ANTIDOTES 



Synonyms: Antitoxics, antagonistics, antagonists. 



Classification. — Medicines which are employed in different 

 poisonings are called antidotes. They are of different kinds and 

 operate in different ways. The following groups may be distin- 

 guished: (l) The mechanical or physical antidotes; (2) the chem- 

 ical antidotes; (3) the physiological (dynamic, organic, consti- 

 tutional and empirical) antidotes or antagonists, and (4) the 

 S3^ptomatic method of treating poisoning. 



1. The physical or mechanical antidotes operate in a purely 

 mechanical way by removing the poison from the body: emetics, 

 cathartics, diuretics, diaphoretics, sialagogues, washing out the 

 stomach (horse, dog), bleeding, transfusion, artificial respiration; 

 or by enveloping the poison and preventing its absorption or 

 contact with the mucous membrane: protective antidotes (albu- 

 min, milk, oil, mucilaginous substances). 



Of special practical importance are the emetics, which are 

 immediately administered to the proper animals (dogs, swine and 

 cats) in all fresh cases of poisoning. The most important emetics 

 are apomorphine (dogs, 0.002-0.01, gr. l/40 to l/8; cats, 0.02-0.05, 

 gr. M to ^, subcutaneously), veratrin (swine, 0.02-0.03, gr. 34 

 to 1/3, subcutaneously), veratrum alba (swine, 1-2, grs. xv toxxx; 

 dogs, 0.1-0.2, gr. 1/8 to 34, per os or in clyster), ipecac (swine and 

 dogs, 1-3, grs. XV to xlv; cats, 0.25-0.75, grs. iij to xj), tartar 

 emetic (swine, 1-2, grs. xv to xxx; dogs, 0.1-0.3, grs. iss to iv; 

 cats, 0.05-0.2, grs. % to iij), copper sulphate in phosphorus 

 poisoning (swine, 0.5-1, grs. vij to xv; dogs, 0.1-0.5, grs. iss to vij; 

 cats, 0.05-0.2, grs. % to iij), zinc sulphate (swine, 0.5-1, grs. vij 

 to XV ; dogs, 0.1-0.3, grs. iss to iv),and finally the household emetics, 

 sodium chloride (dogs, 1 to 2 teaspoonfuls), mustard (dogs, 1 to 2 

 teaspoonfuls in a glass of warm water), snuflf (dogs, a pinch in 

 a tablespoonful of water), etc. Of the cathartics, eserine (0.05- 

 0.1, grs. % to iss, for horses) and arecoline (0.05-0.08, gr. M to 1, 

 for horses) are especially suitable on account of their rapid action ; 

 others are aloes (horses, 25-50, 5vj to xii; cattle, 50-75, 5 iss to 

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