544 CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND COMPLETE STOCK DOCTOR. 



utmost value to the horse, is lost through not knowing how to administer 

 it properly. Small doses of liquids are best given with a syringe. Stand 

 in front of the patient, fill the syringe, (one that can be worked ^vith one 

 hand is absolutely necessary), open the mouth by inserting the left hand 

 through the mouth, and holding the fingers up on edge ; pass the 

 syringe between the fingers, and shoot away ; withdraw the syringe, and 

 elevate the head a trifle with the left hand. So continue till the dose is 

 all down. When properly done, not a drop is wasted and the horse is 

 not excited ; nor (which is quite a point) does the man get angry, and 

 whack the horse over the head with the bottle. With large doses, how- 

 ever, the bottle must be resorted to. Pass a loop in the mouth so as to 

 catch the upper jaw, then raise the head by running a line over a pulUy, 

 or by inserting a long crotch or fork in the loop and having an assistant 

 lift at it ; the operator, meanwhile standing at the right side of the 

 horse's head, steadies the head with one hand, and pours down the con- 

 tents of the bottle with the other. Pour very slowly, and never resort 

 to any violence to make the patient swallow ; just give him his time. If 

 he coughs, strangles or chokes, let down his head instantly, regardless of 

 the loss of the medicine. (See last cut in Chapter I, Part II.) 



Solid medicine it is best to give in the form of a ball. Make up the 

 ball with syrup, soft soap or linseed meal, its size that of your big finger, 

 and wrap it in soft paper ; stand in front of the horse, catch firm hold of 

 the tongue with the left hand, and draw 

 it down between the incisor teeth, never 

 at one side ; take the ball between the 

 fingers, the thumb being drawn into the 

 palm of the hand ; then pass it back, 

 placing it on the root of the tongue, let 

 go of it, and give it another push with ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^ ^^^^ 

 one finger ; withdraw the hand, let go 



the tongue, close the mouth, elevate the head a trifle, and watch on the 

 left side of the neck for it to go down. Kemember, in giving medicine 

 of all kinds, never abuse or excite the patient, but take him as quietly 

 as possible. 



For the benefit of young farmers and others of limited experience, we 

 would say that good sense and self-possession are the secrets of success 

 in treating sick stock. These will gi'eatly aid you to see clearly what 

 ought to be done, and to use to the best advantage such means as you 

 have at hand for doing it. 



There are cases in which medicine and food have to be administered 

 in some other than the ordinay way ; as, for instance, to a horse with 

 tetanus, that cannot open its mouth. In this case, the medicine and 



