196 ELEMENTS OF HIPPOLOGY. 



CHAPTER XVII 



THE CARE OF SICK HORSES. 



The prescriptions and methods of treatment contained in 

 this chapter are given by Farrier Edmund Lee, U. S. M. A. De- 

 tachment of Cavalry, who, for more than twenty years, has had 

 the care of the sick horses in the stable of that detachment. 

 Probably nowhere in the service are horses put to severer tests 

 than here. The stable where he has done his work was over- 

 crowded, damp, dark, and badly ventilated. The horses' work 

 is of the most trying character — part of the year it is violently 

 severe, at other times there is nothing at all for half of them 

 to do. In a word, the horses were badly stabled and irregularly 

 worked. As a result, there was much sickness, especially of 

 the lungs and digestive apparatus. The veterinarian visited the 

 stable every third day and prescribed, treatment for the horses 

 on sick-list at the time of his visit. All emergency cases and 

 all the nursing fell on Farrier Lee. In the midst of all these 

 difficulties he has faithfully nursed and " doctored" the sick and 

 the cripples and has prolonged their usefulness as no veter- 

 inarian could have done without an equally faithful nurse. 



These prescriptions are simple, and, as far as drugs can be, 

 safe. They have the merit of having been tested by many years 

 of successful use. 



In these prescriptions a teaspoon is one fluid-dram; a table- 

 spoon, half a fluid-ounce. Medicines should always be weighed 

 or measured as accurately as circumstances will permit. 



The troubles most commonly met with in a cavalry stable 

 are sprains, open sores, cuts, thrush, scratches, sore backs, colic, 

 and colds. Polo-ponies are laid up more often with sprains, 

 sore backs, bruises, and ringbones than by any other cause. 



