POISONS. 175 



of a poisonous animal, or absorbed from wounds. (See 

 Glanders.) Poisons act in one of three ways : 



(1.) Irritant Poisons are those poisons the symptoms 

 of which are inflammation, irritation, and pain. Examples 

 — arsenic, bi-chloride of mercury, lead, baryta, copper, and 

 the Spanish fly. 



Treatment. The plan to be adopted in this class of 

 poisons in the horse is : Give him large quantities of the 

 white of eggs, milk, linseed oil ; and remove the poison as 

 speedily as possible by giving large quantities of linseed 

 oil — say two quarts. The horse cannot vomit ; hence, it is 

 difficult to procure a prompt evacuation of the stomach. 

 If the pain be great, give aconite to subdue it, and to keep 

 down inflammation and sympathetic fever. 



(2.) Narcotic Poisons. — Poisons which act on the 

 brain and nervous centres, producing stupidity or coma. 



Treatment. Give four grains of strychnia nux vomica in 



few pints of gruel made Avith vinegar. Keep the horse 

 walking around, and place chopped ice in a bag, and put 

 it on the forehead. 



(3.) Narcotic Acrid Poisons. — Poisons acting as the 

 above, and causing irritation, inflammation, fever, and pain. 

 Examples of this class are, nux vomica and veratria. 



Treatment. Aconite will not only relieve the pain, but is 

 an excellent antidote for strychnia; and for aconite, 

 strychnia may be given with advantage in cases of this 

 variety of poisoning. 



Poisoning from lead and copper is most frequent in the 

 country, or in the vicinity of lead and copper-smelting 

 works, or in pastures where manure from large towns and 

 cities is spread, or on farms where the water is conveyed in 

 leaden pipes, or is kept in troughs and cisterns lined with 

 lead. Pieces of lime and nails, or scraps of iron finding 



