ANTEMETICS 231 



amebic dysentery. It is also actively destructive to the endameba 

 which is said to be the cause of pyorrhea dentalis and pyorrhea 

 alveolaris in man. In these last mentioned cases the drug may be 

 administered either by injecting it into the diseased parts or given 

 subcutaneously in any convenient part of the body. This alkaloid 

 also has some value as a hemostatic agent to check and prevent 

 capillary hemorrhage and is used by some surgeons to prevent 

 hemorrhage foUovping operations upon the nose and throat. For 

 this purpose it is injected hypodermically about one-half hour 

 before operating. It is not definitely known just how emetine 

 checks bleeding, but it is believed to act directly upon the capillaries 

 since it does not lower blood pressure or increase the coagulability of 

 the blood. 



6. ANTEMETICS 



These are agents used to check nausea and vomiting and are, of 

 course, limited to canine and feline practice in veterinary medicine 

 for this purpose. In the treatment of nausea and vomiting the ani- 

 mals should be kept as quiet as possible and allowed only small 

 amounts of water or food at a time, since overloading the stomach 

 with water or food will immediately bring on an attack of vomiting. 



The antemetics may be grouped as : 



1. Antacids to check the irritation due to hyperacidity: sodium 

 bicarbonate, 10 to 20 grains, milk of magnesia, Vi to 2 drams, lime 

 water. 



2. Protectives. These form a protective coating on the mucous 

 membrane of the stomach and mechanically prevent its irritation, 

 in the same manner in which a dusting powder protects the skin or 

 raw surfaces. The principal ones are the insoluble bismuth salts 

 and cerium oxalate, dose of either 5 to 30 grains. 



3. Central Sedatives. Chloral hydrate, morphine, etc., may 

 be used in severe cases, but it must be remembered that morphine 

 first causes emesis in dogs before it depresses the vomiting center, 

 and one cannot depend upon its action in cats. 



4. Local Sedatives which depress the sensory nerve endings in 

 the stomach may be of advantage. These are cocaine, stovaine, dose 

 of either H2 — /4 grain, and other members of the group of local 

 anesthetics, tincture of belladonna, 5 to 15 minims, atropine %oo — ■ 

 %oo grain, phenol 1- — 3 minims. 



5. Carminatives. Chloroform water, ginger, peppermint, etc., 

 are serviceable in human medicine, but as a rule the aromatics are 

 objectionable to dogs and cats. Chloroform water may be of con- 

 siderable service. 



.6. Oounterirritation to the abdomen may be useful. Hot 

 water bottle, ice bag, liniments, plaster. 



