OBSERVATIONS ON COLIC. 
625 
Applicable to gripes they certainly are ; but “ gripes,” though a 
little word, may be made to bear a very large signification. I use 
it here only as representative of acute abdominal pain, and to this 
sense, therefore, it will be understood to be limited. Where in- 
testinal derangement produces agony, ether or chloroform will 
allay the suffering for a period, but the pain may spring from 
causes over which neither can exert any influence. A proof of 
this is given in your case. In the first dose you gave two 
ounces of sulphuric ether, and the same quantity of the tincture of 
opium ; after which the horse was quiet for two hours. The 
colicky pains then returning, six ounces of sulphuric ether, and 
four ounces of the tincture were administered, which failed in af- 
fording relief. Four hours subsequently to this four ounces of 
ether and two of laudanum were exhibited, and the horse an hour 
afterwards experienced a remission of his pain, and continued 
tolerably quiet until nine hours had expired. Without improve- 
ment the animal then remained four hours, when an ounce by weight 
of chloroform was tried. No result was observed save an indication 
that the fluid had created a burning sensation in the mouth. 
Twenty-one hours then passed over, when calomel and opium 
were resorted to ; and after five balls, one given every fourth hour, 
containing each one drachm of calomel and ten grains of opium, 
had been administered, the danger subsided. 
To suit my present object, I take no notice of the aloes, bleed- 
ing, oil, and tobacco fumes, though I am far from disposed to assert 
these may not have been operative. It is not with these, however, 
I have now to deal, my purpose being, if possible, to point out 
that the other agents were in a measure beneficial. The first dose 
of ether procured ease for two hours, and the last for nine hours, 
while the more potent drink obtained no relief. We cannot ac- 
count for such eccentricities, nor will I make a pretence of arguing 
upon them. Every day in practice we meet with circumstances 
which are not to be explained. The chloroform did no good, and 
appeared to have no decided effect in the direction which was de- 
sired. 
The ether and chloroform failed to cure, and in this circum- 
stance many will see cause to condemn them ; but I must entreat 
these gentlemen to pause. The aloes did not purge, though given 
in solution and in quantity which doubled the ordinary dose ; and 
the inference, if equally applied, would teach us that our boasted 
purgative is without its far-famed property ; for while the anti- 
spasmodics had some influence, the aloes literally had none. 
Some advantage we may conjecture was gained by the relief 
which followed the administration of the drenches; and we may 
infer that even though two of the drinks induced no obvious ame- 
