THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 391 



food, combined, are almost certain to produce a favorable effect ; 

 for pure air decarbonizes the blood, deprives it of those impuri- 

 ties which abound in farcy subjects, and at the same time distends 

 the lungs to their normal capacity ; by which means the blood is 

 circulated with more force to the extreme vessels. The green 

 food, while its action is alterative, provides for the laxity of the 

 bowels, keeps them free and unobstructed, and entirely dispenses 

 with cathartic medicine ; the latter being generally considered 

 necessary to clear out the bowels ; but in our opinion, the " brisk 

 dose of cathartic medicine," so highly extolled by some, is calcu- 

 lated to produce unfavorable results, especially if the patient 

 shall be in a state of debility. Any man who has ever been 

 foolish enough to practise the common error of periodical dosing 

 with salts and senna, castor oil, <fcc, can testify as to their pros- 

 trating effects ; but this is only an item in the catalogue of evils ; 

 great pain, griping, loss of appetite, subsequent constipation and 

 dyspepsia, are the consequences of cathartics and purgation. 

 Therefore, if the fecal accumulations can be got rid of under 

 the exhibition of so safe and desirable an agent as grass, it is 

 certainly to be preferred to the t7*ipe-scouring compounds of 

 the day. 



The grass may perhaps act as a cathartic, especially if the sub- 

 ject has been accustomed to corn and oats : if this should be the 

 case, a sufficient quantity of dry food should be allowed to supply 

 the waste of the body and promote the living integrity; for with- 

 out oil the light will go out, and food is to the system what oil is 

 to the light ; therefore, in such case, a liberal allowance of nutri- 

 tious food will be indicated. 



When green food cannot be obtained, a sort of substitute can 

 be compounded, consisting of boiled carrots, beets, and turnips, 

 thickened with shorts or fine feed, and the whole pounded up to- 

 gether, to which a tablespoonful of salt may be added. 



As regards the drink, we need only observe that pure water, 

 in small quantities, is perhaps the best ; yet if the patient be in 

 exceedingly poor condition, he may then be allowed two quarts 

 of hay tea and a pint of fresh cow's milk twice a day. 



Animals suffering from either glanders or farcy should have 



