DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 19? 
parta k cf scme gruel, and rested well during the night. Next 
morring he got five drachms of aloes and one of ginger, in solu- 
tion; the howels responded to the same, and four days after he 
was at work. We would not, however, have the reader suppose 
shat the same agent shall suit all cases of this character; for 
another similar feat might prove a failure, and a third equally un- 
manageable. A case might yield to the ordinary sedatives, how- 
ever, provided the patient could be induced to swallow them. 
INFLAMMATION OF THE PERITONEUM (PERITONITIS). 
Taz peritoneum is a serous membrane, which not only gives a 
cuveriug to the intestines, but also a lining to the abdominal cay- 
ity. Our pathologists teach that the peritoneum, like other serous 
membranes, is very ready to take on inflammatory action upon the 
operation of certain exciting causes. Watson informs us that 
“acute inflammation, beginning in one spot, is almost sure to 
transfer itself to any other spot that happens to be in contact with 
the first, and is very apt to extend itself rapidly to the whole 
membrane. The disease tends to the effusion of serum, and of 
coagulable lymph. It is of the adhesive kind, and its effects are 
those of distending the peritoneal cavity with fluid, or of gluing 
its opposite surfaces together, so as to obliterate that cavity, or 
of forming partial attachments. In all these respects the analogy 
between inflammation of the peritoneum and inflammation of the se- 
1ous membranes of the chest and the covering of the heart is perfect.” 
Peritonitis is generally a manageable disease when treated ac- 
vording to the principles of rational medicine; but when treated 
according to the dictum of Buain and others, who have never 
done any original thinking, in so far as veterinary science is con- 
cerned, it is decidedly the reverse. For example, here is a pas- 
sage from BLAIN’s works: 
“The treatment of peritonitis is much the same as for enteritis, 
The only difference is, that the animal will lose more blood before 
he displays any symptoms of uneasiness. We may also be more 
bold with purgatives. The three ounces of solution of aloes may 
be increased to five, the pint of oil enlarged to a pint and a half; 
and if this produces no signs of its having acted on the bowels, 
it may even be repeated when another three hours and a half have 
elapsea. All the other measures are alike, in both cases,” 
