1 6 8 Materia-Medica . 



If needful, some economy may be observed by causing 

 the water to flow down into the tub beneath, when the 

 situation of the injured parts is favourable. 



Medicated Fomentations are sometimes called for with 

 the view of gaining an additional effect in parts under 

 disease, which is considerably favoured by the presence 

 of heat. Thus in painful affections as inflammation of 

 joints, rheumatism, &c., seeds of the poppy, powdered 

 opium, extract of belladonna, &c., are added to the water 

 with considerable benefit, which the sufferer greatly appre- 

 ciates. In the case of indolent wounds, cracked heels 

 or legs, grease, &c., fomentations with hot water, to which 

 soft soap and turpentine are added, not only cleanse the 

 parts, but excite the tendency to healthy action. Long 

 standing affections of the skin, attended with horny 

 excrescences or enlarged portion of the epidermis, &c., 

 are treated with advantage by this method, a good remedy 

 being thus formulated : Glycerine, 2 to 4 oz. ; carbonate 

 of potash, i oz. ; " Sanitas " oil, i oz., added to a pail of 

 hot water. 



INHALATIONS. 



These are eminently useful remedies in various affec- 

 tions of the respiratory organs. They are of two kinds, 

 simple and medicated. The first consists of the applica- 

 tion of the vapour of hot water by means of a nose-bag : 

 heat and moisture being efficacious in relieving the con- 

 gested mucous membranes in simple cold, &c. A quan- 

 tity of bran, or sawdust, is placed at the bottom, upon 

 which the water is poured as often as required to keep up 

 a good supply of heated vapour ; but care must be exer- 

 cised in avoiding a heavy load, as the animal, weakened 

 by disease, is not in a state to bear inconvenience from 

 this source. The application should be persisted in for 

 hours, when it proves agreeable and beneficial to the 

 patient. 



Medicated inhalations are provided by simply adding 

 some volatile remedy to the contents of the nose-bag, by 

 which sedative, soothing, or stimulating effects are to be 

 produced. Thus in catarrhs, and some forms of in- 



