MEDICINES. 3853 



ounces of prepared or powdered chalk being well mixed with or suspendeo 

 in it, with two scruples or a drachm of powdered opium. 



No oil should enter into the composition of a clyster, except that linseed 

 oil may be used for the expulsion of the ascarides, or needle- worms. 



In epidemic catarrh, when the horse sometimes obstinately refuses to ea*. 

 or to drink, his strength may be supported by nourishing clysters ; but they 

 should consist of thick gruel only, and not more than a quart should h? 

 administered at once, for a greater quantity would be returned soon after 

 the pipe is withdrawn. Strong broths, and more particularly ale and 

 wine, are dangerous ingredients ; they may rapidly aggravate the fever, 

 and should never be administered, but under the superintendence, or by 

 the direction of a veterinary surgeon. 



The principal art of administering a clyster consists in not frightening 

 the horse. The pipe, well oiled, should be very gently introduced, and 

 the fluid not too hastily thrown up ; and its heat should be as nearly as 

 possible that of the intestine, somewhere about ninety-six degrees of Fah- 

 renheit's thermometer. 



Copper. — There are two combinations of this metal, which are much 

 used in veterinary practice: the verdigris or subacetate, and the blue vitriol 

 or sulphate. 



Verdigris is the common rust of copper, produced by vinegar, or any 

 thing sour, or even common salt. It is given internally by some practi- 

 tioners, in doses of two or three drachms daily, as a tonic, and particularly 

 for the cure of farcy. It is, however, an uncertain and dangerous medi- 

 cine. The corrosive sublimate, with vegetable tonics, as recommended at 

 page 130, is preferable. Verdigris is, however, usefully applied externally 

 as a mild caustic. Either alone, in the form of fine powder, or mixed 

 with an equal quantity of the sugar (superacetate) of lead, it eats down 

 proud flesh, or stimulates old ulcers to healthy action ; when boiled with 

 honey and vinegar, it constitutes the farriers' Egyptiacum, certainly of 

 benefit in cankered or ulcerated mouth, and no bad application for thrushes; 

 but yielding, as it regards both, to better remedies, which have been men- 

 tioned under the proper heads. Some practitioners used alum and oil of 

 vitriol in making their Egyptiacum, forgetting the strange decomposition 

 which is produced. 



Blue Vitriol — Is the union of sulphuric acid and copper ; it is a very 

 favourite tonic with many, and has been vaunted as a specific for glanders, 

 while others, and we think properly, have no very good opinion of it in 

 either respect. As a cure for glanders, its reputation is now nearly passed 

 by ; as a tonic, when the horse is slowly recovering from severe illness, it 

 is dangerous, and its internal use should be confined to cases of long con- 

 tinued discharge from the nose, when catarrh or fever have ceased. It 

 may then be given with benefit in doses of from one to two drachms twice 

 in the day, birt it should be combined with gentian and ginger. It is 

 principally valuable as an external application, dissolved in water in the 

 proportion of two drachms to a pint, and acts as a gentle stimulant ; but 

 when an ounce is dissolved in the same quantity of water it becon^es a 

 mild caustic. In the former proportion, it rouses old ulcers to a healthy 

 action, and disposes even recent wounds to heal more quickly than they 

 otherwise would do; and in the latter it removes fungous granulations oi 

 proud flesh. The blue vitriol is sometimes reduced to powder and sprinkled 

 upon the wound for this purpose, and is a good application for canker in 

 the foot. 



Cordials are useful or injurious according to the judgment with which 

 they are given. When a horse comes home thoroughly exhausted and 



