Simple Farm Medicines. 139 



Aloes is the purgative in general use for the horse. 

 The best variety is that known as Barbadoes aloes, liver 

 brown in color, and when broken shows a shiny fracture. 

 In small doses aloes is a tonic, in the fluid form it used 

 to be applied to wounds, for a temporary dressing in cold 

 climates, equal parts of tincture of aloes and tincture of 

 myrrh is very useful. Aloes take 18 to 24 hours to act, 

 or longer depending on the size of the dose, the feed of 

 the animal, the breed of the animal and whether worked 

 or not. It is a dangerous drug to repeat a dose of inside 

 of forty-eight to sixty hours; whenever possible the horse 

 should be prepared for the physic. It must never be 

 used for mares when in foal, or for horses suffering from 

 distemper or lung troubles. 



The dose is four to ten drams either in a ball or solu- 

 tion. This drug can best be obtained in the ball form 

 from one's veterinarian. When preparing horses to go 

 into winter quarters, or just previous to fitting for spring 

 work, aloes have a beneficial effect. 



Bluestone (copper sulfate) is a good astringent and is 

 often used in cases of foot- rot in sheep and cattle; in thrush 

 in horses, or to apply to proud-flesh (excessive granula- 

 tions). Internally it is used as a tonic or anthelniintic 

 in doses of thirty to sixty grains for mature horses and 

 cattle; when used externally the strength varies from full 

 strength down to a solution containing five grains to the 

 ounce of water. 



Creolin is a product obtained from coal tar, and is a 

 good antiseptic. It mixes well with water, making a 

 milky white solution, is used externally with from ten to 

 fifteen parts of water. 



