46 General Principles of Veterinary Medicine. 



joints and muscles, for dispersing tumors, and stimulating 

 internal organs. 



Poultices are soft and moist applications, intended to 

 soothe, soften and relax the surfaces to which they are ap- 

 plied. They may be cold or hot, and may be either plain 

 or medicated. Hot poultices are commonly made of linseed 

 meal, bran or hot mush, with a sufficiency of boiling water 

 to bring them to a suitable consistence. Hot poultices 

 encourage suppuration and should not be applied to fresh 



wounds. 



Cold poultices are made in the same way a^ hot poultices, 

 and allowed to grow cold. 



Powders are generally mixed with the animaPs food or 

 stirred in gruel or soft feed. But unless agreeable to the 

 taste they will be refused in this form. When small in 

 quantity they may be dropped on the tongue. Most reme- 

 dies can be obtained in this form, and it is for tasteless or 

 pleasant ones the most convenient form in which to admin- 

 ister them. Their effect is as a rule not so prompt as when 

 given in solution. 



Drenches, Drafts or Drinkg. All varieties of liquid medi- 

 cines may be administered by these methods. When taste- 

 less or palateable to the animal th' y may be mixed with its 

 ordinary beverage, water or milk, as the case may be. When 

 such is not tlie case they must be poured down the throat, 

 constituting what farmers call a drench. 



The quantity so administered at a time should not be too 

 great; for a horse, one to two pints, for an ox, one to two 

 quarts, for a sheep or pig half a pint, are the proper 

 amounts. The instrument often used is a strong glass 

 bottle; but one made of block tin, and flattened, is safer. 



