INTESTINAL TYMPANY 199 



the patient's condition will allow of it, I prefer to inject 

 hypodermically ij to 2 grains of eserine sulphate. The 

 bowels soon respond, the offending materials are quickly- 

 voided, and the patient, after the lapse of an hour, is left 

 free from the probability of another attack. 



Frequently this is all that is necessary, and the need 

 for intra-intestinal injections of carbolic acid is thus done 

 away with. Should the eserine fail to act, and the gases 

 commence to reaccumulate, there is then time for the 

 carbolic acid injection to be administered. 



From what I have written, 1 do not wish the reader 

 to infer that I absolutely discountenance the administra- 

 tion of remedies by the mouth in this form of colic. 

 Sooner, I consider it better to ' have two strings to one's 

 bow,' and, even whilst adopting the lines I have recom- 

 mended, to still continue administering the usual 

 stimulants and antispasmodics in the form of balls or 

 drenches. 



Again, however, this time in company with others, I 

 place the most severe strictures upon the use of sedatives. 

 The cause of the tympany is the presence of fermenting 

 materials in the intestine. There is no just reason for 

 locking them there by the injudicious use of anodynes. 

 The reverse is the case, and every medicine administered, 

 save such as is purely antizymotic in its action, should 

 be, in some form or other, essentially stimulative. The 

 use of enemas is again indicated, and the patient should 

 be well rugged down in order to promote warmth. 

 Treated on the above lines, ordinary cases of intestinal 

 tympany will quickly respond, and offer no great amount 

 of anxiety. 



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