A volatile oil distilled from the fruit of star anise.
PROPERTIES.--A colorless or pale yellow, thin and strongly refractive
liquid, having the characteristic odor of anise, and a sweetish, mildly
aromatic taste. Specific gravity about 0.975 to 0.985. Soluble in an
equal volume of alcohol.
DOSE.--Horses and cattle, 20 to 30 m.; sheep and pigs, 5 to 10 m.; dogs
and cats, 1 to 5 m.
ACTIONS.--Anise is an aromatic stimulant, stomachic and carminative. It
is used to relieve indigestion and flatulence, to communicate an
agreeable flavor to many medicines, and to diminish the griping of
purgatives. Oil of anise resembles in action other volatile oils.
USES.--The oil of anise is employed with olive oil or alcohol to kill
fleas or lice on dogs, rubbed over the skin; and one drop of the pure
oil may be placed on the feathers of fowl to cause destruction of lice.
The oil of anise is sometimes prescribed to disguise the odor of drugs,
and is ordered in cough mixtures for its expectorant properties.
The fruit is given all animals (generally powdered) on their
food--frequently with sodium bicarbonate and ginger--to relieve mild
forms of indigestion and flatulence through its stomachic and
carminative effects.
ANTIMONII ET POTASSII TARTARS--ANTIMONY AND POTASSIUM TARTRATE--TARTAR
EMETIC
DERIVATION.--Make a white paste with cream of tartar, antimony trioxide
and water. Set aside 24 hours, boil in water 15 minutes and crystallize.
PROPERTIES.--Colorless, transparent crystals of the rhombic system,
becoming opaque and white on exposure to the air, or a white granular
powder without odor and having a sweet, afterwards disagreeable,
metallic taste. Soluble in water, insoluble in alcohol.
DOSE.--Horses and cattle, 2 to 4 dr.; sheep, 2 to 5 gr.; pigs, ¹⁄₂ to 1
gr.; dogs, ¹⁄₁₀ to ¹⁄₂ gr. As an emetic for pigs, 4 to 10 gr.; dogs, 1
to 2 gr.
ACTIONS.--Tartar emetic is a systemic and local emetic, a diaphoretic,
cardiac and arterial sedative and a gastro-intestinal irritant. It is a
powerful waste producer and stimulates the secretions of the stomach,
intestines, salivary glands, liver and pancreas. Large doses cause
nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, while toxic doses are followed by
vomiting (in animals that can vomit), serious blood purging, great
depression of the circulation and respiration weakness, collapse and
death. Tartar emetic is also a vermifuge.
USES.--Tartar emetic is too mild as an emetic in poison cases. In asthma
of dogs it may be used in from ¹⁄₁₀ to ¹⁄₂ grain doses to relax spasm
and promote secretion. For horses its most valuable use is to expel the
common round worms from the intestines, for which it is very
efficacious; given in two drachm doses once or twice daily in the feed
for four to six days, or one-half ounce dissolved in water is given on
an empty stomach followed by a full dose of linseed oil.