1402 ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.
to the imperfect nutrition, and partly, perhaps, to the exposure of the bonto the air without any envelope; but it arises principally from some ^known changes in the vital actions. The antlers being now dead, na ^soon sets about their separation. To effect this, the living p arts p , t n,base are rapidly absorbed, so that the antlers, being left but very sfig ^adherent to the frontal bone, readily fall off by a gentle knock. ^hours only elapse before the irregularity on the surface of the osis covered by a thin pellicle, and shortly afterwards the formationfresh pair of antlers is commenced.
Hab. —Europe, Asia, and North of Africa . c0Dl .
Description and Composition.— The antlers of the stag are ^monly called hartshorn ( cornu cervi vel cornu cervinum). *simply designated cornu {horn) in the London and Edinburgh 1 ()X
copoeia, their composition is very different to that of the horns oi 1or the sheep, and which are sometimes called true horn. The lat esists principally of coagulated albumen; whereas hartshorn J bvsame composition as bone. According to Merat-Guillot (q ll ° .jA eBerzelius, Traite de Chim. vii. C43) it consists of soluble car ^
( gelatine) 27‘0, phosphate of lime 57*5, carbonate of lime l'O, waloss 14*5. cefi$
Hartshorn shavings or raspings {rasura vel ramenta cornureadily give out their gelatin by boiling in water. . nll tri'
Physiological Effects and Uses. —Decoction of hartshorn i stive, emollient, and demulcent. It does not possess any superior . a[1 Jcalf s-foot or other gelatinous liquids. It has been used in iutestipulmonary irritation. It is generally taken flavoured with sugar,or orangejuice, and a little wine. , re of
Hartshorn shavings are directed to be used in the manula ^j U teAntimonial Powder (see p. 404), but manufacturers generally sUbone sawings. _ beer a« l!
Brewers and others employ decoction of hartshorn for fining u lie sS-other liquors. It is preferable to isinglass on account of its c ".
The gelatinous matter of bones being less soluble than that o ‘bone sawings or shavings do not answer as a substitute for harts ^ 0 fCornu IJstum, L. Pulvis Cornu Cervini Usti, D. (Burn P 1 tt -JerHorn in an open vessel until they become perfectly white ; t“ e j j
and prepare them in the same manner as directed with respect 0Burnt hartshorn is similar in its composition to bone-ash ( see * [ nea rlj’
It has been used in the same cases; but its employment is u °"obsolete. Its dose is 3j. to 5j.
O'vis Aries , Linn. L. E. D. —The Sheep.
(Sevum, L.—l’at, j£.—Adepsovillus, D.) js
History. —The sheep is one of the anciently known ani» ia ^ smentioned by Moses ( Genesis , iv. 2), by Herodotus {That* >
Aristotle , and other ancient writers. i'-'l
Zoology. Gen. Char. —Incisors canines ~mol arS * pie
= 32. Horns common to both sexes, sometimes wanting tur^female, thick, angular, wrinkled transversely, pale colouie , 0 j* t" Jlaterally in a spiral form. Ears small. Legs slender. **kinds. Tail more or less short. Two mamma.