POTASSIUM NITRATE 123 



Action Internal. — Stomach and Intestines. — Nitre causes, 

 in lethal doses, violent gastro-enteritis, collapse and depres- 

 sion of the circulation. The pulse becomes both slow and 

 weak. There is muscular weakness and paralysis. Potas- 

 sium nitrate is one of the most irritating salts of this group, 

 but its toxic effect depends upon its state of concentration, 

 and horses are not so susceptible to the local irritating 

 action as man. 



Blood. — Nitre passes into and out of the blood unchanged. 

 It has been said that the salt diminishes fibrin in the blood 

 because it prevents clotting outside the body. This action 

 probably does not obtain within the body. 



Heart. — Nitre is said to be more depressing to the heart 

 than the other potassium compounds. There is no basis for 

 this belief. Like the potassium salts generally, it exerts a 

 powerful, depressing action upon the heart in large doses. 



Kidneys. — Potassium nitrate is eliminated unchanged 

 by the kidneys, and in its elimination stimulates the 

 epithelium of the renal tubules, increasing their secretion. 

 The solids are, therefore, augmented in the urine. The 

 local blood pressure is exalted in the malpighian bodies and 

 the quantity of urine is thus increased. 



Potassium nitrate is more frequently prescribed than 

 any other potassium salt in veterinary practice, and is com- 

 monly considered one of the best febrifuges. In human 

 medicine it is rarely employed for internal use, and is held 

 to be decidedly inferior to other diuretic remedies. 



Skin. — Nitre is a mild diarphoretic. 



Summary. — Potassium nitrate is a diuretic, cardiac 

 sedative, and slight diarphoretic. 



Administration. — Nitre is dissolved in a pail of drinking 

 water and kept constantly at the larger animal's disposal. 

 The salt is rendered harmless by dilution ; vascular tension 

 and diuresis are increased by the water, and the solution is 

 cooling and grateful to the taste in fever. Smaller doses 

 ( 5 ss.) may be given on the food to horses. - . ■ ■ 



Uses. — Nitre, ammonium chloride, and common saJt^ 



