132 The Diseases of Animals 
Coughing or gagging while being drenched is an 
indication that the patient is getting some of the medi- 
vine into his lungs. Proceedings should be suspended 
until the animal has recovered. 
When medicine for a horse is in the form of a ball 
or pill, it is held in the tips of the three middle fingers 
of the right hand, while the operator, standing in 
front of the horse, grasps the tongue with the left 
haud and draws it well forward, turning the tip upward 
toward the roof of the mouth. At the same time the 
ball in the right hand is inserted and pushed far back 
over the bulge of the tongue, and both’ hands are quickly 
withdrawn from the mouth. With a little practice, 
balls can be administered readily. In giving pills to 
dogs, the pill can be placed in a spoon containing 
milk, water or other liquid, and poured into the back 
part of the mouth, so that it can be taken at a single 
swallow. 
In drenching a sheep in the standing position, the 
head must not be held too high, as this prevents proper 
swallowing and induces strangling. The sheep should 
be set up on its rump and held between the knees, the 
mouth opened with the thumb and fingers of the left 
hand, while the medicine is slowly poured into the 
mouth from the bottle held in the right hand. The neck 
of the bottle should be inserted in the corner of the 
mouth, preferably on the right side. This is the only 
way to prevent choking. Fig. 31. 
Hypodermic Medication. — Medicines are frequently 
administered by injecting them beneath the skin. In 
this method there is less liability of waste, and the 
