NOTES AND NOTIONS FOR COUNTRY SETTLERS

New Zealand Mail, 15 February 1900, Page 6

NOTES AND NOTIONS FOR COUNTRY SETTLERS

tTIE TREATMENT OF COlflcjf It is of great importance in the k i ment'of colic, says Mr C. D. Smeafi •' Americau veterinary surgeon, to certain what has brought ou the aftal It it is due to the consumption of B -S tity of dry food, and there "is behove there- is a hardened mass of dn° undigested food in the intestine*-'S mon-sense will tell us that fiyS needs to be moved. Therefore, mo roN needed than mere, stimulants; demanded And what shall thfe be ? Shall it be aloes j* No Why? Simply because aloes' mcreS activity of. the bowels by muscular extraction. Shall it be salts? Nvffe cause they increase the secretions of the mucous membranes, and are so far"good but not sufficient to wet up that drr mass. What then shall it be? 'Ofl 'oil oil, every time, sufficient to soften ud and emulsify this mass of ctrv foodr'fMr much ?” it may be asked. It is difficult to say. But start with a pint of puts raw linseed oil (never boiled). Giro with a round teaspoonful of ginger, and if there is much pain add an ounce of sulphuric ether, or.half an ounce'of hjdrate of chloral dissolved in water and added. In an hour repeat, and continue to repeat until there is a natural rumbling of the bowels. Also use the syringe by injecting' a gallon of warm soapy ter up the rectum, and repeat hourly until the pain succumbs or a passaged made. In bad cases wring cloths out of hot water and apply to the abdomen. In cases where the attack may be due to the consumption of a quantity of soft food, or to drinking much cold water, digestion is in a measure stopped, and certain gases are formed by chemical action. Nothing will better neutralise the gas thus generated than half’an ounce of carbonate of ammonia dissolved in a pint of water, and poured down from a bottle. This will relieve the bloat and can be repeated hourly. Also, if the pain is severe give Die hydrate of chloral as before recommended with the ginger, and repeat- if necessary every half hour until the pain is relieved.