THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 401 



horse," it cannot do any harm. Our usual plan is, to stand on 

 the right side of the horse, our back turned towards his body ; we 

 then take a firm hold of the lower jaw with the left hand, at the 

 same time moderately elevating the head, (not too high,) while 

 with the right we gradually pour down the contents of the bottle. 

 Time should be taken in the process, and if it is poured down in 

 small quantities at a time, so much the better; the horse will be 

 more likely to swallow it, especially if it shall be made palatable 

 by the addition of a few caraway seeds or a little honey. Horses, 

 like children, must be handled in the most gentle manner. They 

 will generally refuse to drink even a little gruel, when any un- 

 necessary severity is resorted to in its administration. They may 

 be coaxed, but not forced. 



In answer to the second objection, we observe, that there is no 

 more difficulty (not half so much) in administering a drench to a 

 horse, under ordinary circumstances, than there is in giving a 

 ball. To the latter we have great objections. First, in reference 

 to its bulk ; secondly, the length of time it takes for the gas- 

 tric fluids to dissolve it ; and lastly, its action is uncertain. 

 Whereas medicine given in the fluid form is readily taken up by 

 the lacteals, and operates, for good or evil, in much less time. It 

 has also been urged that, when a horse is suffering from disease 

 of the respiratory organs, the additional excitement following the 

 act of drenching is unfavorable to the cure. Unfortunately, Ave 

 are in a worse predicament when a ball is given, for then the 

 tongue is forcibly drawn out of the mouth, while the hand is 

 passed up to its root, where the ball is deposited. Our own ex- 

 perience in the matter leads us to decide in favor of the bottle. 

 If any further proofs of its utility are wanting, we may mention 

 the fact that one half of our city horsemen are in the habit of 

 administering drink from the bottle without accident. 



SOUNDNESS, AS OPPOSED TO LAMENESS. 



" Reluctantly as we enter on this difficult and much-debated 

 question, we feel it our duty, in a work on lameness, to make 

 some observations on the subject, though these observations will 

 be rather of a general than of a particular nature, and have 



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