ALCOHOL 291 



these cases by stimulating reflexly the medullary, cardiac and 

 respiratory centres by its irritant action on the alimentary 

 tract. From our physiological data alcohol should not be 

 of service in such conditions as a stimulant. Its narcotic 

 action in serving as a nervous sedative in lessening anxiety 

 and pain and so offsetting the effects of shock — may account 

 in some measure for its worth. Thus morphine is the best 

 drug to use in surgical shock — even better than alcohol. Af- 

 ter exposure to cold it is easy to explain the benefit derived 

 from alcohol in its action in dilating the peripheral vessels 

 and directly antagonizing the results of cold. Experiments 

 on healthy animals regularly receiving moderate doses of 

 alcohol have proved that they are more susceptible to innoc- 

 ulation with bacteria and toxins than controls. In disease, 

 however, clinicians greatly differ on this point, Hare even 

 going so far as to claim his experiments show that alcohol 

 increases the power of the blood to overcome germs in 

 disease. Here again the results of the effects of alcohol in 

 health and disease clash. Alcohol is a chemical antidote in 

 carbolic acid poisoning, and besides overcomes the shock 

 produced by the latter; undiluted whiskey or brandy may 

 be used. 



Administration. — Veterinary practitioners are fortu- 

 nately exempt from any moral considerations in relation to 

 their medicinal use of alcohol. Kum, gin and whiskey are 

 more commonly employed than the other alcoholic prepara- 

 tions, although diluted alcohol is practically as valuable. 

 Gin is indicated when a 'diuretic action is important. 

 Brandy, being more astringent, is given to dogs with diar- 

 rhea, and, combined with cracked ice in small quantities, 

 relieves vomiting. Sherry may also be administered to dogs 

 with advantage. The dose of the various alcoholic liquids 

 depends upon the quantity of alcohol contained in them. 



Animals will usually take alcoholic preparations volun- 

 tarily if largely diluted with water, milk or gruel. Whiskey 

 should be diluted with about 4 parts of water when given in 

 drench, unless the reflex action is desired, when it is admin- 

 istered in considerable doses with an equal amount of hot 



water. .-,11 



Diluted alcohol, undiluted whiskey or brandy are in- 

 jected subcutaneously when a rapid action is imperative. 



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