80 VETEEINAEY TOXICOLOGY 



determined and compared with that of the normally alkaline 

 rumen or intestine content and the normally acid stomach 

 content respectively. To separate the acids or alkalis 

 from organic matter the process of dialysis through a 

 parchment membrane with water should be used. The 

 suspected compound may then be tested for in the purified 

 dialysis liquid. 



COMMON SALT. 



Toxic Doses. — It is generally accepted that large doses of 

 sodium chloridfe, or common salt, may lead to poisoning, 

 and it is stated that from 4-5 to 7 pounds may prove 

 poisonous to cattle; from 2 to 4"5 pounds to the horse; 

 and from 4 to 8 ounces to the sheep and pig. 



A pig had five daily doses of 1 ounce, six of 2 ounces, 

 and six of 3 ounces of salt consecutively, mixed with its 

 food. Although the 3-ounce doses were not eaten readily, 

 no abnormal effects were observed (Lander). 



It is only, however, in respect to the pig that salt poison- 

 ing assumes importance, and in our literature there are 

 numerous references to poisoning of that animal by this 

 agent. 



Sources. — Sometimes the vehicle of poisoning is solid 

 salt — e.g., from salt trucks — but more often the poisoning 

 is due to the partaking of liquors from the salting or 

 boiling of meat or from salted potatoes. 



Arising no doubt from the general acceptance of salt 

 poisoning as liable to affect pigs, there is a widespread idea 

 that household waste liquors of all sorts may kill these 

 animals. In a very large number of alleged salt or soda 

 cases, analysis of the stomach contents fails to reveal an 

 excess either of sodium chloride or of carbonate. 



It is not possible to state the doses of salt necessary to 

 kill the pig, and some recorded examples are not free from 

 doubt ; thus it is not unlikely that brines may contain 

 organic poisons derived from the decomposition of proteins ; 

 and in salted potato cases there is the possibility of poisoning 



