DRUGS AND DOSES, AND HOW TO ADMINISTER THEM.
The most convenient method to administer medicine is either in the form of a bolus, gelatine capsule, or drench. Before proceeding to give medicine turn the animal around in stall in a position so that he cannot run backwards. If giving a drench, either hold head up by hand or pull it up by placing halter-shank over some high object, pulling head up; then place horn or bottle inside of mouth. Take plenty of time; induce the horse to move his tongue, instead of pinching his throat and pulling out tongue, as is customary and wrong in all cases. The tongue must pass back in mouth, or else horse cannot swallow. To give a bolus, pull out tongue gently with left hand, keeping the mouth open, pass bolus back over root of tongue with right; by proceeding slowly very little trouble will be experienced.
If the animal will eat, medicine in the form of powder (provided it be not very repulsive to the taste) may be given in grain or mash, or dissolved in the water given to drink.
Aconite (Tincture).—Useful in cases of fevers and inflammation. Dose, 15 to 30 drops, repeated every three hours; should be given in one ounce cold water.
Alcohol.—Useful as a stimulant; one to three ounces, repeated every five hours, given in eight ounces cold water.
Aloes (Barbadoes).—Useful as a cathartic. Dose, six to eight drachms, with two drachms powdered ginger, made into a bolus or pill; only one dose required.
Ammonia (Aqua).—Useful as a stimulant. Dose, one half ounce, given three times a day in six ounces cold water.
Ammonia (Aromatic).—Useful in acute indigestion and flatulant colic. Dose, one ounce every two hours until better.
Arnica (Tincture).—Useful in all cases of bruises and sprains; should be applied frequently.
Arsenic.—Useful as a tonic or alterative. Dose, five grains given three times a day in the food.
Belladonna (Tincture).—Useful in allaying pains and spasms. Dose, one to two drachms, repeated every four hours.
Bromide of Potassium.—Useful as a nerve sedative. Dose, two to four drachms three times a day, given in water.
Castor Oil.—Useful as a cathartic. Dose, one pint.
Chloral Hydrate—Useful in allaying pain. Dose, one-half ounce every four hours until relief comes.
Chloroform.—Useful as an anæsthetic and anodyne in allaying pain. Dose, one to three drachms given in four ounces cold water.
Digitalis (Tincture).—Useful as a heart stimulant. Also for coughs and colds. Dose, one drachm three times a day.
Dovers Powders.—Useful for colds and coughs. Dose, three drachms three times a day in feed.
Gentian.—Useful as a tonic. Dose of tincture, one ounce; of ground, one half ounce—in feed three times a day.
Ginger.—Useful as a tonic and stimulant. Dose, tincture, one ounce; ground, one ounce—in feed three times a day.
Iodine (Tincture).—Useful when applied externally for sprains, bruises, etc.
Iodoform.—Useful when applied to galls. Take one part iodoform and three parts sulphur and cover the gall with the powder. Iodoform one part, cosmoline nine parts, makes a good antiseptic ointment.
Iron (Sulphate).—Useful for worms and as a tonic. Dose, one half ounce three times a day.
Iron (Tincture).—Checks bleeding, when applied externally; is a tonic internally. Dose, one half ounce in water three times a day.
Laudanum.—Useful in allaying pain. Dose, one to two ounces, to be repeated every two hours if pain lasts.
Lead (Acetate, Sugar of Lead).—Useful for wounds, bruises, sprains, and to allay inflammation. One ounce to one quart of water, and apply often.
Linseed-oil.—Purgative. Dose, ten to thirty ounces.
Nitre (Saltpetre, Nitrate Potash).—Is useful in fevers, blood disorders, and sluggish kidneys. Dose, one half to one ounce a day.
Podophyllin.—Useful in liver disorders. Dose, one to two drachms once a day.
Quinine.—Useful in all debilitating fevers and where there is loss of appetite. Dose, twenty to thirty grains five times a day in pills.
Resin.—Useful in kidney disorders. Dose, one half ounce three times a day in feed.
Soda (Bicarbonate).—Useful in cases where an antacid is required. Dose, six drachms three times a day in feed.
Soda Sulphate (Glauber Salts).—Useful where a saline laxative is required. Dose, one pound.
Santonine.—Useful for worms. Dose, two to four drachms.
Sweet Spirits Nitre.—Useful for colic and kidney trouble. Dose, one to two ounces in cold water, to be repeated if necessary.
Zinc (Sulphate).—Useful for wounds. Add one quart water to one ounce zinc and apply three times a day.
Bran Mash.—Place bran in clean pail and pour on as much boiling water as it will absorb; add ½ ounce salt; stir and then cover over to retain steam until sufficiently cool; add, if on hand, to the bran a pound of well-boiled linseed.
Gruel.—Put 1 pound of meal in cold water, place over fire, and stir until it boils; then simmer until thick; permit to cool until temperature of new milk; add wineglass of spirits if animal be exhausted.
Poultice.—Bran, with a little linseed-oil, steeped in hot water; boiled turnips or carrots; linseed-meal and a little olive-oil.
Charcoal Poultice is made by adding linseed-meal to boiling water and stirring until a soft mass is produced; then stir in powdered charcoal and sprinkle some over the poultice when made up. If desired as an astringent, add sulphate of zinc.
Mustard.—Add water to 1 pound of mustard until a thick paste; rub on skin and then wash off carefully after 15 or 20 minutes. Apply again in six hours if necessary.
Enemas.—Usually water at the temperature of the body, 3 to 6 quarts. Sometimes a little soap is added.
Cantharides.—If effect of blister be too severe, diminish by dressing part with liniment of lead, acetate of lead, and olive-oil; or wash off blister and dress with oil.
Gombault's Caustic Balsam is a most excellent vesicant.
Tonics should be given under observation of surgeon and effect carefully watched, especially mineral tonics.
Mineral Tonics.—Sulphate of iron, 1 to 2 drachms, with 2 to 4 drachms of ginger; or sulphate of copper, ½ to 1 drachm, with powdered gentian 2 to 4 drachms; or arsenious acid, 5 grains.
Vegetable Tonics.—Quinine, ½ to 1 drachm, dissolved in a few drops of sulphuric acid, in a pint of water; or oak-bark, 2 to 3 drachms made into a ball with treacle and bran; or powdered gentian-root, 1 to 2 drachms; or tincture of gentian, 1 to 2 ounces in a pint of water.