702 GENERAL THERAPEUTIC MEASURES 



solution — including the funnel, tubing, and canula — at a 

 temperature of 103° to 110° F. before its introduction into 

 the Yein,and the funnel should be kept full during its use to 

 prevent the entrance of air into the vessel. Any pressure, 

 previously employed between the incision and the heart, 

 should of course be removed before beginning the injection. 

 A little clean absorbent cotton may be placed at the bottom 

 of the funnel before the salt solution is poured into it, if the 

 solution has not been previously filtered. In using the ap- 

 paratus the funnel is raised about two feet above the vein. 

 The quantity of salt solution to be injected will vary from a 

 few ounces to two pints in the case of dogs ; from one to 

 many quarts for horses. Enormous quantities of normal 

 salt solution may be introduced into the blood without 

 harm, even an amount equal to four times that of the blood, 

 providing the inflow is not too rapid ; i. e., exceeding one 

 fluid drachm to the pound of live weight in fifteen minutes. 

 When this amount is exceeded the heart and kidneys cannot 

 take care of the great quantity of fluid in the vessels and 

 tissues. A return to the normal volume, force, and rate of 

 the pulse, and of color to the mucous membranes, will lead 

 us to stop the saline infusion. The use of intravenous saline 

 injections is frequently followed by a reaction within half an 

 hour, characterized by a severe rigor, succeeded by sweat- 

 ing, labored breathing, a strong pulse and increased urinary 

 secretion. 



Hypodermoclysis. 



Injection of warm (103° to 105° F.) normal salt solution 

 into the muscular tissue of the neck, abdomen or flank, is 

 done aseptically with the same apparatus employed for in- 

 travenous saline infusions*; or a fountain syringe filled with 

 saline solution and attached to a sterile aspirating needle 

 may be used ; or a reversed aspirator apparatus may be 



* Using a large hollow needle to thrust under tlie skin directly into 

 the muscular tissue, instead of the glass tube for intravenous injection. 



