76 ALTERATIVES. ' \ 



certain in its operation : that is, some dogs will bear a con- 

 siderable quantity, while others cannot even take a small 

 one without violent sickness. The usual dose is from half a 

 scruple to half a dram. Nitrate of potash (nitre) is a very 

 useful alterative to dog-s for hot itching humours and redness 

 of the skin, in doses of four grains to ten. The supertartrate 

 of potash {cream of tartar) may be also given as an alter- 

 ative with benefit, in larger doses, in the same cases. All 

 the preparations of mercury, though excellent alteratives, 

 require great caution when frequently repeated, or regularly 

 o-iven ; for dogs are easily salivated, and salivation produces 

 very hurtful effects on them. 



DoD^s, when fully salivated, lose their teeth very early, and 

 their breath continues offensive through life. The whole of 

 the feline tribe are also easily affected by mercury. I was 

 requested to inspect the very large lion that so long graced 

 Pidcock's Menagerie. It may be remembered by many, 

 that this noble animal's tongue constantly hung without his 

 mouth ; which arose from his having been injudiciously sali- 

 vated, many years before, by a mercurial preparation ap- 

 plied by the keeper for the cure of mange. The submuriate 

 of mercury {calomel) is, likewise, very irregular in its action 

 on doo-s ; 1 have seen eight grains fail to open the bowels of 

 even a small one, w^hile, on the contrary, I have been called 

 to a pointer fatally poisoned by ten grains. It forms, how- 

 ever, a useful auxiliary to purgatives, in doses of three to six 

 erains ; and as it not unfrequently acts on the stomach, so it 

 may be used with advantage as an emetic in some cases, 

 particularly in conjunction with tartarized antimony (tartar 

 emetic). When, therefore, a purgative is brought up again, 

 in which calomel was a component part, it may be suspected 

 to arise from this source, and, if it is necessary to repeat the 

 purge, the mercurial should be omitted. 



The various preparations of iron form excellent alteratives 

 in some cases of weakness, particularly of the stomach and 

 bowels, for which affections they act best when united with 

 the aromatic bitters. Sulphur is the alterative remedy in the 



