618 MEDICINES. 



is not sufficiently diluted with air. As ohloroform produces in- 

 sensibility by causing the brain to become deprived of blood ; we 

 should, tO' facilitate the action of this drug, keep the animal's head 

 on a higher level than his body. On the other hand, to restore 

 consciousness, lower the head. The advisability of the precaution 

 of withholding food and water from the animal for some hours 

 before giving ohloroform is self-evident As difficulty of breathing, 

 in ohloroform poisoning, is frequently due to spasm of the muscles 

 which cause the epiglottis to close the opening (the glottis) into 

 the larynx ; it is well to antagonise their action, in such cases, 

 by drawing the tongue forward. 



AMOUNT AND TIME REQUIRED.— The amount of chloroform 

 required to put a horse under the influence of this drug, varies 

 greatly as to the mode in which it is given. According to the 

 present somewhat inexact methods, the amount varies from about 

 2 oz. to 10 oz. -As a rule, I use about 6 oz. Twenty minutes is 

 an average time for bringing a horse fully under the influence of 

 chloroform. 



ADMINISTRATION. — In an operation requiring the use of 

 chloroform, one man, if possible, should be solely concerned with 

 the production of insensibility, so that the operator's attention 

 may not be distracted from his legitimate work. After the horse 

 has been cast, the ohloroform may be given by a specially made 

 muzzle (I generally use Russell's muzzle, which is very convenient) ; 

 by a leather or wire muzzle, inside which a sponge saturated with 

 chloroform is placed ; or a towel may be folded in the form of 

 a funnel, and a small spoiuge or some ootton-wool may be put in 

 its centre to receive the ohloroform, which should be poured out 

 a little at a time. In utilising this last-mentioned contrivance, 

 the horse, being kept with his head resting on a bundle of straw, 

 should be made to inhale the fumes through his upper nostril, 

 while the lower one is kept more or less closed by the hand, so as 

 to regulate the amount of air. In any of these cases, commence 

 with IJ oz. of chloroform, and add a like quantity of it from time 

 to time as may be required. With Russell's inhaler, I generally 

 add 1^ oz. at intervals of about seven minutes. Instead of an 

 inhaler for the administration of the ohloroform, some prefer to 

 use a sponge, which place inside one of the nostrils, after having 

 greased the inside of that nostril, so as to prevent it being irritated 

 by the chloroform. Regulate the inspiration of the chloroform, by 

 means of the pressure of the hand on the other nostril. More or 

 less successful attempts have been made tO' construct an equine 

 chloroform muzzle on the same principle as that Junker devised 



