OBSERVATIONS. 3 



^onfideration, when circum (lances daily evince 

 to the medical praditioner (or compounder of 

 prefcriptions) the verv great danger to which 

 fome of the finest horses in the world are 

 conflantly expofed, by the ignorance and obfti- 

 nacy of the parties to whofe care they are too 

 generally intruded ; every stable boy, aping 

 the groom his fuperior, and the groom the 

 Jelf-injlruiled farrier, all have their heads 

 and pockets fluffed with the quinteffence of 

 ftupidity, colledled from the various produc- 

 tions of antiquity, whofe very prescriptions 

 are in themfelves fo obfolete, that many of 

 the articles included have been long fince re- 

 jefted as of no utility. But, as variety muft 

 be obtained to effedl the neceffary purpofe, the 

 invention is inftantly fet at work to fubftitute 

 new ingredients, for thofe long fince aban- 

 doned as fuperfluous and unneceffary, in me- 

 dicinal compofition. Thefe alterations and 

 fubftitutes frequently form a mod curious col- 

 ledion of contrarieties — purgatives and rejlrin- 

 gents, cordials and cooler s, mercurials, antijno- 

 nials and diuretics, are indifcriminately blended 

 in one mafs, as a fpecimen of thefe wonderful 

 improvements in the ART of FARRIERY! 

 And thofe who are mod acquainted with this 

 B 2 pradlice 



