404 SALTS OF THE HEAVY METALS 



improvement of nutrition in certain anemic conditions, but not in 

 health. 



b. It increases the reserve stock of hemoglobin. 



c. Iron has an arsenic-like action when injected intravenously, 

 but this is unimportant from a therapeutic standpoint. 



Therapeutics. 



1. Locally. Tincture of the chloride of iron is used as an as- 

 tringent and hemostatic; the subsulphate, as a styptic and the sul- 

 phate (copperas), as an antiseptic and disinfectant for cesspools, 

 etc. 



2. Internally. The most important use of iron is in the treat- 

 men of anemic conditions. It is especially useful in those cases in 

 •which the per cent, of hemoglobin is diminished. After severe 

 hemorrhage the blood vyill return to normal much more rapidly under 

 the influence of iron. It is of less value in secondary anemias than 

 in primary and of doubtful value in pernicious anemia. Iron is 

 contraindicated in conditions of gastric irritation. 



3. Antidote to arsenic poisoning. 



Administration. Preparations of iron are usually given per os 

 and in order to prevent undue irritation of the stomach should be 

 administered during or after feeding. Some of the organic prep- 

 arations have been recommended because they are less irritant, but 

 they are expensive and little better than the inorganic preparations. 

 Eeduced iron, the carbonate and sulphate are the least irritant of the 

 inorganic preparations. They are usually administered to large 

 animals in the form of pov?ders and to the smaller ones, in pills. 

 Tincture of the chloride of iron is used when a liquid preparation 

 is desired. The sulphate or dried sulphate are the most popular iron 

 preparations for large animals, but the carbonate and reduced iron 

 are sometimes used. The carbonate or reduced iron is most often 

 used for the small animals and is given in pills after meals. If it is 

 necessary to administer iron hypodermically, one of the soluble 

 forms, such as ammonioferric citrate, may be used in freshly pre- 

 pared, well diluted solution. 



Incompatibles. Iron salts are incompatible with all prep- 

 arations containing tannic or gallic acids, ammonia, alkaline car- 

 bonates and mucilage of acacia. 



FERRUM — IRON 



Ferrum is metallic iron in the form of iine, bright wire. It is 

 only used in the production of preparations of iron. 



