66 THE COMMON COLICS OF THE HORSE 



I have said that the only possible natural means of 

 relief we can hope for is the unlocking of the duodenal 

 trap by violent and energetic intestinal movements. 

 Nature may be assisted in bringing that happy state of 

 affairs about, and it is the veterinary surgeon's manifest 

 duty to so assist her by giving his patient a dose of 

 eserine and pilocarpine, or any other drug that will 

 stimulate the involuntary muscle of the intestines into 

 immediate action. For my own part, in whatever way I 

 have treated the stomach gases by per of em remedies, I 

 have always administered with the happiest results a 

 simple hypodermic dose of eserine sulphate (2 grains 

 to 2|- grains). When it acts, it is surprising to note, 

 although the abdomen is previously not tympanitic, the 

 immense volumes of flatus that are passed per aniim. 

 After only an hour's severe pain, its effect is complete 

 and lasting relief. As illustrative of its beneficial action, 

 I will quote the following case occurring in my own 

 practice. 



September 16, 11 p.m. — I was called to a farm 6 miles 

 distant to attend a heavy cart mare. The following 

 history of the case was quickly obtained. The patient 

 had left the stable at 6.45 a.m. in her usual good health, 

 had been at plough all day, and was returned to the 

 stable at 3.45 p.m., and given a full feed of chopped new 

 oat straw and Indian corn. Immediately after this she 

 was put to work at a circular chaff-cutting machine, 

 following upon which she was quickly taken ill. I found 

 the poor brute in agonies of pain (far too bad to roll), 

 pulse 120, respirations enormously quickened, and of a 

 gasping see-saw nature, and a temperature of 103° F. 

 The rectum contained a few hard lumps and was non- 

 contracting ; there was no abdominal distension ; the 

 other bowels were fairly empty, and auscultation gave 



