Chap.XLVIII. Of the Farcin. \6i 



ings of fome Phyficians, but no ways applicable to the Far- 

 cin ; he has thefe Words. 



" For a brief Explanation of the Nature SolIeyfellV 



" of that Poyfon, 'twill be fufiicientto tell Account of the 

 *' you, that it is a venomous Steam, or cer- ^^fcinm -Mays 

 " tain corrupt Spirits, which penetrate the ^^^^«^^^ Jf f^ 

 " Parts of a Horfe's Body, as the Light of j^l//A '^ 

 *' the Sun pafles through a Glafs. Thefe 

 *' Spirits are a fort of Ferment that breed Corruption in 

 *' whatever Part they attack. 



But this Explanation is not only imperfeifl, but altogether 

 unintelligible, his Comparifon being no ways agreeable to 

 his own Ideas and Notions of that Poyfon ; nor mdeed de- 

 ducible from thofe Caufes which himfelf has enumerated as 

 the chief Occafion of the Farcin ; for he obferves that the 

 Farcin is fometimes communicated by Contagion from an 

 infeded Horfe, the eating too great a quantity of new Oats, 

 or new Hay, violent Exercile in hot Weather, and even 

 once hard Riding ; Hurts and Wounds made by a foul can- 

 cerous Inftrument, fuch as Spurs, Bits, ^c. the too great 

 Abundance of Blood, and a prepofterous and too hafty Dili- 

 gence in fattening tir'd, lean, and over-heated Horfes. 



But it is very certain none of thefe Caufes will produce fuch 

 a Poifon as can penetrate the Parts of a Horfe's Body in the 

 Manner he has defcrib'd \ and indeed, thofe Poifons that 

 are of the mofl volatile g.nd corrolive Nature, tho' their Ef- 

 feds are fudden, yet their Operations are not fortuitous, or 

 at Random, but perfedly mechanical, as may be feen by any 

 one who is able to perufe Dr. Mead's Eliays on Poifon, 

 where all thofe Things are clearly and intelligibly explained. 



We fhall therefore endeavour to account for the Farcin 

 in a Way that we hope will be thought more rational than 

 what any of our Authors have hitherto advanced, and what- 

 ever Regard be had to the Procatariicky or remote Caufes of 

 that Dittemper, we may venture to afSrm, that its imme- 

 diate Caufe is a languid and heavy Motion of the Blood, and 

 other Juices contained in the fmall Veflels of the extreme 

 and outward Parts of a Horfe's Body, and that it has its 

 chief Seat in the Skin and flefhy Pannicle. But before we 

 proceed further, we fhall take Notice, that moft Authors 

 have divided the Farcin into divers Kinds, viz. the wet, the 

 dry, the inward and the living Farcin, the corded Farcin, 

 the Farcin that puts forth red or yellowifli FleOi, and that 

 which is of a livid and black Colour, and refembles a Hen's 

 Fundament. T z The 



