POISONING. 389 



The commonest means of the " poison fiend " are 

 strychnine, arsenic, pounded glass, and compressed 

 sponge. Arsenic and strychnine can be purchased in the 



Fig. 39.— Administration of Medicines * (Mathkw). 



form of small pills, which may be pushed into little pieces 

 of meat and dropped in the dog's way. Strychnine when 

 undisguised, from its bitterness, will not be readily taken ; 

 but, as dogs bolt their food, even the crystals may be in- 

 serted in a pellet of meat, butter, etc., and the deadly dose 

 be swallowed. Occasionally dogs roaming the woods find 

 poison laid out for wild animals. 



Dogs are not infrequently poisoned by "rough on 

 rats-' (arsenic) or other similar vermin poisons, and ex- 

 treme precautions should be observed, for it is to be re- 

 membered that the fatal poisoning of a dog is far more 

 effectually secured by a moderate than a large quantity 

 of the agent. The stomach may at once reject a large 

 amount, while a smaller portion is likely to be retained 

 long enougli to accomplish the fatal purpose. Many a 



* This cut was accidently omitted from the section on the Adminis- 

 tration of Medicines, page 195. 



