OE, HORSE DOCTOR. 43 



without sudden cooling, it may be produced by too bounti- 

 ful feeding, and his swallowing his food greedily, while very 

 warm and hungry. Under such unfavorable circumstances, 

 the poor animal, after resting, instead of being refreshed, is 

 stiff and sore ; his rest, food, and drink, being more destruc- 

 tive to health than constant action and abstinence. On the 

 contrary, had he been allowed to cool gradually, and fed 

 sparingly, he would have escaped injury. 



Cure. — Take from the neck vein a gallon of blood, and 

 give as a drink, in a quart of strong sassafras tea, a table- 

 spoonful of saltpetre, and a quarter of an ounce of assa- 

 foetida ; withholding any drink for six hours ; at the end of 

 which, should he not be better, take half the quantity of 

 blood, repeat the drink, offering him bran or oats scalded 

 with sassafras tea, his drink being mixed with tea. His feet 

 should be well cleaned, and filled with cow dung. 



Other Remedies. — As soon as your horse is foundered, 

 bleed him in the neck in proportion to the severity of the 

 case. In extreme cases, bleed him as long as he can stand. 

 Then draw his head up, and, with a spoon, lay salt back on 

 his tongue, till he has swallowed one pint. Let him drink 

 only moderately. iVnoint his feet with spirits of turpentine, 

 and he will soon be well. The founder pervades every part 

 of the system. Bleeding arrests it in the blood, and the salt 

 in the stomach and bowels. Attend to it immediately after 

 the injury. 



The Prairie Farmer recommends, as a simple and certain 

 cure, to bleed the horse freely in the neck, as soon as the 

 founder is discovered, and as soon as practicable, place him 

 in water about up to his belly — the colder the better — and 

 let him stand two-thirds of a day ; or, if badly foundered, 

 longer. This drives the founder from his feet and legs, and 

 prevents its settling there. 



Poll Evil. 



This disease in the horse proceeds sometimes from striking 

 the poll of his head against any hard substance, or from 

 bruising the part with the halter, which causes it to swell. 

 First abate the inflammation by bleeding, physic, and the ap- 

 plication of cold lotions to the part. This will sometimes 

 disperse the swelling. If it matters, hasten its formation 

 with warm fomentations, poultices, or stimulating embroca- 

 tions ; then open the swelling so that the whole of the matter 

 should run oKt, and continue to do so. This is done by a 

 seton Keep it clean with warm water. A piece of the skiu 



