46 
EFFECTS OF MEDICINE ON HORSES. 
22 d . — No visible effect produced. 
June 1823. — Professor Coleman informed me that four ounces 
of carbonate of ammonia had been given to a horse in the Veterinary 
College, and had not been followed by any result. 
Nitrous Acid — (Acidum Nitrosum). 
From the reputation which this acid many years ago enjoyed as 
a remedy for the venereal disease, I felt desirous to make trial of 
it in glanders. In May 1813, a horse was taken out of the straw- 
yard into the Royal Horse Infirmary, at Woolwich, on account of 
an attack of sub-acute glanders. There were ulcers visible upon 
the near side of the septum nasi, and from the near nostril there 
issued a gluey discharge, accompanied by tumefaction of the sub- 
maxillary lymphatic gland of the same side ; the off chamber of the 
nose and off glands being in their normal state. The horse feeds, 
and appears otherwise in health. 
May 1 st . — Let him take half an ounce of nitrous acid in a pint 
of water, morning and evening. 
3c?. — The drench has rendered his mouth and throat sore, and 
cannot, on that account, be repeated. 
Afterwards, a sort of ointment was formed by triturating the acid 
with lard, and then making the mixture into balls with linseed 
meal, and thus administering it. Its decomposition, however, by 
the fat would necessarily impair or alter its medicinal properties ; 
it was for this reason, perhaps, that, notwithstanding the balls were 
continued for some length of time, no perceptible effect was pro- 
duced, neither did the animal appear to suffer any inconvenience 
from their exhibition. 
Prussic Acid — (Acidum Hydrocyanicum). 
In July 1821, a time when there was a good deal of talk about 
the extraordinary effects of this acid, the following experiment 
was made : — 
A female ass, three weeks old, that had been procured for the 
purposes of dissection, had half-a-drachm of prussic acid poured 
upon its tongue, near to the tip. Immediately afterwards, the re- 
spiration became accelerated, the pulse quickly ran up to 150, and 
the animal evidently felt vertiginous ; for, in endeavouring to walk 
she so staggered from one side to the other, that «very person 
present expected she must fall at every next step she took. Instead, 
however, of falling she gradually acquired a steadier and firmer 
step, and, to our surprise, had, five minutes after the experiment 
was made, so far recovered herself that it was manifest our 
object — that of destroying life — had been frustrated. 
