GENERAL, CONTAGIOUS, AND ENZOOTIC DISEASES. 277 



swelling, the breathing becomes embarrassed or accompanied with a 

 troublesome cough. 



Treatment. — The first step must be to remove the animal from all 

 offensive smells, bad drainage, and bad ventilation. 



Pure air, light, warmth, and comfort are the first essentials. 

 Secondly, it must be borne in mind that the great danger of a suddenly- 

 fatal termination is from extravasation into some internal organ, or even 

 into the subcutaneous tissues. 



For the purpose of overcoming this tendency to extravasation, astrin- 

 gents, as the tincture of the chloride of iron, are sometimes successfully 

 employed. If these are given in combination with an oleaginous purga- 

 tive, any astringent effect which they might otherwise exercise on the 

 alimentary canal is prevented. 



Tincture of chl oride of iron ^ i. 



Linseed oil 1 pint 



It must, however, be remembered that extravasations depend more 

 upon the condition of the blood than upon the blood-vessels, and reme- 

 dies which are calculated, either by their antiseptic or oxidizing properties, 

 to alter the abnormally fluid condition of the blood, are better calculated 

 to attain the object than those which merely act upon an effect of the 

 disease. For this reason, the chlorate of potash has been prescribed, and 

 with marked results. 



Chlorate of potassium 3 iij. to 3 iv. 



in food or water three times daily for three days, after which time Rob- 

 inson advises its use in doses of 



Chlorate of potassium 3 ij. 



Nitrate of potassium . . . 3 i. 



The salts of iron usually employed are the sulphate or solution of the 

 chloride — the former is to be preferred, combined with diluted sulphuric 

 acid — thirty grains of the sulphate with half a fluid drachm of the acid 

 in cold water twice or thrice daily. This may either be given alter- 

 nately from the commencement of the treatment with the chlorate of 

 potash, or its administration may be deferred for some days, and then 



