MINERAL POISONS. 429 



effects of such as are fatal by active purgatives, as the 

 croton nut ; and also by a liberal use of stimulants and 

 demulcents, as oil, butter, ammonia, brandy, and any 

 mineral or vegetable acid : but in such cases a caution is 

 necessary with regard to vinegar, which in doses of a pint 

 has destroyed ; half a pint may, however, in urgent cases, 

 be safely given, or two drachms of vitriol may be infused in 

 two quarts of water, and poured down the animal's throat. 



MINERAL POISONS. 



These act usually by tiieir caustic quality on the coats of 

 the stomach and bowels ; but the horse is an animal whose 

 power of resisting the effects of the more active mineral 

 agents is remarkable. There must be an inherent structural 

 capability in the alimentary canal of the animal to repel 

 their potency ; or how comes it, the mineral acids do not 

 exert their baneful influence, except in quantities which 

 bear no proportion to his general constitutional powers, 

 compared either with man or other animals ? Emetic 

 tartar to the amount of four ounces, creates no disturbance 

 in the horse ; and proportionate doses of crude antimony are 

 equally innocuous. The acetate of lead can also be borne 

 by the horse without distress in very large quantities : 

 and although arsenic, corrosive sublimate, and verdigris, 

 cannot be endured in any thing like equal doses, yet amounts 

 large enough to astonish the inexperienced are given every 

 day medicinally. 



The symptoms which arise from the malicious adminis- 

 tration of the more common mineral acids do not materially 

 differ. The horse is first observed to be uneasy and impa- 

 tient, which ends in his lying down and rolling, or stamping 

 with his feet, as in gripes : he also looks round at his sides 

 in the same manner ; so that these cases might be readily 

 mistaken for colic, were it not for an appearance which 

 is almost constant, and is very rarely seen in spasmodic 

 colic. This is the presence of a viscid, ropy, or frothy 

 mucus, which continually escapes from the mouth, which is 

 singularly hot ; and the breath becomes foetid to the smell. 

 In some instances there are frequent attempts to stale and 

 dung : now and then bloody evacuations pass. Profuse 

 cold sweats break out ; the weakness becomes extreme ; the 



