8?2 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



DISEASES OF THE HOBSE. 



The following recipes are given for the most part 

 on the authority of Mr. Spooner, of England; and 

 should be followed only in cases where the advice of 

 a veterinary surgeoa is not considered necessary: 



Megrims or Vertigo. — Giddiness, the result of 

 determination of blood to the head, produced some- 

 times by a tight collar, often by high feeding. Im- 

 mediate bleeding will restore the animal. 



Inflammation of the Stomach. — Shown by dull 

 appearance, with swollen eyelids — pulse 50 or 60 in a 

 minute, and rather strong — abdomen rather distended, 

 bowels costive, dung slimy, legs warm, appetite sus- 

 pended, and sometimes great thirst, mouth very hot. 

 cleeding in the first instance, followed by oily pur- 

 gatives, such as linseed oil, a pint of which may be 

 given twice a day till the bowels are relaxed. Plenty 

 of linseed gruel should be given, and with it a small 

 dose of nitrate of potash, such as two drachms 

 twice a day; also small doses of calomel and opium 

 euch as a scruple of each twice aday. 



Stomach-Staggers consists in distention of the 

 stomach with food, which, from sympathy, produces 

 an oppression on the brain. Treatment. — Oily pur- 

 gatives, assisted by draughts of warm water, and 

 injections containing a purgative. Stomachics may 

 also be given, such as carbonate of ammonia, two 

 drachms; genitian, one drachm; with spirits of ni- 

 trous ether, one ounce twice a-day. The disease, 

 however, is very obstinate and fatal, the stomach 

 being frequently distended beyond its powers of con- 

 traction. 



Colic. — Gripes; Fret.-^ln flatulent colic the 

 symptoms are sudden and acute pain, which causes 

 the animal to lie down and roll violently, looking 

 round and evincing paroxysms of the most intense 

 agony. The abdomen is considerably distended, 

 which, indeed, distinguishes it from spasmodic colic. 

 Stercoral colic is gradual in its approach, and less 

 violent in its symptoms, though, at the same time, 

 longer in duration and more obstinate. The pulse 

 in colic is not much increased, except during the 

 paroxysms of pain, and this, together with the inter- 

 missions of pain, distinguishes it from inflammation 

 of the bowels. A draught, containing an ounce of 

 tincture of opium, with two ounces of spirit of ni- 

 trous ether, will sometimes afford immediate relief 

 In the flatulent variety, an ounce of sulphuric ether 

 will be better than the nitrous ether, having a greater 

 effect in condensing the gases; to this an ounce of 

 tincture of aloes or valerian may be added. If relief 

 do not soon follow, the horse should be bled rather 

 copiously, and another draught administered, after 

 which oily purgatives, such as linseed oil, one pound, 

 may be given every four hours till three or four 

 pounds are taken, combined with smaller doses of 

 opium, and half a drachm each of calomel and tar- 

 tarized antimony. In stercoral colic, the last men- 

 tioned treatment should be adopted at first. Fric- 

 tions, and hot even fomentations to the abdomen, 

 should follow in obstinate cases, with frequent and 

 copious injections. 



Inflammation op the Bowels is a much more 

 dangerous disease. Symptoms. — Severe pain, though 

 at first not so violent as in colic. The animal lies 

 down mostly, and looks round at the sides. The 

 pulse quick, and often small and thready; the ex- 

 tremeties cold; the membraoes of the eyelids and 



nostrils intensely injected. Bleeding is our sheet 

 anchor. As much blood should be taken as the 

 animal can bear, and if the pulse be weak previous 

 to bleeding, an ounce of spirit of nitrous ether, with 

 the same of laudanum, should be given, after which 

 the horse will bleed better than otherwise. Draughts 

 of linseed oil should follow, and a solution of opium 

 every four hours. Hot applications to the abdo- 

 men, and frictions to the extremities should be per- 

 sisted in, with frequent and copions injections. 



Catarrh, or Cold, consists of inflammation of the 

 membrane which lines the chambers of the nostrils 

 and the throat. Very slight cases will recover with- 

 out the aid of medical treatment, a few bran mashes 

 being all that is necessary. In severer cases we 

 mast treat according to the urgency of the symp- 

 toms. If the pulse is rather strong, as well as accel- 

 erated, it is well to bleed. The throat should be 

 well stimulated, externally, with tincture of cantha- 

 rides. If the bowels are costive, two or three 

 drachms of aloes may be given; but otherwise, the 

 following hall may be resorted to at once, and ad- 

 ministered night and morning for several days: 

 Cough Ball. 



Nitrate if potas^i, 2 draohms. 



Tartarizi-fl antimony, I <ir ichm. 



Digitalis, powdered, 1 soniple. 



Lin.soed meal, 3 drachms. 



To be made into a ball with Barbadoes tar. Bran 

 mashes, carrots, and other soft food should be given, 

 and in severe cases oatmeal and linseed gruel. 



Bronchitis, or inflammation of the mucous mem- 

 brane lining the bronchial passages or air tubes in 

 the lungs, is a very dangerous and in.sidions disease, 

 often creeping on for severel days in the form of a 

 common cold, and at length, all at once, manifiesting 

 alarming symptoms, which terminate fatally. It is 

 safer in this disease to abstain altogether from laxa- 

 tive medicine, and to bleed moderately, and with the 

 finger on the pulse. We may give the same ball as 

 in catarrh, and besides stimulating the throat and 

 blistering the course of the windpipe, we should in- 

 sert a seton in the brisket. In severe cases, counter- 

 irritation should be actively resorted to. Good nur- 

 sing is particularly called for; linseed and oatmeal 

 gruel should be given with grass in summer, and car- 

 rots in winter. When the inflammatory symptoms 

 are subdued, it is well to administer a mild topic, 

 such as tne following: 



Tonic Ball. 



Gentian, powdered, 2 draehms. 



Pimento, powdered, _. 1 drachm. 



6uli)hate of iron, '. 1 " 



To be made into a ball with treacle, and given once 

 a-day. Sometimes it may be prudent to omit the 

 iron. 



Broken Wind. — Treatment. — The horse should 

 be brought and kept in the highest state of condi- 

 tion, so that he may be able to accomplish ordinary 

 exertion with a less expenditure of muscular exer- 

 tion, and consequently with less demand on the lungs. 

 The food should be of a concentrated kind, so that 

 the stomach should never be distended. Very little 

 hay should be allowed, and no straw, but a fair por- 

 tion of carrots may be given in the course of the 

 day. If medicine is required, the cough ball recom- 

 mended for the catarrh will be a useful form. Water 

 should only be allowed in small quantities; and the 

 feeding should be so managed, that the horse may 

 not be called upon for much exertion with a loaded 



