52 GENERAL THERAPEUTICS FOR VETERINARIANS 



hemise, invaginations and prolapse of the intestines is a chapter 

 in itself. 



The physical treatment of colic in horses is especially important. 

 Rectal examination and treatment has always received great con- 

 sideration in the clinics and from judicious practitioners. (See the 

 text-books on special pathology and therapeutics.) 



Carminatives. Gas-expelling Drugs. — The name carminative is used to 

 designate a group of drugs which remove flatulence from the intestines. Ab- 

 normal fermentation of the intestinal contents produces collections of gases 

 (carburetted hydrogen, hydrogen, hydrogen sulphide, carbonic acid) which 

 cause flatulence and tympanites, with painful distention and tetanic contrac- 

 tion of the intestinal wall (flatulent colic). In horses the gaseous collection 

 occurs especially in the large intestines; in cattle, in the rumen; in the small 

 domestic animals, in the small and large intestines. Three varieties of carmin- 

 atives are recognized, as follows: 



(a) Antispasmodics: This group includes the ethereal oils — caraway, 

 fennel, anise, chamomile, peppermint, melissa, valerian, angelica, garlic, and 

 asafetida; also chloral hydrate, ether and spirit of ether. The aromatics 

 (caraway, chamomile, peppermint, etc.) possess antispasmodic and antifermen- 

 tative properties and are the most used carminatives. Dose for the horse, 

 10-25, Sijss to vj; cattle, 25-50, 5vj to xij; dogs, 0.5-1, grs. vij to xxx. Dose 

 of the ethereal oils: horses, 1-5, ngxv to 5j; dogs, drop doses. Ether is a 

 good carminative for horses and dogs. Dose for horses, 25-50, 5vj to xij; 

 dogs, 2-5, Sss to j (internally). 



(b) Gas absorbents: Compound rhubarb powder, magnesium oxide, 

 lime water, ammonia water. Ptilvis rhei compositus is an important carmina- 

 tive (absorbent) for sucklings. 



(c) Anti-ferments: *Creolin, calomel and naphthalin. Creolin is given 

 to horses and cattle in doses of 10-25, Sijss to vj; calves, sheep and goats, 

 0.5-1, TiRvij to XV, 



IV. General Therapeutics of the Diseases of the Liver 



Pathology. — The therapeutic importance of diseases of the liver 

 in animals is relatively slight compared to man. Of most fre- 

 quent occurrence and of greatest practical importance are the 

 parasitic diseases, especially distomatosis (liver rot) and echino- 

 coccus cysts, but these cannot be treated directly, and can at best 

 only be influenced by prophylactic measures. This is also true of 



