450 NAVIX ON THE HORSE. 



JExjjectoranfs loosen the mucus in the air-passages. They are 

 very useful in dry coughs. JN'auseants act as expectorants. 



Befrigerants are cooling medicines. A cooling eifect may 

 be produced by a cathartic, diaphoretic, or diuretic. Refrig- 

 erants are useful in fevers and inflammation. 



Alteratives are medicines which act generally and continu- 

 ally on the system, gradually improving the health by improv- 

 ing the blood and acting on the glands of the system. They 

 are very valuable, but are often given when the natural re- 

 parative powers of the system vv^ould do better without them. 

 They are useful in surfeit, mange, farcy, glanders, consump- 

 tion, and many other unhealthy conditions of the system. 

 Antimony, niter, sulphur, ginger, and mercury are used as 

 .alteratives. 



Vermifuges — medicines that remove worms. Those used in 

 veterinary practice are quite numerous, aloes, calomel, tartar 

 .emetic, wood-ashes, turpentine, etc., etc. (See " Treatment of 

 Worms.") 



AntiseiJtics — articles which stop putrefaction. Charcoal, 

 yeast, sulphate of zinc, creosote, pyroligneous acid, etc. 

 Vesicants — articles that raise blisters or vesicles. 

 Caustics — agents which burn the skin or flesh to which they 

 •are applied, as caustic potash, lunar caustic, aqua fortis, and 

 the actual cautery, or hot iron. 



There are several other names which indicate the action of 

 medicines, but the above list will be sufficient for our purpose. 

 It must be remembered that nearly every medicine has sev- 

 eral different properties. Hence, the same medicine may be 

 .good in quite a number of different diseases. 



Some medicines are given to* the horse in the form of a 

 drench, which is poured into the back part of the mouth, so 

 that the horse can not avoid swallowing it; others are formed 

 into a ball, which is simply a big pill, and which is forced far 

 back in the mouth by the hand, or an instrument used for the 

 purpose, so that it has to be swallowed ; others are given in 



