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Horses, in common with ourselves, are liable to the ill consequences of 

 over repletion and indigestion; to fevers, catarrh, influenza, rheumatism, 

 asthma, jaundice, or j^ellows, apoplexy or staggers, colic, obstructions 

 in the kidneys and urinary bladder, j)soric or itchy eruptions upon the 

 skin. The generic, or peculiar diseases of the Ilorse.are strangles, grease, 

 and glanders. He is, beyond all other animals, subject to blindness, and 

 from the nature and severity of his services, to lameness in the legs, 

 either from over extension, usually called strain, or rupture of the mus- 

 cular fibres. 



From the invariable tendency of the Horse, confined in the stable at 

 hard meat, to intestinal accumulation and obstruction, and more espe- 

 cially, if his exercise be irregular, it is seldom possible to keep him 

 long in health, without the aidof evacuants. Hence the utility of purg- 

 ing once or twice a year, with one, two, or three doses, at seven clear 

 days interval. Aloes have been found for a century past, so perfectly 

 well adapted to purge the Horse, as to leave us nothing farther to seek. 

 The aloe is of two kinds, the fine, commonly called Succotrine, and the 

 coarse, Barbadoes, or Horse Aloes. This last, from its cheapness and 

 strength, is almost universally given to Horses ; but the succotrine, 

 equally efficacious if given in a larger quantit}^ more safe, and endowed 

 with great virtues as a medicine, \ have ever used in my own practice^ 

 and strongly recommended. For the controversy on the subject of aloes, 

 I refer to my Treatise, in which I have written at large on the Diseases 

 of the Horse. If thought necessary, the Horse may be prepared for a 

 purge, by warm bran mashes, and warm water should always be allowed 

 during the operation. When succotrine aloes are used, there is no ne- 

 cessity for any other article, excepting merely for the purpose of mak- 

 ing up the ball, but should the most cooling purge be indicated, add 

 half an ounce of prepared nitre. Fine aloes never gripe or offend the 

 most delicate stomach, and the dose is from one ounce to twelve or 

 fourteen drachms; perhaps a large Cart-horse might require two ounces, 

 but care must be used, that the Barbadoes are not mistaken for the 

 fine aloes, whence, perhaps, often mistakes have happened. Of Bar- 

 badoes aloes, the common dose for a Hack, Hunter, or Race-horse, is 

 seven drachms, although I suspect, that such a quantity will frequently 



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