222 



A DICTIONARY, 



Antiseptics. — Medicines that correct 

 and prevent puti-idity. The best and most 

 efficient are charcoal, Peruvian bark, acetic 

 acid, and bayberry bark. 



Anti-spasmodics. — Medicines that are 

 employed in spasmodic and convulsive dis- 

 orders. The most efficient are assafoetida, 

 pennyroyal, or any of the mints. The most 

 powerful in spasm, or lockjaw, are lobelia, 

 warmth and moisture, castor, musk, gin- 

 seng, and Indian hemp, or milk weed. 



Apoplexy. — A lesion of some of the 

 vessels of the brain. 



Arm. — A term applied to the upper part 

 of the fore leg. 



Aromatics. — Medicines that have a 

 warm, pungent taste, and fragrant smell ; 

 of this kind are cardamom seeds, cloves, 

 and nutmegs, sweet flag, etc. 



Arsenic — A destructive mineral poison. 

 It has been used, in many diseases of the 

 horse, without the slightest benefit. Dr. 

 White states, " So various are its effects, 

 that he has known a very small quantity to 

 terminate fatally." 



Arteriotomy. — When blood is taken 

 from an artery, the process is called arteri- 

 otomy. The proper place for puncturing 

 the temporal artery, is at the precise spot 

 where this vessel leaves the parotid gland 

 to curve upwards and forwards around the 

 jaw, which is just below its condyle. The 

 operation should be performed with a lan- 

 cet. 



Arterio - Phlebotomy is sometimes re- 

 sorted to for the abstracting blood from 

 the roof of the mouth and the toe of the 

 foot ; in such cases, however, a want of 

 knowledge, as regards the anatomy of the 

 parts, may occasion a serious haemorrhage. 



Ascites. — Dropsy of the abdomen. 



Asthma. — Supposed to originate in the 

 muscles of respiration. (See Cough, Roar- 

 ing, etc.) 



Astringents. — Medicines that contract 

 and condense muscular fibre. The princi- 

 pal are kino, catechu, oak bark, nutgalls, 

 and bayberry bark. 



Atmosphere. — The name given to an 

 elastic invisible fluid which surrounds the 



globe ; it is composed of oxygen, nitrogen, 

 and a small portion of carbonic acid gas. 

 In stables that are not ventilated, the vapor 

 arising from the dung and urine combine 

 with it, and render it unfit for respiration. 



Atlas. — The first vertebra, or bone of 

 the neck. 



Atrophy. — A wasting of the body. 



Auricles. — The two small cavities of 

 the heart. 



Backgalled. — When accidents of this 

 kind occur, the saddle or harness should be 

 padded, or chambered, so as to remove 

 pressure from the part ; sometimes they are 

 difficult to heal, owing to the presence of 

 morbific matter in the system. 



Backraking. — This is a name given by 

 farriers to the operation of introducing the 

 hand into the fundament, and emptying the 

 rectum of its contents. The use of injec- 

 tions wdll, ere long, supersede this beastly 

 practice. The most suitable injection to 

 soften the fseces is warm soapsuds. 



Back Sinews. — The flexor tendons of 

 the fore and hind legs are so named. They 

 are frequently strained, or otherwise injured, 

 by over exertion or accidents. 



Ball. — Bolus, or large pill. The mode 

 of giving a ball is by drawing out the 

 tongue to the right side, and holding it in 

 the left hand, while an assistant stands on 

 the left side and holds the mouth open. 

 The ball is to be held by the finger and 

 thumb of the right hand, di-awn into as 

 small a compass as possible, and passed as 

 far as the horse's throat. This must be 

 done by a quick motion of the hand, which 

 should be kept toward the roof of the 

 mouth, as there is more room for it in that 

 direction. 



Balsam. — A name applied to several 

 resinous substances, such as balsam of tolu, 

 Peruvian balsam, balsam copaiba, etc., 

 Canada or fir balsam ; the medicinal prop- 

 erties are stimulant and diuretic. 



Balsam Copaiba, or Capivi, is used for 

 chronic cough ; the dose is about one ounce. 



Balsam of Sulphur. — A preparation 

 made by boiling sulphur and olive oil to- 

 gether, until united in the form of a dark- 



