ient doses. And even when the patient evinced feverish symptoms, 
with accelerated pulse, quickened respirations, and reddened mem¬ 
branes, the aloes were not withheld. In such cases most of these 
symptoms disappear in from three to five hours after the aloes have 
been given. By uncomplicated cases I mean those that are not com¬ 
plicated by some form of lesion or occlusion other than mere spasm 
or impaction. In common with others I used to think that there was 
more or less tendency in most cases of colic to enteritis, and that 
purgative doses of aloes would increase that tendency. Abundant ex¬ 
perience has convinced me that such is not the case. I think with Mr. 
Gamgee that aloes given in most cases of functional derangement of 
the bowels act beneficially in more than one way, first by increasing 
peristaltic action ; secondly, by causing an increased flow of serum 
and mucus to the bowels, thus lubricating the parts and preventing 
irritation. The functions of the bowels being restored, and the fecal 
mass moved along, spasm disappears as a natural result. Along with 
and after the purgative other suitable treatment is given to meet the 
urgency of symptoms. Great pain is combated with some of the fol¬ 
lowing : morphine and atrophine subcutaneously, or by chloral hydrate 
or sulphuric ether internally. Clysters of warm water are sometimes 
given to assist the action of the bowels. I am careful to not give mor¬ 
phine in sufficient quantities to arrest to any extent peristaltic action, 
and prefer where anodynes are to be frequently given to resort to some 
of the other agents referred to. 
I will cite one case as an instance in which I thought at one time 
I had enteritis to deal with, but after thirty-three hours continuous 
suffering the symptoms abruptly subsided ; showing, as I think, that no 
inflammation existed. 
In September, 1872, a horse was brought by a Bostonian to my 
infirmary. He informed me that the horse had been idle for a couple 
of days while the owner was engaged in unloading a canal boat in this 
city. He thought it a good time to fatten him up, and fed him liber¬ 
ally on new oats. He soon showed symptoms of abdominal pain, and 
was soon thereafter brought to me for treatment. I gave him six 
drams of aloes in a ball, and a subcutaneous injection of two grains of 
morphine. This was followed with clysters of warm water occasion¬ 
ally. The morphine was given in about every four or six hours. His 
symptoms gradually grew more intense, and he continued almost fran- 
tic with pain. Pulse sixty and upwards, respirations hurried, mem- 
ranes reddened, nostrils dilated, eye wild and fierce in look ; was up 
