716 DRENCHES 



lightly massaged, and after an interval of three or four 

 hours the teats are drawn. In contagious mammitis 

 injections of gradually increasing strength should be 

 repeated three or four times daily ; but in acute mammitis 

 usually only one injection is required, though occasionally a 

 second injection is given three or four days after the first. 

 The teats should be drawn at intervals of three or four hours 

 from the first injection until the gland resumes its function. 



DRAUGHTS-DRENCHBS-DRINKS 



Drenches are generally extemporaneous fluid prepara- 

 tions used in a single dose. Bulky substances which cannot 

 be administered in bolus are necessarily given in draught. 

 They are prescribed for cattle and sheep, horses and dogs, 

 especially when a speedy effect is desired. In ruminants, 

 medicines in the solid state mix with the food always found 

 in the rumen, and thus act tardily and imperfectly. Medi- 

 cines in liquid form, however, come more immediately into 

 contact with the mucous surface, and pass on more rapidly 

 to the abomasum and intestine. Saline, febrifuge, and tonic 

 draughts, made fairly palatable, are often readily taken by 

 patients in gruel or water, without the trouble of forcible 

 administration. 



In preparing drenches, care should be taken that the 

 several ingredients are not incompatible, decomposing or 

 injuriously reacting on each other ; and further, that their 

 quantity is not so great as unnecessarily to increase the 

 trouble of administration. Before being given, drenches 

 ought to be thoroughly mixed and well shaken, in order to 

 prevent ether, ammonia, turpentine, or other light con- 

 stituent floating to the surface, or heavy, partially dissolved 

 substances falling to the bottom. 



In giving drenches, the head should be slightly raised, 

 which in horses is conveniently done, with the aid of a 

 mouth-twitch, the noose of which is placed over the animal's 

 upper jaw within the incisor teeth, and the stick held by 

 an assistant, standing on the left side of the patient. In 

 cattle, the head should be steadied by an assistant, who 

 holds either the horn or ears. In dogs, the jaws may be 



