478 



HEALTH AND DISEASE 



headache and depression of spirits at times, giving rise to sleeplessness, 

 timidity, and other indications of cerebral disturbance, and there can be 

 little doubt that many of those sudden periodical changes of temjjerament 

 and habit frequently observed in horses, and attributed to vice, have their 

 origin in disorders of the nervous system. 



Nux Vomica. — This drug, or its alkaloid, strychnia, has been long in 

 repute among veterinarians. It is employed in the form of powdered seeds, 



or " nuts " as they are called, extract, 

 and strychnia in solution. The more 

 elegant preparations, as Easton's syrup 

 and various citrates, are sometimes 

 employed, but are not in general use 

 for horses. 



Actions and Uses.— The intense 



bitterness of this drug does not usually 

 debar us from prescribing it, as few 

 horses object to it. It is often advan- 

 tageously combined with the simpler 

 vegetable bitters previously referred 

 to as stomach tonics; it may also be 

 given with iron or alkalies. When pre- 

 scribed with acids, the liquor strychnise 

 is advised. The use of the drug is 

 seldom pushed to extremes with horses, 

 although with man, and the dog also, 

 in certain forms of paralysis, it is 

 administered until slight spasmodic 

 movements in the voluntary muscles 

 are observed. In excessive doses vio- 

 lent muscular contractions, sometimes 

 resulting in general rigidity of the body, are induced. Its action on the 

 bowels renders it a valuable medicine in some forms of constipation 

 arising from imperfect innervation, more particularly in the case of old 

 animals, or the subjects of chronic functional disease of the alimentary 

 canal. After long- continued use the system becomes more and more 

 indifferent to its action, and is less affected by it than at first. It is 

 for this reason advisable to begin with a small dose and increase it 

 gradually if the course of treatment is to be a long one. Or it may be 

 desirable to discontinue its use for a time and resort to it again. 



It is one of the drugs used by grooms who "travel" stallions, as it 

 imparts tone to the system and sustains sexual desire. 



Fig. 431. — Nux Vomica {Stri/c/ttios nux voviica) 



1, Section of fruit. 2. Seed (Ceylon). 3, Section 

 of seed (Ceylon). 4, Seed showing ridge (Ceylon). 

 5, Seed (Madras). 6, Same seed showing ridge. 

 7, Seed of St)-ychnos ignatii. 



