NUTRIENT, DILUENT, AND ANTIPYRETIC 155 



air is emollient and soothing. Cold water is refrigerant 

 and tonic. Ice is a prompt and effective refrigerant ; it 

 controls congestion and inflammation, and arrests haemor- 

 rhage from the stomach, lungs, and other parts. Baths are 

 used not only for comfort and cleanliness, but for the cure 

 of disease. 



Water constitutes from fifty-five to eighty per cent, of the 

 weight of the higher animals, and is essential for digestion, 

 absorption, secretion, excretion, and indeed for every vital 

 process. It is largely present in every kind of food, facili- 

 tating its digestion and assimilation, and replacing the loss 

 of fluid constantly taking place by the skin, lungs, and 

 kidneys. Insufficient and excessive supplies are alike in- 

 jurious ; but animals in health, and with constant free access 

 to water, rarely take more than is good for them. Excepting 

 for a few hours previous to any great exertion, and when 

 hungry, overheated, and prostrated, the horse in health 

 should not be restricted in his water supply. Indeed, in 

 many well-managed modern stables a limited amount of 

 water is constantly at the horse's head, and the daily quan- 

 tity thus drunk is actually less than when the animal is 

 allowed to slake his thirst three or four times daily. 

 Although a moderate amount of water is essential for 

 digestion, an excessive quantity injuriously dilutes the 

 intestinal contents, and favours acid fermentation. 



Horses, especially if tired and hungry, before having a 

 little hay which, being eaten slowly, is in such circum- 

 stances preferable to grain should receive some water, or, 

 better still, a gallon of gruel. In some cab and carrying 

 establishments, each hard- worked horse, on his return to the 

 stable, is provided with a supply of oatmeal gruel, which is 

 found not only to help condition, but to diminish attacks 

 of colic and other gastro-intestinal derangements . A copious 

 draught of water, taken immediately after a rapidly-eaten 

 meal, hurries the imperfectly digested food too rapidly into 

 the intestines, where it is apt to set up colic and inflamma- 

 tion. Very cold water, freely drunk, especially by hungry, 

 exhausted horses, is a frequent cause of gastro-intestinal 

 disorder ; and in many establishments throughout winter 

 steam or hot water is introduced into the horse- troughs, or 



