508 THE COLLEGE VETERINARY PHARMACOPCEIA. 
ball, for the groom likes camphor, although the veterinary sur¬ 
geon may not have much faith in it. 
Tonic Balls . 
Sulphate of iron.from one drachm to four 
Powdered ginger .two drachms 
Linseed meal and treacle sufficient to form a ball. 
Or, ' ^ ^ u ^ 
Sulphate of copper-........ — - from one to two drachms 
Powdered ginger .two drachms 
Linseed meal and treacle sufficient to form a ball. 
I have no objection to these balls. The first I particularly like. 
I would only plead for an addition to it—two drachms of gentian 
—an excellent vegetable tonic and bitter, and (an exception to 
the rule of most vegetable bitters), not decomposing the metallic 
salt. I am the more anxious for this, because long experience 
has convinced me that these metallic salts uncombined, I will not 
say are inert, but rarely accomplish, to the extent I could wish, 
the purpose I have in view; but when I add to them an adjuvant 
of similar power, and from a different region of the kingdom of 
nature ; when I add a vegetable tonic to a mineral one, I bestow 
additional strength and activity on each ; and I have no manner 
of doubt, that if I were driven to adopt the present erroneous 
practice among some veterinarians, of simplifying medicines so 
much, I should discard, even for the horse, and most certainly for 
cattle, my mineral tonics, and retain the vegetable. 
The sulphate of copper may be occasionally alternated. It is 
far inferior to the iron as a general tonic, but much good often 
results from alternation of medicine. I am especially pleased with 
the modest dose of the copper here prescribed : it is the proper 
dose in every case. There is not a more erroneous or injurious 
opinion, than that we can increase the medicinal effect of many a 
drug by increasing the quantity administered. We may change 
the character of the effect,—we may do harm instead of good; but 
there is a quantity, and generally a small one, within which pru¬ 
dence and right experience will limit us. I wish some old staid 
practitioner would take up this point. 
Worm Balls. 
Submuriate of mercury (calomel^)... two ounces 
Linseed meal ......one pound 
Treacle sufficient to form a mass : divide into thirty-two balls. 
The dose is here half a drachm of calomel. I do not like this 
ball, and yet I scarcely know what to substitute for it. I have 
given it without the slightest effect in expelling or destroying 
