DISEASES OF HORSES. 1 73 



First, in giving a drench of medicine to a horse we 

 use a twist, say three to four feet long. A fork 

 handle is very nice, with a cord tied in a square knot, 

 forming a loop, to put on the nose. First, get the 

 patient, if standing, so that he can raise his head by 

 putting the twist on as high as necessary to elevate his 

 head to make him swallow. In the act of drenching, 

 turn down only a swallow at a time, and you will be 

 less liable to choke or strangle him. The reason for 

 having the twist handle the length prescribed is, that 

 a man can stand on the floor or ground and raise the 

 horse's head the proper height without fastening in 

 the old style. In case he chokes in taking the drench, 

 I have known horses to strangle to death by having 

 the head fastened up, and being unable to lower it 

 soon enough. If strong medicine turned down the 

 horse goes on the lungs, it seems to set him on fire at 

 once. Some ignorant persons, pretending veterinary 

 profession, turn the dose down the nostrils, which is 

 sure death to the poor brute. 



PACKING THE FEET. 



Packing the feet has been practiced by many horse- 

 men for a long time without ever hearing of any par- 

 ticular good derived. I feel as though it was time 

 and money spent for naught. First, any common- 

 sense man will see at once that there is no moisture 

 in the flaxseed meal or any other substance ground, 

 except when mixed with water to make a paste before 

 stuffing the foot. How much better and sooner you 

 would get relief by applying hoof ointment, made to 

 soften and keep fever down. The stuffing of the feet 

 is no more or less than old fogyism. I have noticed 

 a good many different men in different places, pack- 

 ing the feet of their trotters and road horses, as part 



