CANINE PHARMACY, MATERIA MEDICA, AND THERAPEUTICS. 17 



with regard to the latter means, especially, we must 

 remember that in some cases, and with some patients, 

 even the slight necessary puncture might bring on con- 

 vulsions. 



Bnemata for the dog must be small in bulk because his 

 large intestine is not capacious. They are a very useful 

 means of administration of medicine and nourishment. 

 When judiciously resorted to they may be made to add 

 very much to the comfort of a sick animal by preventing 

 irritant accumulations in the bowel, such as are apt to give 

 rise to colic or convulsions. They prove also directly use- 

 ful for removal of worms when any occur in the large 

 bowel. With some valuable dogs enemata may be required 

 periodically as a matter of kennel routine, and it must be 

 remembered that, almost always, enemata are a safer and 

 simpler means of arousing torpid bowels than doses of 

 purgative medicine. A syringe capable of containing from 

 four ounces to a pint should be used according to the size 

 of the dog. If the fluid is to be retained as nutriment or 

 medicine, it should be small in quantity and of a bland, 

 mucilaginous character. In all cases the nozzle of the 

 syringe should be introduced very carefully and previously 

 well lubricated. In cases of constipation it is always 

 advisable to explore with the oiled forefinger beforehand in 

 order to determine whether there is a large, dry, hard 

 mass of faeces to be broken down. As an ordinary laxa- 

 tive means, warm water with some soap rubbed up in it is 

 the best enema. Mucilage of starch, linseed tea, gruel, 

 broth, milk, and so on, are given as nutritives in the form 

 of enema, in doses of about one pint. When prompt 

 catharsis is to be induced by enema, castor oil, oil of tur- 

 pentine, and common salt, of each half an ounce, may be 

 given with about eight ounces of gruel. As an anodyne 

 enema, useful in certain forms of colic, laudanum, sulphuric 

 ether, and spirits of turpentine, of each one to two drachms, 

 may be given similarly. 



Canine Materia Medica differs in several very important 

 respects from that of ordinary veterinary practice. Thus 

 emetics assume a prominent place ; a quantity of pleasantly 



2 



