122 DIAPHORETICS 



and horses begins, even while they are at rest, at a little 

 over 80 Fahr. It is chiefly determined (1) by anything 

 which increases heat production in the system, such as 

 muscular exercise ; (2) by increased activity of the sweat 

 glands ; and (3) by increased circulation of blood. The 

 taking of food, the drinking of warm water or other bland 

 fluids, and the administration of strong tea and coffee, by 

 raising arterial pressure increase blood circulation through 

 the cutaneous vessels, and promote perspiration. The 

 sweat glands are stimulated by various aromatic and volatile 

 substances which are excreted by them. The sweat centres 

 are stimulated by ammonia salts, ipecacuanha, opium, 

 camphor, nicotine, and antimony salts, by mental emotions 

 and nausea, by a venous condition and high temperature of 

 the blood, and reflexly by warmth to the surface, warm 

 drinks, and alcohol. 



Diaphoretics or sudorifics are agents which increase the 

 skin secretions. They include (1) agents which stimulate 

 the sudoriparous glands, or nerves connected with them, 

 such as pilocarpine, jaborandi, physostigmine, and warmth 

 to the surface ; (2) agents which increase superficial blood 

 supply, including such vascular stimulants as alcohol, ethers, 

 and ammonia acetate solution, vaso-dilators such as amyl- 

 nitrite, sweet spirit of nitre, and such nauseants as ipeca- 

 cuanha and tartar emetic. Diaphoretics are less prompt and 

 certain in veterinary than in human patients. Horses are 

 made to sweat more readily than cattle, while the skin of 

 horses and cattle is more easily acted upon than that of 

 sheep or pigs. In the dog and cat there are no sweat glands 

 in the skin except on the hairless pads of the feet, so that 

 diaphoretics are without action on these animals. In all 

 animals the readiest way of promoting copious cutaneous 

 secretion is by heavy clothing, warm diluents, and keeping 

 the animal in a dry atmosphere of about 70, and administer- 

 ing small and repeated doses of ammonia acetate solution, 

 or sweet spirit of nitre. Friction or grooming with suitable 

 brushes beneficially excites the action of the skin in all 

 animals. Warm and vapour baths, at temperatures vary- 

 ing from 100 to 120 Fahr., are useful diaphoretics. 



Hydrotherapy affords a ready means of producing dia- 



