ETHER 277 



cial nerve in the face, and the vagns nerve in the lungs, so 

 that temporary arrest of respiration often occurs when a^ 

 fresh supply of ether is added daring inhalation. 



Temperature. — The temperature of the body may be 

 raised during • the stage of excitement and struggling, but 

 prolonged etherization leads to loss of heat, owing to evapo- 

 ration of ether from the lungs, and general depression of the 

 nervous system. 



Elimination. — Ether is eliminated principally from the 

 lungs, and to some extent by the kidneys, upon which it 

 exerts an irritant action.* 



Uses. — Apart from its value as an anaesthetic, ether 

 is mainly of service for two purposes. First : in col- 

 lapse, syncope, or " sinking spells," due to poisoning, or 

 natural causes. Ether may be given by the mouth, or sub- 

 cutaneously into the muscular tissue, to avoid abscess. It 

 is to be compared with, and is an efficient substitute for, 

 nitroglycerin, or amyl nitrite, as a rapid, circulatory stimu- 

 lant. Ether should not be given as a stimulant, however, 

 when such an agent is required during or following anaes- 

 thesia. Second : In spasmodic, or mild, flatulant colic, ether 

 relieves pain, spasm and flatulence. The following prescrip- 

 tion will be found useful for the horse : 



^theris § i. 



Chloroformi 3 ii. 



Tine, opii | ii. 



M. et f . haustus. 

 S. Give at once in a pint of cold water. 



Ether is a good antispasmodic remedy for hiccough 

 or "thumps," in the horse, and has a narcotic action upon 

 tape and lumbricoid worms. When used for the latter pur- 

 pose, ether should be followed by a purge. Ether may be 

 employed in enema to narcotize and remove the oxyuris 

 curvula of the horse. 



* Recent experiments indicate that ether causes contraction of the 

 renal arteries, with diminution in the size of the kidneys, suppression 

 of urine and albuminuria. 



