BLACK- WATER. 373 



The animal must be well purged if he is in a constipated state ; 

 or if there is already a discharge of glairy faecal matter, the char- 

 acter of that must be changed by a purgative. That is the best 

 whose effects are most speedily and certainly produced, and there 

 is no drug more to be depended upon in both these respects than 

 the Epsom salts. It may be alternated with Glauber's traits, or 

 common salt, or an aperient of a different character, sulphur, may 

 be added to it. Much good effect is often produced by this mix- 

 ture of aperients. As there is either so much real costiveness — in- 

 disposition to be acted upon by purgative medicine — or so much 

 relaxation of (je floor of the cesopliagean canal that the medicine 

 falls into the rumen instead of going to its proper destination, and 

 as the establishment of purgation seems to have so uniform and ben- 

 eficial an effect in relieving the disease, the medicine that is adopted 

 should be given in a full dose. It should consist of at least a 

 pound of Epsom saUs, and half a pound of sulphur, and this should 

 be repeated in doses consisting of half the quantity of each, until 

 the constipation is decidedly overcome. Stimulants would be dan- 

 gerous, and astringent medicine \Yould be actual poison in the dis- 

 ease. 



It will not be forgotten that the precautions already recommended 

 should be carefully observed, in order to give the physic the best 

 chance of passing into the bowels ; that the patent pump should be 

 in frequent requisition for the administration of clysters ; and that 

 when purging is once induced, a lax state of the bowels should be 

 kept up by means of the frequent repetition of smaller doses of the 

 medicine. The diet should consist principally of mashes, gruel, lin- 

 seed tea, fresh cut young grass, young and fresh vetches, and carrots. 

 The conclusion of the treatment will be to administer the Epsom 

 salts in doses of four or six ounces, as an alterative, for a few days 

 afterward ; to which, if there exist any debility, add two drachms of 

 gentian and one drachm of ginger. 



BLACK-WATER. 



This is only another and the concluding stage of Red-water. 

 When it follows the acute or inflammatory disease, it may be con- 

 sidered as a favorable symptom if the urine contains no prurient mat- 

 ter, and has no unpleasant smell. It shows that the blood is not 

 discharged so rapidly and forcibly as it was ; and that it hangs about 

 the mouths of the vessels, or is contained in the cavity of the kidney, 

 or in the bladder, sufficiently long to be changed from arterial to 

 venous blood, and the practitioner will be encouraged to proceed in 

 the course which he had adopted : but if purulent matter mingles 

 with the black Wood, it indicates the sad extent of the mischief that 

 has been done. It is a proof of ulceration, if not of gangrene, and 



