Veterinary medicines : their actions and uses / by Finlay Dun.

  • Dun, Finlay, 1830-1897.
Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Veterinary medicines : their actions and uses / by Finlay Dun. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    in order to remove the indigestible food, which is usually the cause of the mischief. The convulsions of epilepsy, as already mentioned, are warded off by bromides, while endeavour is also made to remove the conditions which lead to them by the administration of salts of arsenic, silver, zinc, and copper. Chorea, depending prob- ably upon some lesion of the sensori-motor ganglia at the base of the brain, is treated by arsenic and copper salts, and where the patient is anaemic by iron and a generous oleaginous diet. Spasm affecting the heart is usually controlled by the judicious use of alcohol, ether, digitalis, or nitrites. These nitrites, ex- emplified by amyl-nitrite, nitro-glycerine, nitrous ether, and sweet spirit of nitre, are pre-eminently relaxers of spasm of involuntary muscles. They relieve the heart and blood-vessels in angina pectoris of human patients, and the dyspnoea of bronchitis, as well as the intestinal cramp of all animals. In overcoming spasm of particular parts, it is, as already indicated, important to exalt the power of the controlling centres of the brain and spinal cord by such stimulants as alcohol, ether, camphor, and bromo-camphor, and thus regulate and co-ordinate the lower disturbed centres. This twofold stimulation of the higher central and lower topical centres is also exerted by valerian, asafoetida, musk, castor, and volatile oils. Instead of exalting nervous excitability, another class of antispasmodics —such as borneol and menthol—lessen irritability, and paralyse motor, sensory, and reflex centres of the brain and cord, and thus often relieve spasm. Spasmodic diseases generally de- pending, as already indicated, on deficient and imperfect nervous power, restoratives, tonics, and good hygiene are essential factors in their successful treatment. Anesthetics are remedies which diminish and abolish sensation. They are allied to anodynes, but act more promptly and fully. A state of brief and imperfect anaesthesia may be induced by checking or arresting circulation of blood through the brain and higher centres, as by copious blood-letting, pres- sure on the carotids, or inhalation of charcoal fumes, or other suffocating vapours. It may be produced locally by firm pressure, or ligature impairing circulation in the part. These methods, however, cannot safely induce such profound or pro-