CHAP. I.] REMEDY. — BACK-RAKING. 199 



bles down, regardless of the situation, and the ac- 

 tion of the head shows how greatly this part is 

 affected, until stupor and death ensue, if the sufferer 

 be not relieved. 



Remedy. — Purgatives are not always the most 

 eligible medicines even in the earliest stages of the 

 disorder ; for, if the constipation has lasted a consi- 

 derable time, great injury would be done to the in- 

 testines by forcing a passage, whereby a commotion 

 might be raised in the stomach, but would act in- 

 efficiently where the evil chiefly lies, viz. in the 

 great guts and rectum. As soon as it is ascertained 

 that the animal has not dunged for some days — 

 when he seems uneasy, a fulness is perceptible to- 

 wards the flank, at the perinceum, the fundament, 

 &c. and an unusual dryness and tightness is dis- 

 covered at this latter part, the operation of back- 

 raking should be resorted to. Castor oil, one 

 pint, would indeed find a passage in the first stages 

 of the attack, but still good part of the evil usually 

 remains behind ; in the more advanced stages, 

 especially when the patient drops, nothing else will 

 relieve him but back-rahing. Let tfie operator 

 strip his arm bare, and having well anointed it with 

 soft soap, lard, or butter (the first being the most 

 eligible), he will bring his fingers to a point, and 

 gently introduce the hand and wrist, when he will 

 feel and draw forth a portion of the indurated 

 fcEces he will there meet with, in lumps hard and 

 dry. This he may repeat three or four, or more, 

 times, and leave the animal to himself a little, 



k 4 



