36 GENERAL THERAPEUTICS FOR VETERINARIANS 



compression upon all of the organs in the abdominal cavity. In 

 consequence of this, the elimination of bile and pancreatic secretion 

 is accelerated and a certain amount of blood is expressed out of 

 the large vessels and organs of the posterior part of the abdomen, 

 these organs becoming anaemic while the neighboring organs 

 become hyperaemic. During vomiting the pulse and respiration 

 are accelerated, metabolism is increased, and there is also at the 

 same time increased activity of the sweat glands and the mucous 

 glands of the bronchial membrane. The forced expiration occur- 

 ring during vomiting increases the expectoration of secretions from 

 the bronchi and lungs. The nervous system in general is stimu- 

 lated, but it is questionable if the irritability of the muscles is 

 decreased. Finally, the nausea that precedes vomiting has an 

 alterative effect upon the gastric nerves. Emetics which pro- 

 duce a pronounced and long-continued nausea are called nauseat- 

 ing emetics (apomorphine). 



Uses. — The diverse and wide-spread effects of emetics demon- 

 strate that the use of emetics has unwisely been discredited. In 

 veterinary medicine, they are indispensable in the treatment of 

 certain diseases; in other diseases practical experience, in confirma- 

 tion of the aforementioned physiological effects, has shown that 

 they are of decided value. The most important indications for the 

 employment of emetics are the following: 



1. The removal of excessive quantities of food, foreign bodies, 

 and poisons from the stomach and oesophagus. 



2. To empty the stomach of decomposing or fermenting food, 

 and of collections of mucus in gastric catarrh. 



3. Licking-disease of cattle and wool-eating of sheep are most 

 promptly cured by emetics. This is also true of other forms of 

 depraved appetite (eating of sand by horses). 



4. The removal of stasis of bile (icterus). 



5. The removal of infectious material from the stomach 

 in infectious diseases. For example, in the early stages of 

 canine distemper and erysipelas of swine an emetic is indicated. 

 In such cases emetics act as alteratives (so-called abortive 

 treatment). 



