Part 51

SODII CHLORIDUM--SODIUM CHLORIDE--COMMON OR TABLE SALT

ORIGIN.--Mined in a native state and obtained by evaporation of brine, spring or sea water.

PROPERTIES.--It is officially described as in “colorless, transparent, cubical crystals, or a white, crystalline powder, odorless and heavy, a purely saline taste.” Permanent in dry air. Soluble in two and eight-tenths parts of water at 25° C. (77° F.), and in two and a half parts of boiling water; almost insoluble in alcohol.

ACTIONS.--Sodium chloride in small doses is a condiment, restorative, tonic, stomachic, antiferment, alterative, laxative, anthelmintic antiseptic emetic for dogs and used as an injection for pin worms.

Animals deprived of salt do not thrive as it is an essential constituent of food necessary to the composition of HCl in the gastric juice, and of blood plasma, from which it is constantly eliminated in the urine. As an emetic for dogs one to four drams of salt, and one dram of powdered mustard dissolved in four ounces of tepid water. Common salt as an eye-wash is a tonic to the eyes; one dram to a pint of water. Feed animals refined salt, as rocksalt contains irritating properties due to its great impurity. A cooling and stimulating lotion for sprains and bruises may be made by dissolving two ounces of common salt, nitrate of potash and chloride of ammonia in a quart of water.

Use pure cooking salt in normal salt solution, which contains six of one per cent (about fifty grains to a pint), or may be made at once by adding a heaping teaspoonful of pure salt into a quart of sterilized water at a temperature of 100° to 110° F. In cases of azoturia give plenty of salt; it acts as a diuretic, makes the horse thirsty and causes him to drink water freely and flushes the kidneys.

DOSE.--Horse, ¹⁄₂ to 1 oz.; cattle, 2 to 3 oz.; sheep, 2 to 4 dr.; pigs, 1 to 2 dr.; dogs, 5 to 20 gr. These doses are stomachic alterative; when used for cattle as a cathartic and vermifuge give 10 to 20 ounces in water, usually combined with magnesium or sodium sulphate.

SODII SULPHAS--SODIUM SULPHATE--GLAUBER’S SALTS

ORIGIN.--Sodium sulphate effloresces on the soil in various parts of Europe. It also exists in solution in many mineral springs in the United States. Sodium sulphate is also produced artificially in several chemical operations.

PROPERTIES.--Sodium sulphate is in large, colorless, transparent, monoclinic prisms, or granular crystals; odorless, and having a bitter, saline taste. It effloresces rapidly in the air, and finally loses all its water of crystalization. Soluble in three parts of water at the temperature of 59° F., insoluble in alcohol, soluble in glycerine.

ACTIONS.--Saline cathartic, cholagogue, hepatic stimulant, slightly diuretic and febrifuge. When the effects of a hepatic stimulant is required it should be given in small repeated doses.

USES.--It is advantageously used as a cathartic in congestion of the liver, in small repeated doses, also useful in dropsical conditions, influenza, especially where the liver is involved; tetanus and febrile diseases, where the bowels are apt to be constipated. Give two to four ounces in a bucket of water. It is successfully used in itching skin diseases in full doses combined with bicarbonate of soda two to four ounces.

DOSES.--As a cathartic, well diluted in water at about 59° F.; horses, 16 to 24 ounces; cattle, 1 to 2 pounds; sheep and pigs, 2 to 4 ounces. Where repetition is necessary the dose should be reduced one-eighth of the above. Best results are obtained when administered with capsicum or ginger, as it prevents griping and assists its action.

SODII THIOSULPHAS--SODIUM THIOSULPHATE--SODIUM HYPOSULPHITE

ORIGIN.--Sodium hyposulphite is prepared by dissolving sulphur in boiling aqueous solution of sodium sulphite.

PROPERTIES.--Colorless, transparent, monoclinic prisms; odorless and having a cooling, afterwards bitter taste. Permanent in air 91.4° F., but efflorescent in dry air above that temperature; slightly deliquescent in moist air. Soluble in about 0.35 parts of water at 77° F. At boiling heat the solution is rapidly decomposed; insoluble in alcohol, slightly soluble in turpentine.

ACTIONS.--Sodium hyposulphite is an antiseptic, deodoriser and insecticide. In the presence of acids, without and also within the body, it gives off sulphurous acid, which it therefore resembles. It is thought to destroy ferments and bacteria, and removes offensive smells. Its properties are greatly increased when used along with the tar acids. When standing long in contact with water the sulphite decomposes and gives off hydrogen sulphide.

USES.--Sodium hyposulphite is recommended in indigestion, fermentation, flatulence and foul smelling feces and in general septic conditions, but have proven as useless as most other medicines in their latter stages. It is used externally in parasitic affections of the skin and mouth in the form of an ointment or solution.

DOSES.--Horses and cattle, ¹⁄₂ to 1¹⁄₂ ozs.; sheep and pigs, ¹⁄₂ to 1 dr.; dogs, 5 to 30 gr.

SPIRITUS AETHERIS NITROSI--SPIRIT OF NITROUS ETHER--SWEET SPIRITS OF NITER

An alcoholic solution of ethyl nitrate, yielding when freshly prepared not less than four per cent of ethyl nitrate.

DERIVATIVE.--Mix sulphuric acid (40 c. c.) with water (120 c. c.), cool and add alcohol and water each, (85 c. c.) and place in (1000 c. c.) flask surrounded by ice and water. Dissolve sodium nitrate (100 gm.) in water (285 c. c.), filter and allow filtrate to drop slowly into the flask above. Wash ethyl nitrate formed with sodium carbonate solution, to remove acid, and agitate with potassium carbonate, to remove water. Add ethyl-nitrate to 22 times its weight of alcohol.

PROPERTIES.--A clear, mobile, volatile, inflammable liquid, of a pale-yellowish or faintly greenish-yellow tint, having a fragrant ethereal and pungent odor, free from acidity, and a sharp burning taste. Mixes freely with water and alcohol.

DOSES AS A STIMULANT AND ANTISPASMODIC.--Horses, 1 to 3 oz.; cattle, 1 to 4 ozs.; sheep, 2 to 4 dr.; pigs, 1 to 2 dr.; dogs, 15 m. to 1 dr. As a febrifuge and diuretic horses take from 4 dr. to 1 oz.; 4 dr. is sufficient as a rule every two, three or four hours, usually combined with other medicines for all of its purposes, in fever and colic cases.

ACTIONS.--Spirit of nitrous ether conjoins the action of the alcohol and ethyl nitrite of which it consists. It is hence a general stimulant and a relaxer and paralyzer of non-striped muscle. It relieves acute fever and the difficult breathing of bronchitis and asthma. It is antispasmodic, diaphoretic and diuretic. Large doses are narcotic.

USES.--Consisting of strong spirit and a saline ether, when swallowed it stimulates the stomach and intestines; is hence stomachic, carminative and antispasmodic, and is prescribed to animals in indigestion, tympanites, colic and convalescence from debilitating disorders. But its properties as a diffusible nitrite, relaxing spasm of involuntary muscles, also come into operation. It dilates arterioles, thus decreases arterial tension, and hence is of special value in the acute stages of fever, whether depending upon specific conditions or local inflammation. It relaxes the muscular fibers of the bronchial tubes, and thus relieves the spasmodic contraction and difficulty of breathing, which characterise catarrh, bronchitis and some forms of asthma. It is specially indicated when the heart action is weak and there is difficulty of breathing--conditions frequently concurring in influenza of horses. During excretion, notably by the skin and kidneys, its twofold constitution is further useful as the alcohol stimulates secretion, while the ethyl nitrate dilates the lumen of contracted vessels, and thus diaphoresis and diuresis are promoted in fevers, local inflammations, rheumatism and other disorders. As it is readily decomposed, even by water, it should be diluted or mixed with other medicines or water only immediately before it is administered. It is usually given in cold water, beer or linseed tea.

SPIRITUS GLYCERYLIS NITRATIS--SPIRIT OF GLYCERYL TRINITRATE--SPIRIT OF GLONOIN

An alcoholic solution containing one per cent, by weight, of nitroglycerine. It is probably decomposed in the formation of potassium and sodium nitrite.