688 
E. L. QUITMAN. 
promiscuous use of purgatives; some administer them at the 
outset of every disease and ailment, inflammatory diseases— 
local and general; sprains, wounds, etc., not thinking that in 
many cases the purgative so weakens the animal as to greatly 
lessen the chances of recovery ; the animal is weakened when 
his strength should be harbored. I will ask, of what use is 
a purgative in, say, broken knee or a case of conjunctivitis, and 
yet they are administered by many in those ailments. I am 
aware of the “ lowering-blood-pressure--and-attracting-surplus- 
blood-to-the-bowels theory,” but will not local astringents pro¬ 
duce the same effect, z. ^., of lessening the amount of blood in 
a given part ? 
To return to lymphangitis, how often have you noticed that 
the purgative does not act in one case, and again acts too 
severely in another. It is characteristic of that disease that in 
one case an ounce of aloes will fail to act, while in another six 
drachms will act too severely, possibly producing superpurga¬ 
tion, and as a result of either extreme the case is usually aggra¬ 
vated. \ ou are, no doubt, by this time, asking how I treat that 
disease. My treatment is as follows: If I am called to the 
horse before swelling takes place, which is rarely the case, I 
start the treatment with a strong sweat (you will say this acts 
the same as a purgative, but it does not, as it is a great deal 
more certain, and an animal recovers from the effects much 
quicker). I use the following mixture for that purpose : 
Ext. pilocarpi fl., *5 ss- § i. 
Tinct. arnicserad., fjss. 
M. Sig.. Give at one dose in a pint of water, repeat in an hour if necessary. 
Spiritus setheris nitrosi or liq. ammonia acetatis may be 
added, but I find the mixture as above rarely fails. Have the 
animal covered with a woolen blanket. An hour after free 
diaphoresis is established I start in with the following mixture: 
Tr. aeon, rad., 3 ivss. 
Ext. bellad. fl., oj^- 
Ext. colch ici sem. fl., | iij to § ivss. 
Spts. ceth. nit., q. s. ad. ^ xviii. 
M. Sig. : One and one-half ounces every three hours in half pint of water. 
This treatment frequently aborts the attack or results in very 
much lessening the severity of the disease. Where the disease 
