IPECAC 451 



Three ounces of ipecac have killed a horse, and two grains 

 of emetine have proved fatal to a dog. 



Uses. — The indications for the therapeutic employment 

 of ipecac may be described under the following heads : 



1. Emetic and anti-emetic. 



2. Expectorant. 



3. Diarphoretic. 



4. Empirically in dysentery and chronic diarrhoea. 



1. Powdered ipecac is a good agent for dogs, cats and 

 pigs, given in luke-warm water, in repeated doses if neces- 

 sary, to empty an overloaded stomach. Also in acute 

 bronchitis and laryngitis of dogs and cats, when the patient 

 is endangered by accumulation of secretion, ipecac, by the 

 forcible expulsion attending vomiting, removes secretion 

 from the upper respiratory tract and clears out the stomach 

 of any secretion which may have been swallowed. Ipecac is 

 efficacious in stopping vomiting in cases of acute catarrh of 

 the stomach in dogs, and is given as the wine with tincture 

 of aconite, one drop each in a drachm of ice water, at half 

 hour intervals. The drug is also of service in reflex vomit- 

 ing, and that due to an atonic or depressed condition of the 

 stomach. Therapeutically, ipecac should only be of value in 

 the latter disorder, but it nevertheless is often efficient in the 

 vomiting of irritative dyspepsia, as noted above. 



2. Ipecac is prescribed in the first stage of acute bron- 

 <}hitis, when the secretion is scanty, and again in bronchitis of 

 long standing, to stimulate the bronchial mucous membrane. 

 It may be given to dogs and cats in repeated expectorant 

 doses of the wine or syrup, with other expectorants, diarpho- 

 retics and diuretics, as syrup of squill and spirit of nitrous 

 ether, or as Dover's powder, to all animals. 



3. Ipecac is a feeble diarphoretic, and inferior to sweet 

 spirit of nitre, aconite, alcohol or external heat, for general 

 sudorific purposes. The combination of opium and ipecac, 

 in Dover's powder, is an appropriate mixture to relieve pain 

 and cause diarphoresis in acute rheumatism, and may cut 

 short attacks of acute inflammation of the respiratory tract. 



