194 CANINE DISTEMPER 
laginous character, and consist of wheat flour gruel, 
cornflour and milk, white of egg, boiled milk, soup 
(minus fat), and perhaps meat extract, such as Brand’s 
essence. Egg albumin is particularly good in such cases, 
being demulcent and soothing, as well as nourishing. 
Gum, starch, and white of egg are all useful mucilaginous 
vehicles in which to administer the various astringent or 
sedative drugs prescribed for diarrhoea and dysentery. 
As a rule the dog’s water supply should be restricted. 
. 
; ‘ 
‘ARNOLD & SONS; 
LONDON H 
SS aa 
| Fic. 25.—AsPIRATOR witH EscaPE ‘TUBE IN RECEIVER FOR USE 
. IN PARACENTESIS ABDOMINIS, 
: Peritonitis——This complication is frequently fatal, but 
nevertheless we must adopt some remedial measures, 
and the first one is the vigorous application of counter- 
irritants to the abdomen, such as camphorated oil or 
mustard oil. If costiveness is present, give warm soapy 
enemas ; then an explorative puncture of the abdomen 
may be made to definitely ascertain the nature of the 
exudate. If serous, a certain quantity should be drawn 
off to relieve the pressure on other organs, but if found 
purulent, laparotomy and thorough cleansing of the 
abdominal cavity must be performed, though such an 
operation under these circumstances will rarely prove 
successful. ; < ) 
