THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 117 



RABIES, OR MADNESS. 



In the horse this disease is always acquired from the 

 bite of some rabid or mad animal, most generally of a 

 dog. When the saliva is once inoculated, the safest 

 method is to cut the part out with some sharp instru- 

 ment if practicable ; lunar caustic f nitrate of silver J, 

 may be carefully applied to those parts where it would 

 be dangerous to use the knife ; no antidote has yet 

 been discovered capable of destroying effectually the 

 possibility of any future attack ; although the use of 

 the box tree has been recommended by some as de- 

 serving a further trial. It is administered as follows: — 

 Box Leaves, (or a part of the tree scraped) half a pound. 



Rue half a pound. 



When chopped very fine, boil thin in three pints of 

 milk for an hour, then strain them ; boil the ingre- 

 dients once more in a quart of water for the same pe- 

 riod ; when strained, mix the two liquids. Divide this 

 into three potions, and give one every morning 

 fasting.' 



In cases where the hot iron has been used, the 

 effects have not altogether answered the expectations, 

 as the animal has sometimes died, while caustic may 

 be applied and severely, without much danger. 



When the saliva has remained in the horse, the time 

 varies from three or four to eight weeks before he shows 

 any rabid symptoms : but the attack invariably comes 

 on quicker when the bite or inoculation has taken 

 place in the head. When first seized, the animal 

 trembles and staggers, occasionally pawing the ground, 

 and staring vacantly around ; before many hours are 

 over, he is generally quite frantic, plunging and kick- 

 ing most violently, foaming at the moutb, snorting and 



