WHAT TO DO IN CASES OF POISONED ANIMALS.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 22, 10 December 1874, Page 3

WHAT TO DO IN CASES OF POISONED ANIMALS.

We are approaching the season when various forms of death occur from poisonous insects and reptiles, congestion of the blood from plethoric conditions, and a varied order of diseases of a very acute and deadly type. It may not be out of place to state in as simple a form as possible a few highlyimportant discoveries, which investigators have of late unfolded, by the adoption of a form of treatment somewhat new in the animal kingdom. I refer to what is known as the " hypodermic system of treatment." I shall here explain in what this form of treatment consists, so that any man of ordinary capacity may be able to do something for himself during times of extreme need.

There is a proper instrument for the operation, particularly adapted for the human subject, but which may with care be employed oh any animal. , It consists of a beatiful and nice little syringe, with a needle point, which costs from 10s to 20s. Every man who has seen or performed the injection of liquid preserve for meat will understand what I mean, and I should advise gentlemen intending to act to get some such syringe, and use it after the same fashion in any fleshy part of . the beast. The medicines I propose you to keep ready on hand are liquid ammonia, liquid carbolic ncid, and coffee. These articles are well enough known, but I trust that by following my instructions yon will be able to astonish even your sublime organs. Carbolic acid injected under the skin has been found a specific for various forms of lung and spleen disease. I should say that it would answer well in pi euro, and all forms of chronic lungdisease ; it may also possibly suit broken wind, at least it is my intention to try it; and I should be obliged to any gentleman, whose position suits a few experiments, to learn his results. Of , course where absolute destruction of the j luns* exists no medicine can possibly do j any good, but where there is hepatisation, as in pleuro; spasmodic contraction of the muscular fibres, as in asthma; and ulceration, as in phtheis ; good may under those circumstances be expected.

Ammonia has been found of great service in utter prostration, as is often present in milk fever of cattle and sheep, blackleg and splenitis, bites of snakes, ticks, and also in distemper in dogs, and many other diseases in which the vital powers of the system fag at an extremely rapid rate.

Coffea must be regarded as a very simple drug, seeing not only the Turks, but most New South Welshmen, like a good strong cup, but yet it has been found an extremely good medicine in all forms of poisoning either by minerals or vegetables, so that this agent is likely to do more good to the lower animals than to coffea drinkers. It may be difficult to persuade some that coffea is a powerful medical agent. Those, however, who know that parsely roots are good for kidney disease, apples for stone of the bladder, asparagus for rheumatism, and arnica for sprains, will not experience any difficulty in comprehending the power of coffea thus prepared for duty ; the next business is to get about your work in right fashion.

A drop of liquid carbolic and a drop of ammonia, to a tablespoonful of water is generally strong enough, The coffea is better as strong as possible, and inject a tablespoonful into some fleshy part, such as the hip, thigh, fore arm, even the dew lap. or wherever the skin is loose. It is best to keep repeating the injection of the liquid every ten minutes, and always in a fresh spot.

Gentlemen unprovided with a syringe may go about the business, thus : Make an incision with a knife through the skin, and fix in this hole under the skin a piece of cotton wool, candle wick, or some such kind of thing," saturated with the liquid you intend using. When using the knife do not cut far into the flesh, for then a flow of blood would come and prevent the liquid from acting.

Ploughing^ an orchard is of a3 much importance as pruning ; it amounts to root pruning. The 'most .suitable time is late in the autu'm% or' early in the spring.