150 PERITONITIS. 



fumes, which would otherwise escape. In this way 

 all the effects of the most powerful blister may be ob- 

 tained in a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. 

 The horse, at the same time, should be warmly 

 clothed, and his legs bandaged ; for these may cause 

 some determination of blood to the skin, and thereby 

 relieve the inflamed part. 



Of course the horse should, as quickly as possible, 

 be got into a loose box, which ought to be well littered 

 down. Clysters and back-raking are suggested by the 

 very nature of the disorder; and beside all this, a 

 drachm of calomel and two drachms of powdered 

 aconite root, or of powdered opium, ought to be 

 shaken upon the tongue every hour. Peritonitis is so 

 rapid in its course that there need be no caution 

 about the mercury producing salivation ; and the 

 Opium is imperatively required to deaden pain; for, 

 unless the suffering can be softened, the system will 

 soon fail from sheer exhaustion. 



The food, supposing the horse to survive, should 

 consist of mashes and thin gruel ; except green meat 

 can be procured, which may be given in moderate 

 quantities. It should be perfectly evident that the 

 disease has entirely subsided before any hay or corn 

 is allowed; and, even then, the horse should very 

 slowly return to the use of hard meat. 



A quantity of red and often thickish water will be 

 found inside the abdomen of the horse which has 

 perished of peritonitis ; and the external membrane of 

 the intestines or the peritoneum will be seen inflamed. 

 Such appearances are conclusive as to what was the 

 character of the disease ; and it is by no means rare 



