754 
G. W. BUTLER. 
erinary practice than in human patients. The same author 
speaks of horses dying from respiratory and cardiac arrest 
after having been anaesthetized with chloroform, as if it were 
not an uncommon occurrence. 
From what others, who have had an extensive experience, 
have written, and from my own experience, I am inclined to 
think that such unsatisfactory results have very often been 
due either to carelessness or to a lack of knowledge of the 
proper mode of administration on the part of the anaesthetist. 
Many contend that chloroform is too expensive to use in 
general operations, and that it cannot be safely given without 
the assistance of a second veterinarian. With the proper 
kind of an inhaler, and at the present price of chloroform, the 
expense is very small; and while it is much more convenient 
to have the anaesthetic given by a professional assistant, it is 
not particularly necessary, as one can both administer the 
chloroform and operate by having the assistance of ordinary 
help. Again, some oppose the use of chloroform on account 
of the extra time occupied in its administration, and the 
recovery of the animal from its effects. If it were neccessary 
for these parties to have the surgeon’s knife inserted into 
their own sensitive bodies they would immediately discharge 
the attending surgeon should he decline to administer an 
anaesthetic on account of a little extra time consumed, and 
they would be justified in doing so. These are some of the 
reasons why veterinarians do not use anaesthetics more 
extensively. 
I believe that our colleges (at least some of them) are not 
altogether blameless for this apparent indifference of many of 
their graduates in regard to using the knife upon our sen¬ 
sitive, yet helpless, patients. I do not think sufficient stress 
is put upon the subject to impress the student’s mind with 
its importance. 
If students were given a little opportunity of seeing the 
various operations performed under anaesthesia, and if they 
were taught the proper modes of administering the agents to 
the different animals in detail, they would be less timid when 
they assume the responsibility of an individual practice; and 
