66 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



are ill fed, or scarcely know what corn is, at 

 least, by the taste, but are kept entirely on the 

 refuse of provender, barren pastures, musty 

 hay, separated hay-bands, swampy mossy 

 ground, so poor, that quoting the old adage, 



you may whip a louse over it," rushy 

 moors ; from all of which, nature may receive 

 a wretched existence, but cannot be furnished 

 with support, at least, the support necessary 

 to contribute nutriment for the constant healthy 

 subsistence of so large a frame as the Horse. 

 From this mode of living (or rather starving) 

 originates so severe and inveterate a disease as 

 mange; this the economy and law of nature 

 demonstrates to a certainty, consequently, re- 

 quiring no further animadversion. 



For the blood, being by this barren 

 source of nourishment, robbed of what it 

 was, by nature, intended to receive, conse- 

 quently, becomes impoverished even to a 

 degree of incredibility : in fact, the blood be- 

 comes thin and weak, debilitated, and loses a 

 considerable portion of its living principle. 

 Thus extravasated and unrestrained, its morbid 

 effects and virulence soon displays itself 

 upon the surface, with a severe and constant 

 irritation and itching, principally about the 

 neck and under the hair of the mane, though 

 all parts of the Horse are subject to it, occa- 

 sioning the poor animal to be constantly 

 rubbing himself, till with this and the loss of 

 hair from different parts, he bears the universal 

 appearance of approaching excoriation. Many 

 persons of the old school are in the habit of 

 applying powerful caustic applications, which 

 may have had the desired effect ultimately, 

 but the pain the poor dejected animal is put 

 to, is not only grievous to behold, but, I should 

 say, six out of every ten become subjects for 

 the dog-kennel. 



That the poor distressed and emaciated 

 subjects may be in some degree alleviated 

 from their pain, we shall endeavour to point 

 out such methods as will eradicate the disease, 

 with proper attention and observation. 



The commencement of the treatment is to 

 feed, night and morning, with half bran and 

 half malt, or with equal parts of oats and bran : 

 but I prefer the malt to be made slightly wet, 

 not sloppy ; sprinkle a handful of coarse hroion 

 sugar in it, then mix all together, and give 

 morning and night ; for the middle-day 

 feed, give a quartern of sweet oats, with a 

 handful or two of chaff with it. During this 

 treatment, which must be continued for at 

 least a week, and will begin to soften his 

 skin, and, as grooms say, " begin to loosen it 

 a bit," which will be a favourable sign, give 

 the best and sweetest hay you can procure. 



At the expiration of a week, when the 

 frame becomes more invigorated, discontinue 

 the mashes, let his diet be changed to good 

 oats, with a handful of bran night and moui- 

 ing, first sprinkled with water, that one of the 

 following powders may just adhere to it. 



Take Sulphur II b. 



Prepared antimony - - 1 do. 



Rub these well together in a mortar, and 

 divide into twenty-four equal parts. For the 

 middle-day feed, continue the oats and chaff, 

 dry. 



You may now commence your external ap- 

 plications, which are as follows. Procure a 

 pail of warm water, and a quarter or half a 

 pound of soft soap, or more if required, and 

 tie a portion of it in a linen or wo'^llen rag, 

 and with this, let every infected part be 

 thoroughly washed, and we 1 cleansed, by 

 formina; a substantial lather so tliat no scurf 



