SODIUM NITRATE 201 



tion. When a patient has had two full doses without effect, 

 clysters should be tried, with a free allowance of water 

 containing salt and treacle. 



As a stomachic and alterative for horses or cattle, two 

 or three ounces of salt are given, usually with aromatics, 

 bitters, or vegetable tonics. As an emetic for the dog, the 

 dose varies from one to four drachms, dissolved in tepid 

 water. A still more effectual, readily obtained emetic for 

 a medium-sized dog consists of a tablespoonful of salt and 

 half a teaspoonful of mustard flour, dissolved in three or 

 four ounces of water. More prompt results are secured by 

 adding a few grains of zinc or copper sulphate, or of tartar 

 emetic. 



Nitrate of soda, much used as a manure, has irritant and 

 cathartic properties, somewhat resembling those of common 

 salt, but also showing typical irritant nitrate action. It has 

 sometimes killed both horses and cattle that have licked it, 

 or eaten grass strongly saturated by a large, recently applied 

 dressing. 



A number of cattle died rather suddenly on a farm in 

 South Lincolnshire, and an inquiry into the circumstances 

 of the case left no doubt that death arose from nitrate of 

 soda which the animals obtained from bags which had been 

 used in conveying this fertiliser into the field, and had after- 

 wards been left lying about. On a farm in Massachusetts, 

 eleven cows out of a herd of fifteen died as a result of having 

 had given to them nitrate of soda in mistake for common 

 salt. The fifteen cows had been out at grass all day, and 

 were driven to the stalls in the evening, when an attendant 

 gave to all except two what he supposed to be common salt, 

 thoroughly mixed with a small quantity of wheat bran. 

 Apparently, all the animals ate heartily. Two hours later 

 the cows attracted notice by the noise they were making, and 

 when examined they were found to be uneasy and evidently 

 in pain, and several died within an hour or two. The only 

 skilled advice obtainable was that of a medical practitioner 

 who, thinking the case was one of arsenic poisoning, pre- 

 scribed accordingly, but before morning eleven of the cows 

 were dead. An examination of samples of material collected 

 from the mangers revealed the presence of large quantities of 



