HORSE MEDICINES AND REMEDIES 221 



of water, it forms an excellent liquid caustic, peculiarly 

 useful as a dressing for the foot-rot in sheep, and also to 

 touch the protruded portions in sandcrack. Dissolved in 

 twenty times its weight of water, it makes a useful deter- 

 gent wash' for foul ulcers, and to keep down too luxuriant 

 growths. 



Lunar caustic consists of seventy parts of oxide of silver 

 and thirty of nitric acid; when fused and cooled it is in small 

 cylinders of a dark grey colour, and of a crystalline fracture 

 when broken across. The sticks should be kept in a 

 stoppered bottle covered with soft dry paper. 



Caustic Potass, called Fluid Potass (Potassa Fusa), is 

 powerful, but difficult to manage, as it runs about where it 

 is not wanted. Mixed with soap, it has been injected in the 

 pipes of quittor. 



Blue Vitriol, the sulphate of copper, is a much milder 

 caustic than several others, and is used in powder, to 

 destroy fungus, especially in cases of broken knee. A 

 solution of one drachm to six ounces of water is a detergent 

 wash for ulcers, grease, etc. 



White Fi^rioZ (Sulphate of Zinc) is also a good escharotic 

 in a saturated solution. (See Zinc.) 



Corrosive Sublimate {Oxmuriate of Mercury). (See 

 Mercury.) In powder it acts most energetically upon warty 

 growths, but should be used with great care and discretion. 

 It may safely be applied to small surfaces, but not without 

 a regular practitioner to large ones. It should be washed 

 off after remaining on a few minutes. 



The Nitrous Oxide of Mercury, called " red precipitate," 

 is also generally used for similar purposes. 



Yellow Orpiraenty not so strong as the corrosive subli- 

 mate, and may be used with more freedom. It will gener- 

 ally remove warty growths by picking off their heads and 

 rubbing it in. 



Caustic Preparations. 



(A) IN CANKER OF THE FOOT. 



Quicksilver 1 ounce. 



Nitric acid 2 ounces. 



Mix in an earthen vessel, and when cold put into a wide 

 glass bottle, and cork it. It may be mixed with lard, iu 

 the proportion of 1 to 3. 



