196 SODIUM HYPOSULPHITE SOLUTION 



course of febrile, contagious, or infectious diseases. Amongst 

 horses they have been given in febrile attacks, and in such 

 cases many American practitioners have given favourable 

 reports of them. They relieve acidity and flatulence occur- 

 ring in badly-fed young calves. The sulphite, mixed with 

 treacle and placed within the lips, diminishes irritation, 

 smell, and acrid discharge in foot-and-mouth disease. Used 

 alone, and occasionally with potassium chlorate, it has been 

 given to young cattle to prevent attacks of black-leg, half- 

 ounce or ounce doses for this object being administered with 

 the ordinary food for three or four days consecutively during 

 every fortnight. It is difficult to estimate the precise value 

 of such preventives, adopted, as they often are, hi conjunc- 

 tion with more careful feeding and management. In 

 distemper in dogs, ten to twenty grains of sulphite, or hypo- 

 sulphite, are given twice daily to regulate the bowels and 

 abate the fever. 



A solution of ten grains hyposulphite to the ounce of water 

 is an excellent application for corneal ulcers and recent 

 opacities. 



DOSES, etc. Of the sulphite, horses and cattle take ss. to 

 ij. ; sheep and pigs, 3 SS - to 3^- J dogs, grs. xx. to 39- 

 Of the hyposulphite, somewhat smaller doses suffice. Either 

 drug is prescribed in powder or solution, and may be re- 

 peated several times daily. Having little taste, they may 

 usually be taken mixed with the food or drinking water. 

 They may be conjoined with ginger, gentian, camphor, or 

 ammonium carbonate. 



SODIUM CHLORIDE. Sodii chloridum. Chloride of Sodium. 

 Common salt. NaCl. 



Salt is found in extensive rock deposits in Poland, Spain, 

 and other parts of Europe, and in this country in Cheshire 

 and Worcestershire. It exists in variable amount in every 

 soil, and hence in every water, is the largest saline con- 

 stituent of the ocean, and is present in the tissues and fluids 

 of plants and animals. It is obtained for medicinal and 

 domestic purposes by quarrying the solid beds of rock-salt, 

 or by evaporating brine springs or sea-water. 



