SUBACUTE OBSTRUCTION OF THE DOUBLE COLON 107 



my description of the disorder is correct, there can be no 

 doubt that the treatment is right in every detail. 



To further set at rest the mind of those who think the 

 doses of ammonium carbonate beyond all reasonable 

 limit, I may state here that one animal, in addition to 

 the usual doses of nux vomica and ol. tereb., received 

 considerably over i pound of that drug — i pound in 

 2-ounce doses spread over a period of thirty hours. I 

 need hardly say it was an extreme case. It is the 

 occurrence of cases like that which has proved to me the 

 value of the treatment — cases that, under the old treat- 

 ment of aloes and sedatives, invariably used to die. 

 Only a few trials will convince any unbiassed mind of 

 the splendidly beneficial action of a solely stimulative 

 treatment.^ 



Although very much more might be written on this 

 subject, I feel that already this chapter is lengthy enough. 

 My main object has been to point out what I believe to 

 be the dangerous though common practice of administer- 

 ing aloes or sedatives to the horse sufTering from 

 intestinal obstruction in its subacute form. One can 

 always see more, feel more, and know more than one can 

 write. It is not easy to gather up, classify, and tabulate 

 all the facts, theories, and circumstances that lead one to 

 a certain conclusion. It is still less easy to so arrange 

 those facts as to carry conviction to the minds of others. 

 If I have failed in that, I have failed in a good cause. 

 If I have been successful, I am conscious of having per- 

 formed a good work for my brother veterinarian, for the 

 stock-owner, and for our equine patients. 

 1 See also Part II. of Appendix. 



