CANINE PHARMACY, MATERIA MEDICA, AND THERAPEUTICS. 19 



tablespoonful.* Laxative food, such as vegetable sub- 

 stances, should, when time admits, be given previously to 

 the physic, to gently move on any bones or other hard 

 matters liable to become impacted under the influence of 

 the cathartic. 



Emetics. — We elsewhere deal with the abuse of these 

 important agents. It is to be distinctly understood that 

 they should only be resorted to when we wish to exert a 

 sedative action or to free the stomach from something 

 which is causing or aggravating disease. Thus they are 

 admissible in cases of sedative poisoning, certain forms of 

 epilepsy, and of overgorging with food ; and their adminis- 

 tration requires the greatest judgment. Our main diffi- 

 culty is generally to prevent the animal expelling by 

 vomition useful medicines. A common emetic is a tea- 

 spoonful of salt with half that amount of mustard given 

 in warm water, but there can be no doubt that even this 

 is occasionally dangerously irritant. Tartar emetic, a 

 medicine which scarcely affects herbivora, is violent in its 

 action as a sedative and emetic on the dog. However, it 

 is the best agent with which we are acquainted for the 

 latter purposes in doses of one to three grains. Calomel, 

 in doses of one and a half to four grains, is emetic, but 

 the action of this agent on the dog is very powerful and 

 it is liable to produce violent purgation or ptyalism. 



Expectorants. — Squills, ipecacuanha, and rhubarb are 

 the best agents of this class. 



Vermifuges. — Areca nut, in doses of one to two drachms 

 mixed with the dog's food just before it is given to him, 

 is an excellent, the best, tasniafuge, and is also said to 

 drive out round-worms. Administered in this way it will 

 be taken freely. Oil of turpentine is very prompt in its 

 action as a vermifuge, but its administration is said to be 

 attended with danger. However, mixed with twice its 

 bulk of common oil it may be given safely in doses of a 

 teaspoonful to a dessert-spoonful. Other vermifuges such 

 as santonin (gr. j to iij), calomel (gr. j to iij), kousso, helle- 

 bore, and filix mas are used occasionally. A vermifuge 

 should always be followed up by a cathartic dose. 



