DISEASES OF HORSES. 383 



effecting this purpose, and the purging will cease without 

 astringent medicine. Many horses that are not well-ribbed 

 home having too great space between the last rib and the 

 hip-bone are subject to purging if more than usual exertion 

 is required from them. They are recognised by the term of 

 washy horses. They are often free and fleet, but destitute of 

 continuance. They should have rather more than the usual 

 allowance of corn, with beans, when at work. A cordial 

 ball, with catechu and opium, will often be serviceable either 

 before or after a journey. 



PHYSICKING. When a horse comes from grass to hard 

 meat, or from the cool, open air to a heated stable, a dose 

 or even two doses of physic may be useful to prevent the 

 tendency to inflammation which is the necessary consequence 

 of so sudden and great a change. To a horse that is becom- 

 ing too fat, or has surfeit, or grease, or mange, or that is out 

 of condition from inactivity of the digestive organs, a dose of 

 physic is often most serviceable. A horse should be care- 

 fully prepared for the action of physic. Two or three bran 

 mashes given on that or the preceding day are far from suffi- 

 cient when a horse is about to be physicked, whether to pro- 

 mote his condition or in obedience to custom. Mashes should 

 be given until the dung becomes softened. A less quantity 

 of physic will then suffice, and it will more quickly pass 

 through the intestines, and be more readily diffused over them. 

 Five drachms of aloes, given when the dung has thus been 

 softened, will act more effectually and much more safely than 

 seven drachms, when the lower intestines arc obstructed by 

 hardened faeces. On the day on which the physic is given, 

 the horse should have walking exercise, or may be gently 

 trotted for a quarter of an hour twice in the day; but after 

 the physic begins to work, he should not be moved from his 

 stall. Exercise would then produce gripes, irritation, and, 

 possibly, dangerous inflammation. A little hay may be put 

 into the rack. As much mash should be given as the horse 

 will eat, and as much water, with the coldness of it taken off, 

 as he will drink. If, however, he obstinately refuses to drink 

 warm water, it is better that he should have it cold, than to 

 continue without taking any fluid; but in such case he should 

 not be suffered to take more than a quart at a time, with an 

 interval of at least an hour between each draught. When 

 the purging has ceased, or ihe physic is set, a mash should be 

 given once or twice every day until the next dose is taken, 

 between which and the setting of the first there should be an. 



