398 Veterinary Medicine. 



the inflammation. The still older treatment by calomel and 

 opium has essentially the same foundation. To the bacteriologist 

 the latter has the recommendation of being to some extent antisep- 

 tic and of tending to secure depletion from the intestinal mucosa. 

 Another cardinal principle of the old practitioner was to hail the 

 liquid exudate as tending to separate the inflamed and painful 

 surfaces, and as allowing them to move past each other without 

 aggravating the suffering and inflammation. In short, the prac- 

 titioner of the past had an especial dread of mechanical injury, 

 and treated all other measures as secondary to this though by no 

 means unessential. 



Bacteriological considerations direct attention rather to the vital 

 properties of the causative bacteria and seek to check the disease 

 by checking this its most effective cause. 



In simple local peritonitis, as in the infection following castra- 

 tion, the washing out of the infected wound with boiled water 

 and application of an antiseptic (dilute solution of iodine (1:3), 

 iodoform, iodoform or carbolic acid gauze), and the free use of 

 carbolic acid solution (1:50) to the skin is of great value. If 

 the sheath or inguinal region is swollen to any extent punctur- 

 ing it at intervals with a lancet to the depth of half an inch so 

 as to drain it speedily and thus reduce the swelling and culture 

 fluid, and to restore the vitality of the parts, and the frequent 

 bathing with the carbolic acid lotion, will usually succeed in 

 bringing about a healthy action. 



The question of medical treatment comes forward mainly in 

 cases that have invaded the abdominal peritoneum, and which are 

 not already completely generalized, nor the result of extensive 

 escape of gastric nor intestinal contents. In such forms and 

 above all in the early stages of surgical cases sulphate of soda 

 given to the extent of causing free purgation has been found to 

 be incomparably more effective than the opium treatment. The 

 explanation of its action may rest in part ( 1 ) on the expulsion 

 from the bowel of a large proportion of the dangerous microbes 

 which are simply waiting for that opportunity to pass into the 

 peritoneum, which will be furnished by the inflammation of the 

 intestinal walls ; (2). On the elimination from the blood and 

 system of much of the deleterious ptomaines and toxins which have 

 already been absorbed from the inflamed surface and the presence 

 of which robs the tissues of their vitality and resisting power ; 



