A FEW PRACTICAL HINTS. 
299 
that it reflects on you and injures you, and to this you cannot 
be indifferent. Thus you can express your disgust and gain 
you increased respect. 
Never leave long intervals between the doses for patients 
having acute pain. Any opiate will relieve pain in an hour. 
Failure to do so necessitates another dose. Popular belief is 
that opiates are only to allay pain and do not cure sickness. 
“ They lessen functional activity of the nerve cells of the 
brain and spinal cord, and even to some extent that of the res¬ 
piratory and vase-motor centres in the medula, as evidenced 
by slower respiration, dilation of surface-vessels and lowering 
of arterial tension.” ( Dun ) Lessening functional motion when 
indicated, is in my mind curing. 
Omit nothing at first visit, and it is well at each visit—if 
you have plenty of time. Feel the pulse, take the tempera¬ 
ture, inquire about the patient’s laying down, drinking, notic¬ 
ing the surroundings, etc.; look to the feed, ventilation and 
surrounding manure heaps, pig-pens, cows in the same barn, 
etc., etc. 
When in doubt as to a dangerous operation, remember the 
sin of omission is in appearance not so great as the sin of 
commission. You might say to the owner, that if you owned 
the animal you would operate, or you would not, as the 
chances appear to you. Consultation is a good thing. Hav¬ 
ing assistance not only divides the responsibility, but also con¬ 
stitutes one a teller of truth for the other and makes each the 
guardian of each other’s character. 
Remember that the public love to point out a botch or a 
failure. I set a horse’s fore-leg that was fractured, and 
through medlesomness of the attending nurse it is crooked. 
As long as that horse is alive, it will be a lingering libel on 
veterinary surgery; no fault of mine, but 1 will receive the 
credit just the same. The methods proper to pursue in sur 
gical cases are so well agreed upon by surgeons, and the re¬ 
sults are so obvious, that even the vulgar and ignorant may 
criticise and prophesy. Having anatomy for a foundation, 
and a science for a guide, the surgeon is expected to follow 
certain definite rules, to have infallible foresight to overcome 
all surmountable difficulties and get a perfect result. 
