34 
Prof. Williams in his Principles and Practice of Veterinary Medicine, while speak¬ 
ing of the treatment of Pneumonia says “convinced of the inutility and danger of 
venesection many veterinarians, undoubtedly influenced by the teachings of Dr. Todd, 
fell into the other extreme, and treated pneumonia by large and repeated doses of 
stimulants. What possible good effect this kind of treatment has upon an ordinary case 
of pneumonia is beyond my comprehension ; it can only add to the irritation of the 
inflamed part and increase the amount of exudation if pursued in the earlier stages.” He 
further says: “ In the later stages, during the deliquesence and absorption of the exu¬ 
date, if the pulse be small, or in any degree presenting the double or dicrotonous 
character, when the system is depressed by the obnoxious effects of large quantities of 
effete materials in the blood, moderate doses of stimulants are both necessary and 
beneficial. The practitioner should, however, wait until the consolidative stage has to 
some extent disappeared and secondary crepitations established.” It is beyond my 
comprehension how stimulants irritate the inflamed part m pneumonia. The one we 
commonly use—the carbonate of ammonia—does not come in direct contact with the 
inflamed tissues, but first enters the blood, where it strengthens the action of the heart, 
reduces the animal temperature, and increasing the alkalinity of this fluid tends to de- 
fibrinize it, thus preventing in a measure the fibrinous exudation which we have in this 
disease. Professor Williams does not believe in using stimulants during the period of 
danger. In the second stage, when the heart’s action is rapid and weak from over¬ 
exertion and the lungs filling with exudate, requiring the concentrated action of the 
heart’s forces to drive the blood through them, he believes in giving aconite. It is true 
aconite reduces the number of pulsations of the heart, yet it always diminishes its 
strength, and, to my mind, seems contra-indicated, especially in the second or third 
stages. 
That aconite is beneficial in the first stage I do not deny ; but as we do not usually 
see our patients until this stage is past, and with it the indications for sedatives, I be¬ 
lieve our English practitioners would find more success in the treatment of pneumonia 
did they not so vigorously object to the use of stimulants. 
That digitalis is a stimulant is not admitted by all practitioners, yet we are as¬ 
sured, upon good authority, that the heart’s contractions are strengthened by its use, 
and may be finally tetanized by its excessive use. “ The heart of a frog, immersed in 
a solution of digitalis (I grain to 8 oz. of water), will beat for two hours and a half, the 
pulsations becoming longer as they become fewer.” When administered to man in 
disease it increases the contractile power of the heart and restores its regular perfor¬ 
mance. Messrs. Bouley and Reynal, in giving large doses to horses, found the circu¬ 
lation became more rapid, the heart-beats more abrupt, their energy much increased 
and accompanied, after a certain time, with a vibratory thrill, with a decided metallic 
tinkling ; and as poisoning went on a distinct bellows’ murmur was heard, becoming 
more audible on exertion ; the heart-beats then show a decided intermittence and the 
pulse is small, thready,‘and intermittent. Dr. Brunton considers the blowing murmur 
as probably due to mitral or tricuspid regurgitation due to irregular contraction of the 
columnae carnae. 
Dr. Fothergill finds that digitalis administered to an animal, whose heart has just 
stopped beating from poisoning by aconite, causes the contractions to again take place 
and the heart in time regains its normal heat, the digitalis thus acting as an antidote 
to aconite poisoning. 
