CH&<PTE<R II. 



ANTIDOTES &JY<D TREATMENT 



in 



Cases of (Poisoning. 



It "would seem, that in the treatment of dogs in disease, some people 

 draw from a fund of accumulated and transmitted ignorance, and display 

 the least possible common sense and judgment. Remedies of the great- 

 est efficacy and virtue, become exceedingly dangerous in the hands of 

 the careless and incompetent, and many dogs are sacrificed by man's stu- 

 pidity, as well as destroyed by that fiend incarnate, the dog poisoner. 



No where "will that old saying better apply than in connection with the 

 use of medicine, " a little knowledge makes men foolish." 



An article lately appeared in a prominent sportsman's paper, under the 

 heading, "Treatment of Poisoned Dogs," which well illustrates this. It 

 said, " The lives of many valuable dogs can be saved by the prompt use 

 of a very simple remedy. As soon as you know a dog has been poisoned, 

 inject about an ounce of hydrate of chloral into his back with a hypoder- 

 mic syringe, the quantity to be governed by the size of the dog and 

 severity of his symptoms. As long as there is life in him do not despair. 

 I have known dogs to have been saved by this treatment when in the 

 death throes." 



Nothing could be either more absurd, or more dangerous than this advice. 

 One ounce of chloral hydrate is four hundred and eighty grains; the dose of 

 this agent is from five to twenty grains. The rule when medicine is admin- 

 istered subcutaneously is one half the quantity given by the mouth. In 

 cases of strychnine poisoning, the need is more urgent, and the usual 

 closes can be safely increased; twenty grains however would be quite 

 enough to introduce hypodermically, as it acts quickly, and the need of 

 a larger close would be readily apparent. The adviser says " the quantity 

 to be governed by the size of the clog." It is presumed it would matter 

 little, were anything near four hundred and eighty grains administered. 

 Again to " inject into the back," an abscess would surely result, leaving an 

 unsightly scar. While chloral hydrate is indicated in cases of poisoning 



