CALOMEL 169 



tion occurs. For diarrhea or vomiting in dogs, calomel is useful in 

 removing the source of irritation, in being antiseptic and easily borne by 

 an irritable stomach. As calomel is transformed by the alkaline intestinal 

 secretions into the gray mercurous oxide it has been the custom to com- 

 bine sodium bicarbonate with it in order to facilitate this transformation. 

 The administration of calomel should be followed by oil, salines or other 

 cathartics, if purgation does not occur within twenty-four hours after its 

 ingestion, otherwise mereurialism may occur. 



In jaundice, with light-colored feces, gastro-duodenitis or constipa- 

 tion, calomel is a valuable remedy for dogs. In the jaundice occurring 

 as a form of influenza in horses, nitro-muriatic acid is more effective. 

 Calomel is one of the best remedies for the treatment of dysentery unless 

 there is great weakness. It should be continued in repeated small doses 

 till the character of the discharge changes. Foals and calves, with indi- 

 gestion and diarrhea, may be given calomel to advantage to remove the 

 source of irritation in the digestive tract. Calomel must be combined 

 with a small dose of aloes, or with linseed oil, to form an effective cathar- 

 tic for the horse. As aloes acts on the large, and calomel on the small 

 intestines, the above combination secures a general purgative influence. 



Cattle are given calomel, followed by the administration of salines, 

 to produce free catharsis. As a remedy for round worms, 14 to % grain 

 each of santonin and calomel, with 5 grains of sugar of milk, are adminis- 

 tered to dogs four times, at half hour intervals, and followed by castor 

 oil. Lumbricoid worms in the horse may be treated by conjoining 2 

 drams of santonin with 1 dram of calomel, given to the fasting animal, 

 and followed by a pint of linseed oil. A useful anthelmintic prescription 

 for the horse for round or tape worm consists of the following: 



:^ 



Aloes. 



Hydrargyri chloridi mltis. 



Oleoresinae filicis maris aa 3i- 



Pulveris zingiberls gss. 



M. et ft. bolus No. i. 



Sig. Give to horse after fasting for 24 hours. 



Calomel was formerly very frequently used, and is occasionally pre- 

 scribed to this day in the treatment of enteritis, pleuritis, meningitis, 

 peritonitis, pericarditis, and iritis, for its antiphlogistic and alterative 

 action in supposedly diminishing inflammatory exudations. 



At the present time these actions are very much questioned, and any 

 beneficial effects accruing from the use of calomel in inflammatory dis- 

 eases are now ascribed to its action as a purgative and intestinal antiseptic 

 in destroying and eliminating bacteria and toxins from the bowels. 



Calomel is of value in inflammatory diseases when given at the onset 

 of the attack. In dropsy (ascites of. dogs), calomel (gr.i) sometimes acts 

 as a useful diuretic, when combined with digitalis and squill (gr.i each) in 

 pill form given t. i. d. 



Administration. — Calomel is given to cattle on the tongue or in gruel; 

 to horses in ball, on the food, or on the tongue; to dogs in pill, tablet or 

 on the tongue; to fowl on the food (gr.i.). The compound cathartic pill 



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