124 GENERAL THERAPEUTICS FOR VETERINARIANS 



tion of milk and the conclusions based upon exact pharmacological 

 experiments. In veterinary medicine, the following drugs have 

 been for a long time regarded as galactagogues : the different aro- 

 matics, particularly fennel, anise, caraway, juniper berries, corian- 

 der, dill, fine-leaved water hemlock, pimpinella, calamus, the 

 bitter stomachics (yarrow and gentian), sulphur, the neutral salts, 

 the antimony preparations (sulphurated antimony, antimony), 

 and others. These drugs are the chief constituents of the popular 

 milk powders. In human medicine, the leaves of polygala vul- 

 garis, galega officinalis and the castor-bean plant are recognized 

 as galactagogues, while iodine, belladonna, quinine and alum, to- 

 gether with external applications of opodeldoc, are chiefly used as 

 anti-galactagogues. According to Niebuhr, in many sections of 

 Germany oil of rosemary, a constituent of opodeldoc, is rubbed on 

 the udder of cows to reduce the milk secretion with good results. 

 Applications of oil of hemp have a similar effect. The results of 

 experiments with the individual galactagogues and anti-galacta- 

 gogues are very contradictory. The most important of these 

 investigations are the following: 



Experiments to test the power of iodine to reduce the milk 

 secretion were made by Labourdette (Gazette des Hopitaux, 1856). 

 He found that after the administration of potassium iodide to 

 cows, goats and asses, the milk secretion was at first somewhat in- 

 creased (1/10 to 1/8), then rapidly decreased, and finally in the 

 course of 2 to 3 months, under the continued action of potassium 

 iodide, ceased entirely, the experimental animal becoming very 

 much emaciated. When daily doses of 3 to 6 grams of potassium 

 iodide were given, the milk contained up to ^ gram per liter, and 

 the drug could be demonstrated in the milk 12 days after the 

 administration of the last dose. A slight, primary increase in the 

 milk secretion after the administration of potassium iodide was 

 also observed by Lewald. Bouley (Bulletin de TAcademie, 1859) 

 reported a long series of experiments with potassium iodide in 

 which the milk was not changed quantitatively and was otherwise 

 in good condition, but after curdling it had a rubber-like elasticity 

 and plasticity. Stumpf demonstrated that 5 grams of potassium 



