Chap. XLVIII. Of the Farcin, 175 



inflame the glandulous Parts, and to fall into Boils and 

 Swellings about the Sheath and Belly, neither will it ever 

 degenerate to the Greafe, as it often happens when impro- 

 per Methods are taken. 



As to thofe Cures which are faid to be performed by put- 

 ting the Juice of Rue, Beets, and other Pot-herbs, Bay-falt, 

 Hemlock, Henbane, and the like, and thofe which are con- 

 ftantly boafted of, by tying infignificant Things to a Horfe's 

 Mane or Tail, I believe no judicious Perfon will give much 

 more Credit to them than I am willing to do, there being 

 very little to be faid in Behalf of the firfl, and the laft be- 

 ing monftroufly ridiculous. 



But any of thefe may fucceed, if to them <r^ ^ 

 be added daily Exercife ; and I have my felf fimeLes^'cur^d 

 been Witnefs to fuch like Cures, in a very ^, Exerdfe. 

 moderate and beginning Farcin ; but then it 

 was not the Application, but the Exercife ; and nothing '\s 

 more common among fome Country People, than to bleed 

 a Horfe for the Farcin, and to fend him immediately to 

 Plough ; and while the Exercife is truly the Caufe of the 

 Cure, they generally attribute it to the Smell of the Earth ; 

 and agreeable to this is what we find in Tie Greyy in his 

 Second Book, Chap. IX. towards the latter End of the 

 firft Sedtion, where, after a great Number of infignificant 

 Recipe's^ he has thefe Words : 



" But now I will give you, for a Clofe, the bell and 

 *' moft certain Cure for this Difeafe that I ever yet knew, 

 " and with which I have perfeded more rare Cures of this 

 " Nature, than of all the Refidue before inculcated. And 

 *' thus it is : 



" Take of Rue the tender Tops and Leaves only, with- 

 " out any of the leaft Stalks, a good handful, firft chop them 

 " fmall, and then Itamp them in a Mortar to a very Oint- 

 *' ment; when they are fo well pounded, put thereunto of 

 *' the pureft white tried Hogs-greafea fpoonful, andfo v/ork 

 " them together to a perfect Salve or Ointment ; that done, 

 " flop into either. Ear this whole Qtiantity by equal Por- 

 " tions, and put a little Wooll upon the Medicine, to make 

 " it keep in the better, and fo ftitch up his Ears, and let him 

 " remain in the Stable four and twenty Hours at the leaft, 

 •' and then unftitch his Ears, and take forth the Wooll, 

 " and either put him forth to Grafs, or elfe if he be to be 

 " wrought, work him, for the more his Labour is, and the 

 " more fparing his Diet, the turner he i? cur'd. 



" This 



