84 ALTERATIVES. 



be used with advantage as an emetic in some cases, particularly in 

 conjunction with tartarized antimony (tartar emetic). When, 

 therefore, a purgative is brought up again, in which calomel was 

 a component part, it may be suspected to arise from this source, 

 and if it is necessary to repeat the purge, the mercurial should be 

 omitted. 



The various preparations of iron form excellent alteratives in 

 some cases of weakness, particularly of the stomach and bowels, 

 for which affections they act best when united with the aromatic 

 bitters. Sulphur is the alterative remedy in the most general use 

 of any ; but its properties in this respect are much overrated. It 

 is a very common practice to put a roll of brimstone into the pans 

 from whence dogs drink their water : the impregnation of which, 

 by means of the sulphur, is expected to keep the animals in health : 

 but so completely insoluble in water is brimstone in this state, that 

 a roll of it so kept would not lose ten grains of its weight in ten 

 years, nor would it become in the least altered in its quality. Sul- 

 phur in powder, or flower of brimstone, as it is termed, is, how- 

 ever, more active ; but even in this form it often passes through 

 the bowels nearly unchanged : it proves, in other instances, slightly 

 purgative. In one disease, however, it seldom fails to do good, even 

 unaccompanied by any thing besides, which is the piles, to which 

 complaint many dogs are very subject. In conjunction with other 

 alteratives of the cooling, cleansing kind, it proves also useful in 

 mangy eruptions, canker, &c. ; and I am disposed to think, that one 

 part of supertartrate of potash (cream of tartar^, with two parts of 

 sulphur, forms the best alterative that can be given in these cases. 

 Externally applied, the benefits of sulphur are much more appa- 

 rent, and are too well known to need enumeration. Alteratives 

 are, therefore, of universal application, as they are both preventive 

 and remedial; they prevent the accumulation of fat and other 

 matters, as the milk in the teats of bitches, foulness in the skin, 

 congestions in the chest, &c. As remedies, they are adapted to 

 all diseases of long standing, by their gradual action. 



