56 VETERINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 



to be gradually ebbing away, and the prominent symptoms affect- 

 ing, especially the respiratory organs, become more and more 

 urgent, neither remedial measures nor stimulants produci any 

 appreciable effect for the better. These conditions probably owe 

 their existence — it may be said their overpowering existence — ^to 

 the fact that the vitalizing influence of the ordinary atmosphere is 

 by reason of its fixed constitution not equal to burn up and destroy 

 the immense quantity of effete material with which the blood 

 stream is loaded, consequently the blood becomes more and more 

 effete in quality, and nature is thwarted in her efforts to restore 

 an equilibrium. What is required? Our reply is oxygen ! We 

 are indebted to our friend Edwin Faulkner, Esq., M. R. C. V. S. , 

 of Manchester, England, for first drawing attention to this agenr 

 and its marvelous utility under such conditions; in his experience, 

 and since in our own, it has proved a veritable life saver; and 

 although it is rather expensive treatment, and the administration 

 demands considerable care, where valuable horses are concerned 

 these are matters of no moment. 



In England oxj^gen gas is manufactured for sale in large quan- 

 tities and supplied in strong cone-shaped iron cylinders, which 

 contain a given measurement of the gas, the size most suitable 

 for veterinary purposes being that which costs about sixteen 

 shillings; each cylinder is supplied with a brass tap to which may 

 be attached an india rubber tube; a leather nose-bag having been 

 adjusted to the horse's head the aforesaid tube is introduced to, 

 the bottom of the bag, just under the horse's nostrils, and the tap 

 is turned on sufficiently to allow a gentle stream of the gas to pass 

 continuously for a period of twenty minutes into the bag and so 

 pervade the atmosphere which the horse is inspiring; this, ac- 

 cording to the greater or less urgency of the case, should be 

 repeated three, four or five times every twenty-four hours. As a 

 rule marked improvement speedily supervenes upon this procedure 

 as evidenced in the first place by the calmer performance of the 

 respiratory functions and the lowering of the internal temperature. 

 In this manner the ordinary provision of nature, as determined by 

 the fixed law of atmospheric composition, has been super-added to 

 by the aid of chemistry and the conditions surrounding and affect- 

 ing the body of the patient are reduced to submission; nature is 



