SUBACUTE OBSTRUCTION OF THE DOUBLE COLON 103 



while. Think, again, that cessation of peristalsis, if only 

 of a few hours' duration, is to the horse a very grave and 

 serious matter. It is no use blinding ourselves with the 

 idea that, if aloes has previously been given, we may 

 safely lull the pain while the aloes continues to act. 

 Remember that ' lulling the pain ' to a very great extent 

 means also 'lulling the physic,' and that lulling the 

 bowels in the horse suffering from subacute obstruction, 

 with bowels already stagnant, means lulling him to death. 

 Although I do not advise it, to those who must and will 

 use a sedative, let me recommend to them the use of 

 chloral hydrate in i -ounce doses in preference to opium. 

 It is antiseptic in its action ; there are not the after bad 

 constipating effects of opium, there is not that mad 

 delirium, and there is not the amount of dangerous 

 tympany that opium invariably calls up. It is safe to 

 use, its action is soon apparent — usually well within ten 

 minutes — and if its effects are somewhat transient, why, 

 then the same dose may safely be repeated after a short 

 space of time. It is not followed by nausea, and, com- 

 pared with opium, it does not seriously interfere with the 

 peristaltic movements, and does not hinder intestinal 

 secretions. Here, again, I have notes of a case in front 

 of me where the veterinary writer states that medical 

 men pooh-pooh the idea of chloral being of any use in 

 these cases. Well, let them do so. They are not in the 

 habit of prescribing for the horse, they are not acquainted 

 with his internal anatomy, and they certainly are not 

 largely experienced in the action of drugs upon him. 

 That chloral is not an anodyne in the strict sense of the 

 word, I know. I know that it does not act as a sedative 

 to the periphery of sensory nerves. It acts, however, in 

 an indirect manner through the nerve-centres, and almost 

 invariably induces sleep. Compare the stretched-out, 

 comfortable sleep of the griped animal under the in- 



