518 GENERAL THERAPEUTIC MEASURES 



tissues and injure the blood cells so that they shrivel. If too dilute 

 (hypotonic) the red cells are injured, the blood is laked (hemolysis), 

 and salts abstracted from the tissues. 



Calcium salts offset the toxic action of common salt (increased con- 

 traction of muscle), and alkalinity is desirable. Elimination from the 

 bowels and kidneys is so rapid that the fluid from an infusion is removed 

 in half an hour in healthy animals. Large infusions, without much loss of 

 blood, tend to cause general and lung edema. It is safer to weigh salt at 

 any rate and not use a rough estimate, as a teaspoonful to the pint. 

 Hare recommends the following which may be bought in dry form steril- 

 ized: calcium chloride, 0.25; potassium chloride, 0.1; sodium chloride, 

 0.9; water, 1000 mils. Locke's solution is considered the best by many 

 authorities: sodium chloride, 0.9; potassium chloride, 0.012; calcium 

 chloride, 0.002-1; sodium bicarbonate, 0.03; dextrose, 0.1; and distilled 

 water, to make 1000 mils. 



Saline infusions do not increase blood pressure in normal animals 

 as they are so rapidly removed. But after hemorrhage they may maintain 

 normal blood pressure by replacing blood. They favor coagulation of 

 blood in hemorrhage, and sq tend to stop bleeding, as well as replacing 

 lost blood. Hogan's solution is almost as immediately successful as a 

 blood transfusion after severe hemorrhage (not permanently so) and 

 incomparably more convenient. It consists of sterile solution of gelatin, 

 sodium chloride and carbonate prepared for immediate use by Squibb. 

 The gelatin is free from tetanus bacilli and is remedial especially in 

 coagulating blood. 



Simple distilled and ordinary water are noxious to the tissues. 



Mode of Introduction. — Saline infusions are introduced within the 

 body (1) by intravenous injection; (2) b)^ injection into muscular tissue 

 (hypodermoclysis) ; and (3) by rectal injection (enteroclysis). 



Intravenous injection is the most rapid and certain method, but not 

 so simple and practicable as hypodermoclysis. 



Any superficial vein which can be readily seen and isolated, may be 

 utilized; preferably the jugular or internal saphena vein in animals; the 

 median basilic, or cephalic, at the bend of the elbow in man. 



The apparatus consists of a glass funnel or rubber bag connected 

 by four or more feet of rubber tubing, with a canula or curved piece of 

 glass tubing 4 inches long and 14 inch in diameter for horses ; !/§ inch in 

 diameter for dogs. The apparatus should be boiled immediately before 

 using. The vein is made prominent by manual pressure exerted by an 

 assistant, or by a bandage, applied proximally to the seat of operation. 

 The hair is shaved from the part, which is sterilized, and an incision 1% 

 to 2y2 inches long is made by lifting a transverse fold of the skin directly 

 over the vein and snipping off the top of the fold with scissors parallel 

 to its long axis. The sheath of the vein is exposed, raised by dissecting 

 forceps, and divided. The vein is then lifted from its bed with an aneur- 

 ism needle, and two silk or catgut ligatures are drawn under it about an 

 inch apart. The vein is now incised longitudinally, and, as the blood 

 begins to spurt out, the distal ligature is tied about the vessel. The 

 canula is next passed into the incision in the vein toward the heart ond 



Digitized by Microson® ^ 



