ANESTHETICS. 51 



Partial anaesthesia in the standing posture is sometimes resorted 

 to in shoeing vicious horses. To succeed, the horse's head mast 

 be firmly secured to a ring in the forge wall, as greater danger is 

 to be feared from the animal becoming loose than from throwing 

 itself down during the period of excitement. The writer has found 

 that many animals will stand quietly until the corneal reflex becomes 

 quite languid or almost abolished. This is the best condition for 

 shoeing troublesome horses. 



Morphine and Chloroform. When morphine is previously ad- 

 ministered the animals sometimes show considerably more excite- 

 ment than when chloroform alone is employed ; and as, generally 

 speaking, the preliminary use of morphine neither lessens the pre- 

 anesthetic period nor decreases the amount of chloroform required, 

 it is rather a drawback than a help. Chloroform and ether mixtures 

 present no advantages over chloroform alone, except in cases of 

 heart affection. 



Atropine, Morphine and Chloroform. To facilitate the throwing of 

 restive horses and to save chloroform, Almy and Desoubry recom- 

 mend a subcutaneous injection containing morphine hydrochloride 

 (If grain), neutral sulphate of atropine ( T h grain), and distilled 

 water (2i drachms). After an interval of half an hour the horse 

 is cast and chloroformed. 



Ether was the first and, in man, remains the favourite anaesthetic. 

 It is administered in progressive doses from a sponge, tampon of 

 tow, or linen compress, or by means of Cox's or Carlisle's inhaler. 

 An ordinary deep leather bucket muzzle is a very good substitute, 

 provided care is taken to prevent the liquid coming in contact with 

 the mucous membrane of the nostril. If necessary, inhalation is 

 occasionally stopped, and when surgical anaesthesia is complete the 

 dose is considerably reduced. During the whole time respiration 

 and the reflexes must be closely observed. 



The horse having been cast, anything which might impede 

 respiration, or compress the larynx, the lower portion of the neck, 

 or the thorax, is removed. If Cox's muzzle be employed the 

 procedure is precisely similar to that in giving chloroform ; other- 

 wise a linen pad about eight to ten inches square is placed over the 

 nostrils, and ether dropped on it in small quantities. The distance 

 from the nostrils regulates the rapidity of administration and the 

 amount given. 



The mucous membrane of the upper respiratory passages being 

 irritable, considerable excitement is at first produced ; the animal 

 neighs, struggles, and is sometimes very violent ; respiration and 



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