PECULIAR TO HORSES. 89 



served that there is no lymphatic disease, nothing like farcy buds 

 and cords ; in which circumstance it is (connected with the course 

 and termination these respective diseases are seen to have) that we 

 are to seek a correct diagnosis. 



" But how are we to distinguish farcy buds from some cutaneous 

 eruptions — from surfeits,* which appear so much like them? There 

 is but one species of farcy for whioh these eruptions ean be mista- 

 ken, and that is the diffuse, or broadcast variety — the button farcy. 

 Now, should the attack be farcy, the probability is, from its being a 

 general one, that the animal will show signs of ill health at the time, 

 whereas a horse that has ' broken out in a surfeit all over his body,' 

 is commonly in unusually good, what is termed fine condition. 

 Then, again, surfeit lumps are often large and irregular in form, and 

 frequently appear in patches ; whereas the buds of button farcy are 

 small, and regularly spheroid in shape, and spread pretty uniformly 

 over the body. Again, surfeit eruptions are often but of an hour 

 or two continuance. Karely are they visible on the following day. 

 Any doubt, therefore, that may impend over the case, is not likely 

 to be of lengthened duration." 



The causes of fxrcy exist in any thing that deranges the lym- 

 phatic system ; and probably the same causes that operate, cither 

 by contagion, or otherwise, to produce glanders, will produce 

 farcy. "By innoculation, farcy has been produced by the matter of 

 glanders, and glanders by the matter of farcy : and, consequently, 

 there is every reason to infer a similarity, or rather an identity in 

 the viruses of the two diseases ; and in further proof of this, as we 

 said before, one disease, or form of disease, almost invariably termi- 

 nates in the other prior to dissolution. There can be no question 

 but that the sam^ contaminated or miasmatic atmosphere of the 

 stable, or elsewhere, which produces glanders, may occasion farcy, 

 and vice versa.'''' 



Treatment of Farcy. — The patient should be placed in a well 

 ventilated stable. If, however, the season permits, a run at grass, 

 in the day-time, will be preferable. Pure air, and green food com- 

 bined, are almost certain to produce a favorable effect ; for pure air 

 decarbonizes the blood, deprives it of those impurities which abound 

 in farcy subjects, and at the same time distends the lungs to their 

 normal capacity ; by which means the blood is circulated with more 

 force to the extreme vessels. The green food, while its action is 

 alterative, provides for the laxity of the bowels, keeps them free 

 and unobstructed, and entirely dispenses with cathartic medicine ; 

 the latter being generally considered necessary to clear out the bow- 

 els; but in ray opinion, the "brisk dose of cathartic medicine," so 

 highly extolled by some, is calculated to produce unfavorable results, 

 especially if the patient shall be in a state of debility. Any man 

 who has ever been foolish enough to practice the common error of 

 periodical dosing with salts and senna, castor oil, &c., can testify as 

 to their prostrating effects ; but this is only an item in the catalogue 

 of evils ; great pain, griping, loss of appetite, subsequent constipa- 

 tion and dyspepsia, are the consequences of cathartics and })urga- 



* Sitrfeit. A disease of the skin, consistine in an eruption of small pustiUes. It appears to arise 

 from a diseased stale of the stomach and boweU. — White. 



