The Dogs’ Home. 179 
the bottle into a syringe (not glass, as that might be broken 
by the dog’s teeth, and cause partial failure), the quantity for 
a large dog being something near an ounce. The operator 
should put on gloves, and, taking the dog’s upper jaw in his 
left hand across the muzzle, just behind the canines, exert 
some pressure, when he will usually.open his mouth. At this 
moment, with the right thumb on the piston of the syringe, 
there should be no difficulty in injecting the whole of the 
contents into the back of the mouth, either from the front or 
side, the operator taking the precaution to hold his breath 
while this is being done. 
In selecting this poison, it should be borne in mind that 
its quality, and consequently its energy, varies greatly. That 
dispensed according to the standard of the British Pharma- 
copeia contains only two per cent. of the anhydrous acid, 
while the preparation known as Scheele’s has five per cent.— 
more than double the strength. The latter should be used; 
the former cannot always be trusted to act rapidly and 
certainly, even in an ounce dose. Many chemists use old 
stock, or the B.P. preparation, and thus terribly prolong -the 
sufferings of the animal they undertake to destroy. Prussic 
acid can only be kept under conditions calculated to prevent 
its deterioration when the bottles containing it are securely 
stoppered, laid on their sides in a box, and excluded from 
the light by a close lid. So necessary it is to provide against 
this possible deterioration, that no less quantity than half- 
ounce should be given, and I have known that fail to act 
immediately with a dog over thirty pounds weight. 
These suggestions are made only for persons of sufficient 
nerve and resolution to undertake to relieve an animal from 
suffering when the necessity presents itself, and when the case 
cannot be placed in professional hands. When the operator is 
known to the dog, and“friendly with him, there will be little 
or no difficulty. A truly humane master will even do great 
violence to his feelings, by himself undertaking the last sad 
office for his affectionate friend (who will submit to be handled 
N 2 
