130 COLICS AND THEIR TREATMENT 



The first can be prevented only by overcoming the- 

 ailment before this condition is possible. Many veteri- 

 narians to try to force bowel movement with aloes, which 

 not only commonly fails, but is a potent factor in bring- 

 ing on the fourth danger (enteritis). 



Let us analyze the error of the aloes' treatment in 

 impaction of the bowels. 



Picture in your mind a large portion of intestinal 

 tract, rich in blood supply, filled with a large, hard, dry, 

 heavy mass of feces weighing 40 to 50 or 60 pounds, 

 harsh and irritating, practically a foreign body lying in 

 one place, mechanically interfering with the flow of 

 blood or in other wOrds causing congestion over a great- 

 er or less area of the intestinal tract. 



Now comes a dose of aloes, which itself must be acted 

 upon by the bile before it really can have a purgative 

 action and with impaction there is usually, in fact, I think 

 always, a sluggish liver, which being so, renders void the 

 cathartic action of the aloes. Unfortunately this is not 

 true of the irritant action of this drug; whether acted 

 upon by the bile or not, aloes causes an intense conges- 

 tion of the large intestines; thus aloes adds congestion to 

 congestion and consequently makes enteritis a great deal 

 more likely to supervene upon a case of impaction when 

 it is used. 



The second danger can be combated by the addition 

 of intestinal antiseptics, the writer's favorite being two- 

 dram doses of resublimed naphthalin administered three 

 or four times daily. This drug may be given in capsules 

 or suspended in linseed oil. 



The third danger can be combated only indirectly — 



