PHYSICKING. 2T\ 



comes from grass to hard meat, or from the cool open air to a heated stable, 

 a dose of physic or even two doses may be useful to prevent the tendency 

 to inflammation which must be the necessary consequence of so sudden 

 and great a change. To a horse that is becoming too fat, or has surfeit or 

 grease, or mange, or that is out of condition from inactivity of the digestive 

 organs, a dose of physic is often most serviceable ; but we do enter our 

 protest against the periodical physicking of all horses in the spring and the 

 autumn, and more particularly against that severe system which is thought 

 to be necessary to train them for work, and the absurd method of treating 

 the horse when under the operation of physic. 



A horse should be carefully prepared for the action of physic. Two or 

 three bran-mashes given on that or the preceding day are far from siilfi- 

 cient, when a horse is about to be physicked, whether to promote his con- 

 dition, or in obedience to custom. Mashes should be given until the dung 

 becomes softened ; a less quantity of physic will then suffice, and it will 

 more quickly pass through the intestines, and be more equally diffused over 

 them. Five drachms of aloes, given when the dung has thus been softened, 

 will act much more effectually, and much more safely than seven drachms, 

 when the lower intestines are obstructed by hardened faeces. 



On the day on which the physic is given, the horse should have walking 

 exercise, or may be gently trotted for a quarter of an hour twice in the 

 day ; but after the physic begins to work, he should not be moved from 

 his stall. Exercise then would produce gripes, irritation, and possibly 

 dangerous inflammation. The common and absurd practice is to give the 

 horse most exercise after the physic has begun to operate. 



A little hay may be put into the rack ; as much mash may be given as 

 the horse will eat, and as much water, with the coldness of it taken off, as 

 he will drink. If, however, he obstinately refuses to drink warm water, it 

 is better that he should have it cold, than to continue without taking any 

 fluid, but he should not be suffered to take more than a quart at a time, 

 with an interval of at least an hour between each portion. 



When the purging has ceased, or the physic is set, a mash should be given 

 once or twice every day until the next dose is taken, between which and 

 the setting of the first there should be an interval of a week. The horse 

 should recover from the languor and debility occasioned by the first dose, 

 before he is harassed by a second. 



Eight or ten tolerably copious motions, will be perfectly sufficient to 

 answer every good purpose, although the groom or the carter may not be 

 satisfied unless double the quantity are procured. The consequence of too 

 strong purgation will be, that a lowness and weakness will hang about the 

 horse for many days or weeks, and inflammation will often ensue from the 

 over-irritation of the intestinal canal. 



Long continued custom has made Aloes the almost invariable purgative 

 of the horse, and very properly so ; for there is no other at once so sure 

 and safe. The Barbadoes aloes, although sometimes very dear, should 

 alone be used. The dose, with a horse properly prepared, will vary from • 

 five to seven drachms. The preposterous doses of nine, ten, or even 

 twelve drachms, are, happily for the horse, generally abandoned. Custom 

 ♦las assigned the form of a ball to physic, but good sense will in due time 

 introduce the solution of aloes, as acting more speedily, eflfectually, and 

 safely. 



The only other purgative on which dependence can be placed is the 

 Croton. The farina or meal of the nut is used ; but from its acrimony it 

 should be given in the form of ball, with linseed meal. The dose variea 

 from a scruple to half a drachm. It acts more speedily than the aloes, . 



