508 ILLUSTRATED STOCK DOCTOR. 



as a purgative by the mouth. It should be remembered that vermifugeo 

 that destroy by mechanical irritation, as iron filings, pounded glass, etc., 

 should never be given. 



From the foregoing the action of the different classes of medicines will 

 be learned. Some of the more common we have given as examples. In 

 the vast list of drugs used in medicines, and which are drawn alike from 

 the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms, and some of them, the most 

 valuable, being deadly poisons, must not be given in too large doses > the 

 practitioner cannot be too careful in their use. The doses we have given 

 in this chapter are from medium to large. If there is any doubt in 

 using those, especially the strong poisonous extracts or crystals use the 

 smaller. 



There are really but few medicines out of the large list that are of 

 real and well known value in common practice. The druggist in prepar- 

 ing medicines, uses delicate scales and weighs accurately. It is always 

 better that they compound the prescriptions if possible ; yet, as it is not 

 always convenient to seek the druggist, especially when a stock of medi- 

 cines in ordinary use is kept, it is better to have a pair of scales and a 

 liquid measuring glass. We therefore append a table of weights and 

 measures as used by veterinarians : 



WEIGHTS AND MEASUBES. 

 Apothecaries' Weight. 



20 grains make 1 ecruple, 



3 scruples make 1 drachm, 

 8 drachms make 1 ounce, 



16 ounces make 1 pound. 



Wine Measure. 



60 minims, or dropti make 1 drachm, 



8 drachms make 1 ounce, 

 16 ounces make 1 pint, 



2 pints make 1 quart, 



4 quarts make 1 gallon. 



Sufficient accuracy in fluid measure for anything not violent in it» 

 action, will be the following : 



60 drops, or 1 tea-spoonful, make 1 drachm, 

 4 tea-spoonfuls, or 1 table-spoonful, make )i ounce, 

 2 table-spooni^ils make 1 ounce, 

 1 wine-glassful makes 2 ounces, 

 1 tea-cupful makes 4 ounces, 

 1 tumblerful makes K pint, 

 1 tin-cupful makes 1 pint. 



A handful of flaxseed, or other seed, usually innocent in their nature, 

 will weigh about 2 ounces ; a handful of leaves of dried herbs will weigh 

 about 1 ounce. 



