ANTISPASMODICS.— APERIENTS. 345 



APERIENTS. 



Aperients, opening medicines, or purges, by which several names 

 this class of medicines is known, are constantly required by the 

 dog, though it is a great mistake to give them when they are not 

 absolutely demanded by the necessity of the case. All act by 

 quickening the ordinary muscular action of the bowels, but 

 some also stimulate the lining membrane to pour out large quan- 

 tities of watery fluid, and others either directly or indirectly 

 compel the liver to increase its secretion of bile. Hence they 

 are often classed into corresponding divisions, as laxatives, drastic 

 purgatives, &c. The chief of these drugs used in the dog-kennel 

 are aloes, colocynth, rhubarb, jalap, ipecacuanha, senna, calomel, 

 and blue pill, all of which act more or less on the liver ; while 

 Epsom salts, castor oil, and croton oil open the bowels without 

 any such eflect. Syrup of buckthorn is. commonly given, but has 

 little efiect ; and, indeed, the syrup of red poppies is generally 

 substituted for it by the druggist, who seldom keeps the genuine 

 article, from the belief that it is inert. 



A mild bolus : 



11. — Barbadoes aloes, 10 to 15 grains. 

 Powdered jalap, 5 to 8 grains. 

 Ginger, 2 or 3 grains. 

 Soap, 10 grains. 



Mix into one bolus for a large dog, or divide into two or three for 

 small oneSj and give as req^uired. 



