40 
ON TIIE HOOVE. 
do to be disseminated amongst his own kindred; but they are by 
far too meteorizated, contain too much ether and carminative water, 
for John Bull. I again assert from practice, that in all cases of 
acute hoove arising from mephitic gases evolved from the ingesta 
of the stomach, nothing can enter it in the form of liquids ; in 
fact, its apertures for digression and egression are hermetically 
sealed from distention and pressure of its sides on the surrounding 
organs ; manual effort, either with the probang or trocar, will be 
your safeguard, so rapidly does the rumen contract on its contents. 
I have seen fluids ejected with force to the distance of several 
feet through the flexible tube, and relief in a moment obtained. 
Now, as to medicaments in acute hoove, should they by chance 
enter the stomach, 1 do not see how good can be derived from the 
administration of such small doses of ether, or ammonia, or aro¬ 
matic water; their proportions are too minute to neutralize or 
absorb the quantity of mephitic air the rumen is capable of holding: 
should the}^ enter the stomach, the generating gases produced from 
the heat and humectation would be more than an equivalent for 
that destroyed or neutralized. The vaporizable bodies before 
named, should they enter the stomach, and its entrance be closed 
on them, must still add to its further inflation. There is as yet 
no direct proof of any agent capable of diminishing the bulk of 
gases of an heterogeneous kind, but only of an homogeneous qua¬ 
lity ; for instance, by only putting a little ether into a bladder, 
closing its neck, putting it in a warm place, distention will soon take 
place. This is to illustrate, that diffusible substances must tend to 
aggravate rather than relieve, if they do not lessen by neutraliza¬ 
tion the bulk of contained air ; if the gas given off from the con¬ 
tents of the stomach was uncombined, a chemical agent would do 
good if its entrance was certain. In the acute hoove nothing must 
fall short of prompt measures, by first of all letting out the pent-up 
air or gas, by which you wilt prevent apoplexy, suffocation, or pul¬ 
monary congestion ; secondly, by bleeding to relieve the parts— 
the distended bloodvessels ; thirdly, by purgatives, to clear out the 
alimentary canal. 
In the subacute hoove, either as a sequel of the acute or pri¬ 
mary in its origin, aromatics and stimulants will do good, but must 
be given in a solid state, that they may enter the torpid rumen, and 
rouse its atony ; laxatives will also be required to clear the bowels, 
given in large potations of gruel. 
I hope I have not too long trespassed on your valuable Journal: 
my only object is to do away with any thing that may tend to 
mislead rather than instruct, for the good and benefit of the British 
farmer. 
