472 MATERIA MEDICA 



ployed as an astringent and styptic, in fluxes and internal bleed- 

 ings ; but modern practitioners scarcely ever use it. It is still 

 employed by furriers, in the complaint of horned cattle which 

 they term red-zoater, or bloody urine, but witliout effect; nor is 

 there any disease of the horse in which it is likely to be useful. 



DRASTIC. A term applied to those medicines that, by the 

 violence of their action, produce liquid purges. Their use is 

 particularly indicated in dropsy, in which disease, l)y determin- 

 ing a large quantity of the fluids of the body to the intestinal 

 canal, and subsequently causing it to be voided, the symptoms 

 of this complaint are greatly mitigated. Diuretics are chiefly 

 used in di-opsy, but when the kidneys, either from disease or 

 Avant of tone, do not act with sufficient vigour, drastic cathartics 

 are of the greatest utilitv. 



DRAUGHTS. See Drench. 



DRENCH. A medicine in a liquid form. This is an in- 

 convenient method of mvinri; medicine to horses, some part of 

 the dose being generally wasted. It is preferable, howcvei', on 

 niany occasions, to every other form, on account of the medicine 

 acting in much less time than in a solid form : in flatulent colic, 

 or gripes, for example, where the symptoms are extremely 

 urgent and alarming, a proper drench will soon relieve the ani- 

 mal, while a ball, unless soft and very soluble, would not pro- 

 duce any effect. Farriers commonly compound their drenches 

 ■with ale, Avhatever the qualities of the other medicines may be, 

 Avhich is often improper, since the properties of the liquid 

 should always correspond with the virtues of the other ingre- 

 dients. Cordial drenches, therefore, may with pro}mety be made 

 with ale, but those of a contrary tendency should be mixed with 

 «T;ruel or Avater. 



A convenient instrument for giving drenches is the horn of 

 an ox ; the opening being cut obliquely in the form of a spout. 

 Bottles are also sometimes used as well as vessels of copper or 

 tin. In giving a drench, the hoi'se's tongue should be held 

 •with the left hand ; and when the head is sufficiently elevated, 

 the medicine is to be carefully poured into the throat, imme- 

 diately letting go the tongue, while the head is kept up until 

 the drench is swallowed. Drenches are very seldom given with 

 dexterity, and great part of the medicine is sometimes Avasted. 

 Every groom should learn to give them Avith facility, and always 

 keep a proper instrument in the stable. In giving a drench, 

 the head should not be kept so high as it generally is, nor should 

 the throat be pressed or rubbed, as it often is, Avith a view to 

 make the horse swallow, as it is apt to excite coughing. In 

 severe colds or strangles, there is often some degree of soreness 

 or inflammation of the throat, by which swallowing is rendered 

 difficult and painful. In such cases, no attempt should be made 



