Cfiap. V= So7'ne General Rules, <^c. 19 



Blood than a Horfe thit is full aged ; and a full aged 

 Horle fooner than an old Horfe, becaufe all young Animals 

 are vigorous in their Appetites and Digeftion ; but yet a full 

 aged, or an old Horfe, if either be hardy or ftrong, may 

 overcome aH Loflbs of this Kind, better than fome young 

 Horfes, who are of a wafliy and delicate Make. But I 

 fhall now proceed .to Purging. 



I need not offer to explain what h In ivhat Cafes 

 meant by Purging, fince every one knows /^«^<?% is 

 that it is the difcharging of Humours and c^^i^fy necef 

 Exciemcnts thro' the common PaOages cf J^'y- 

 the Belly. The Way this Operation is performed, is with 

 fuch Medicines, as by their Irritation ftimulate the Mem- 

 branes of the Guts, whereby the Periftaltick Motion is 

 quickened fo as to fhake off their Contents. But if the 

 Dofe or Potion happens to be large, or if it be made of 

 fuch Things as abound much with thofe ilimulating Parti- 

 cles, or, to exprefs it after the common Way, if very ftrong 

 Phyfick be given, it not only carries off what 'is contained 

 in the Guts, but likewife caufcs fuch frequent and reitera- 

 ted Twitches, as drives- a more than ordinary Qiiantity of 

 Blood into thofe Parts, whence is feparated and difcharged 

 Abundance of Serum, which is thrown off by the com- 

 mon Paffages above mentioned. And hence it is evident, 

 that Phyfick may be fo ordered, as to carry off more or 

 lefs of the Subfeance of the Blood, according as the Dofe 

 is enlarged or dim/mifned, or as it abounds more or h[$ 

 v/ith thofe purging Particles ; and confequently that it 

 may be rendered either profitable or hurtful, according as it 

 is managed. 



I fhall not here detain the Reader with the Manner of 

 preparing the Body for this Operation ; neither fhall I lay 

 down Rules for rendring this or that Sort of Humour tit for 

 a Difcharge by Medicines, which have been ignorantly, 

 but with muff Induftr^devis'd, to prepare Choler, Phlegm, 

 or Melancholy ; that Sort of Practice being juftly now ex- 

 posed as uncertain and ridiculous, fince it is very plain, that 

 all purging Phyfick differs only in the Degrees of Strength, 

 and works no otherwife on different Humours, than as it 

 is able to reach only thofe that are near, or fuch as are 

 more remote from the Guts, where its principal Scene of 

 Action lies. What particular Regard is to be had to thofe 

 Things, will be fufficiently fhewn hereafter. I fhall there-' 

 fore only in this Place lay down fome general Dire<ftrODs, 



K 2 which^ 



