£44 MATERIA MEDICA 



SULPHATES. Neutral salts composed of sulphuric acid 

 and alkalies, earths, or metals. 



SULPHUIi. Brimstone. KoU sulphur is chiefly obtained 

 from the sulphuret of copper. It is purified by fusion, and is 

 cast Into moulds. It Is insoluble In water. 



Sublimed, or, as it is commonly called, flower of, sulphur, I3 

 procured from the former by heating to a great heat and col- 

 lecting the vapour, which Is the flower, whilst the dregs is the 

 sulphur vivum. 



Floicer of Sulphur Is generally given in the dose of one 

 ounce : it is commonl}' joined with nitre and antimony, or nitre 

 and resin ; and is then thouglit to improve the coat and general 

 condition of the horse, or remove swellings of the heels, and 

 surfeit. I have given sulphur in a variety of doses ; but the 

 only effect I could perceive was that of a mild laxative, and 

 that did not take place until four ounces were given at a dose. 

 From the observations I made on this occasion, I do not con- 

 ceive that sulphur Is of much use as an internal remedy in the 

 horse, nor that it possesses any diaphoretic power. As a topical 

 application in mange, it is certainly very eflicacious, particularly 

 if mixed with other remedies. See article Mange. 



Sulphur is very serviceable to young dogs, when they have 

 any appearance of plethora or cutaneous disease, generally acting 

 as a mild laxative : it may be given to them in milk, from one 

 tea-spoonful to two or three. 



A few years ago, M. Collalne, Professor of the Koyal Veteri- 

 nary School at Milan, published an account of some successful 

 experiments he made on glanders. The medicine he employed 

 ■was sulphur, l)cglnnlng with a dose of four ounces, and increas- 

 ing it gradually until he gave two pounds daily, mixed into an 

 electuary with honey ; he also took away about two quarts of 

 blood once in two or three days. A dose of six ounces caused 

 purging ; ten or twelve ounces, griping pains and purging. Six 

 ounces of sulphur vivum were then given, which produced a 

 similar effect, and some of the horses became so exceedingly 

 weak that they lay down, and were unable to rise for three or 

 four days. When they recovered a little from these alarming 

 symptoms, he found the discharge from the nostrils much 

 lessened, as well as tlie swelling under the jaws. In some, 

 the disease entirely disappeared, but after a few days returned, 

 and was not permanently cured till it had fluctuated in this way 

 several times. After they had got over the effect of the sulphur, 

 on giving it again he found that a dose even of twelve ounces 

 j)roduced no effect; he therefore Increased it to eighteen ounces, 

 and from that to twenty-four ounces ; but it no longer caused 

 either purging or griping. Having continued the use of the 

 medicine in this large dose for some time, and finding the" 



