ALTERATIVES. 75 



but not so much as mig-ht be expected *, considering the 

 powerful operation of artificial habits. 



Alteratives. 



There are many states in which, although there appears 

 no very serious disease, yet a sufficient remove from health 

 exists to make some alteration in the constitution necessary. 

 When this is the case, the end may, in general, be attained 

 by alteratives. An actual disease may also exist, whose re- 

 move can be best effected by a slow gradual alteration to be 

 brought about in the constitution by what are, from this cir- 

 cumstance, termed alteratives. Hence excessive fatness, 

 chronic coughs, fits, glandular swellings, mange, &c. &c. 

 are best attacked by these sorts of remedies. 



Various substances are used as alteratives ; as antimonials, 

 and the different preparations of mercury, iron, and tin. 

 The nitrate of potash {nitre), the supertartrate of potash 

 {cream of tartar), aloes, salines, &c. &c. &c., are excel- 

 lent alteratives. Tartarized antimony {emetic tartar) often 

 proves a very useful alterative in the chronic asthmatic cough 

 to which dogs are subject, given as an emetic once or twice 

 a week in doses of one grain to three. Antimonial powder, 

 or James's Pow^der, may be also given with benefit as an 

 alterative in similar cases. Crude antimony is often found 

 useful in diseases of the skin : but it is unfortunately very un- 



* BuFFON calculates the length of life in the dog from the time of his 

 growth. " La duree de la vie est dans le chien, comma dans les autres ani- 

 " maux, proportionelle au temps de I'accroissement j il est environ deux ans 

 « a croitre, ils vit aussi sept fois deux ans."— Buffon, Hist. Nat. torn, v, 223. 



jElian considers fourteen years as the natural period of life in dogs.— 

 ^LiAN, De Nat Animal., lib. iv, c. 41. 



Some of the antients have stated that a difference exists in the duration 

 of life between the sexes, but experience justifies no such distinction.— Ar- 

 aiANUS cfe Venationcy c. 32. 



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