384 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



interval of a week. The horse should recover from the lan- 

 guor and debility occasioned by the first dose, before he is 

 harrassed by a second. Eight or ten tolerably copious 

 motions will be perfectly sufficient to answer every good 

 purpose, although the groom or the carter may not be satisfied 

 unless double the quantity are procured. The consequence 

 of too strong purgation will be, that weakness will hang about 

 the animal for several days or weeks, and inflammation will 

 often ensue from the over-irritation of the intestinal canal. 

 Long-continued custom has made ALOES the almost invariable 

 purgative of the horse, and very properly so ; for there is no 

 other at once so sure and so safe. The Barbadoes aloes, 

 although sometimes very dear, should alone be used. The 

 dose, with a horse properly prepared, will vary from four to 

 seven drachms. Custom has assigned the form of a ball to 

 physic, but good sense will in due time introduce the solution 

 of aloes, as acting more speedily, effectually, and safely. The 

 only other purgative on which dependence can be placed is 

 the CROTON. The farina or meal of the nut is generally 

 used ; but from its acrimony it should be given in the form of 

 ball, with linseed meal. The dose varies from a scruple to 

 half a drachm. It acts more speedily than the aloes, and 

 without the nausea which they produce; but it causes more 

 watery stools, and, consequently, more debility. LINSEED- 

 OIL is an uncertain but safe purgative, in doses from a pound 

 to a pound and a half. OLIVE-OIL is more uncertain, but 

 safe ; but CASTOR-OIL, that mild aperient in the human being, 

 is both uncertain and unsafe. EPSOM-SALTS are inefficacious, 

 except in the immense dose of a pound and a half, and then 

 they are not always safe. 



WORMS. The long white worm (lumbricus teres) much 

 resembles the common earth-worm, and, being from six to 

 ten inches in length, inhabits the small intestines. It is a 

 formidable looking animal ; and if there are many of them, 

 they may consume more than can be spared of the nutritive 

 part of the food, or the, mucus of the bowels. A tight skin, 

 and rough coat, and tucked-up belly, are sometimes conn 

 ted with their presence. They are then, however, voided in 

 large quantities. A dose of physic will sometimes bring 

 away almost incredible quantities of them. Calomel is fre- 

 quently given as a vermifuge. The seldomer this drug is 

 administered to the horse the better. When the horse can 

 be spared, a strong dose of physic is an excellent vermifuge, 

 so far as the long round worm is concerned ; but a better 



