148 

 from this ; obesity, foul coats, and ciuikers in the 

 ear, likewise are brought on by this neglect. Jo* 

 rniting is a natural act in dogs, and they purposely 

 excite it in themselves by eating dog-grass; but where 

 they are confined, as in great cities, from the want of 

 this natural cleanser, they fall into disease. An arti- 

 ficial voinit, therefore, is very proper to be given now 

 and then, and will greatly tend to prevent disease. 

 This subject may be seen treated on more at length 

 wnder the article Emetics. 



Costiveness is a great cause of disease in dogs : all 

 animals living on flesh require very active exercise 

 to carry otf the contents of the bowels ; w hen, there- 

 fore, dogs cannot be regularly exercised, they should 

 have some vegetable food ; or, if this cannot be 

 given, they should now and tlien have an artificial 

 purge. See the article Physic. 



ALTERATIVES. 



There are many states in which there is no very 

 serious disease, and vet a sufficient remove from health 

 to make some alteration in the constitution necessary : 

 w hen this is the case, the end may in general be an- 

 swered by alttratives. Tliere is also frequently some 

 actual disease existing, whose remove is best effected 

 bv the slow ijradual alteration that is brought about 

 in the constitution by what are from this circumstance 

 termed alteratives. Hence, excessive fatness, chronic 

 coughs, tits, glandular s\Vctlings, mange, surfeits, vS^c. 

 &c. are best attacked by these sorts of remedies. 



Various substances are used as alteratives, as anti- 

 monials, the various preparations of mercury, nitre, 

 cream of tartar, aloes, common salt. Tartar emetic 

 is a verv useful alterative in the chronic usthmalic 



