1. Hog’s lard and strained turpentine,
of each 4 oz.
Verdigris 1 oz.—Mix.
2. Hog’s lard and Venice turpentine,
of each 4 oz.
Sulphate of copper (blue vitriol),
finely powdered 1 oz.—Mix.
3. Ointment of yellow rosin 4 oz.
Oil of turpentine 1 oz.
Nitric oxide of mercury (red
precipitate), finely powdered 1 oz.—Mix.
4. Ointment of nitrated quicksilver 4 oz.
Oil of turpentine 1 oz.—Mix.
—_White._
DISEASE, _s._ Distemper, malady, sickness.
DISLOCATE, _v._ To put out of the proper place; to put out of joint;
to displace a bone.
DISMOUNT, _v._ To throw any one from on horseback; to alight from a
horse.
DISPENSATORY, _s._ A book in which the composition of medicines is
described and directed; a pharmacopœia.
DISTEMPER, _s._ A disease, a malady.
_The Distemper._—No disorder is more general or so destructive as that
known by the name of the distemper; it is the most fatal (the plague
only excepted) that any animal is subject to.
The symptoms of the distemper are not invariably similar, although there
are predominant ones which always occur. It generally comes on with a
dry husky cough, dullness and want of appetite, a running from the nose
and eyes, and loss of flesh. As the disease advances, the dog appears
much emaciated, and grows excessively weak, particularly in the loins
and hinder extremities; usually there is convulsive twitchings of
different parts, most commonly of the head, attended with dimness of
sight; when the disease proceeds, and takes on its more virulent form,
then the twitches degenerate into continued convulsive fits, the dog
foams at the mouth, runs round, and expresses great pain, has a constant
disposition to dung, with obstinate costiveness or incessant purging.
There is likewise great irritability of the stomach, every thing being
thrown up immediately it is taken in, and the animal dies, generally, in
one of the spasmodic fits. From this state of the disease hardly any dog
recovers, unless from the powerful effect of this gentleman’s medicine,
and even then he admits its success doubtful, although he insists, with
the medicine early given, the disease will never arrive to this height;
but, with every deference to the efficacy of the above medicine, the
compiler has known Dr. James’s powder cure the most inveterate stages of
the disorder: the method of administering it will be hereafter directed.
In every part of this disease a want of nervous energy, and a particular
paralytic affection of the nerves, is apparent, and, in some instances,
remains long after every other symptom has ceased, and in many respects
is not unlike the palsy of the human frame.
The distemper, when existing in its worst form, is very often mistaken
for canine madness; but a close attention to the following points will
with certainty show the difference. Puppies are not so liable to madness
as full-grown dogs; it is but seldom the animal will drink freely in the
distemper, never in madness—yet they will now and then try to drink; the
hydrophobia arrives likewise at its height, in general, sooner than the
distemper, although the latter is sometimes equally sudden in its
attack, and rapid in its progress. In madness, all recollection of
places or persons is lost by the affected animal; his home will be left,
and he will bite the hand that feeds him, indiscriminately with any
other. In the distemper, there is no loss of reason but in the attack
and actual continuance of the convulsion fits; the animal does not
attempt to bite or rove abroad, and, on recovery from the fit, resumes
his faculties. If, therefore, a young dog will drink when the immediate
effect of the spasmodic restriction is removed, or, without evident
fear, will bear the sight of water, but more particularly when his
weakness is excessive, and strongly apparent between the intervals of
the fits, it may be safely concluded that it is the distemper, and not
madness. These circumstances, continues Mr. Blaine, should be carefully
remarked, as they are unerring, and may save many a valuable animal from
destruction, and many a timid mind from the most dreadful apprehension.
* * * * *
For the distemper, so soon as the symptoms appear, give an ounce of
castor oil, and after its operation has ceased, give the following
powder, mixed up with butter, into a bolus, every two hours, keeping the
dog warm, and supplying him frequently with warm milk or water-gruel.
Should the medicine occasion sickness or purging, the quantity and
frequency of the doses are to be abated.
Crocus metallorum finely levigated, and white antimonial powder, each
six grains, and diaphoretic calx of antimony, ten grains for one dose.
It is necessary to remark, that the above dose is sufficient for a
pointer or fox-hound, of six or eight months old, and that the quantity
is to be varied according to the size and age of the dog.
Rhubarb and jalap mixed, as much as will lie on a shilling, is an
excellent common physic. For dogs, foul within, five grains of tartar
emetic, given in a piece of hog’s lard. For a surfeit, one ounce of
sulphur, half an ounce of antimony, mixed together; a small ball in
butter, to be given to the dog, and the sore place well rubbed with a
mixture of white hellebore-root powdered, and hog’s lard; the dog to be
kept from water if he licks the ointment.
* * * * *
Doctor Darwin has given the following opinion upon the disorder, and how
to counteract its malignity.
“In dogs, the catarrh is generally joined with symptoms of debility
early in the disease; the animals should be permitted to go about in the
open air, the use of being as much as may be in the air, is evident,
because all the air which they breathe, passes twice over the putrid
sloughs of the mortified parts of the membrane, which lines the
nostrils, and the maxillary and frontal cavities; that is, during
inspiration and expiration, and must, therefore, be loaded with
contagious particles.
“Fresh new milk, and fresh broth, should be given them very frequently,
and they should be suffered to go amongst the grass, which they
sometimes eat for the purpose of an emetic; and, if possible, they
should have access to a running stream of water, as the contagious mucus
of the nostrils generally drops into the water they attempt to drink.
“Bits of raw flesh, if the dog will eat them, are preferred to cooked
meat, and from five to ten drops of tincture of opium (according to the
size of the dog), may be given with advantage when symptoms of debility
are evident, every six hours. If sloughs can be seen in the nostrils,
they should be moistened twice a day with a solution of sugar of lead,
or of alum, by means of a sponge fixed on a bit of whalebone, or by a
syringe. The lotion may be made by dissolving half an ounce of sugar of
lead, or of alum, in a pint of water.”
* * * * *
The following remedies have their advocates, and, consequently, in some
cases of the disorder have been proved essential in its cure.
One grain and a half of calomel, and five grains of rhubarb, to be
repeated every other day.
Four grains of Turbith’s mineral, and one grain of emetic tartar; first
bleeding the dog.
A tea-spoonful of jalap, half the quantity of grated ginger, a
table-spoonful of syrup of buckthorn, made into a ball, or given liquid
in warm water. No milk, but water-gruel to drink, and the dog must be
kept very warm.
Gamboge, dragon’s-blood, jesuit’s-bark, of each half an ounce, made into
pills the size of a hazel nut. To a full grown dog, one pill to be given
every morning until cured; to a whelp, three times a week, the dogs to
have liberty to run out.
* * * * *
Some rely entirely on purgatives: others bleeding and physicking;
others on emetics; some put tar upon the nose, others a pitch plaster,
and some cauterize the nasals; some inject vinegar into the dose,
others hellebore, and others a solution of camphor; some cut off the
tail, others the ears; some give tobacco and olive oil, others the
golden sulphuret of antimony; the keeper gives the curpeth’s mineral:
the more scientific of these gentry will knock down the disease, and
the dog too with arsenic. The gentleman will give compound tincture of
benzoin, the farmer common salt; the medical man sulphuric ether, or
emetics and sulphur, or emetics and jalap, or emetics and
scammony.—_Youatt_—_Daniel_—_Darwin._
DITCH, _s._ A trench cut in the ground usually between two fields;
any long narrow receptacle of water.
DIVER, _s._ A bird; one that sinks voluntarily under water; one that
goes under water to search for any thing.
DIURETICS, _s._ Medicines that excite and increase urinal discharge.