216 RURAL VETERINARY SECRETS 



MODE OF GIVING MEDICINE 



Animals are all more or less difficult to give medicine to; there- 

 fore, the stockman must be careful to give it in such a way as to annoy 

 the patient as little as possible and yet avoid v^^asting the medicine. 

 Different methods have to be followed with the -various farm animals. 

 The stronger animals, such as horses and cows, require a certain 

 amount of restraint in order to give the drugs successfully. 



To get the effect of medicine they must be introduced into the 

 body. 



Medicines are taken into the system by three channels : 



1. THROUGH THE DIGESTIVE TRACT, in such cases being 

 given by the mouth, in the form of powders, drenches or balls, and per 

 rectum, by injection into the bowel. 



2. THROUGH THE ORGANS OF RESPIRATION, causing 

 the animal to breathe the drug, this is known as the inhalation method, 

 and is useful in such diseases as strangles (colt distemper) or worms in 

 tlie air passages (sheep and calves). 



:->. THROUCjH THP: skin, the medicines being absorbed. Iheie 

 are subdivisions of this, the absorptive method, the first one of which 

 is employed by stockmen, the other being used by the veterinarian 

 whenever necessary. They are: 



(a) Epidermically, nibbing into the skin (epidermis) the general 

 way of using blisters. 



(b) Endermically, the drug being apf)ltcd under tlie skin. The 

 icnvel and seton are used in this method. 



(c) Hypodermically, the placing of the drug or serum under the 

 skin or into the tissues by the aid" of the hypodermic syringe. At the 

 present time the professional man uses this method in the giving of 

 cocaine, morphine, etc., the testing of animals with tuberculin and mal- 

 lein, when performing prcventixe inoculation for blackleg, and in the 

 use of serum. 



