66 PHARMACY 



ients are used to make a mass of the proper consistency. For immediate 

 use, molasses and licorice root may be employed, and brown tissue paper 

 is used as a covering for the balls. Gelatine capsules may take the place 

 of the balls, and should be covered with paper to prevent slipping through 

 the fingers when wet with saliva. 



Linseed meal is a good excipient on account of its gum. Soap is 

 often used, and glycerin makes a good preservative and keeps the mass 

 moist. 



Heat is often necessary in preparing a ball mass when the materials 

 are resinous (as aloes) or waxy. A ball is given to a horse by holding it 

 in the right hand, the tips of the fingers and thumb surrounding it in the 

 form of a cone. The tongue of the animal being drawn to the operator's 

 left with his left hand, the right is then quickly passed along the roof of 

 the patient's mouth (avoiding the edges of the back teeth) until the back 

 of the tongue is reached, when the ball is dropped, the right hand rapidly 

 removed and the tongue released. 



If the mouth is narrow or the animal unmanageable, a balling iron 

 or speculum is used to keep the mouth open. The horse may be backed 

 into a narrow stall and the head steadied by an attendant with the assist- 

 ance of a "twitch" on the nose. Substances of an irritating nature may 

 be given in this form, and balls are also used when the disposition of the 

 patient does not admit the giving of a drench. 



Haustus, pi. haustus. — A drench is an extemporaneous fluid mixture, 

 intended for immediate use as a single dose. 



Soluble substances are best given in solution to obtain the most rapid 

 results, unless irritating. Even then they may be preferable when suffi- 

 ciently diluted with water and demulcents. Insoluble drugs may at times 

 be given to advantage in a mixture rather than in the form of a ball or 

 powder. Most official fluid preparations require dilution before admin- 

 istration, but for convenience small doses of tinctures and fluidextracts 

 are dropped upon the tongue of horses unless the preparations at? excep- 

 tionally acrid. Drenches are particularly applicable for cattle and sheep, 

 as solids are not quickly absorbed in their capacious digestive apparatus, 

 and drenches are given them with ease. 



The amount of liquid conveniently administered to horses is from one 

 to two pints ; to dogs, from two to four ounces ; to sheep, six to eight 

 ounces. Cattle take readily unlimited quantities. Care should be ob- 

 served that drenches are so diluted as to be harmless to the mucous mem- 

 brane, and, if containing insoluble drugs, that these be held in suspension 

 by a suitable vehicle or thoroughly shaken before using. Drenches are 

 best given to horses by making a loop on the end of a rope, passing the 

 upper jaw through this, the other end of the rope being passed through 

 a pulley in the ceiling and held by the operator or assistant. The horse 

 should be first backed into a narrow stall. The neck of the bottle (which 

 should properly be made of horn or tin) containing the drench, being 

 introduced and held in the right hand of the operator between the out- 

 side of the back teeth and the inside of the cheek of the patient, the left 

 hand is used to steady the nose of the animal, but the nostrils should not 

 be, obstructed. 



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