294 Veterinary Medicine. 



tion, or closes the nostrils, or, worse still, pours the medicine in a 

 constant stream through the nose. In the latter case the animal 

 has no power of resistance and must swallow the liquid as fast as it 

 reaches the pharynx. But unfortunately for him he must also 

 breathe, and with each act of inspiration a portion of the continu- 

 ous stream is inevitably drawn down into the lungs. The effect 

 will be in proportion to the tenacious or irritant properties of the 

 material inhaled. One of the blandest agents, melted lard, is es- 

 pecially dangerous because of its filling the bronchia, sticking 

 obstinately to the mucosa and excluding the air. This may 

 cause suffocation in a few minutes. The more irritant oils, castor 

 oil, croton oil, whale oil, produce local inflammation by contact 

 and absorption. 



A less dangerous practice is to give the liquid medicine 

 through the mouth and compel the patient to swallow it by 

 pouring a few drops of pure water through the nose. When the 

 latter reaches the pharynx deglutition is at once produced and 

 the buccal contents are carried on in the natural way. But 

 should any of the water entering by the nose drop into the glot- 

 tis, a cough is at once produced with its succeeding sudden, deep 

 inspiration and the medicinal liquid is liable to pass down the 

 wrong way. If swallowing is forced by the introduction of 

 water through the nose, it should be in a few drops only at a 

 time, and not in quantity, nor continuously, nor when the pa- 

 tient is about to inspire. 



The recumbent animal is very liable to inhale medicines admin- 

 istered in liquid form. Hence the accident is more frequent in 

 colics and paralysis than in other affections. When lying down 

 the stomach is compressed and does not readily admit the liquid. 

 It may cause regurgitation from the gullet if not from the stomach 

 and the liquid reaching the pharynx is liable to be drawn into the 

 lungs. 



Pure water introduced into the trachea and bronchia is com- 

 paratively harmless. Gohier's pupils poured thirty Utres into the 

 lungs in this way without effect, though they killed another 

 horse with forty litres poured in a steady stream. Colin killed a 

 horse by pouring into the lungs, in a full stream, 30}^ litres, cold 

 from the well. Respirations became 55 to 60 per minute, but 

 after death the lungs showed only a slight infiltration toward their 



