SANITARY CONSIDERATIONS 



315 



large number of veterinarians have proved very conclusively 

 the specific, curative effect of iodide of potassium. According- 

 to Salmon the iodide of potassium is given in doses of from 

 1.5 to 2.5 drams dissolved in water and administered in a 

 drench, once a day. The dose should vary somewhat with the 

 size of the animal and with the effects that are produced. If 

 the dose is sufficiently large there appear signs of iodism in the 

 course of a week or ten days. The skin becomes scurvy, and 

 the eyes moistened. There is nasal catarrh and loss of appe- 

 tite. When these symptoms appear the medicine may be 

 suspended for a few days and afterwards resumed in the same 

 dose. The cure requires from three to six weeks' treatment. 

 Some animals do not improve with the administration of 

 iodide of potassium and these are generally the ones which 

 show no signs of iodism. 



If there is no sign of improvement after the animals have 

 been treated four or five weeks and the medicine has been 

 given in as large doses as appears desirable, it is an indication 

 that the particular animal is not susceptible to the curative 

 effects of the drug and the treatment should be abandoned. 



It is not, however, advisable to administer iodide of potas- 

 sium to milch cows, as it will considerably reduce the milk 

 secretion or stop it altogether. Furthermore, a great part 

 of the drug is excreted through the milk making it unfit for 

 use. It should not be given to animals in advanced pregnancy, 

 as there is danger of producing abortion. 



§ 235. Sanitary considerations. The literature upon 

 this subject is largely to the effect that actinomycosis is rarely 

 if ever either contagious or infectious in the sense that it can 

 be transmitted from one animal to another or from one of the 

 lower animals to man. There seems to be no indisputable case 

 on record of such a transmission, although a few cases are 

 very suggestive. It is the opinion of most pathologists that 

 when the disease is restricted to small tumors and these are 

 localized, that the affected parts should be destroyed but the 

 remainder of the carcass may be used for human consumption. 



In Bulletin No. 2, of the Board of Live Stock Commis- 



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