PURGINti BALLS. 25 



For a strong hunter, hackney, coach, or waggon- 

 horse, the aloes may be increased from seven to 

 eight drachms, according to size and strength. 

 When calomel enters into the composition of balls, 

 you must never add prepared kali to them. 



By adding a small quantity of prepared kali, or 

 subcarbonate of potass, to aloetic purges, the grip- 

 ing quality of the aloes will be taken away, and 

 they will be rendered milder, and may be given 

 with this addition where mild purgatives are indi- 

 cated. When administered in large doses, I have 

 known some horses to take from sixteen to eighteen 

 drachms of good Barbadoes aloes to purge them, 

 with the addition of about a drachm of prepared 

 kali, without the least danger. Whenever it is 

 found necessary to give a very strong dose of 

 physic to a horse, I should advise part of it to be 

 given at night, and the remainder on the following 

 morning. No aloes can be depended on as physic 

 for horses, except those of Barbadoes (all others 

 are too liable to be adulterated). They are im- 

 ported from that island in large gourd shells ; and, 

 when broken, are of a darkish liver colour, and of 

 a rank offensive smell. 



Mercurial physic is proper in all stubborn dis- 

 eases : such as the farcy, lameness of the joints. 



