158 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
inducement for more young men of intellectual worth to en- * 
ter the profession. It would almost give us an equal footing 
with the M.D. It has not been many years since they were 
compelled to put up with quack competitors in this State, but 
are now enjoying a much better condition of their profession, 
as a result of a practice act enacted by the Iowa Legislature 
in ’86. Since that time more diploma men in that profession 
have come into the State and taken up the places occupied by 
“quacks,” making a good lively competition among men that 
were worthy to be called competitors. We hope ere long to 
say as much for our profession—before many more meetings 
of the Legislature to say that we have been sustained in our 
desires. It might be well to add that we are standing on 
the merits of our work at present. Were it not for this con¬ 
dition of affairs, we would be compelled to surrender our pro¬ 
fession and go at something else. 
Respectfully, 
J. H. Platt, D.V.M., 
Montezuma, la. 
INQUIRY. 
Fort Wingate, New Mexico, April 20, 1890, 
Editor of American Vetermary Review , 
Sir :—In your valuable journal of this month, is a note on 
page 35 entitled “ Cocaine in Carpel Tenotomy; ” I read it, but 
must confess I do not understand it although I have often 
seen cocaine (hydrochlorate of cocaine) used as a local anaes¬ 
thetic. 
The author* states he injected one ounce (480 grains) of co¬ 
caine under the skin ; how did he do it ? It takes 700 parts of 
water to dissolve one part of cocaine. What is the dose (hy¬ 
podermic) of cocaine for a horse? The dose b}' the mouth in 
man is from one-twentieth to one grain. If the Doctor used 
the hydrochlorate of cocaine it would take less of the solvent 
but the value of the injection would at wholesale price be not 
less than $10.; this, however, may be a.matter of no conse¬ 
quence when the surgeon is well paid for hi§ service. 
