POISONS AND POISONING. 63 



Stymptoms. — The symptoms are great thirst, abdominal pain, diar- 

 rhea, poor appetite, redness and dryness of the mouth, increased uri- 

 nation, paralysis of the hind legs, weak pulse, general paralysis, coma, 

 and death in from six to eight hours. 



Treatment. — Allow as much warm water as the animal will drink. 

 Give protectives, such as linseed tea, etc. Linseed or olive oil may 

 be given. To keep up the heart action give ether, alcohol, camphor, 

 digitalis, or coffee. To allay pain, give opium. 



VEGETABLE POISONS. 



These may be divided into two classes — those that are likely to be 

 administered to the animal as medicine or such as may be taken in 

 the food, either in the shape of poisonous plants, or as plants or foods 

 of vegetable origin that have been damaged by fungi or by bacterial 

 action, producing fermentation or putrefaction. 



VEGETABLE POISONS USED AS MEDICINE. 

 OPIUM POISONING. 



Opium and its alkaloid, morphia, are so commonly used in the 

 practice of medicine that the poisonous result of an overdose is not 

 uncommon. The common preparations are gum opium, the inspis- 

 sated juice of the poppy; powdered opium, made from the gum; 

 tincture of opium, commonly called laudanum, and the alkaloid or 

 active principle, morphia. Laudanum has about one-eighth the 

 strength of the gum or powder. Morphia is present in good opium 

 to the extent of about 10 per cent. In medicine it is a most useful 

 agent in allaying pain. It has an effect of first producing a stimulat- 

 ing action, which is followed by drowsiness, a disposition to sleep or 

 complete anesthesia, depending on the quantity of the drug used. 

 In poisonous doses a state of exhilaration is well marked at first. 

 This is particularly noticeable in cattle and in horses. The animal 

 becomes much excited, and this stage does not pass into insensibility 

 unless an enormous dose has been given. If the dose is large enough, 

 a second stage sometimes supervenes, in which the symptoms are 

 those of congestion of the brain. The visible membranes have a blu- 

 ish tint (cyanotic) from interference with the air supply. The breath- 

 ing is slow, labored, and later stertorous ; the pupils of the eyes are 

 very much contracted; the skin dry and warm. Gas accumulates in 

 the stomach, so that tympanites is a prominent symptom. The 

 patient may be aroused by great noise or the infliction of sharp pain, 

 when the breathing becomes more natural. A relapse into the coma- 

 tose condition takes place when the excitement ceases. Later, there 

 is perfect coma and the patient can no longer be aroused from the 

 insensible condition. The contraction of the pupil becomes more 

 marked, the breathing intermittent and slower, there is perspiration, 



