OF FARRIERY. 



109 



to have in their hand. I have seen a Horse 

 knocked down senseless, with comparatively 

 a slight blow at the back of the ears. 

 Now, there is a mucus capsule at the con- 

 junction of the head, with the first bone of the 

 neck, over which passes the ligamentum colii, 

 or as the farriers' term it, the pax-fax of the 

 neck ; these parts from blows, &c., take on 

 inflammation, and hence an ill-conditioned ulcer 

 is formed, and from its situation beina: near 

 the head or knowl, it is called pole- evil. 

 Chesnut Horses are more susceptible to this 

 disease than any other ; at least, so I have 

 observed in my practice, and this 1 attribute 

 to the delicacy of constitution of light chesnut 

 Horses, more than any thing else. There is 

 scarcely a case of pole-evil that, either directly 

 or indirectly, arises from constitutional means ; 

 though hay-seeds about the head may induce 

 the Horse to rub, and in consequence produce 

 irritation ; dragging back in the halter may 

 occasion bruises, all of which may produce 

 ulceration. For the treatment of pole-evil 

 when first discovered, (and that requires either 

 the eye of the master or some professional man 

 to notice, for your servants will rarely tell 

 you of the disease in its early stage, especially 

 if conscience revolts, and tells them it origin- 

 ated in a blow, which they had inflicted on 

 the Horse's head,) will frequently yield to 

 repellent applications, of which apply the 



Apply this lotion constantly to the pole of the 

 head, by keeping cloths on continually wet ; in 

 applying your cloth, have it sufficiently large, 

 80 that you may cut two holes in it to pass it 



over the Horse's ears, by which means it will 

 be retained in its place ; this cloth you can 

 easily renew, or with a sponge apply more 

 of the lotion, in the mean time feed on bran 

 mashes, and give — 



Cape aloes - - 6 drams. 

 Juniper berries - 2 do. 

 Form into Ji Uall with soft soap. 



Give one twice a week. 



Should the tumour appear stationary, and 

 the process of absorption not likely to com- 

 mence, 1 have found great benefit from apply- 

 ing a liquid blister, as under : 



Take Cantharides - - 1 oz. 

 Vinegar - - - 3 do. 

 Spirits of wine - 1 do. 



Put together in a bottle, frequently shakmg it; 

 it will be fit for use in eight or ten days. Rub 

 about two table-spoonsful on the tumour 

 night and morning. 



When all hopes of preventing an abscess 

 have ceased, we must then promote the for- 

 mation of nature, by stimulating the skin, and 

 instead of poultices or applications of warm 

 water, apply the following : 



Take Oil of turpentine - 2 oz. 

 Oil of Olives - - 2 do. 



Rub well into the swelling, night and morning, 

 until on pressure you find a fluctuation under 

 vour fino:er and thumb. When the maturation 

 is perfect, which may be known by tlie soft feel 

 of the tumour, the ne.xt thing to be taken into 

 consideration is, the evacuation of the con- 

 tained tumour, and that at the most depend- 

 ing situation, to prevent the formation of 

 sinuses. Nothing is so good in this case 

 as introducing setons on both sides of the 



2£ 



