THE TURKISH BATH— PHYSIC. 217 



will do as much work, and as fast too, as if he had not gone through 

 the process. If the bath has removed all fat and humor, ho will 

 uot sweat in his gallops ; and if any of either is left, it will do him 

 no harm to get rid pf it. Indeed, after all, the difference from the 

 old plan of sweating in the stable without exercise is not very great 

 in principle ; and that was always found to be of service when the 

 legs or feet were unsound. Under that plan, the horse was heavily 

 clothed, and being just gently trotted, was taken back to his box, 

 loaded with more clothes until he sweated freely, and was thus re- 

 lieved of his fat without being galloped. 



PHYSIC. 



In my previous remarks I have alluded to physic as neces- 

 sary for the purpose of getting rid of the food which the horse may 

 have been taking, before he comes into the stable, without injury, 

 but the effects of which are somewhat in opposition to the condi- 

 tion required for hard work. In addition to this object, however, 

 physic is given with several other purposes in view ; but these may 

 be said to bring it within the province of the veterinarian rather 

 than of the groom. Thus, in the horse recently brought up from 

 grass, it will often be necessary to expel worms ; and though the 

 experienced groom may be able to do this without risk, yet it is 

 scarcely safe to recommend the young h;).nd to attempt the task. 

 At all events, if he does, he must be guided by the directions given 

 in another part of this book ; and I shall merely direct my attention 

 to the eiFects of physic — firstly, in getting rid of injurious food; 

 secondly, in cooling the stomach and general system, and thus 

 enabling the latter to bear the increased stimulus afforded by extra 

 food; and thirdly, to get rid of internal fat and humors in conjunc- 

 tion with sweating. 



To THE EFFECTS OP PHYSIC IN GETTING RID OF INJURIOUS 



FOOD, I have already alluded; but I may here mention two or three 

 circumstances which will serve to modify the dose, or to forbid it 

 altogether. Curiously enough, when a horse comes in from grass, 

 his bowels being in the usual loose state which accompanies that 

 kind of feeding, he will generally require more aloes than when 

 fed upon dry food. The reason of this seeming paradox is simple 

 enough : his bowels have become accustomed to the stimulus pre- 

 sented by grass to their lining membrane, and are not easily roused 

 to action by aloes, which is only a vegetable, still more stimulating, 

 it is true, but simply in degree. A man accustomed to drink, will 

 not be so much affected by swallowing a pint of brandy, even if he 

 is already half drunk, as a perfectly sober man would be, if he had 

 not previously been inured by '.ong usage to its effects. The groom 

 must not, therefore, fancy th»t a physic-ball of three drachms, or 

 even sometimes four drachma will be sure to act on a horse of 

 19 



