636 MEDICINES. 



Steel, Tincture of. 



See " Iron, Tincture of " (p. 625). 



Stout. 



See " Ale " (p. 608). 



Strychnine 



is one of the active principles of nux vomica. One grain of the 

 hydrochlorate of strychnine, dissolved in 100 parts of water, may 

 be injected subcutaneously. 



Nux Vomica 



is a valuable nervous stimulant, tonic, and bitter. Horses will eat 

 it if mixed in their food. Strychnine, as just stated, is its active 

 principle. Dose, J to 1 drachm once or twice a day. 



Sulphur 



is useful in the form of sulphurous acid, for fumigating a building. 

 The doors and windows should be closed, and four or five shovelfuls 

 of burning coal placed inside it in convenient positions. On each 

 shovelful of coal about \ lb. sulphur should be thrown, and the 

 fumes of the sulphurous acid allowed to fill the building for at 

 least twelve hours. 



Candles containing sulphur and also corrosive sublimate are 

 made by wholesale chemists, and are very useful and convenient 

 for disinfecting purposes. 



Tannoform, 



a compound of tannin and formic aldehyde, is an admirable dry 

 antiseptic dressing, especially for wounds which have a broad sur- 

 face ; and it rapidly produces a dry scab, in which respect it is 

 far superior to iodofoirm. A solution of it in methylated spirit 

 can also be used. It is a valuable agent in the treatment of 

 diarrhoea (pp. 426 and 427). When given by the mouth, it passes 

 through tlie stomach unchanged ; when it reaches the small intes- 

 tine, it breaks up intO' tannin (an astringent) and formic aldehyde 

 (an antiseptic). These components are particularly active in their 

 respective functions. 



