ON POISONOUS REPTILES. 
559 
and the swelling well fomented with warm water, and the foal 
placed with her. At noon the swelling was found to be on the 
increase, and the heat of the udder so great, that the foal, though 
hungry, would not try to suck. The udder was again fomented, 
and the milk removed: at night she was milked again, and the 
fomentation repeated. 
Next morning the swelling was found to have extended half 
way along the belly, and backward down the thigh. The wise 
men of the u glen” were now summoned to give their opinion as 
to the cause, and thevoneand all declared she had been venomed* 
The treatment they recommended was, to cover all the swelling 
with tar, to take away two quarts of blood, and to give two ounces 
of tar, and four of common salt, in two pints of gruel. The tar 
as a dressing, and the salt as a medicine, w r ere repeated on the 
second day, but the swelling gradually extended. 
On the 4th, the owner had lost all confidence in that mode 
of treatment, and applied to me, remarking, that if something 
effectual was not done for her, she would soon die. He described 
her as being cold on every part that was not swollen; but the 
swelling, occupying the whole surface of the abdomen and chest, 
being exceedingly hot. There w 7 as a slight discharge from the 
side of the udder: she w 7 as unable to walk, ate very little, had 
great thirst and hurried respiration. As it was not convenient to 
visit her that day, I sent a purging ball (seven and a-half drachms) 
of aloes; ordered the tar to be washed off with soap and water, a 
poultice to be applied along the abdomen, and renewed three times 
a-day; and the cow to be bled freely, or until the pulse was fuller 
and softer. 
On the 6th I saw her. The ball had not operated; she was 
rather costive; the urine w 7 as high-coloured, small in quantity, 
and passed with difficulty : pulse 55, hard and wiry, the extre¬ 
mities cold, and a slight heaving of the flanks. The great heat 
of the udder had destroyed the cuticle, and it hung like scorched 
parchment, in scrolls that were easily detached. 1 took away six 
quarts of blood, without producing any alteration of the pulse ; 
blistered both sides of the abdomen, and inserted a seton in the 
breast. I waited three hours, and finding no change in the pulse, 
I bled again to the extent of three quarts, when she appeared 
sick, and the extremities became rather warmer. I then ^ave a 
gentle diuretic, and ordered the poultice to be continued, and her 
food to be green tares. 
7th .—No alteration since last night; administered eight 
drachms of aloes : the blisters were discharging. 
8th .—The bow r els are gently opened, the swelling appears sta¬ 
tionary, but is very hot; no improvement in the appetite; pulse 
