VETERINARY MATERIA MEDICA. 613 



times its amount of water it forms vinegar, and a good 

 lotion for several forms of prurigo. 



-^RUGo. — See Copper. 



^THER, Sulphuric. — A valuable medicine, and the best 

 anti-spasmodic we possess. Blended with its own 

 amount of laudanum, and more than ten times its 

 amount of cold water, sulphuric ether forms one of the 

 best and safest drinks we know of The nitrous spirit of 

 (sther, or sweet spirit of nitre, as it is called, is a more 

 general remedy, only because of its greater cheapness. 

 As a febrifuge, it is at once, though in a less degree than 

 the sulphuric sether, refrigerating without being lowering. 



^THiops Mineral. — See Mercury, Black Sulphuret of. 



Aloes. — These form a very important article in the veteri- 

 narian's list of medicines, and therefore too much care 

 cannot be taken to procure them genuine. Every prac- 

 titioner, however, should purchase them in the gross ; 

 and have them reduced to powder under his own inspec- 

 tion, as the surest preventive against adulteration. The 

 aloes in use among veterinarians are principally of two 

 kinds ; Barbadoes and Cape. Barbadoes are in most 

 request, as being the most certain in their action ; be- 

 cause they are less adulterated. Barbadoes aloes are of 

 a deep tint, slightly brittle, fragrant, and intensely bitter. 

 Cape aloes are altogether an inferior drug. The action 

 of each kind as a purgative is detailed under the head 

 Purgatives. As an alterative, aloes are sometimes given 

 in doses of one drachm to two daily ; they are also some- 

 times used in similar doses as a nauseant in inflamma- 

 tions, but are not uniform in their action, and are apt to 

 irritate. As an external stimulant, they are used in the 

 compound tinctures of myrrh and of benjamin. Aloes 

 form a remarkable instance of the different properties of 

 the same article over difl"erent animals. A horse requires 

 less than an ounce, an ox two ounces or more, to 

 purge him ; it will make a dog vomit rather than purge 

 the animal ; a man can bear only a small quantity ; 

 and the largest hog not even so much : while, according 

 to the experiments of M. Gilbert, a sheep which took 

 two ounces was not purged, although it died seventeen 

 days afterwards. Aloes, particularly the Barbadoes, will 



