30 HORSE, SWINE : AND POULTRY DISEASES 



at any veterinary instrument maker's) or by the hand. If given by 

 the hand a mouth speculum or gag may be used to prevent the ani- 

 mal from biting the hand or crushing the gall. Always loosen the 

 horse before attempting to give a ball; if tied he may break his 

 halter and injure himself or the one giving the ball. With a little 

 practice it is much easier to give a ball without the mouth gag, as the 

 horse always fights more or less against having his mouth forced open. 

 The tongue must be firmly grasped with the left hand and gently 

 pulled forward ; the ball, slightly moistened, is then to be placed with 

 the tips of the fingers of the right hand as far back into the mouth as 

 possible; as the tongue is loosened it is drawn back into the mouth 

 and carries the ball backward with it. The mouth should be kept 

 closed for a minute or two. We should always have a pail of water at 

 hand to offer the horse after balling. This precaution will often pre- 

 vent him from coughing out the ball or its becoming lodged in the 

 gullet. 



It is, very often, impossible to get balls properly made, or to 

 induce owners or attendants to attempt to give them, and for these 

 reasons medicines by the mouth are mostly given in the form of 

 liquids. When medicine is to be given as a drench we must be care- 

 ful to use enough water or oil to dissolve or dilute it thoroughly ; more 

 than this makes the drench bulky and is unnecessary. Insoluble 

 medicines, if not irritant, may be given simply suspended in water, 

 .the bottle to be well shaken immediately before giving the drench. 

 The bottle used for drenching purposes should be clean, strong, and 

 smooth about its neck ; it should be without shoulders, tapering, and 

 of a size to suit the amount given. A horn or tin bottle may be better, 

 because they are not so easily broken by the teeth. If the dose 

 is a small one the horse's head may be held up by the left hand, while 

 the medicine is poured into the mouth by the right. The left thumb 

 is to be placed in the angle of the lower jaw, and the fingers spread 

 out in such a manner as to support the lower lip. Should the dose be 

 large, the horse ugly, or the attendant unable to support the head as 

 directed above, the head is then to be held up by running the tines 

 of a long-handled wooden fork under the noseband of the halter or 

 the halter strap or a rope may be fastened to the noseband and thrown 

 over a limb, beam, or through a pulley suspended from the ceiling. 

 Another way of supporting the head is to place a loop in the end of a 

 rope, and introduce this loop into the mouth just behind the upper 

 front teeth or tusks of the upper jaw, the free end to be run through 

 a pulley, as before described, and held by an assistant. It is never to 

 be fastened, as the horse might in that case do himself serious injury. 

 The head is to be elevated just enough to prevent the horse from 

 throwing the liquid out of his mouth. The line of the face should be 

 horizontal, or only the least bit higher. If the head is drawn too high 

 the animal can not swallow with ease or even with safety. The person 

 giving the drench should stand on some object in order to reach 

 the horse's mouth on a level, or a little above it. The bottle or horn 

 is then to be introduced at the side of the mouth, in front of the molar 

 teeth, in an upward direction. This will cause the horse to open his 



