OF FARRIERY. 



1^3 



And give one every morning. By administer- 

 inij the above, you will lower the action of 

 the heart and arteries, and by such means, 

 entirely remove their inflammatory action ; or 

 give the saline draught, as prescribed, {see list 

 of medicines,) give nitre (about an ounce) in 

 the Horse's water every night, feed with bran 

 mashes, or green food, if at the time of year 

 you can procure it ; if not, a few sliced carrots 

 mixed with his mash, and a handful of oats, 

 will entice him to eat, and prevent that 

 considerable debility which frequently arises 

 from symptomatic fever. Have his legs well 

 rubbed, and moderately clothed, and well lit- 

 tered down with clean dry straw. 



CATARRH, OR COMiMON COLD. 



Catarrh, or common cold, is another, and I 

 may say the most frequent attacks of fever 

 the Horse is subject to. Cold, indeed, is an 

 indefinite name for catarrh, it consisting in 

 an mflammation of the rima glotis (or top of 

 the windpipe,) which is covered with a highly 

 sensible membrane, even more sensible than 

 the nerve itself, and this is demonstrated by 

 water of an equal temperature producing con- 

 vulsions. Nature liaving so constructed those 

 parts to receive an element necessary to the 

 use of the lungs ; indeed so essential is it, that 

 the absence is death, by which means we see 

 the cause of their great sensibility, conse- 

 quently too great irritation arising from so 

 many causes. 



This is the seat of catarrh and cough, and 

 is termed catching cold; now this is apt to 

 mislead from the true nature of the real cause, 

 for this catching cold refers to no particular 

 degree of cold. The truth is, it is the change 

 from one degree of temperature to another, 

 the warm air acting as a stimulus, and the 



cold as a sedative ; and thus people, without 

 reflection, attribute the attack to catching 

 cold. Horses, as well as ourselves, are neces- 

 sarily exposed to these variations of tempera- 

 ture many times a day, and this is demon- 

 strated particularly in man, without going to 

 individual cases, but to numbers ; for, in 

 removing a whole regiment from comf trtiible 

 barracks to open camp, here the cold operates, 

 but no catarrh ; but on again returning to 

 barracks, which produces the effects of hio^h 

 temperature, when catarrh becomes common ; 

 and it is a known fact, that deaths are never 

 so few as in the open field. 



Horses that are kept in the open field in 

 winter, we do not find attacked with ca- 

 tarrh, inflamed lungs, grease, &c. ; but when 

 brought into the stable, catarrh immedi- 

 ately makes its appearance. This sudden 

 change cannot be referred to simple heat, but 

 to a poisoned atmosphere generated in stables, 

 breathed many times over. Nature not hav- 

 ing intended for animals to breathe the same 

 air a second time ; and as close as we act up 

 to Nature, in the same proportion will there 

 be a deviation from disease. 



Now, this poisonous atmosphere has no 

 want of oxygen, but there is a poison contained 

 in the air, which cannot be detected or 

 thrown any light upon. Horses will certainly 

 lose flesh by being in cold fields, for animal 

 oil wants a certain temperature for its in- 

 crease. Horse-dealers are exceedingly well 

 aware of this in preparing their Horses for 

 sale. By these facts, different changes are 

 proved ; hence, bad constructed stables, and 

 contaminated air, are the veterinary surgeon's 

 best friends. 



Thus, catching cold is, properly speakine:, 

 catching heat, the disease being of an inflam- 



