ANESTHESIA 1*529 



cessful in restoring respiration. Dash hot or cold water or ether upon 

 the chest or epigastrium; or use the faradic battery to stimulate respira- 

 tion by moving the electrodes over the chest and abdomen. Stretch the 

 sphincter ani apart by placing the thumbs in rectum and separating 

 them v^ith force. This is a powerful reilex stimulus to heart and respira- 

 tion. 



5. Give subcutaneous injections of caffeine and camphor. In 

 chloroformization, give camphor and atropine hypodermically ; and, in 

 shock, saline infusion with adrenalin, as below. Do not use alcohol or 

 ether as stimulants, for their action resembles that of the anesthetics. 



6. Use hot (115° F.), high, rectal injections of salt solution (one 

 heaping teaspoonful to the quart) in case of surgical shock with feeble 

 pulse and subnormal temperature resulting from hemorrhage or other 

 cause. Two to four gallons for large animals, and one pint to one quart 

 for smaller animals. Saline infusion containing adrenalin is still more 

 efficient. (See "Saline Infusion," p. 517.) 



Choice of An Anesthetic. 



Ether and chloroform are the only anesthetics of any importance 

 in veterinary medicine. The A. C. E. mixture, containing alcohol (one 

 part), chloroform (two parts), and ether (three parts), possesses no 

 particular value, and is not so safe as ether. While chloroform is in- 

 ferior to ether in the matter of safety, it may be given to horses by an 

 experienced and careful person without much danger. It is commonly 

 the most suitable anesthetic for the horse, for the following reasons: 

 It is less expensive; whereas several pounds of costly ether are re- 

 quired to produce anesthesia, a few ounces of chloroform will accom- 

 plish the same result. Chloroform inhalation is much easier of adminis- 

 tration, more rapid, and causes less struggling. It may be used with-- 

 out any special inhaler, and may be given to animals in the upright 

 position. It should not be given if fatty heart is suspected. 



Chloroform may be employed for all animals during parturition, as 

 it is less dangerous in this condition and because only enough is needed 

 to produce relaxation of parts to relieve pain, to assist dilatation of the 

 OS and manual operations done to rectify faulty position of the fetus. 



Chloroform is indicated in all cases where the actual cautery is used 

 in the neighborhood of the mouth. Ether is the most suitable anesthetic 

 for cats and perhaps for cattle, and sheep, unless the animal is suffering 

 from bronchitis, emphysema or asthma, when chloroform is more appro- 

 priate. Chloroform, being more rapid and less irritating, may in any case 

 be employed to begin anesthesia, which should then be maintained by 

 ether. The use of anesthetics is contraindicated in anemia if the hemo- 

 globin is reduced below 30 per cent. 



Practical Anesthesia. 



The horse should be starved for twelve hours, and should receive 

 a cathartic twenty-four hours before anesthetization, in order to afford 



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