io6 



balls prepared from recipes in the possession of many stablemen and waggoners. 

 We believe that when given it is with much more caution than formerly ^ 

 but this cannot be said of some of the poisons. In almost all cases where 

 arsenic is given as an alterative by attendants, half an ounce of bicarbonate 

 of potassium, given once or twice daily in the drinking water, would be 

 equally efficacious, and \vithout any danger. If an appetiser is wanted, a 

 ball may be made of equal parts of carbonate of ammonium, ginger, and 

 gentian, made up to one ounce with treacle. This is found very efficient. 



ACONITE POISONING. 



Aconite, which is one of the most active and valuable of the pharmacopceial 

 remedies employed, is a common cause of poisoning in the horse, and 

 is certainly on the increase. 



It is not generally known that many quack nostrums and some formula- 

 in the possession of stablemen and others contain overdoses of tincture of 

 aconite. When the doses are administered in rapid succession, very alarming 

 symptoms are produced. P^requently cure of the animal is rendered well 

 nigh impossible. We have often been sent for to horses, in cases where 

 sudden difficulty of breathing and gurgling in the throat have supervened 

 from the administration of aconite. These symptoms generally subside 

 quickly — when the overdose has not been excessive — on the administration 

 of spirit of ammonia and brandy. The drenches which contain aconite 

 in the form of tincture, are generally those called inflammation drinks. It 

 must be remembered that the dose of Fleming's tincture of aconite is only 

 from five to ten drops, and of the ordinary tincture of aconite thirty to- 

 forty drops. Such doses should not be repeated more frequently than 

 once every three or four hours. During the past two years, we have had 

 more cases of poisoning by tincture of aconite than by any other poison. 

 The owners in these cases often seem not a little surprised when informed 

 that their animals are suffering from aconite poisoning. 



Only a short time ago a valuable horse was poisoned by the groom,. 

 who kept tincture of aconite by him for use at his own discretion. Two or 

 three drachms were not thought too much to give, and although death- 

 followed in about an hour, and the animal gasped for breath at the feet of 

 this attendant, the fatal event was attributed by him to occult influences 

 of an inflammatory kind. 



The special symptoms manifested in horses which have received an 

 overdose of this active drug are the following : — The breathing becomes slow,- 

 feeble, and more difficult, the animal trembles all over, and there are not 

 uncommonly gurgling sounds in the throat, and frothing at the mouth, 

 sometimes succeeded by convulsions. Perspiration bedews the surface of 

 the body, and the pulse becomes weak, and sometimes almost imperceptible. 

 In some cases we have known the animal fall to the ground from absolute 

 loss of power to stand, and in rare instances he manifests great restlessness 

 and pain. 



