450 HEALTH AND DISEASE 



Glauber's salt. Hypophosjihites are thought to be beneficial in restoring 

 nutritive function in some febrile diseases. 



The general uses of soda are the same as those of potash and magnesia. 

 Except in the form of sulphate of soda, the drug is not much employed 

 by veterinry surgeons. 



The sulphate is one of the most valuable drugs we have, and in small 

 doses is alterative and diuretic, and in large ones aperient. (See Aperients.) 



The solution of bicarbonate of soda is a valuable antacid, which may be 

 used in such cases as those for which bicarbonate of potash is prescribed. 

 Being tasteless, horses may be induced to take it in the drinking water 

 when refusino- other saline medicines. 



Lime. — Preparations of lime are seldom used in the treatment of 

 horses, but the carbonate, in the form of chalk, is sometimes employed 

 as an antidote to poisoning by corrosive acids, and as an astringent in 

 diarrhoea. 



COOLING MEDICINES, ANTIPYRETICS 



The class of medicines known as " cooling " are those which, like 

 quinine, retard the discharge of oxygen from the red corpuscles of the 

 blood instead of facilitating the process, as do iron and potash in com- 

 bination. 



Antipyretics (Greek anti, against, and j^r^retos, fever). — Besides 

 quinine, which stands at the head of the list, and the action of which 

 has been already explained, there is salicine, whose action in reducing 

 temperature is very marked, though the modus oi^erandi is not yet clearh 

 defined. 



A number of synthetical compounds of German origin much in vogue 

 in human practice are employed by some veterinarians, but their utilit}' in 

 equine practice cannot be said to have been established. The large doses 

 required, and the considerable cost, preclude their use on a large scale in 

 establishments where their therapeutical value could be best tested. 

 Among them may be named antipyrin, antifebrin, kairin, phenacetin, &c. 



The veterinarian is accustomed to regard saline aperients as " cooling " 

 medicines, and they undoubtedly do reduce temperature in an indirect 

 manner (see Aperients). Remedies which act upon the skin and kidneys 

 also lower the animal heat, and the apjolication of cold water does so by 

 evaporation and the subsecjuent determination of blood to the surface. 

 Clothing, by inducing perspiration and increased activity of the skin, also 

 tends to lower the general temperature. 



There are other drugs whicli depress the activity of tissues, and pro- 

 vided the loss by waste remains the same, a lowering of temperature 



