BREEDING THE TROTTER 



and three years of age. Distemper often breaks 

 out in the fall of the year when the colts are run- 

 ning out cold nights or during rainy weather. 

 Many colts get the disease in the spring. A horse 

 has distemper but once in a lifetime. 



The most positive first symptom of the disease, 

 outside of a general depression, is the swelling of 

 the glands under the jaw. This takes the form of 

 a kernel, or tumor, which is very sensitive to the 

 touch. 



If the colts are running out take them in imme- 

 diately and confine them in separate stalls as the 

 disease is contagious. Place the sick colt in an 

 isolated stall. Try to head off the disease, and 

 thoroughly anoint the swollen parts with the fol- 

 lowing ointment, clipping the hair away, if neces- 

 sary: lard, two pounds; tobacco, one-quarter of a 

 pound ; spirits of turpentine, one-quarter of a pint ; 

 tincture lobelia, two ounces ; camphor, two ounces. 

 After mixing the ointment place it on a slow fire 

 and let it simmer a while. Stir it constantly. 

 After the ointment is thoroughly mixed take it off 

 the fire and stir till cold. 



As a rule the colt's temperature will run up to 

 from one hundred and two degrees to one hundred 

 and four degrees. If you cannot head off the dis- 

 ease and the swelling increases prepare a flax-seed 

 poultice about as hot as you can mix with bare 

 hands and apply to under jaw with an eight-tailed 

 bandage, as shown in cut. Change the poultice 

 every two or three hours. When the pus of the 

 swelling comes to a head, it will probably break 



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