98 THE COMMON COLICS OF THE HORSE 



sometimes been grievously disappointed and mortified — 

 disappointed and annoyed to see his case recover from 

 the disease he has been treating it for, only to turn 

 round and die in a few short hours as a result of the 

 treatment itself. Truly, that treatment was worse than 

 the disease. I say here that, if there is a possibility of 

 that occurring in only i per cent, of our cases, then aloes 

 ought never to be used. As a matter of fact, when aloes 

 is regularly given, it happens very much more often than 

 that.i 



(i) Ammonia. — Although there are many more to 

 choose from, the drugs I have used as stimulants, and 

 more particularly as nervous stimulants, have been 

 ammonia and nux vomica. 



For ammonia, and especially the carlaonate, I have a 

 particularly strong penchant. That I am not the only 

 one so inclined, I will show by a few remarks extracted 

 from an article on ' Ammonia and the Stimulative System 

 of Treatment in Disease.' This was written by the late 

 Principal Walley, in 1879 ; but, I may add, I had arrived 

 at almost similar conclusions long before reading his 

 opinions. He says : 



' Physiologically ammonia acts as a powerful stimu- 

 lant, but does not, like alcohol, increase mental activity, 

 nor does it to the same extent increase the force of the 

 circulation. Its action as a stimulant — owing to its 

 being quickly excreted — is as fugitive as it is rapid, but 

 it does not produce much secondary depression. . . . 

 It is, too, a powerful stimulant to all the glands of the 

 body, as well as to the mucous surfaces generally, acting 

 upon the mucous membrane of the alimentary tract, 

 upon the kidneys, the skin, and the liver. Its effects 

 as a general gland stimulant are well seen in those cases 

 where the pulse is firm, the skin dry, the kidneys in- 

 ' See Appendix III. 



