104 Grease. 



this advice, however, I am well aware will be liable to be disputed, by 

 such as are wedded to old prejudices, and especially those who are 

 anxious to have the use of Horses, whilst they are under cure for 

 the Grease. — Because it is generally supposed, that Diuretics do 

 not incapacitate Horses from labour, whereas, it is pretty well un- 

 derstood, that it would be dangerous to work such as are subjected 

 to the operation of purging physic ; but when it is considered, that 

 this mode of treatment necessarily protracts the cure, and frequently 

 occasions Chronic Grease, which is often attended with incurable 

 swellings in the limbs, and a pen-feathered appearance of the hair, 

 it will be found, uniformly, the best policy, to give mild Purga- 

 tives, rather than Diuretics, under the circumstances, which I have 

 described. But, we must never lose sight of the simple idea of this 

 complaint, which I have endeavoured to maintain ; namely, that it 

 is local, and merely the consequence of inflammation ; inasmuch, as 

 this notion will naturally direct our chief views, to the application 

 of proper external remedies. And amongst these, warm mild poul- 

 tices and fomentations, will be found the most efficacious. If poul- 

 tices be applied, they may be made of three parts bran, and one part 

 linseed meal, or of oatmeal boiled in water, with the addition of a 

 little sweet oil, to prevent their growing hard upon the skin , or of 

 the crumb of coarse Bread, and skimmed Milk, boiled up together. The 

 indispensable requisites in the ingredients of poultices, are, not only 

 that they should be mild, and innocent, but that they should be soft 

 and smooth; for which reason, carrots and turnips, are not so ap- 

 plicable to the intended purpose, as the articles which I have men- 

 tioned, although it must be allowed, that carrot poultices will more 

 speedily remove the fcetor of the discharge than agy other application. 



