FLUORIDE OF SODIUM 203 



bacteria. When administered internally, it has been 

 credited with the power of oxidising urea and other products 

 of tissue metamorphosis, and of hastening their excretion. 

 It has been prescribed as an antiseptic in fever and purpura 

 in horses, and as an antidote in poisoning by hydrogen 

 sulphide, the hydro-sulphides, and prussic acid. It is to be 

 remembered, however, that chlorine is much more poisonous 

 to the higher animals than to bacteria so that its internal use 

 should be restricted or avoided. 



It is chiefly serviceable as an external antiseptic for 

 stimulating and deodorising foul wounds and ulcers, check- 

 ing excessive noisome discharges from the skin or mucous 

 surfaces, controlling the earlier stages of eczema, and for 

 douching from an atomiser relaxed and irritable sore-throat. 

 As an antiseptic, although more expensive, it is for some 

 purposes preferable to chlorinated lime, inasmuch as, upon 

 exposure, it becomes converted into common salt itself a 

 valuable antiseptic, and more permanent and convenient 

 than the deliquescent, moist calcium chloride, which remains 

 when bleaching powder is used. 



DOSES, etc. Of the B.P. solution, which contains about 2J 

 per cent, of available chlorine, horses and cattle take fj. 

 to f ij. ; sheep and pigs, f 3J- to f 3ij- ; dogs, Tl\xv. to Tl\xxx., 

 dissolved in water. 



Fluoride of sodium, obtained by saturating hydrofluoric 

 acid in water with sodium carbonate, has been used to 

 liquefy the exudate and other deposits in cystitis and 

 mammitis. It is antiseptic. For contagious mammitis, an 

 ounce of a solution of one part sodium fluoride in a thousand 

 parts of boiled water, is injected, three or four times daily, 

 into the affected quarter, after drawing the teat. Later, or 

 in a week from the first injection, a solution of 1 to 500 

 may be used until recovery is well established. Injections of 

 sodium fluoride may be alternated with injections of solution 

 of sodium iodate (5 per cent.), or boric acid (4 per cent.). 



CALCIUM AND ITS MEDICINAL SALTS 



Calcium belongs to the group of alkaline earths, which 

 includes also barium and strontium. Its salts resemble 



