ESSAY ON SECRETION. 
73 
ioner of veterinary medicine for only one minute, me- 
hinks I would gently seize him by the arm and looking 
him earnestly in the face, say, I am very desirous to engrave 
one fact upon your memory ; it is this, whenever you have a 
case of this kind placed under your care, and are really in 
earnest about the recovery of your patient—and who is not? 
secure for him on your first visit direct horizontal access to 
the fresh, cold, external air. Next to this, ensure warm ears 
and extremities, and then give a quart of cold water every 
half hour so as to cool his dry and heated mouth. If thou 
dost nothing else thou hast by these means set his system 
upon the high road to the recovery of health. 
MEDICINES. 
Under this head I have no secrets to communicate to my 
reader. I employ only the most simple agents, such as a mild 
diuretic and a gentle sedative. But I will tell the practitioner 
what he must not do. Never by any chance give aloes, even 
if it be only one or tw r o drachms. When your patient has 
been ill for three or four days, and off his food, it will either 
produce super-purgation in him, or else it will become 
absorbed into the system and act as a poison, and in either 
case the consequences are dangerous in the extreme. If the 
bowels are sluggish, give him an enema occasionally; place 
rock-salt for him to lick, give a free allowance of water, and put 
before him a pail half-full of bran or hay tea. If the breath¬ 
ing does not abate in a reasonable time, I apply mustard to 
the sides, and insert a good large rowel in front of the chest. 
CLOTHING. 
This is an important part of the treatment. I always take 
care that the ears, legs, feet and body are kept w T arm. I 
stimulate the ears with a little of the blistering oil, well rub¬ 
bing it inside and outside, from the point to tw T o or three 
inches downward. This will keep them warm for several 
days. I attribute much to this little plan of treatment. 
In bandaging the legs, see that they are placed w r ell upon the 
feet, no space being left uncovered between the hoof and 
bandage. They need not be tight, but if there is a great dis¬ 
position to coldness, two or even three sets of flannel bandages 
must be used, or hay bands may be applied above the knees 
and hocks. The legs must be well hand-rubbed before band¬ 
aging them. Place two or three good rugs over his body, 
xxxiii. 10 
