POISONS. 291 



the dung-ball in hot water. If the accidental or too powerful administration of 

 it is suspected, recourse should be had to bleeding, purging, and plentiful drench- 

 ing with oily and demulcent fluids. 



The leaves of the Yew are said to be dangerous to the horse, as well as to many 

 other animals, " Two horses that had been employed in carrying fodder, were 

 thoughtlessly placed under a large yew-tree, which they cropped with eager- 

 ness. In three hours they began to stagger both of them dropped, and, before 

 the harness could be taken off, they were dead. A great quantity of yew leaves 

 were found in the stomachs, which were contracted and inflamed *." Mr. 

 W. C. Spooner mentions a case of violent suspicion of the poisoning of an 

 ass and a mare in the same wayt. On the other hand, Professor Sewell 

 says that on the farm on which he resided in his early years, the horses 

 and cattle had every opportunity of eating yew. They pastured and slept 

 under the shelter of yew-trees, and were often observed to browse on the 

 branches J. He thinks that these supposed cases of poisoning have taken place 

 only when enormous quantities of the yew had been eaten, and that it was 

 more acute indigestion than poisoning. There are, however, too many cases of 

 horses dying after feeding on the yew to render it safe to cultivate it in the 

 neighbourhood of a farm, either in the form of tree or hedge. 



The Hydrocyanic or Prussic Acid belongs to the class of vegetable poisons, 

 but it is scarcely possible for the horse to be accidentally injured or destroyed 

 by it. Ten grains of the farina of the croton nut should be given as soon as 

 the poison is suspected, and the patient should be drenched largely with equal 

 parts of vinegar and thin gruel, and the croton repeated after the lapse of six 

 hours, if it has not previously operated. 



The Water Dropwort (GSnanthe fistulosa) common in ditches and marshy 

 places, is generally refused by horses ; but brood mares, with appetite somewhat 

 vitiated by their being in foal, have been destroyed by it. The antidote would 

 be vinegar and gruel, and bleeding if there is inflammation. 



The Water Parsley (JEthusa Cynapium) deserves not all the bad reputation 

 it has acquired ; although, when eaten in too great quantities, it has produced 

 palsy in the horse, which has been strangely attributed to a harmless beetle 

 that inhabits the stem. 



Of the Common Hemlock (Conium maculatum\ and the Water Hemlock 

 (CEnanihe crocata\ the author knows no harm, so far as the horse is concerned. 

 He has repeatedly seen him eat the latter without any bad effect ; but cows 

 have been poisoned by it. 



The Euphorbium, or Spurge, so common and infamous an ingredient in the 

 Farrier's Blister, has destroyed many a horse from the irritation which it has set 

 up, and the torture it has occasioned, and should never find a place in the Vete- 

 rinary Pharmacopoeia. 



Colocynth and Elaterium fairly rank among the substances that are poisonous 

 to the horse ; and so does the Bryony Root (Bryonia dioica), notwithstanding 

 that it is frequently given to horses, in many parts of the country, as a great 

 promoter of condition. Many a young horse has been brought into a state of 

 artificial condition and excitement by the use of the Bryony. It is one of the 

 abominable secrets of the horse-breaker. This state of excitation, however, 

 soon passes away, and is succeeded by temporary or permanent diminution of 

 vital power. We have occasionally traced much mischief to this infamous practice. 



Not less injurious is the Savin (Juniperus Sabina). It is well known as a 

 vermifuge in the human subject, arid it is occasionally given to the horse for the 



* London's Magazine of Nat. Hist. vol. J Abstract of the Vet. Med. Association, 

 viii. p. 81. vol. i. p. 62. 



f* Veterinarian, vol. x. p. 685. 



u2 



