DICTIONARY OF THE VETERINARY ART. 197 



Anthelmintics. Medicines that destroy worms, and are 

 supposed to cause their expulsion from the animal. Many 

 of the remedies recommended by veterinary writers would 

 be more likely to kill the horse instead of the former ; they 

 are calomel, antimony, &c. The proper method of prevent- 

 ing the generation of worms in the alimentary canal, is to 

 pay attention to feeding, watering, &c. 



Antimony. A corrosive mineral poison. It has been ex- 

 tensively used in veterinary practice, and has entailed on the 

 brute creation more diseases than it ever cured. There are 

 numerous preparations of antimony, but they are all more or 

 less destructive. Large quantities of this destructive mineral 

 have been used on horses ; yet in some cases, where there is 

 vital power enough in the animal to dispossess it from the 

 system, no immediate unfavorable results were observed. 

 Yet it is an agent of such diversified therapeutical powers, 

 that the wisest of the faculty have never ventured to pre- 

 scribe and fix limits to its action. 



Antiseptics. Medicines that correct and prevent putridi- 

 ty ; the best and most efficient are charcoal, Peruvian bark, 

 acetic acid, and bayberry bark. 



Antispasmodics. Medicines that are employed in spas- 

 modic and convulsive disorders ; the most efficient are assa- 

 foetida, pennyroyal, or any of the mints, such as spearmint, 

 catnip. The most powerful in spasm, or lockjaw, are lobelia, 

 warmth and moisture, castor, musk, ginseng, and Indian hemp, 

 or milk weed. 



Apoplexy. A disease which is often called staggers. 

 (See part first.) 



Arm. A term applied to the upper part of the fore leg. 



Aromatics. Medicines that have a warm, pungent taste, 

 and fragrant smell ; of this kind are cardamom seeds, cloves, 

 and nutmegs, sweet flag, &c. 



Arsenic A destructive mineral poison. It has been used 

 in many diseases of the horse, without the slightest benefit. 

 Dr. White states, " so various are its effects, that he has 

 known a very small quantity to terminate fatally." It was 



