The following anecdote appears to be well authenticated:—In crossing the mountain St. Gothard, near Airola, the Chevalier Gaspard de Brandenberg and his servant were buried by an avalanche; his dog, who escaped the heap of snow, did not quit the place where he had lost his master: this was fortunately not far from the convent; the animal howled, ran to the convent frequently, and then returned; struck by his perseverance, the next morning the people from the house followed him; he led them directly to the spot, scratched the snow, and after thirty-six hours passed beneath it, the Chevalier and his domestic were taken out safe, hearing distinctly, during their confinement, the howling of the dog, and the discourse of their deliverers. Sensible that to the sagacity and fondness of this creature he owed his life, the gentleman ordered by his will, that he should be represented on his tomb with his dog; and at Zug, in the church of St. Oswald, where he was buried in 1728, they still show the monument, and the effigy of the gentleman, with the dog lying at his feet.—_Brown_—_Daniel._ ALTERATIVES, _s._ Gentle medicines which act gradually upon the constitution. Those commonly employed are nitre, antimony, sulphur, resin, and Æthiop’s mineral, exhibited in combination. _Laxative Alteratives_ are substituted for purgatives: _diuretic_ are recommended for reducing or preventing swellings of the leg; and _diaphoretic_ to increase insensible perspiration, and assist the coating of the horse. ALUM, _s._ A saline body, composed of sulphuric acid, alumine, and potash. It is used internally as an astringent, in diarrhœa, diabetes, &c., and externally as a remedy for grease. When burnt it is efficacious in cleansing ulcers, and for this purpose usually combined with red precipitate. Alum is produced by placing a quantity of crude alum in an iron ladle, and keeping it over a slow fire until the watery particles are evaporated, and the mass becomes a light and pulverisable substance. ALUMINOUS, _a._ Relating to alum, or consisting of alum. AMAUROSIS, _s._ A dimness of sight, not from any visible defect in the eye, but from some distemperature in the inner parts, occasioning the representations of flies and dust floating before the eyes. In horses, this disease is caused by a pressure of blood upon the nerve of the eye; and in the earlier stages may be relieved by bleeding, but when of long standing it is incurable. AMBLE, _v._ To move upon an amble, to pace; to move easily; to walk daintily. AMBLE, _s._ An easy pace. AMBLER, _s._ A pacer. AMBURY, _s._ A bloody wart on a horse’s body.