DISTEMPER. 237 



posed infallible nostrum. Nothing can be more absurd. A disease attacks 

 ing so many organs, and, presenting so many and such different symptoms, 

 must require a mode of treatment varying with the organ attacked and the 

 symptom prevailing. The faith in these boasted specifics is principally 

 founded on two circumstances atmospheric influence and peculiarity of 

 breed. There are some seasons when we can scarcely save a dog ; there 

 are others when we must almost wilfully destroy him in order to lose him. 

 There are some breeds in which, generation after generation, five out of 

 six die of distemper, while there are others in which not one out of a dozen 

 dies. When the season is favourable, and the animal, by hereditary in- 

 fluence, is not disposed to assume the virulent type of the disease, these 

 two important agents are overlooked, and the immunity from any fatal 

 result is attributed to medicine. The circumstances most conducive to 

 success will be the recollection that it is a disease of the mucous surfaces, 

 and that we must not carry the depleting and lowering system too far. 

 Keeping this in view, we must accommodate ourselves to the symptoms as 

 they arise. 



The natural medicine of the dog seems to be an emetic. The act of 

 vomiting is very easily excited in him, and, feeling the slightest ailment, 

 he flies to the dog-grass, unloads his stomach, and is at once well. In 

 distemper, whatever be the form which it assumes, an emetic is the first 

 thing to be given. Common salt will do when nothing else is at hand ; 

 but the best emetic, and particularly in distemper, consists of equal parts 

 of calomel and tartar emetic. From half a grain to a grain and a half of 

 each will constitute the dose. 



This will act first as an emetic, and afterwards as a gentle purgative. 

 Then, if the cough is urgent, and there is heaving at the flanks, and the 

 nose is hot, a moderate quantity of blood may be taken from three to 

 twelve ounces and this, if there has been previous constipation, may be 

 followed by a dose of sulphate of magnesia, from two to six drachms. 



In slight cases this will often be sufficient to effect a cure : but, if the 

 dog still droops, and particularly if there is much huskiness, the antimonial 

 or James's powder, nitre and digitalis, in the proportion of from half a 

 grain to a grain of digitalis, from two to five grains of the James's powder, 

 and from a scruple to a drachm of nitre, should be administered twice or 

 thrice in a day. If on the third or fourth day the huskiness is not quite 

 removed, the emetic should be repeated. 



In these affections of the mucous membranes, it is absolutely necessary 

 to avoid or to get rid of every source of irritation, and worms will generally 

 be found a very considerable one in young dogs. If we can speedily get 

 rid of them, distemper will often rapidly disappear ; but, if they are suffered 

 to remain, diarrhoea or fits are apt to supervene : therefore some worm 

 medicine should be administered. 



I have said that vomiting is very easily excited in the dog ; and that for 

 this reason we are precluded from the use of a great many medicines in 

 our treatment of him. Calomel, aloes, jalap, scammony, and gamboge will 

 generally produce sickness. We are, therefore, driven to some mechanical 

 vermifuge ; and a very effectual one, and that will rarely fail of expelling 

 even the tape-worm, is tin filings or powdered glass. From half a drachm 

 to a drachm of either may be advantageously given twice in the day. 

 There may generally be added to them digitalis, James's powder, and 

 nitre, made into balls with palm oil and a little linseed meal. This course 



