MEDICINE. 4ll 



aloes, in mange, surfeit, or worms. It is also useful in some cases of chronic cough, 

 in farcy, and in jaundice. Alone it has little purcra»ive effect on the horse, but it 

 assists the action of other aperients. It is given :n doses from a scruple to a drachm. 

 As soon as tlie gums become red, or the animal begins to quid or drop his hay, it 

 must be discontinued. Calomel has lately gained much repute in arresting the pro- 

 gress of epidemic catarrh in the horse. Mr. Percivall has succeeded in this attempt 

 to a very considerable extent. In fact, the influence of calomel in veterinary practice 

 seems to have been far too much undervalued.* 



Corrosive Sublimate, the oxymuriate or bichloride of mercury, combined with chlo- 

 rine in a double proportion, is a useful tonic in farcy. It should be given in doses 

 of ten grains daily, and gradually increased to a scruple, until the horse is purged 

 or the mouth becomes sore, when it may be omitted for a few days, and resumed 

 Some have recommended it as a diuretic, but it is too dangerous a medicine for 

 this purpose. It is used externally in solution ; in substance in quitter, as a stimu- 

 lant to foul ulcers ; and in the proportion of five grains to an ounce of rectified spirit 

 in obstinate mange, or to destroy vermin on the skin. It is, however, too uncertaii? 

 and too dangerous a medicine for the horse-proprietor to venture on its use. 



^thiop's Mineral, the black sulphuret of mercury, is not often used in horse-prac- 

 tice, but it is a good alterative for obstinate surfeit or foulness of the skin, in doses 

 of three drachms daily. Four drachms of cream of tartar may be advantageously 

 added to each dose. 



Infusions. — The active matter of some vegetable substances is partly or entirely 

 extracted by water. Dried vegetables yield their properties more readily and per- 

 fectly than when in their green state. Boiling water is poured on the substance 

 to be infused, and which should have been previously pounded or powdered, and the 

 vessel then covered and placed near a fire. In five or six hours the transparent part 

 may be poured off, and is ready for use. In a few days, however, all infusions be- 

 come thick, and lose their virtue, from the decomposition of the vegetable matter. 



The infusion of chamomile is advantageously used instead of water in compound- 

 ing a mild tonic drench. The infusion of catechu is useful in astringent mixtures ; 

 that of linseed is used instead of common water in catarrh and cold ; and the infu- 

 sion of tobacco in some injections. 



Iodine. — This substance has not been long introduced into veterinary practice. 

 The first object which it seemed to accomplish, was the reduction of the enlarged 

 glands that frequently remain after catarrh, but it soon appeared that it could reduce 

 almost every species of tumour. Much concerned in the first introduction of iodine 

 into veterinary practice, the writer of the present work bears willing testimony to 

 the zeal and success of others, in establishing the claims of this most valuable medi- 

 cine. Professor Morton has devoted much time and labour to the different combina- 

 tions of iodine, and they are described at length in his useful " Manual of Pharma- 

 cy." He gives the formulae of the composition of a liniment, an ointment, and a 

 tincture of iodine, adapted to different species and stages of disease. He next de- 

 scribes the preparation of the iodide of potassium — the combination of iodine and 

 potash, — and then the improvement on that under the name of the diniodide of 

 copper — the union of two parts of the iodide of potassium with four of the sulphate 

 of copper. 



The action of this compound is an admirable tonic and a stimulant to the absorb- 

 ent system, if combined with vegetable tonics, and, occasionally, small doses of 

 cantharides. Professor Spooner and Mr. Daws applied this compound, and with 

 marked success, to the alleviation of farcy, nasal gleet, and glanders. It is pleas- 

 ing to witness these triumphs over disease, a little while ago so unexpected, and now 

 so assured. 



Juniper, Oil of. — This essential oil is retained because it has some diuretic pro • 

 perty, as well as being a pleasant aromatic. It frequently enters into the compositi<-> 

 of the diuretic ball. 



Lead, Plumbum. — ^The Carbonate of Lead has a deleterious effect on the biped and 

 the quadruped in the neighbourhood of lead works. They are subject to violent grip- 

 ing pains, and to constipation that can with great difficulty, or not at all, be overcome. 

 Something of the same kind is occasionally observed in the cider counties, and the 



* Veterinarian, vol. xvi., or i., new series, pp. 325, 441, and 524. 



