118 DiDD'S VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 



equilibrium in the circulation of the blood is secured, then con- 

 gestion ceases to exist. 



I would caution my readers not to place too much reliance in 

 art and medicine for the cure of disease. The physician does 

 much good when he practices rationally — constitutes himself the 

 gervant of Nature, does her bidding, and does the system no harm 

 in the use of poisons and meddlesome medication. In t.ie treat- 

 ment of many forms of curable disease it is often i question of 

 time; they will "have their run." Hence, what /ve most need 

 is patience, great faith in .Nature, and a moderate degree of faith 

 in drugs. The great trouble is, our instruction derived from text- 

 books and veterinary institutions of learning tends to develop 

 heroic notions of medicine and its powers, and to depress those 

 more potent remedies, the vitalizing and reanimating forces of 

 Nature. A case of heroism of this kind, as an example, I must 

 now relate, in order to illustrate my position : 



Mr. S , of Chicago, bought of Mr. P a fine, promising 



young gelding, aged about eight years. The purchaser had used 

 him during a period of five weeks with perfect satisfaction. Sud- 

 denly the newly-purchased animal became sick, and the services 

 of a noted blacksmith were secured. The man of" tongs and ham- 

 mer," realizing that the patient was the subject of the prevailing 

 influenza, gave the patient " fits," in the form of the administra- 

 tion of a physic ball. He then abstracted two gallons of blood. 

 The horse grew no better very fast. In consequence, he got more 

 medicine. Purgation set in, which continued for twenty-four 

 hours, when the horse died. The lives of many valuable animals 

 are thus sacrificed. Finally, those men generally become the most 

 distinguished who soonest emancipate themselves from the theory 

 of the heroic schools of medicine. 



The plan of treatment here recommended may appear to some 

 of our readers as very simple. That is just what we claim for it. 

 It is the simplicity of the practice which makes it really valuable, 

 because such a system harmonizes with the law of Nature, and does 

 not oppose her forces, which are always operating physiologically 

 for the restoration of the sick and infirm ; and it is our business, 

 as rational physicians, to aid Nature in all possible ways. This 

 is the kind of knowledge that we require — how to aid Nature, or 

 give her the required assistance; and, in view of obtaining that 

 information, we must read the great book of Nature, as its leave* 



