ON DRENCHING. 
527 
I never gave the turpentine mixture so commonly administered 
in colic, for I have too often seen sad consequences resulting from its 
use in the practice of others ; but my medicine was exhibited in the 
form of ball, and consisted of extract of hyoscyamus, gum opii, 
carbonate of ammonia, ginger, & c. ; and I have had in this all that 
the most strenuous advocate of the drench could desire, and with- 
out the danger that always accompanies that drench. When I do 
give medicine in a liquid form in cases of colic, my drench consists 
of the extract of hyoscyamus, or opium, or both, in aqueous solu- 
tion, with spirit of nitrous ether, avoiding ginger, or any other sti- 
mulating ingredient. I have also found much advantage from 
fomentation with blankets taken out of boiling water, applied to the 
belly, and confined there by means of sacking, or other contriv- 
ances. Venesection and enemata are often indicated. 
I beg to add a few cases out of many that have come under my 
observation of the danger of drenches : — 
CASE I. — A grey horse belonging to Mr. J. Croale, of Edinburgh, 
was taken ill at his farm, with catarrh. He was bled, blistered, 
&c., but his mouth and throat were in such a state of engorgement 
that it was impossible to introduce a ball. I had recourse to the 
croton oil, thirty drops of which I endeavoured to give in a pint of 
thin gruel, and which was effected with much difficulty. He ulti- 
mately got well, and, as soon as he was capable of travelling, was 
sent to Edinburgh. Some pretenders to horse knowledge there exa- 
mined him, and told his owner that I had entirely mistaken the case, 
for, if I had ever looked into the horse’s mouth, I should have seen 
what was wrong. Mr. C. was very angry. He paid my bill with 
considerable reluctance, and, although some time has now passed, I 
occasionally think that he has not all the confidence in me which 
he used to have. It is needless to add, that from the swollen state 
of the fauces, and the difficulty of swallowing, the medicine had 
been detained a considerable time in the mouth, and had blistered 
the tongue and lips, which misled the blockheads referred to. 
Case II. — A horse on the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway had, 
for some time, been passing a great number of worms. He was in 
bad condition. I gave him from a bottle four ounces of the oil of 
turpentine in a pint of linseed oil. Although I administered the 
drench myself, and the horse took it without a struggle, he immedi- 
ately coughed. Laborious breathing presently succeeded, and, in 
two days, he died of inflammation of the lungs. With the excep- 
tion of the worms, he was perfectly free from disease when he got 
the drink. 
Case III. — I was requested to attend a cow belonging to Mr. 
Neil, of Crookston Mill. She had puerperal fever, and, after about 
a week’s treatment, got pretty well. When I called a few days 
