LOOSENKSS, OR PURGING. 197 



,'J'« rt!''"; "''"' ^''''''' °' "'"''''' '^^ ^^^'^"e^^ increases 

 in a double degree. 



The remedies employed, when diarrhoea is a primary com- 

 plaint, are g-enerally either of an absorbent or an astring-ent 

 nature: but a long- experience enables me to state that the 

 loosenesses or scourings of dogs are best combated by a pro- 

 per mixture of both these. In the purging which accompa- 

 nies distemper, however, the disease frequently proves very 

 obstinate, and even baffles every endeavour to remove it. 

 J^uet, boiled in milk, has been long a favourite domestic re- 

 medy and in slight cases is equal to the cure. Alum-whey 

 has also proved useful, but more frequently as an injection, 

 than by the mouth. Great benefit has also been experienced 

 from an infusion of the inner rind of the barberry, particularly 

 when the evacuations have been glairy and mucus-like. In 

 cases where there has been an appearance of much bile in 

 the stools, and the dog has been strong, I have found it pru- 

 dent sometimes to premise an emetic of ipecacuanha, after 

 which either of the following recipes may be used with ad- 

 vantage. In point of efficacy they are to be ranked, according 

 to my experience, in the order in which they stand. 



No. 1.— Catechu, powdered 1 dram 



Gum arabic, powdered 1 dram 



Prepared chalk ";;";;; ^ ^^^^^^ 



Make into balls, with conserve of roses, and give, from the 

 size of a hazelnut to that of a small walnut, two or three 

 times a day, according to the urgency of the symptoms, &c. &c. 



No. 2.-Powdered rhubarb half a dram 



Powdered ipecacuanha 1 scruple 



Powdered opium * 3 ^,^^^3 



Prepared chalk 2 drams. 



Mix, prepare, and give, as above. 



No. 3.-Magnesia 2 drams 



Powdered alum j scruple 



Powdered Colombo I dram. 



Mix, with six ounces of boiled starch, and give a dessert or a 



