INFLAMMATION OF THE STOMACH. 131 



ened with patches of red or black, and covered with thick 

 tenacious mucus, the whole, with its contents, should be analysed 

 by some competent chemist, if the proprietor is anxious to arrive 

 at a degree of certainty which no other means can afford him. 



Supposing these symptoms lead to the suspicion that poison 

 has been administered, the best remedy is very thin gruel, 

 with a spoonful of salt in each pint, which is to be forced down 

 the dog's throat by drenching him with a spoonful at a time. 

 A soda-water bottle is a good instrument, as it does not allow 

 the gruel to come out fast enough to choke the dog. The liquid 

 soon returns by vomiting, and should be repeated again and 

 again, till it may be presumed that the stomach is effectually 

 washed out. As soon as the vomiting has ceased, a small dose 

 of castor oil may be tried, for though it frequently appears to 

 return, yet some generally remains down and carries off any 

 remaining particles. These directions will apply to any mineral 

 poison, such as arsenic, corrosive sublimate, or oxalic acid ; but 

 if there is any reason to suppose corrosive sublimate has been 

 used, which is not very likely, some eggs should immediately 

 be given, for albumen has the property of decomposing this 

 active poison. Arsenic, however, is almost invariably used where 

 the poisoning is wilful, unless strychnine can be obtained, and 

 fortunately this is not often at the service of those low rascals who 

 alone resort to such measures. Strychnine acts on the nervous 

 system, producing death, accompanied by violent convulsions, and 

 its effects, therefore, cannot be confounded with those of arsenic. 

 One of the most common consequences of attempted poisoning 



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