178 THE CHANGE COUNTY 



A List of the Medicines and. Recipes Used in the 

 Treatment of the Diseases of the Horse. 



VINEGAR. Useful for sprains and bruises. Equal parts boiling water and cold 

 vinegar. 



SPIRIT OF SALT. This acid is formed by the action of sulphuric acid on common 

 salt. The best liquid caustic for corns, canker, indisposition in the sole to secrete 

 good horn, wounds in the foot not attended by healthy action. 



NITRIC ACID, a valuable external application, both a caustic and an anti-septic. 

 Destroys fungus excrescences. 



SULPHURIC ACID, OK OIL OF VITRIOL. When mixed with tar, an ounce to the 

 pound, it is a good application for the thrush and canker. A smaller quantity, 

 mixed with olive oil, makes a,good stimulating liniment. 



ALOES. The Barbadoes aloes have a greater purgative power than the Cape, 

 gripe less and being safer, action is kept up longer. 



ALUM is used internally in cases of over-purging two drachms of the powder 

 being added to a pint of hot milk. A solution of two drachms to a pint of water, 

 forms alone, or with the addition of a small quantity of white vitriol, a very useful 

 wash for cracked heels, and for grease generally ; and also for those forms of 

 swelled legs attended with exudation of moisture through the skin. 



ANODYNES. Opium is the only drug that will lull pain. It may be given as an 

 anodyne, but it will also be an astringent in doses of 1, 2, or 3 drachms. 



CAMPHOR diminishes frequency of pulse, and softens its tone. When long exhib- 

 ited, it acts on the kidneys. Externally applied, it is an anodyne for chronic 

 sprains, bruises, and tumors 



SPANISH FLIES a?o the basis of the most approved and useful veterinary blisters. 

 An infusion of two ounces of the flies in a pint of oil of turpentine for several days, 

 is occasionally used as a liquid blister ; and when sufficiently lowered with com- 

 mon oil, it is called a sweating oil. They have been recommended for the cure of 

 glanders. The dose is from 5 to 8 grains given daily, but withheld for a day or 

 two when diuresis supervenes. 



GUINEA PEPPER. They are valuable as stimulants. Their beneficial effect in 

 cases of cold is great. The dose is from a scruple to half a drachm. 



CARAWAY SEEDS. These and ginger, alone and combined, are the best stimu- 

 lants used in horse practice. 



CASTOR OIL is an expensive medicine. It must be given in large doses. 



JAPAN EARTH is a useful astringent, given in over-purging, in dosea of 1 or 2 

 drachms, with opium. 



CHARCOAL is an anti-septic, made into a poultice with linseed meal, and applied 

 to offensive ulcers and cracked heels. 



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

 with an equal quantity of the sugar of lead, it eats down proud flesh, or stimulates 

 old ulcers to healthy action. When boiled with honey and vinegar, it constitutes 

 the farrier's Egypti'acum, certainly of benefi* iu cankered or ulcerated mouth, for 

 thrushes. 



BLUE VITRIOL is valuable as an external application, dissolved in water, propor- 

 tion of 2 drachms to a pint; acting as a gentle stimulant. An ounce dissolved in 

 the same quantity of water, becomes 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 fungus gran- 

 ulations or proud flesh. It is also a good application for canker in the foot. 



CREOSOTE is much valued on account of ts anti-septic properties and in stopping 

 hermorrhages. It is both a stimulant and a tonic. In an undiluted state it acts as 

 a caustic. In the form of a lotion, a liniment, or an ointment, it has been useful in 

 farcy and glanders, also in foot-rot, canker, and thrush. As a caustic, it acts as a 

 powerful stimulant. 



DIGITALIS FOXGLOVE. The leaves of the common foxglove, gathered about the 

 flowering time, dried carefully in a dark place, and powdered, and kept in a close, 

 black bottle. It is a direct and powerful sedative, diminishing the frequency of 

 the pulse, and the general irritability of the system, and acting also as a mild 

 diuretic: it is, therefore, useful in every inflammatory and febrile complaint, 

 and particularly in inflammation of the chest. It is usually given in combination 

 with emetic tartar and nitre. The average dose is 1 drachm of digitalis, 1 1-2 of 

 emetic tartar, and 3 of nitre, repeated twice or thrice in a day. 



DIURETICS constitute a useful class of medicines. They stimulate the kidneys 

 to secrete more thau the usual quantity of urine, or to separate M greater than or- 

 dinary proportion of the watery : >arts of the blood; but they should be mild, and 

 not continued longer than the case requires. 



GENTIAN is a stomachic and tonic. 4 drachms of gentian, 2 of camomile, 1 of car- 

 bonate of iron, and 1 of ginger, will make an excellent tonic ball. An infusion of 

 gentian is good for putrid ulcer?, 



