178 INORGANIC AGENTS 



coats the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, and thus 

 exerts a sedative, astringent and antiseptic action through- 

 out the canal. Bismuth must, therefore, be given, to be 

 effective, in large and frequent doses, and when the stomach 

 is empty. For this reason the drug is not of much value in 

 the treatment of the horse, as a sufl&cient quantity cannot 

 be used economically. 



USES OF BISMUTH SUBNTTRATE AND 8UBCARB0NATE. 



^^emoZ.— Bismuth is a very good dusting powder on 

 sores, and for moist skin diseases and ulcerated surfaces. 

 It may be combined with zinc oxide and salol, or used in 

 the form of an ointment in the proportion of 1 to 4. It may 

 be employed to advantage in coryza and ozena, by insuffla- 

 tion into the nostrils. 



Internal, — Bismuth is one of the best agents to relieve 

 vomiting in dogs, owing to the soothing and sedative effect 

 upon inflamed mucous membranes. It may be given alone 

 upon the tongue or in combination with oxalate of cerium. 

 It is also a very efficient agent in diarrhoea in the dog, being 

 astringent, sedative and antiseptic. Its use should be 

 preceded by the administration of oil or calomel, in diarrhoea. 

 Bismuth is given for diarrhoea in powder with salol ; or in 

 suspension with gum arable and water, with one drop of 

 carbolic acid to each dose of bismuth ; or better, in capsules, 

 dispensing one grain of carbolic acid and five grains of 

 bismuth. The sedative effect upon the stomach is increased 

 by giving the subcarbonate of bismuth with bicarbonate of 

 sodium, while the sedative effect upon the bowels is 

 enhanced by combining morphine with bismuth subnitrate. 

 It is generally immaterial whether the subnitrate or sub- 

 carbonate of bismuth be selected in any given case. 

 Bismuth salicylate is more powerful as an antiseptic than 

 the other salts. It is useful in diarrhoe;i, intestinal fer- 

 mentation and indigestion of dogs. The drug should be 

 given in capsules. 



