ON THERAPEUTICS. 
313 
into the system in small quantities it appears to produce 
depression, unassociated with any indications of excite¬ 
ment. 
Hering directs its use in pulmonary consumption in the 
horse, and in epilepsy and madness in the dog; by the French 
veterinarians it is also recommended in various nervous affec¬ 
tions, for example, tetanus, epilepsy, rabies, and chorea. It 
acts most energetically when injected into the circulation, and 
although its influence is principally upon the nerves, it affects 
them through the medium of the circulation. M. Panizza 
found its effects to be equally marked when it was applied to 
the lips of rabbits, and the tongues of dogs, after the nerves 
had in both cases been divided. M. Vibourg found no poison¬ 
ous action to follow its contact with the brain of a horse after 
trephining, while its injection into the veins is immediately 
followed by death as from a lightning stroke. 
Its sedative influence is best developed when it is given as 
an enema, by which plan the preliminary excitement is 
avoided. 
As a local application, we have found it useful in the irrita¬ 
bility that often occurs in the convalescent stage of ophthalmia, 
when the eye is intolerant of light; a drop placed in the 
organ, although at first productive of redness and irritation, 
ultimatelylessensthe nervous excitability; inthe form oflotion, 
composed of three drachms of acid to a pint of water, it may 
be applied in cases of irritation of skin, in the dog particu¬ 
larly. 
Internally, it may be given to the horse in quantities of 
thirty to sixty drops in water, as a draught or enema ; for the 
dog a mixture of ten to twenty drops in four ounces of water, 
given in portions of a tablespoonful at a time, the mixture is 
very efficacious in allaying gastric irritation in this animal, 
accompanied with constant vomiting. 
From the powerful nature of the drug it is most probable 
that its use might be considerably extended in the treatment of 
diseases in which exalted nervous action is a prominent 
element. 
Digitalis .—Next to bloodletting this drug is the most 
direct sedative to the circulatory system, there is no question 
of its peculiar power ; as an intermittent pulse is the common 
result of a few doses, hence when bleeding is no longer ad¬ 
missible the agent may be exhibited in doses of one drachm 
to two drachms, according to circumstances ; the larger dose 
will not require repetition until some time has elapsed ; the 
smaller one may be repeated every four or six hours, until the 
desired effect results. The action is cumulative, and con- 
