51 



hia practice was to cut an aperture the size of a guinea, 

 which nature afterwards suppHes in due time. With 

 this exception, perhaps, I might be justified in saying 

 that we have htlle or no business to meddle with the 

 strangles; unless, indeed, unfavorable symptoms arise, 

 and the previous habits of the horse, his present fleshy 

 or gross habit of body, with the unfavorable situation of 

 the tumors near the bone, give good reason for believing 

 that the disease will turn out a dangerous case. And 

 yet I should be very loth to recommend purging or that 

 of bleeding for strangles, as I have seen done with no 

 good effect ; for, although the symptoms are thereby 

 lowered, yet the continuance of the disorder is protract- 

 ed to an unmeasurable length, and I have heard of the 

 strangles devolving into glanders by this course of pro- 

 ceeding. 



On the contrary, the disorder being constitutional, that 

 is to say, an effort of nature to relieve itself of some 

 noxious matters, the strength of the animal system 

 should be sustained in some degree proportioned to what 

 it may obviously require. Therefore, horses that may 

 be in g-ood condition at the time of the attack, and with- 

 al highly feverish and full of corn, will only require open- 

 ing medicine whilst a brisk purgative might do harm 

 by lessoning the access of matter to the tumor, and the 

 system would still retain a portion of the oflfensive causa 

 of disease, which would break forth at a future period in 

 some one or other part of the correspondent diseases, 

 dependant on tubercular affections. In this case give 

 the following : 



MILD PURGATIVE BALL,— Aloes, 3 drachms, and Castilo 

 Soap, 3 drachms, and Ginger, 1 scruple. Mix, with Mucilage to 

 foi'm a ball. 



If difficulty of swallowing is already observed, a drench 

 would be found the most desirable form of arriving at 

 the same end. Then give the following ; 



LAXATIVE DRENCH.— Castor Oil, 6 ounces; water gruel, 

 1 quart; salts, 6 ounces. Mix. 



Meanwhile at the first appearance of the disorder, let 

 the hair be clipped off close at the part affected, and a 

 little way round, to allow of greater effect from any ap- 

 plication that maybe deemed necessary. The head be- 

 ing clothed will restore as much warmth as hath hereby 



