THR IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 39 



disease, he states that none was ever found to be so 

 generally beneficial and rapid in producing permanent 

 results for the better. Many eminent gentlemen in 

 the profession now use cantharides with great success ; 

 but care must be taken that the animal is not over- 

 dosed, which will produce very different effects from 

 those intended, and in some cases be fatal. At the 

 same time regard must be paid to the age, size, strength, 

 and condition, of the animal. Thus his first trial is 

 with a dose of from four to six grains of cantharides, 

 made into a ball with a recipe of 



Ginger root - - - 1 drachm. 



Gentian _ _ . > 2 drachms. 

 Carraway seed ... 2 drachms. 

 And treacle or honey. 

 This is administered once a day for ten or fourteen 

 days, when the portion of cantharides is increased to 

 six or eight grains, and after the same lapse of time it 

 is still further increased to ten or twelve grains, which 

 is the greatest quantity required ; but the several ad- 

 ditions of cantharides in each dose must not be given 

 unless the horse appears to be improving ; on the con- 

 trary, if not, the medicine ought to be wholly discon- 

 tinued for a few days. Blaine recommends sulphate 

 of copper or zinc to be used with the cantharides, with 

 or without the tonics, at the option of the prac- 

 titioner. 



Thus have I endeavoured to give the most approved 

 methods of treating this terrible disease, together with 

 the various opinions of the most eminent veterinarians 

 of the present day, on which subject nothing in the 

 art admits of so much controversy. The field, then, 

 is still open ; and should any skilful practitioner who 

 pays attention to this disease discover what for ages 

 has been wanted, a certain lemedy, he will have de- 



