VETERINARY TOXICOLOGY 



INTRODUCTION 



Toxicology embraces the general study of the origin, prop- 

 erties, and effects upon the animal organism of poisons. 

 In so far as toxicology is concerned with a study of the 

 mechanism of the absorption, action, and elimination of a 

 drug, it is a branch of the science of pharmacology. 



The art of toxicology has the practical object of the 

 diagnosis, treatment, post-mortem indications, and chemical 

 detection of a poison. 



A complete scientific and practical development of the 

 subject manifestly demands the joint contributions of the 

 botanist, chemist, physiologist, pathologist, and clinician, 

 and in proportion as there is increase in exactness in our 

 knowledge of these subjects, so do toxicology and the wider 

 domain of pharmacology assume greater precision and 

 efficiency. 



The nefarious and often lucrative practice of malicious, 

 poisoning is as old as man, and a moment's reflection on 

 the state of knowledge of the exact sciences among the 

 ancients and during the Middle Ages — indeed, until the 

 nineteenth century — will satisfy us that poisoning must 

 have been most extensively practised, and enjoyed remark- 

 able immunity from detection and punishment. 



The ancients, besides being aware of many poisonous 

 herbs, were acquainted with certain mineral and other 

 poisons. Thus, arsenic was known to the Greeks, and the 

 Egyptian priests knew how to prepare (and use) hydro- 

 cyanic acid from the peach kernel. The Dark Ages were in 



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