The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-10-06
OCT. $3.50.
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The Best Doctor for Animals.

sick animas-some successful, and great deal
ansuccessfuf-and we have long since come to
the conclusion that the most skillful physician
we ever met with is Doctor Nurse. If an ami
NAL Gas well as human being) is not carefully
taken care of-nursed-all the medicine in the
world can do but little good. And on the
other hand, with good nursing, medicine is gen
orally unnecessary. Our own observation leads
to the opinion that in at least nine cases out of
ten, as commonly administered, medicine does
more harm than good.
An eminent New York physician said that
taking medicine was always choice of evils
that being poisonous in nearly all instances
they necessarily did harm to the system, ana
was never to be employed unless there was
strong probability that they would beneht more
than iniure This is not the rule adopted III
doctoring horses, by most horse jockies and
others having care of these animals, If we might
Judge from the way in which gunpowder, salts,
red pepper, turpentine, whiskey, corrosive sub
Innate and other violent remedies are admins
tered at haphazzard, increasing in nearly all
cases, the violence of the disease. 1t may be
laid down as general rule, that it is much safer
to give too little than too much me dicine, and
that none should be given unless we know dis
tinctly how it is to operate and what it is for.
Some years ago, a valuable horse caught cold,
and was troubled with cough so severely that
he could be heard half mile, and which appear
ed to be rapidly reducing his flesh. We had an
abundance of prescriptions from neighbors of all
frightful medicines, enough to have killed him
had he been in perfect health We concluded to
discard all, and to place him under the attention
of DIR. Nurse. Great care was taken never to
work him to perspiration-he was blanketed
whenever the weather was chily-he was fed
regularly and moderately on succulant food all
such food partaking of the character of expec
torants, and favoring free discharge from the
lungs-and all his other wants were observed,a
well as we were able to, and promptly supplied.
In six weeks he was perfectly well. Had
some nostrum been employed, it might have in
iured him and prevented his recovery or if it
had not, DR.. Nurse might not have been called
in but if he had, and the medicine had not
greatly retarded his recove ry, and he he'd got
well in six months, it would have been regarded
as an extraordinary cure.
At another time, valuable mare eleven years
old, was badly sweenie by hard work-the worst
case of sweeny we ever met with 1t was gen.
orally regarded as a hopeless one-but various
remedies were proposed and offered, costing
from $40 down to So. We concluded that our
friend, Dr. Nurse, should be again called, to the
exclusion of all these fellows, and the conse-
quence is that, with simply careful, moderate
treatment, the animal is we'll and the sweenY
filled up.
The majority of sick horses get well every
owner tries some remedy; and that particular
medicine which he happened to be using at the
time gets all the credit-although as general
thing, it retarded, more or less, his recovery
We must make one exception in the general
rejection of medicines-there is one which. if
given moderately, can scarcely ever injure, and
may often do much good This is powdered
charcoal-powerful antiseptic and absorbent of
bad matter, while, unlike most other medicines,
it does tirritate-a mostimportant advantage.
A clear illustration of this advantage recently
oCCuITeu ia Inc case VI Hne cali, I'VE mOnlHS
old, which had become bloated by eating too
many apples blown down by violent gale. It's
sides became distended by wind to an almost
incredible size; solution of saleratus was
poured down its throat repeatedly, and as often
thrown out violently on account of its irritating
action on the throat of the young animal. 1t
continued for eighteen hours with little or no
improvement, when large tablespoonful of
powdered charcoal, mixed with half pint of
water, was given. The dose was swallowed
without any difficulty, and in four hours the
calf appeared to be perfectly well. Charcoal
may be given in nearly all cases of arrangement
of the digestion, whether with man or beasts,
with great advantage. One half of teaspoon
full IS tull dose for a man, end as much more
for an animal, as its food exceeds that of a man.
We do not mean to say that there are not
medicines that occasionally prove eminently
useful but unless they can be given understand
ingly-with full comprehension of their mode
of action, and with an undoubted knowledge of
the exact nature of the disease-and their use
sanctioned by every clear and distinct previous
suecess-it would be much safer to discard
them.-Country Gentleman.
To KEEP APPLES apples are earthly
packed in hard wood sawdust, they will keep