HIPPO-PATHOLOGY. 
361 
to have recourse again to the phleam about the third or fourth clay. 
The quantity of blood to be drawn must be such as will cause the 
pulse at the jaw to fail under the embrace of the fingers : about a 
gallon will ordinarily accomplish this in young horses : in horses 
five years old and upward, more may be required. In some low- 
conditioned subjects three quarts may suffice. Should the pulse and 
dyspnoea and fever not become palpably diminished by one blood- 
letting, a second may be employed after twenty hours’ interval; 
also a third, and even fourth, as the case may happen to be ; taking 
care, in the epidemic form of the disorder more particularly, that 
these evacuations be small, and cautiously practised after the fourth 
and fifth days have passed. The bowels must be kept soluble, 
but not by aloes. Indeed, I am afraid we possess no medicine mild 
and safe enough to accomplish this desirable end, and therefore we 
must effect our object by enema, and, fortunately, we can always 
succeed in this manner quite to our satisfaction. 
The well-known sympathy existing between the membranes of 
the bronchial and alimentary tubes, and the consequent morbid irri- 
tability of the latter whenever the former is in a state of inflam- 
mation, is the reason for this positive prohibition of aloes ; a medi- 
cine drastic and irritative in a high degree to the mucous surface of 
the intestines, and one that has in numerous instances in this com- 
plaint brought on a diarrhoea, which has annoyed and debilitated 
the animal without in the least diminishing his bronchial disease, 
while at the same time it has prevented the practitioner from neces- 
sary abstractions of blood, and induced him to give medicines either 
for its mitigation or suppression, such as could not fail to do harm 
in another way. I feel persuaded that many horses have been lost 
after this manner, thus evincing that aloes, although a medicine 
capable of doing more good than any we possess, still is one with 
which we may, even in small doses, work an incalculable deal of 
harm. 
To the question often asked — if one is not to give aloes, what 
ought one to givel I, answer, give any thing but aloes; rather 
give nothing at all. Give either hellebore or digitalis in half- 
drachm doses, once or twice a day : I prefer the former, because it 
nauseates quickly, and because the latter is apt for some considera- 
ble time to take no apparent effect at all, and then all at once to 
come into dangerous operation. Or tartar emetic and nitre may be 
given. 
As soon as our abstractions of blood have had the effect of lower- 
ing the power of the pulse, and abating the febrile excitement, the 
dyspnoea, and heat of mouth in particular, we may begin to think 
of counter-irritation : the practice of blistering and rowelling while 
inflammation is running high is quite futile and useless, for no sort 
