256 
MEMOIRS OF A VETERINARY SURGEON. 
caution the reader not to rely upon such a statement, as it is 
quite possible he may be misled. He should see it himself, 
or have his patient raked before his eyes; when if he is con¬ 
stipated, throw up an enema, and order a freer allowance of hay 
tea or linseed tea; if the contrary is the case, order a more 
moderate allowance of fluid. We will presume the case is 
not really worse ; on referring to the pencil memorandum upon 
the wall, the pulse is found exactly the same, 76 or 84, breath¬ 
ing not quicker; then persevere till another twelve hours 
have passed; the chances are, the excitement will yet yield, 
unless there is some chronic disease in the lung tissue. On the 
third visit the practitioner may find no improvement, and he is 
now justified in having recourse to other and stronger treat¬ 
ment, viz. a large rowel in the breast, mustard to the sides. 
Keep the animal eating, if you possibly can, some nice, soft, 
light diet, sparingly given. The mustard may be repeated 
every four, six, or twelve hours, according to the urgency of 
the s} T mptoms ; and its potency may be increased, by adding 
Liq. Ammon. Fortis. |iss to one pound of mustard and two 
quarts of warm water. Some practitioners would apply the 
mustard at the second visit, but in that case I would advise 
it to be used weak. At this stage, it is his bounden duty to 
spend at least twenty minutes or half an hour, each visit, 
with the case ; to observe closely every symptom ; let every 
phase of the malady have time to be fairly fixed on his mind, 
give the medicine, and perform every office himself. If it be 
a valuable horse, and within reasonable distance, he ought to 
be seen every eight or twelve hours. To this, perhaps, some 
of my readers will demur, and say, “ It is all very fine, to 
attend twice or three times within twenty-four hours, and 
half an hour at once ; if you had an extensive practice, you 
would find you could not do it.’’ To this I would reply, that 
no man should be so circumstanced, as to be unable to attend 
as above indicated, when he has at heart the interest of an 
employer, who has placed in his care the life of his animal. 
I manage to find time to attend thus, although in charge of 
over five hundred cart horses, in contract, besides a miscel¬ 
laneous general practice. It must be borne in mind, the 
disease is one of the most dangerous, and is just now in the 
most critical stage; and if it continues obdurate for four or 
five days, the amount of damage done to the tissues that are 
involved will be such as to defy our best remedial agents. 
In all such cases, the calamity to be most apprehended is 
liydrothorax, adhesions, or vomicae; when, in the vast ma¬ 
jority of cases, our best treatment is unavailing. It will be 
found that much benefit may sometimes be obtained by using 
