PREVENTION AND FIRST AID TREATMENT OF DISEASE. 307 



hospital for a considerable period must have their grain ration 

 reduced, but should receive compensation in an extra allowance 

 of bran. 



Sick horses and others which do not feed freely require coaxing to 

 eat. They should be fed in small quantities and often, as many changes 

 of food as can be secured should be offered to them, especially varieties 

 of green food, which are not only tempting to the animal but serve to 

 keep the bowels in order. With weak animals care should be taken that 

 the feeds are placed within easy reach so that feeding entails no exertion, 

 and several varieties of food may be left with the animal during the 

 night, as they will often feed when everything is quiet. Water should be 

 kept constantly within reach and changed frequently, as the sick will 

 continually play with and slobber in the water while it is fresh. The 

 amount of food taken by animals which are seriously ill often tells 

 very heavily for or against recovery, and every endeavour should be 

 made to induce them to take nourishment. 



Instead of the ordinary dry feeds issued, cooking may sometimes be 

 employed with advantage. Oats, barley and maize may be boiled till 

 pulpy, and given cool. Linseed should be cooked very slowly and until 

 the result is a glutinous mass ; it is most indigestible unless thoroughly 

 cooked. 



Green food of any description should be taken full advantage of, and, 

 as a rule, any reasonable quantity may be given with safety. Animals 

 which are weak from illness will occasionally lie down for days at a time 

 and require considerable attention to prevent the occurrence of bed sores. Bed sores. 

 These are pressure galls on those points where the weight of the animal 

 is greatest when lying, and occur on the outside of the shoulder and 

 elbow and point of the hip and stifle ; at first the skin is bruised and 

 subsequently falls off, disclosing a round sore. The actual treatment of 

 the sore should be carried out as explained under " Wounds," but for 

 prevention the case should be turned over from time to time and the 

 bedding levelled and kept thick and soft. Such cases, too, may some- 

 times suffer from cramp, when they will struggle until their position is 

 altered ; or the bowels or bladder may require relief, when an enema 

 should be given or the catheter passed. 



Fomenti?ig. — Let the water be hot and near the patient, soak the Foment- 

 blanket or cloth, wring it out nearly dry, apply it to the part, and put a ^"^S- 

 thick dry wrapping over it to keep the heat in. Change it every twenty 

 minutes or half an hour. 



Poulticing. — The object of poulticing is to soften the part ta which Poultic- 

 the poultice is applied ; warm poultices also relieve pain. Bran or linseed ing- 



(B 10948) U 2 



