LECTURE LVII. 

 COMMON MEDICINES. 



Common measurements. 



Teaspoon holds about i dram (% oz.). 

 Tablespoon holds about 4 drams (3^ oz,). 

 Dessert spoon holds about 2 drams. 

 Tea cup holds about 5 oz. 



Giving medicines. — Medicines may be given to domestic ani- 

 mals in the form of liquid drench, ball, in dry powder, or mixed 

 with honey and molasss and smeared on the tongue. In giving 

 a drench remember that a horse's mouth and throat are much more 

 sensitive and more easily burned or irritated than the human. 

 Taste of the medicine before giving if there is doubt about its be- 

 ing too strong. Powders should be finely pulverized and must 

 not be caustic or irritating. Balls should be in the shape of a 

 cylinder about 2 inches long and 3^ to ^4 of an inch in diameter. 

 They should be wrapped in thin paper and oiled. They must be 

 reasonablv soft and pliable and the horse should be offered a 

 swallow of water immediately after giving. 



Drenching. — In giving a drench the patient's head must not 

 be held too high,, the face should be nearly horizontal, with the 

 nose just a little higher. The operator must not be in a hurry. 

 The medicine should be poured on top of the tongue and as far 

 back in the mouth as possible. If the horse is obstinate about 

 swallowing, pour a tablespoonful of water into the nose after 

 each time medicine is poured into the mouth. Medicines should 

 never be given through the nose because of danger of choking. 

 For supporting the head to give a drench, a rope may be tied 

 to the nose band of halter and thrown over the beam — never 

 tied but held by an assistant. Better still a cloth loop ma}- 

 be passed around the upper jaw back of the front teeth and 

 through the nose band of the halter in such way that it cannot 

 slip off. This cloth loop is fastened to the overhead rope. Med- 



