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FARRIERY.

385

a laxity of the kidneys. Horses subject to this disease, if old, orof a weak constitution, are seldom cured; they soon lose theirflesh and appetite, grow feeble, their coat staring, and they dierotten. Of a young horse there are more hopes; but he must notbe indulged with too much water, or moist food. The best me-dicines in this disease are those which strengthen the kidneys,without binding the belly. An ounce and an half of Peruvianbark, and hilt an ounce of alum made into a ball, with a littletreacle, may be given night and morning, with a pint or two of a 1strong decoction of sassafras alter each dose.

Op Molten Grease.

Molten grease is the voiding of greasy matter with the dung;which sometimes happens to verv fat horses that stand much in thestable. Horses of hot constitutions which are apt to be costive,will sometimes void great quantities of slimy matter like corrup-tion, and the balls of the dung will be covered with a pellicle, orthin skin. This is a common symptom which attends the reten-tion of the dung. But neither of these can be referred to themelting of the grease, properly so called. Both these symptoms,however, are called by farriers molten giease. A fat horse mayhave his grease melted by hard usage, but seldom any other; andthis must be done In hard riding, or working in very hot weather.It is always attended with a fever, heat, restlessness, starting andtremblings, great inward sickness, shortness of breath, and some-times with the symptoms of a pleurisy. The horse’s dung will beextremely greasy, and he will fall into a scouring. The horsesoon looses his flesh and fat, which probably is dissolved and ab-sorbed into the blood; and those that survive this shock commonlygrow hide-bound for a lime, their legs swelling both before andbehind, and continue in this state till the blood and juices are rec-tified ; and if this is not done effectually, the farcy, or some obsti-nate surfeit, generally follows, very diflicult to remove. In thefirst place bleed plentifully, and repeat it for two or three dayssuccessively in smaller quantities, till the buff-coloured pelliclegoes oil the blood. lie may also have a rowel in the breast: andwhen the working of the flanks begins to abate lie may have an-other in the belly, and one on the inside of each thigh. Emolli-ent clysters will be of great service to cool the intestines, such ashave been already prescribed in other cases; taking care that noirritating ingredient enters therein. By the mouth give plenty ofwarm water or gruel, with cream of tartar or nitre, to dilute and at-tenuate the blood, which in this case is greatly disposed to run intogrumes, and endanger a total stagnation.

Of Hideboundness, Surfeit, and Mange.

T. The signs of hideboundness are, “ a want of flexibility in 111#skin, which is pervaded by a general stiffness that seems to forman entire adhesion to the flesh, without the least partial separation,or distinction. There is a kind of. dusty scurf, plainly perceivedunderneath the hair, that raises it up in different parts; and, givingit another hue, the coat in many places forms an appearance of twoor three colours; conveying, even in this trifling circumstance, avery forcible idea of poverty in both food and raiment. Thehorse is generally languid, dull, heavy, and weak; his excrementis dark, foul, and offensive; he sweats much upon very moderateexertions; then his coat stares, the hair turns different ways, itseffluvium is disagreeable, and affords evident proof of weaknessand debilitation. Bad food and want of care are, in general, theonly probable reasons that can be assigned for this complaint.Long lank grass in low swampy land in autumn, and musty hay orbad oats at any season, may in'some degree allay the hunger, butwithout strengthening the body; for, being in itself destitute ofthe quality and effect of superior food, no nutritive contributioncan be conveyed for generating blood, or forming lle^h. As tothe cure, very few directions are necessary, the case being only atemporary inconvenience, rather than a dise.ase. Therefore, toafford some little change to the circulation, take a very smallquantity of blood; and in three or four hours after, increase itsimpetus by a mash of malt, oats, and bran, equal parts. Continuethis mash every night for a fortnight, stirring in two ounces ot flourof brimstone every other night; and for his other feeds (morningand noon) give equal parts of oats and bran, with half a pint of oldbeans in each, to prevent relaxing the body too much by themashes. At the same Unit:, regular and substantial dressing, air,VOL. II.—NO. 80.

exercise, sound oats, sweet hay, and good soft water, will greatlycontribute to promote the cure.

II. Of Surfeits, according to Mr. Taplin, there are twokinds, originating from different causes: one being no more than avery advanced stage of the case last described; which being.long .neglected, all its symptoms increase, till the entire mass of bloodbeing at last affected, the virulence of the disorder displays itselfupon the surface of the body. The other kind of surfeit, differingfrom the former in cause, but very little in effect, is that, where,from ignorance or inattention, a horse is suffered to drink immode-rately of cold water, when in violent perspiration, and the bloodconsequently in the highest degree of circulation. The circulat-ing fluid being thus instantaneously checked by the influence otthe frigid element, and the sudden contraction of the solids, thecrassamentum becomes immediately thickened and inflamed;while the serum, separating from the other, extravasates itself;and, by an effort of nature, is propelled to the skin for transpira-tion, where the pores (having been instantly collapsed at the timeot tiie water’s taking effect) are so closely obstructed that its pass-age to the surface is rendered impracticable. In this situation itbecomes united with the perspirable matter already confined there;and is, in the course of time, compelled by the progress of internalinflammation to make its way through the skin; upon which it atlast appears in a variety of forms and different symptoms, assum-ing distinct degrees ot malignancy, according to the state, habit,and constitution, of the horse at the time of attack. Such, in sub-stance, is Mr. Tapi in’s account of this disorder. The indicationsof cure are, to resolve the inflammatory crudities, remove cutane-ous obstruction, correct the acrimony of the blood, and gentlyquicken the circulation. The belter to effect these, he directs totake away a moderate quantity of blood; to open the body with afew warm mashes; and according to the mildness or inveteracy ofits appearance, to give either two or three mercurial purges,(No. 2,) avoiding cold during their administration. In three daysafter the last dose, a course of alteratives must be entered upon,or they may be given in the intervals of the purges. With eachdose, one ounce of nitre may be given dissolved in a pail of water.

III. Mange is a .distemper so universally known as to vender 3particular description unnecessary. It proceeds chiefly from poorfeeding: hence it is very little seen amongst horses ot any estima-tion ; but is almost entirely confined to the lower class of stables'and proprietors. In a mangy horse the skin is generally tawny,thick, and full of wrinkles,“especially about the mane, the loins,and tail; and the little hair that remains in those parts standsalmost always straight out or bristly; the ears are commonly nak-ed and without hair, the eye and eye-brows the same; and whenit affects the limbs, it gives them the same aspect: yet the skin isnot raw, nor peels off, as in the surfeit. Where this distemper iscaught by infection, if taken In time it is very easily cured; and asulphur ointment is recommended as most effectual for that pur-pose, rubbed in every day. To purify and cleanse the blood,give antimony and sulphur for some weeks after. There is a greatvariety of external remedies for this purpose, such as train oil andgunpowder, tobacco steeped in chamber ley, &e. most of themevidently improper. Soleseyl recommends burnt alum and boraxin fine powder, of each two ounces white vitriol and verdegrispowdered, of each four ounces; put them into a clean pot, withtwo pounds of honey, stirring till they are incorporated; whencold, add two ounces of strong aquafortis. But when this disorder,as is generally the case, is contracted by low feeding, and povertyof blood, the"diet must be mended, and' the horse properly indulg-ed with hay and corn. With this view, there must be a constantsupply of warm mashes, prepared with half malt and half bran, orequal parts of oats and bran, with four ounces of honey dissolvedin each: let these be given night and morning, with a feed of drycorn every day at noon. During this treatment (which musthe continued a week, to sheathe the acrimony of the fluids, andsoften the rigidity of the skin) give one ounce of sulphur ineach mash, and one ounce of nitre in water every night andmorning. In a week or ten days, when the frame becomesmore invigorated, discontinue the mashes, and let the dietbe changed to good oats and sweet hay; giving, in the morningand evening feeds, the sulphur and antimony as before. In an in-cipient stage of the mange, the lotion, No. 27, will put an effec-tual stop to it, and being cleaner in its application than a greasy'ointment, will be preferable in many cases. When every thing

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