230 INORGANIC AGENTS 



more room for the respiratory movements and prevent accidents in cast- 

 ing. A specially constructed inhaler^ or nose bag, strapped about the 

 head, may be employed for convenience. Hypodermic injection of 

 morphine (gr. iii.) thirty minutes before anesthesia is often of advan- 

 tage. It diminishes shock and allows of the use of a smaller amount 

 of the anesthetic. It is very important that all preliminary procedures 

 should be done — as casting, preparation of the operative field, etc. — 

 before the chloroform is begun, to lessen the necessary amount of the 

 anesthetic. A sponge wrapped loosely in flannel may be placed in the 

 upper nostril, as the animal lies upon his side upon the ground, and after 

 a few minutes a similar sponge is introduced into the lower nostril. A 

 dram or two of chloroform may be placed on each sponge as an initial 

 dose, to hasten the anesthesia, while after this the method of constant 

 dropping is to be preferred, from a bottle having a cork nicked upon 

 the side sufficiently to allow the anesthetic to flow out in this small 

 quantity. The nostrils should be previously smeared with vaseline to 

 afford protection from the irritation of the chloroform. Chloroform is 

 also given to horses by the choke method where a few ounces are poured 

 upon a sponge and this placed in a tight nose bag fastened over the 

 nose. This method is more rapid and dangerous in giving more con- 

 centrated vapor. 



If the operation is prolonged, anesthesia may be carried on with 

 ether. It is not essential to cast a horse before chloroformization, but 

 the animal should be controlled with side lines, and a twitch should be 

 placed upon the nose, unless an inhaler is used. Since there is com- 

 monly more or less struggling, it is, however, more satisfactory to cast 

 an animal before anesthesia is begun. The writer has given chloroform 

 in many instances to horses in the standing position until they fell or 

 were pushed over upon a straw bed with the aid of only one assistant. 

 In thus producing anesthesia, a sponge covered with a towel was used, 

 and this was saturated with chloroform, and held at first three inches 

 from the animal's nose, in order that the vapor should be thoroughly di- 

 luted with air. 



The anesthetizer should give his whole attention to the work, and 

 watch carefully the respiration, pulse and pupil, for any sign of danger. 

 If any arise, the anesthetic should be removed and treatment pursued 

 as recommended in the previous section. 



Dogs should be fasted for twelve hours before etherization, in order 

 to avoid vomiting during anesthesia. From -^^ to 1 grain of morphine, 

 according to the size of the patient, should be given subcutaneously 30 

 minutes before ether is administered. It is necessary to muzzle dogs 

 before anesthesia is begun. This may be done by tying a strong tape 

 about the nose, bringing both ends up between the ears, over the top 

 of the head, and then tying them together in a knot, and finally carrying 

 the ends down, one on either side of the neck, and fastening them under- 

 neath. A wire muzzle may be used to control the dog more conveniently, 

 and the ether is then poured upon a sponge within the muzzle and the 

 muzzle is covered with cloth to keep out the air. More recently the 



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