MATERIA MEDICA AND THERAPEUTICS. I23 



astringent taste, soluble in 20 parts of water at 60 ° F. Is a 

 powerful astringent and escharotic. 



ALU MINI SULPHAS— Aluminum Sulphate.— Soluble in 1 

 to 2 parts water by weight. Is antiseptic, astringent and caustic. 



Antagonists and Incompatibles. — Alkalies and their carbon- 

 ates and acetate of lead are chemically incompatible. 



Synergist. — Mineral and vegetable astringents promote its 

 therapeutical activity. 



Physiological Actions. — Astringent, at first excites flow of 

 saliva, then markedly decreases it ; coagulates pepsin, thus ft 

 would derange or entirely arrest digestion ; it also stops peris- 

 talsis and produces constipation, though sometimes it induces 

 diarrhoea by irritation. It arrests secretion in general and in the 

 circulation constricts the capillaries ; it is in this way it arrests 

 secretions, especially those of mucous surfaces and stops capillary 

 haemorrhage ; it is an emetic in 1 5 grs. to 1 dr. doses for dogs ; 

 large doses are gastro-intestinal irritants. The sulphate of alum- 

 inum is mildly caustic, astringent and antiseptic. Dried alum is 

 caustic and astringent. 



Uses. — In diarrhoea and dysentery, but other astringents are 

 safer and better, as it may lock the bowels too tight, may be used 

 in weeping sores or weeping skin diseases ; in long standing nail 

 wounds by putting j4 to 1 lb. into the soaking tub, also in same 

 way for injured coronets, with raw bulging surfaces that bleed 

 easily ; also for sore mouth, sometimes mix a little boric acid ; use- 

 ful in bleeding piles, and in mild solution (§i. to aq. oj.) for 

 sore throat; also used internally for hsematuria (bloody urine), 

 and for open joints apply the powdered alum to arrest the flow of 

 synovia. For catarrhal ophthalmia, after the acute stage an alum 

 lotion 5 grs. to 1 oz. of water is very serviceable; for granular 

 lids rub, with a crystal of alum. Alum should never be used too 

 strong over the eye as it seems to have the power of dissolving 

 the cornea ; a solution containing 10 grains of alum to the ounce 

 of water may be of use in canker of the ear of dogs, also for 

 leucorrhoea, and prolapsus ani ; dried alum may be used as a caus- 

 tic wherever a caustic is indicated, but is not recommended for this 

 purpose. 



For a powerful drying powder, especially useful where ex- 



