^ Of Cures Phyfical. Lib. I. 



held the Horfe to be taken or Planet-ftruck. As for the Cure thereof, 

 the beft is to feek out a Brier, which groweth at both Ends, and take the 

 iiorfe or Beaft that is thus vexed, and draw him under the lame, ar.d it is 

 a prefent Remedy. For mine own Part, I have heard much, both of the 

 Ir/irrnity and of the Cure, but I have had no Experience of it, but only 

 in or.e your;'; Foal, which bciiig faddenly Lame, was as fuddenly helped, 

 to my much Contentment. 



Chap. XXXIV. Of the Staggers. 



TK E Stagge-rs is a dizzy Madnefs of the Brain, proceeding from cor- 

 rupt Blood, or grols, tough and heavy Humours, which opprels and 

 make fick the Brain, and from whence proceedeth a vaporous Spirit, 

 diifolved by a weak heat which troubieth all the whole Head : It is almoft 

 of all Difeafes the moft commoii, yet very Mortal and Dangerous \ it 

 Cometh many times from Surfeit of Meat, furfeit of Travel, or from 

 corruption of Blood. The figns to know it is dimnefs of Sight, fwoln 

 and watrifh Eyes, a moift Mouth, ftaggering and reeling of the Horfe, 

 and beating of his Head againlt the Walls, or thrutting it into his Litter. 

 The Cure is divers \ for almoft every Smith hath a feveral Medicine^ 

 yet thefe which 1 ihall rehearfe, are the moft approved. The ancient 

 Farriers, both Italians and French, ufe to let the Horfe Blood in the Tem- 

 ple-veins, and then with a Knife make an hole an Inch long overthwarc 

 his Fore-head, underneath his Fore-top, and raifmg up the Skin with a 

 Cornet, fome two or three Inches about, ftop the hollownefs with a Tent 

 dipt in Turpentine and Hog's greafe molten together :, but fome of our 

 Smiths finding this Cure fail, except the Difeafe be very young, ufe to 

 ftop the hollownefs with Dock-roots. Others with a Clove or two of 

 Garlick. Others ufe for this Difeafe to take Selladine, and ftamping it, 

 to ftop it into his Ears, and fo tye up his Ears, or ftitch the tips of his 

 Ears together, that he may not ftiake the Medicine out. Others ufe ta 

 mix Salt and Water together thick, and to put it into his Ears. Others 

 ufe to mix Grounfel and jicjitaviu together, and to put that into his Ears. 

 Others ufe to take Garlick, Rue, and Bay-Salt, and beat them grofly, 

 then mix Vinegar with them, and put it into the Horfe's Ears, then wet 

 Wooll or Tow in the Medicine, and ftop that in his Ears alio : Let the 

 Medicine reft lb four and twenty Hours, and if he forfake his Meat, 

 waih his Tongue with Vinegar, and it will recover his Stomach. Others 

 ufe firft to perfume the Horfe's Head to make him Sneeze, then to take 

 half a handful of Selladine, and as much Herb-of-Grace, three or four 

 Cloves of Garlick, and a little Bay-Salt, and ftamp them together: 

 Then mix therewith two or three Spoonfuls of Vinegar or Verjuice, and 

 thruft it hard into the Horfe's Ears:Then tye up his Ears with a ibft Incle- 

 ilring, that no Air may come in, and let this Medicine remain for the 



fpace 



