The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-02-02
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Salt tor Domestic Animals.

Considering that common salt is of
all medical agents [excepting water)
the most likely to be in every house.
hold, and that it is also by far the
cheapest and safest of them, we can
appreciate the Importance of know
ing exactly what effects II is likely to
produce. and In what diseases it may
be advisable to use it.
Salt owes its properties to both the
elements Of which it is composed
chlorine and sodium. Applied to the
skin or mucous membranes in con-
centrated solution or powder, it causes
more or less irritation, reddening, and
even a slight blistering If the contact
is Of sufficient duration; on sores
this action is still more marked and
is followed with considerable dry
ing and healing effect. Internal
ly, in small doses, it is well-known as
an excellent condiment, increasing the
appetite. and favoring digestion and
absorption. In large or too-often re-
peated doses its irritating action be-
comes manifest. the appetite is lost,
the thirst excessive, the mucous men,
brane of the mouth is irritated, saliva
abundant, the general appearance de-
jected, nneasiness, signs of collie, dogs
and pigs vomit, horses and cattle are
soon purged. If the amount swallowed
is sufficiently great, fatal poisoning is
the result, when in addition to the
symptoms just mentioned, there is OBJ
served fetid. often bloody, diarrh9a,
quick. hard pulse, difficult breathing,
general depression, GOODNESS of the en-
tire surface of the body, weakness and
impossibility Of standing. convulsive
movements OF the limbs. paralysis OF
the posterior parts of the body, rapid
weakening and death. The amount
required to produce these effects is,
for cattle, two and half to five
pounds, horses two to three pounds,
pigs three to eight ounces, and dogs
one to two ounces.
The general effect of salt when given
In medium doses, and during the
early part of its administration, are
stimulant and tonic, and are besides
particularly favorable to the exercise
of all the functions of the body; thus
the circulation is accelerated. the
ekin is more supple and moist, the
coat glossy. the urine more abundant,
the flesh fir1ner the blood redder,
the strength increased. If, how
ever, the dose is much increased, or
II the administration is continued
beyond the wants of the body, the eff
fects are entirely changed, and become
decidedly alterant. the blood becomes
thin and pale, and the animal poor and
weak.
From what has already been said of
the action of salt, it is evident that its
use may be indicated in a considerable
number of diseases. We will first no
tice the cases in which it is applied ex-
ternally, and then those in which it
is given internally. As lotion for
bruises, whether caused by the
harness, by blows, kicks or otherwise,
the saturated solution of salt applied
two or three times day, leaves little
to be desired. Sprains of the muscles,
tendons or joints may be successful
ly treated in the same manner, or,
when practicable, cloth wet
with the solution may be kept
constantly applied. 1t may also be
used in cases of lymphangitis, infiltra-
tions, dropsical swellings, and many
skin diseases. A weaker solution. con-
sisting of teaspoonful of salt to a
glass of water. has been found exceed
ingly useful in superficial Inflammation
of the eye.
Internally, its local stimulating ef-
feet may be turned to advantage in
irregular and poor appetite, in collie
from indigestion in the horse, in
chronic indigestion Of cattle, and in
those cases of depraved appetite in
which animals eat earth, lick walls,
etc. The dose for such purposes may
be one to two ounces for horses, two
to four ounces for cattle, one-fourth to
one-half ounce for sheep, given
either dry or dissolved in small
quantity of water. In cases of tor.
pidity of the large intestines of the
horse, of constipation, of stercoral
pellets. or of collie arising from these
causes, as well as in diseases of the
nervous centers in which a revulsive
effect is desired, solution of salt may
be injected into the bowels. or two
handfuls of salt placed as far forward
as the arm will reach in those organs.
In few hours the Initiative action Of
the salt will generally cause contract