28 HEALTH AND DISEASE 



the cook should be more assiduous than ever with his wooden spoon, as 

 there is no food more easily spoilt. As soon as it begins to thicken it 

 should be removed from the fire and emptied into another vessel, and 

 allowed to cool before being offered to the patient. Oatmeal and water is 

 sometimes spoken of as gruel, and is given to horses when severely taxed, 

 or on long journeys when time cannot be spared for a "square" meal. 

 It is both sustaining and stimulating, and when properly prepared very 

 acceptable both to the sick horse and to others when fatigued with a 

 hard day's work. 



Boiled Barley. — When barley or other grain is boiled, the bulk of 

 water should be twice that of the grain, unless it has been previously 

 swelled up by soaking for many hours. Cooked in this way it absorbs 

 nearly all the water, and comes out plump but not broken up. Salt is 

 always recommended with cooked foods as rendering them more digestible. 



Pearl Barley. — This is employed to make a cooling drink, the grain 

 itself being usually rejected. A pound may be allowed to each gallon of 

 cold water, and it should be permitted to remain at a gentle heat for 

 several hours, as recommended for linseed tea. 



POULTICES AND POULTICING 



Although not a fine art, there is a right way and a wrong one in the 

 apparently simple operations of making and applying poultices in the 

 treatment of disease. 



Poultices are made of a variety of materials, and require a certain 

 amount of care if not skill for their proper preparation, and still more in 

 their application to different parts of the body and limbs. To maintain 

 them in position is often a matter of some difficulty, and requires of the 

 attendant a considerable amount of tact and nice judgment, as we cannot 

 look to our patient for assistance in these matters, but may expect more or 

 less opposition. He will tread them off his feet, and often enough eat them, 

 if in any convenient position to be got at. 



The materials in most general use are bran, linseed meal, ground 

 linseed, and bread, but any substance that will hold water and retain 

 its temperature may be employed so long as it contains no objectionable 

 properties. In country districts poultices are often prepared from turnips, 

 potatoes, carrots, or other roots, Swedes being specially favoured in some 

 parts. 



The custom of using cold poultices has so far fallen into desuetude that 

 we need only consider those employed to maintain warmth and moisture, 

 with others to which certain medicaments are added for special purposes. 



