PERITONITIS. 149 



is- out of the question; the bowels are already too irri- 

 table ; it would be adding fuel to fire : but a mild 

 aperient may be administered. Linseed oil, how- 

 ever, is the only aperient that can be ventured on. 

 A pint. may be given, guarded by a drachm of chloro- 

 form, and the following should shortly afterwards be 

 administered : — 



RECIPE (No. 39). 



Take— Tincture of opium, two ounces ; 

 Sulphuric ether, two ounces ; 

 Cold water, one pint. 



This medicine may be repeated every third hour 

 after the oil has been exhibited. Frequent injections 

 of a warm, but of a sedative nature, should likewise be 

 thrown up. 



Next comes the important principle of counter- 

 irritation. The whole of the belly should be stimu- 

 lated. Hot fomentations to the abdomen should be 

 employed ; and, in cases where hot water is not to be 

 obtained, cloths soaked in the coldest spring water 

 may be applied, each being removed and renewed so 

 soon as it shall become warm. Where a speedy and 

 powerful vesicant is required, and the necessary drugs 

 are at hand, the strong liquor ammonia, diluted with 

 six times its quantity of water, will be found to an- 

 swer every purpose. 



A thin cloth, once or twice doubled, should be made 

 wet with the liquid, and placed next to the skin ; while 

 over the cloth another, thicker and larger, several times 

 folded, should be held to prevent evaporation — thus 

 subjecting the body to the action of those ammoniacal 

 h 3 



