhoea is effected by 

 different means. In the diarrhoea which bursts out suddenly, or the 

 acute form, we should commence with a couple of doses of acouitum, 

 at short intervals ; after which, in most cases, arsenicum and ipeca- 

 cuanha are very effectual. The diarrhoea brought on by cold often 

 yields to aconitum alone, as that resulting from any irregularity in 

 diet yields to arsenic. If in the latter case there be also loss of ap- 

 petite, and if arsenic does not effect a cure, pui'-satilla should be 

 given, or, when there is an absolute repugnance to food, nntimonium 

 crudum, especially when the diarrhoea alternates periodically with 

 constipation. If there be frequent dejections without pain, we have 

 resource to rheum. Asarum is useful, if the evacuations are fluid, 

 and sometimes mixed with bloody mucus. 



In the treatment of chronic diarrhoea, beside china, sulphur, cha- 

 momilla, and veratrum, which have been found useful more than once, 

 we should employ acidum phosphoricum, hryonia, calcarea acetica, dul- 

 camara, magnesia^ carbonica, petroleum and phosphorus. Diarrhoea is 



