84 G ASTRO-ENTERITIS AND INFLUENZA. 
But, although I fear I shall incur the censure of the most suc- 
cessful practitioner in our profession in his treatment of those 
epidemics, by bringing his name before the public, yet I am under 
so deep an obligation to my predecessor, Mr. Wilkinson, now 
veterinary surgeon to the 2d Life Guards, for allowing me to see 
his practice in 1841 and 1842, that I cannot pass over this part 
of my subject without again thanking him for his kindness in 
opening my eyes to the fallacy of bleeding in influenza and gastro- 
enteritis; and whether my theory for abstaining from it be a 
rational one or not, I leave it to the profession to decide : but of 
this I am confident, that any unprejudiced person who will test it 
practically in these catarrhal epidemics will lose much fewer 
horses, and restore them to health in a shorter time than by the 
present system of blood-letting. If there is too much nervous 
energy, can he not subdue it by many other equally effective 
remedies, and leave that fluid in the system, which is so necessary 
after the disease be removed, to repair the ravages which it has 
committed, and by that means prevent those chronic terminations 
and complications'? But in the majority of cases, you will find 
that, instead of diminishing, we must do all we can to strengthen 
the brain and nervous system : and what can more forcibly prove to 
us the utility of this treatment, if properly used, than the benefit 
which almost immediately follows the exhibition of a stimulant in 
the cold stage or shivering fit ] A very good ball for this purpose 
is that recommended by my esteemed friend Mr. Gloag, of the 
10th Hussars, in his “Hints to Cavalry Veterinary Surgeons:” it 
is composed of carbonate of ammonia, camphor, and ginger. Then, 
when the cold stage has passed off, shall I be guilty of so great 
an inconsistency as to bleed, in order to prevent this low fever 
from becoming typhoid ! No, certainly not : I still continue my 
treatment on the same principle with which I commenced, by the 
administration of a mild laxative combined with some carminative, 
in order to get the digestive organs to perform their proper func- 
tions, and by that means strengthen the system. But I am not 
satisfied with stimulating the digestive organs alone, for there are 
other parts of the body, equally essential, suffering from debility, 
as the kidneys, absorbents, & c. ; so I help them on to healthy 
action by mild diuretics, and, though last not least, I strike boldly 
at the fountain-head of the whole — the morbid irritability, or 
weakness of the brain — by the administration of tonics. 
I regret that time and space will not allow me at present to 
enter more minutely into this important subject, for I fear that in 
curtailing it I have rendered some parts not quite so intelligible as 
I should wish, and have also been obliged to keep back some facts 
which would tend to strengthen my arguments; however, it may be 
