EMETICS AND ANTI-EMETICS 107 



purposes anaesthetics are much more effectual. Their 

 paralysing effect on muscle explains why emetics in excessive 

 doses often fail to cause vomiting. 



Emetics are contra-indicated in gastric inflammation, 

 cerebral congestion, and haemorrhagic conditions, and they 

 should be cautiously used in pregnancy and hernia. 



A safe and convenient emetic for a medium-sized dog 

 consists of a teaspoonful each of common salt and mustard 

 dissolved in three ounces of tepid water. More prompt and 

 certain effects are produced by two or three grains of copper 

 or zinc sulphate dissolved in a couple of ounces of warm 

 water, rolled in a piece of meat, or mixed with other food. 

 Greater depression follows the administration of three grains 

 tartar emetic and ten grains ipecacuanha, given dissolved in 

 three or four ounces of tepid water. Apomorphine, the most 

 prompt and certain of emetics, acts by whatever channel it 

 enters the body, and produces full effects on dogs in doses of 

 one-tenth to one-fifth of a grain. 



To check vomiting, which occasionally proves troublesome 

 in dogs, three methods of relief are indicated (1) the re- 

 moval, by appropriate means, of the irritation of the fauces, 

 bronchi, stomach, or other part which excites the reflex act ; 



(2) lessening irritability of the gastric nerves by giving small 

 pieces of ice, or atropine, cocaine, carbolic acid, creosote, 

 silver nitrate, bismuth subnitrate, or hydrocyanic acid ; 



(3) quieting over-activity of the irritable vomiting centre by 

 morphine, chloral, potassium or ammonium bromide, or 

 amyl-nitrite. 



ACTION OP DRUGS ON THE INTESTINES 



PURGATIVES CARMINATIVES INTESTINAL ASTRINGENTS 

 AND ANTISEPTICS 



PURGATIVES or CATHARTICS cause intestinal evacuations 



by stimulating the muscular coat, and accelerating the 

 peristaltic movements of the bowels ; by increasing secre- 

 tion from the intestinal mucous membrane ; and also by 

 limiting absorption of the intestinal fluids, or by setting up 

 exosmosis of fluid from the blood and tissues into the lumen 

 of the bowel. 



