VETERINARY MATERIA MEDIC A. 



615 



Alteratives are articles that are supposed to act medici- 

 nally on the body, in a slow and nearly imperceptible 

 manner. The usual alteratives among farriers are nitre, 

 antimony, sulphur, resin, and spices ; but a better ac- 

 quaintance with the art teaches us to add to the list 

 every drug in the Pharmacy. It is easy to make a ball, 

 and call it an alterative. But a good medicine of this 

 description should be adapted to some particular case. 

 It should change something into something else ; where- 

 fore it requires more skill to manage properly this class 

 of medicines than any other. 

 Alum {Alumen) .—This compound body is in very general 

 use in veterinary practice, both externally and internally. 

 In doses of one or two drachms, it is employed as an 

 astringent in diarrhoea, diabetes, and other fluxes. Ex- 

 ternally it is by some used as a styptic to stop haemor- 

 rhage, by sprinkhng it on the bleeding orifice, when its 

 coagulating properties plug up the mouth of the vessel. 

 It fs also esteemed to be a useful escharotic to destroy 

 fungus, and a valuable detergent for foul ulcers. 

 Ammonia crude {Ammonia murias). — It is called crude, to 

 distinguish it from the volatile or prepared ammonia 

 which follows. It is, in general opinion, when diluted, 

 one of our very best discutients ; and, when in mixture 

 with acetic acid or vinegar, to which camphor is added, 

 it forms the favourite discutient lotion of general prac- 

 titioners. From it are prepared 



Ammonia volatile (ammonia subcarbonas) . The gaseous 

 ammonia, fixed into a sohd form by combination with 

 carbonic acid, forms the volatile ammomacal salt of the 

 druggists. It is a good stimulant in the latter stages of 

 fever : united with vinegar, it forms the spirit of Mm- 

 dererus, an excellent preparation. 



Ammonia acetatis, see acetated liquor of ammonia. 

 Carbonate of Ammonia is called salt ot hartshorn ; car- 

 bonated water of ammonia is the spirit of hartshorn of 

 the shops. It is convenient in veterinary practice, Irom 

 its peculiar property of uniting oil and water. Inter- 

 nally, it is an antispasmodic, in doses of six to eight 

 drachms. Externally it is a very quick bhstermg agent. 



