DRUGS ACTING ON THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS 19 



Carminatives include the same drugs which were men- 

 tioned as stomachics, but the term as generally employed 

 refers to their effect in exciting peristaltic action, and so 

 expelling gas from the stomach and bowels. The aromatics 

 are considerably more valuable for this purpose than the 

 bitters. Carminatives also- prevent griping caused by many 

 cathartics, aid digestion, and disguise the taste of disagree- 

 able drugs. Capsicum and ginger are most frequently pre- 

 scribed in Veterinary practice. 



Digestives. — Pepsin is occasionally of benefit in the 

 treatment of dogs and young animals in cases of enfeebled 

 gastric digestion resulting from acute diseases or other gen- 

 eral causes. It should be administered directly after eating, 

 and is prescribed to advantage with hydrochloric acid. As 

 a general proposition it is inadvisable to give agents which 

 merely substitute an artificial for the natural digestion, except 

 as a temporary expedient. A wiser course consists in re- 

 moving the cause of indigestion by proper feeding or by 

 enforcing abstinence from food, and in the use of remedies 

 calculated to strengthen the natural digestive functions. 



Pancreatin may be given during, or immediately after, 

 eating, and will assist gastric digestion for some time before 

 suflacient acid is secreted to destroy it. In fact, some authors 

 (Hare) insist that this substance is more valuable in any 

 case than pepsin in aiding stomach digestion, although pan- 

 creatin is more commonly given, several hours after eating, 

 to promote intestinal digestion. Papain is another agent 

 which is employed as an artificial digestive of vegetable 

 origin. Its value is not yet definitely determined. 



Antiseptics. — These agents are sometimes used to pre- 

 vent or arrest fermentation of food in the stomach and 

 bowels. Since fermentation is primarily due to indigestion, 

 it is essential to remove the cause by diet and other rational 

 means rather than to combat the effects of indigestion. 

 Large doses of antiseptics hinder the digestive processes 

 and may endanger the life of the patient, so that it is difficult 

 to attain perfect antisepsis in the alimentary canal. 



