164 DEPRESSANTS TO CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM 



8. Externally. It is useful as a liniment for counter-irritation 

 and for the relief of pain. 



Administration. For anesthesia of the horse, chloroform may be 

 given by the drop or choke method. In the former, the lower nostril 

 is plugged with cotton, the upper one smeared with grease, to pre- 

 vent irritation of the drug, and the drug dropped upon a few layers 

 of gauze held over the free (upper) nostril. In the choke method, a 

 few ounces of chloroform are poured upon cotton or other absorbable 

 material, this is then placed in a tight nose bag and held to the nose. 

 The choke method is much the more rapid, but by many operators is 

 considered more dangerous. 



Dogs may be anesthetized by the use of a hollow tin or leather 

 cylinder covered with gauze over the outer opening, upon which the 

 chloroform is dropped, or the vapor may be forced into a cone by 

 forcing air over chloroform contained in a bottle. 



Cats may be anesthetized the same way as dogs or placed in a 

 tight box and the chloroform placed in it upon gauze, sponge, or cot- 

 ton. The last mentioned method is not particularly good, as it is 

 more liable to be followed by changes in the internal organs (delayed 

 poisoning). 



For internal use, chloroform should be made up in an emulsion, 

 using three parts of glycerin, white of egg, and acacia, or the spirit 

 may be diluted with water. 



iETHER 



Synonym. Sulphuric ether 



Ether or ethyl oxide is obtained by distilling a mixture of sul- 

 phuric acid and alcohol. It occurs as a very volatile, light, colorless, 

 limpid liquid, with burning unpleasant taste and a characteristic 

 penetrating odor. It boils at about 35.5° C. (96° E.), is highly 

 inflammable, and its vapor mixed with air is explosive. It mixes 

 freely with alcohol, and chloroform, and is a solvent for resins, fats, 

 oils, adhesive plaster and collodion. It is soluble in 10 parts of 

 water. 



Its principal impurities are acids, acetaldehyde and peroxides. 

 Even in pure specimens, these impurities may develop in the pres- 

 ence of light and air. They are removed if the vapor is passed 

 through water. 



Preparations and Doses. 



Ether. H. 5j— ij ; 30—60. D. r({ x—lx ; 0.6—4. 

 Spiritus JEtheris, Spirits of ether (32.5 per cent.). H. §iij 



vj ; 90.-180. D. 3ss— iij ; 2.-12. 

 ^Compound spirit. Hoffmann's Anodyne consists of ether 



32.5 per cent., etherial oil 2.5 per cent., alcohol 65 per 



cent. 

 * UnofiScial. 



