SUBACUTE OBSTRUCTION OF SMALL INTESTINES 159 



which I ventured on a further hypodermic dose of eserine 

 sulphate. It was again unproductive of good, and I now 

 decided to use it no more upon this particular animal, 

 but to maintain a regular administration of such stimu- 

 lants as could readily be given per orem. 



February 23, 6.1^ p.m. — There was still no alteration in 

 the symptoms, save that the animal had been induced to 

 drink a little thin linseed tea. With no alteration of im- 

 portance the stimulative treatment was continued. 



February 24, 9.30 a.m. — The case, to all appearances, 

 was in the same condition as when left the evening 

 previous. The same treatment was continued. Tiring 

 somewhat of the case, being so far from home, and the 

 train service wretchedly bad, I decided to see it no more 

 that day, but left the man in charge a full supply of 

 medicine, with instructions to desist in their administra- 

 tion should the animal turn easier and attempt to eat. 



February 25 (Sunday). — No service of trains. Decided 

 to leave the case unseen until the Monday morning. 



February 26, 9.30 a.m. — Animal weak, but recovered 

 and free from pain. Feeding delicately. Appears to 

 have suffered eight months rather than eight days. On 

 the Sunday he had passed the usual mass of offensive 

 dung, which had been saved for my inspection. Save 

 the careful nursing and dieting the animal caused no 

 further anxiety, and made an uninterrupted recovery. 



I have described this case with extreme briefness. 

 Lest he should miss the point, I wish the reader to 

 clearly understand that, at intervals of about every six 

 hours, the horse received 2-ounce doses of ammonium 

 carbonate for the whole of the four days I attended him, 

 to say nothing of the frequent administration of draughts 

 containing ol. tereb., spt. ammon. aromat., or spt. eth. 

 meth., as my judgment led me. What the termination 

 of the case would have been had the old empiric's sedative 

 treatment been continued I leave my reader to judge for 

 himself. 



This concludes my somewhat lengthy description of 

 the intestinal obstructions. Imperfect as I yet feel it to 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



