418 USE AND ABUSE OF STRONG PITRGATIVES IN CATTLE. 
This practical fact I was for a length of time blinded against by 
a prejudiced mind, until, by the complete failure of all my ex¬ 
pectations from their use, I was forced to resort to other, and I 
am happy to say better, means of accomplishing my end, viz., 
the restoration of the digestive organs to their natural functions ; 
for the idea of forcing the contents of the manifolds by the 
continued exhibition of drastic purgatives, is folly v.ithout ex¬ 
cuse, and cannot be palliated either by theory or practice. But 
it is an alluring theory, and myself as well as many others have 
no doubt been deceived by it: for how we are to know when the 
stomachs are emptied of their indigested mass, is to me inexpli¬ 
cable ; consequently, when to refrain from administering them 
must also be unknown. I am not aware of one single crite¬ 
rion by which we can judge of having accomplished that desira¬ 
ble object; it must therefore be obvious to every intelligent 
mind, that the mischief we do in these cases, by the repeated 
use of violent purgatives, will produce unlooked-for consequences, 
and which are too often irremediable ; for we know to a cer¬ 
tainty, when rumination is suspended, that the stomachs are 
then likewise in an unhealthy, disordered, and torpid state, 
particularly the manifolds; and who will depend upon purgatives 
alone to restore the ruminating process? Are they not likely by 
such means to counteract all nature’s efforts, and by exhaustion 
alone cause a fatal termination ? No man in his senses will 
apply sedatives to an exhausted and debilitated patient: upon 
these grounds alone, i. e., considering the stomachs in a state of 
debility, the effects of strong purgatives when administered in 
such cases must be evident to all. In illustration of what I have 
now advanced, the relation of a few cases may possibly be 
useful. 
Some years ago, a farmer applied to me for some medicine for 
a cow of his, which he stated to be one of his best milkers, but 
which had suddenly ceased her usual supply of milk, had a vio¬ 
lent diarrhoea, but no hoose, and refused her food. As he did not 
desire me to see her, I, under the idea of disordered digestion, 
gave him magnes. sulph. Ihj in combination with a few aniseeds, 
to be given immediately on his arrival at home. In a few days 
he came again ; the medicine had operated, but the diarrhoea still 
remained ; she had no cough : I gave magnes. sulph. Ihj divided 
into four doses, one to be given every three hours. Four days 
afterwards he called to say the cow was dead, and upon opening 
her he observed nothing except tlie manifolds being crammed 
very full, hard and dry. The same week he came again, and 
wished me to go and see another of his best milk cows, which 
he stated as being like the former : upon examining her, the pulse 
