SECTION I 



THE ACTIONS AND USES OF MEDICINES 



THE general and medical management of the domestic 

 animals has greatly improved during the past forty years. 

 The laws of health, the causes and nature of disease, as well 

 as the actions and uses of remedies have been more fully 

 studied. The beneficent curative effects of fresh air, diet, 

 suitable surroundings and good nursing are more thoroughly 

 realised. Preventive treatment also receives more attention 

 alike from stock-owners and practitioners. Disease accord- 

 ingly is not only less prevalent, but it is generally less 

 serious, and the attacks of shorter duration. In Great 

 Britain such equine maladies as specific ophthalmia, canker 

 of the feet, and mange, are now seldom seen, while colic and 

 inflammation of the bowels are not nearly so common as 

 they were forty years ago. Cattle plague, contagious pleuro- 

 pneumonia, rabies, and sheep-pox have been exterminated. 

 The prevalence of glanders or farcy, swine-fever, anthrax, 

 and bovine tuberculosis should be greatly limited by the 

 measures now being adopted in dealing with these disorders. 

 Puller and more definite knowledge of the actions of 

 remedial agents has been obtained by systematic experi- 

 ments and clinical observations not only on the lower 

 animals but on man himself. Numerous illustrations might 

 be adduced of the practical benefits of such investigations. 

 Magendie's experiments with the Java upas antiar and nux 

 vomica demonstrated that these strychnine-containing plants 

 violently stimulate the spinal cord, producing tetanic con- 

 vulsions. In virtue of this stimulation of the cord, and its 

 reflex functions, carefully regulated doses of this drug have 

 been utilised to restore disturbed co-ordination of the 

 gastro-intestinal functions, and to relieve some forms of 

 paralysis. Experiments on animals also have demonstrated 

 the action of digitalis and strophanthus as cardiac stimu- 



