METHODS OF ADMINISTERING MEDICINES. 



By C'H. B. MiCHENEK, V. S. 

 [Revised In 1903 by Leonard Pearson, B. S., V. M. D.] 



Medicine may enter the body through any of the following desig- 

 nated channels: First, by the mouth; second, by the air passages; 

 third, by the skin ; fourth, by the tissue beneath the skin (hypodermic 

 methods) ; fifth, by the rectum; sixth, by the genito-urinary passages; 

 and, seventh, by the blood (intravenous injections). 



(1) By THE MoiTTH. — ^Mediciues can be given by the mouth in the 

 form of solids, as powders or pills ; liquids, and pastes, or electuaries. 



Solids administered as powders should be as finely pulverized as 

 possible, in order to secure rapid solution and absorption. Their 

 action is in this way facilitated and intensified. Powders must be 

 free from any irritant or caustic action upon the mouth. Those that 

 are without any disagreeable taste or smell are readily eaten with the 

 feed or taken in the drinking water. When placed with the feed they 

 should first be dissolved or suspended in water and thus sprinkled on 

 the feed. If mixed dry the horse will often leave the medicine in 

 the bottom of his manger. Nonirritant powders may be given in 

 capsules, as balls are given. 



Pills, or ^^halls" when properly made, are cylindrical in shape, 2 

 inches in length and about three-fourths of an inch in diameter. 

 They should be fresh, but if necessary to keep them some time they 

 should be made up with glycerin, or some such agent, to prevent 

 their becoming too hard. Very old, hard balls are sometimes passed 

 whole with the manure without being acted upon at all. Paper is 

 sometimes wrapped around balls when given, if they are so sticky as 

 to adhere to the fingers or the balling gun. Paper used for this pur- 

 pose should be thin but firm, as the tougher tissue papers. Balls are 

 preferred to drenches when the medicine is extremely disagreeable or 

 nauseating ; when the dose is not too large ; when the horse is difficult 

 to drench ; or when the medicine is intended to act slowly. Certain 

 medicines can not or should not be made into balls, as medicines 

 requiring to be given in large doses, oils, caustic substances, unless in 

 small dose and diluted and thoroughly mixed with the vehicle, deli- 

 quescent, or efflorescent salts. Substances suitable for balls can be 

 made up by the addition of honey, sirup, soap, etc., when required 

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