I AND HIS DISEASES. , 81 



Death sometimes occurs in from six to eight hours, and even 

 shorter time. When occur;:ing in consequence of colic or 

 constipation, it is very difficult to determine the exact tran- 

 sition from spasm to inflammation. , 



Treatment. — In the outset, especially when occurring as a 

 primary affection, and not as a consequence of other disease, 

 copious blood-letting will be advisable — from four to six 

 quarts, or sufficient to make an impression on the pulse. He 

 should be turned into a well-littered loose-box, and allowed 

 to roll as he pleases. The bowels are obstinately constipated, 

 but drastic purgatives are apt to increase the inflammation ; 

 our utmost efforts must therefore be directed to open them 

 by copious injections, (of linseed-tea, soap and water, tobacco- 

 smoke, or infusion of tobacco,) back-raking, &c. A quart of 

 linseed-oil, with two ounces of laudanum, should be given, 

 and repeated, in half the dose, every one or two hours, if 

 required, fomentations of hot water must be constantly 

 applied to the belly, or bags even wrung out of boilii^g- 

 water. Where, from the violent tossing of the animal, this 

 is impracticable, blister the belly with tincture of cantharides 

 or mustard and turpentine. 



If the symptoms do not moderate in two hours, the 

 pulse continue full, and the legs and ears not very cold, a 

 sebond bleeding may be advisable ; but this is seldom the 

 case, as the prostration is rapid, the pulse becoming small, ■ 

 wiry, and almost imperceptible, and the legs and ears deathly 

 cold. In this case bleeding but hastens the fatal termi- 

 nation. 



When it has' continued eight or ten hours, if it takds a 

 favourable turn, the pulse becomes fuller, the surface warmer, 

 and he will lie for some time stretched out, apparently asleep, 

 being wakened from the disease and bleeding, and probably 

 partially narcotised from the laudanum. In this stage he 



