DRUGS AND THEIR DOSES. 97 



Salts, Spirits of.— See Muriatic Acid. 



Savin Ointment.— This is made by digesting one part of the bruised 

 fresh yonng tops of savine (Juniperus sabina) in two parts of lard, which 

 can be done in a water bath or in a m:derately heated oven. If the savin 

 is tied up in a piece of muslin it will render straining of the ointment 

 unnecessary. It is used to keep open blisters and to promote the discharge 

 from setons, for which purpose a little of it is smeared on the tape used. 



Silver, Nitrate of— Caustic, or Lunar Caustic— This, as its name 

 implies, is a caustic, and one of the most valuable and manageable ones. 

 It is used to destroy gangrenous and fungoid growths. In ophthalmia a 

 solution of four or five grains to loz. of distilled water is used, a few drops 

 of it being introduced into the eye. In some cases growths on the eye 

 require to be touched with the solid caustic, but this should be done only 

 by a professional man. 



Soda, Carbonate of.— This is an antacid, and slightly diuretic; the 

 dose is ioz. 



Sodium, Chloride of, or Common Salt.— With drugs, as with 

 other things, familiarity breeds contempt, and so it comes that owners of 

 horses, cattle, and sheep, neglect this best of tonics and alteratives for 

 some trumped-up quack medicine. When a horse is "off his feed," or 

 weak from the effects of past illness, give him loz. of common salt three 

 times a day regularly, sprinkled through his corn. 



Spanish Ply.— See Cantharides. 



Spirit of Nitre, Sweet.— See Ether. 



Strychnia, or Strychnine.— This is made from nux vomica, or poison 

 nut, and is one of the most powerful med r cines we have. It is on that 

 account unsafe in any other than professional hands ; although when 

 judiciously admiaistered it is in many cases of the highest value. To the 

 horse it is given in cases of paralysis, acting as a stimulant to the motor 

 nerves. It has the additional advantage, on account of its bitterness — 

 which is of such a persistent character that no one having tasted it can 

 ever forget it — of increasing the appetite and acting as a tonic to the 

 digestive organs. The dose for the horse is from one to three grains, the 

 smaller dose being first tried. It is given combined with such bitter tonics 

 as quassia or gentian, twice a day, and has to be continued some time, its 

 effects on the patients being constantly and carefully watched. 



Sugar of Lead.— See Lead. 



Sulphate of Copper.— See Copper. 



Sulphate of Zinc— See Zinc. 



Sulphur or Brimstone.— The form in which sulphur is used in horse 

 medicine is the sublimed or flowers of sulphur; it enters into most of the 

 popular nostrums for horse powders ; it has a mild laxative effect, and is 

 one of the harmless things that stable prejudice honours with its confi- 

 dence ; externally it is useful in skin diseases, in which cases it is used in 

 an infinite variety of combinations ; the following is as good as any : 

 Compound Sulphur Ointment : Take flowers of sulphur Jib., powder of 



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