ACTION AND USES OF MEDICINES. 141 



years in use, the walls, unless plastered with non-absorbing cement, often 

 become impregnated with deadly matter ; and, under the influence of the 

 emanations given off from them, patients, who might under better sani- 

 tary arrangements have recovered, sicken and die. In such cases it has 

 been found necessary to remove the whole of the plaster, to scrape the 

 walls, to remove and renew the whole of the wood work, and to take out 

 all the windows and expose the whole building for a length of time to the 

 purifying influence of the air. 



Sick boxes seldom require these extreme measures, because as soon as 

 it is ascertained that a horse is affected with a malignant disease, it is 

 usual to destroy him. 



CHAPTER 17. 



ACTION AND USES OF MEDICINES. 



280. Object ivithtvhich medicine is given. 281. Classification of medicines. 

 282. Mode in v^hich medicines jjroduce their effect. 283. Purgatives. 284. 

 Horses difficult to affect with purgative medicine. 285. Super-purgation. 

 286. Purgatives not to be given to a weaJc horse. 287. Aloes. 288. Aloes in 

 solution. 289. Linseed oil. 289a. Croton farina. 289b. Croton oil. 290. 

 Saline subtances. 291. Clysters or enemata. 292. Diuretics. 293. Dia- 

 phoretics. 294. Depressants. 295. Bleeding. 296. Sedatives. 297. Aconite. 

 298. Digitalis, tartar emetic, hydrocyanic acid, and belladonna. 299. Nau- 

 seants. 300. Stimulants and diffusible stimidants. 301 . Narcotics. 302. 

 Antispasmodics 303. Anaesthetics. 303a. Chloroform. 304. Tonics, 

 mineral and vegetable. 305. Blisters. 306. Caustics or Escharotics. 307. 

 Astringents. 308. Demulcents. 309. External dressings. 310. Digestive 

 ointment. 311. Diluents. 312. Emollients. 313. Poultices. 314. Fomen- 

 tations. 315. Spongiopiline. 316. Cold applications. 317. Cooling drinks. 

 318. Cooling lotions. 319. Alterative balls. 320. Febrifuges. 322. Fever 

 or Cough balls. 323. Disinfectants and Deodorizers. 324. Antiseptics. 

 825. Mode of delivering a ball. 326. Mode of giving a drench. 



280. Object ^vith which medicine is given. 



The object with which Medicine is given is to produce an altered — it 

 may be an increased or it may be a diminished — action of some organ of 

 the body or of the system generally. 



281. Classification of medicines. 



Medicines may be roughly classed under the following heads, namely, 

 1st. Evacuants, which increase the secretions from the bowels, skin. 



