290 REPORT ON THE DISEASES OF FARM HORSES. 



or diminished, and occasionally the animal may be seen licking 

 the walls of the stable. Quantities of undigested food are found 

 in the evacuations, such as oats, not having undergone the pro- 

 cess of mastication, and sometimes griping pains may be ob- 

 served. Flatus is discharged continuously, and occassionally 

 slight diarrhoea is present. 



Treatment. — Establish a regular and systematic course of 

 diet, in accordance with the animal, such as easily digested food, 

 the best condiment for which is common salt, taking care the 

 stomach is not overloaded, but rather offering the supplies in 

 small but oft repeated quantities. In those advanced cases, 

 which do not give way to the foregoing, administer a purgative, 

 and use enemas ; and if the appetite is lost, use powdered 

 gentian and carbonate of soda, two drains each night and morning 

 in a ball. It is not wisdom to use much medicine in these 

 disorders, as if properly managed, the case will recover in ample 

 time without, and even when any assistance is required, the above 

 simple remedies are generally sufficient. Next, allow moderate 

 exercise, a run at grass in summer, or a supply of washed roots 

 in winter, as carrots or turnips, parsnips, &c. 



Long neglected cases of this kind I have frequently found to 

 terminate in severe' and incurable states, particularly in horses 

 belonging to poor and careless farmers. Some persons' horses 

 are never in condition, simply because they are badly housed, 

 ill fed, hard worked, and otherwise inhumanly treated. In farm- 

 horses there is always to be made a profit by their greater 

 efficiency, as rendered by proper care and food. It, therefore, 

 cannot be otherwise than a most unprofitable proceeding, to even 

 half keep an animal who can only accomplish one quarter of the 

 work required of him, and suffer deterioration by the vicissi- 

 tudes thus forced upon him. 



Constipation. — This is a condition which probably, not 

 amounting to disease, yet prevailing to such an extent in all 

 animals, doubtless favours the existence or commencement of 

 such. It, therefore, demands our consideration. In the horse 

 tribe, no matter to what kind of work he is put, we find some 

 animals which are subject to costiveness, and others of an opposite 

 character. When such symptoms as loss of appetite, with dif- 

 ficulty in evacuating the intestines, becomes apparent — parti- 

 cularly if signs of abdominal pain are also present, it is high time 

 to render assistance in order to ward off the resulting condition 

 which will be more or less troublesome, if not fatal. 



Treatment. — Moderate exercise, change of food to that of a 

 laxative nature, which should be regularly supplied. This should 

 consist of green plants, as clover, rye, or vetches ; or in their ab- 

 sence, turnips, carrots, bran, &c. A mild laxative may be given 



