398 MATERIA MEDICA 



that have been made on the healthy stomach, or attempt to form 

 general rules or deductions from one, two, or three experiments, 

 however carefully they may have been conducted. There is only 

 one source from which any precise or really useful knowledge of 

 this interesting subject can be derived ; that is, a careful and im- 

 partial observation, and an accurate recollection of the symptoms of 

 diseases, and the effects of such medicines, tohether simple or com- 

 pound, as are employed for their removal. 



Witli respect to the names of the simple and compound medi- 

 cines, the Author has for the most part employed those of the 

 last London Dispensatory, by Thomson, 1830; but he has given 

 also the older and more common names, and in such a manner 

 as may make the general reader, or the young Veterinarian, 

 familiar with both : for our medical nomenclature, even when 

 founded on chemistry or botany, will probably be variable and 

 uncertain. 



[The additions made by the Editor of the present edition are 

 by no means numerous. They consist principally of some new 

 medicines, whose effects have been ascertained to be useful or 

 valuable in the horse. In supplying this, he has had free re- 

 course to the Veterinary Pharmacopoeia, lately published by 

 Mr. Morton, Lecturer on Chemistry at the Veterinary College, 

 to whose valuable work he begs to refer for a more scientific 

 acquaintance with the greater portion of medicines used for 

 animals. 



In former Editions, the names and properties of a number of 

 medicines were given which had either never been tried, or had 

 been found useless for the horse ; these have been freely erased, 

 as their retention could have answered no useful end. There 

 are some medicines, however, whose use and value for animals 

 have been disputed, being praised by some and condemned by 

 others; these have been retained in order to afford every facility 

 to those who would again try their effects : the convenience of 

 parties in situations where particular medicines cannot be ob- 

 tained has also been considered in the present Edition. The 

 Editor, in condensing this portion of the work, has endeavoured 

 to render it more valuable. — Ed.] 



WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. 



The measures employed in medicine are of two kinds, one for 

 solids, the other for liquids. But there are some fluids much 

 heavier than water, such as sulphuric acid and Goulard's Ex- 

 tract ; and there are others much lighter, such as ether and 

 alcohol or spirit of wine ; such liquids are, therefore, sold by 



