44 General Principles of Veterinary Medicine, 



the vagina of cows after calving to purify the discharges 

 and lessen the danger of puerperal fever. 



MEDICATIONS BY THE BLOOD-VESSELS. 



The most safe and convenient plan to introduce medicines 

 into the system is by the hypodermie syringe. This is a 

 small syringe, holding a few teaspoonfuls, with a long 

 needle-like point, through which a delicate canal is pierced. 



FIG. 6.— THE HYPODERMIC SYraNGE. 



This has been used extensively for many years in human 

 patients, and is even better adapted to animals, on account 

 of the difficulty of forcing them to take remedies, and the 

 more prompt and certain action of the subcutaneous method. 

 Of course, very concentrated forms of medicines are used, as 

 but a few drops or a half teaspoonful are thrown by the 

 syringe at a time. But modern chemistry offers such potent 

 and intense preparations that this is no objection. 



In giving a hypodermic injection it is not very important 

 what part of the animal we choose, though the general rule 

 is to select a point near the seat of disease. It is best to 

 shave or clip the hair for a space of a few inches; next, 

 pinching up the skin a slight cut is made in one end of the 

 little ridge thus elevated and the nozzle of the syringe in- 

 serted and pushed its full length, parallel to the surface, in 

 the loose tissue beneath the ridge; then it is withdrawn half 

 way and the contents of the syringe thrown slowly and 



