DISEASES OF THE HOKSE. 125 



where he may be exposed to drafts of cold air and sudden changes of 

 temperature. It is much better for the animal if the air is cold and 

 pure than if it is warm and foul. It is better to make the animal com- 

 fortable with warm clothing than to make the stable warm by shutting 

 off the ventilation. The animal should have an unlimited supplj^ of 

 fresh cold drinking water from the start. Blanket the body. Rub 

 the legs until they are warm and then put bandages on them from the 

 hoofs up to the knees and hocks. If warmth can not be reestablished 

 in the legs by hand rubbing alone, apply dry ground mustard and rub 

 well in. The bandages should be removed once or twice every da}^, 

 the legs well rubbed, and the l)andages replaced. Much harm is often 

 done by clipping off hair and rubbing in powerful blistering com- 

 pounds. They do positive injury and retard recovery, and should not 

 be allowed. Much benefit may be derived from hot applications to 

 the sides of the chest if the facilities are at hand to apply them. If 

 the weather be not too cold, and if the animal is in a comfortable 

 stable, the following method may be tried: Have a tub of hot water 

 handy to the stable door; soak a woolen blanket in the water, then 

 quickly wring as much water as possible out of it and wrap it around 

 the chest. See that it fits closely to the skin; do not allow it to sag 

 down so that air may get between it and the skin. Now wrap a drj' 

 blanket over the wet hot one and hold in place with three girths. 

 The hot blanket should be renewed every half hour, and while it is 

 off being wetted and wrung the dry one should remain over the wet 

 part of the chest to prevent reaction. The hot applications should be 

 kept up for three or four hours, and when stopped the skin should be 

 quickly rubbed as dry as possible, an application of alcohol rubbed 

 over the wet part, and a dry blanket snugly fitted over the animal. 

 If the hot applications appear to benefit, they mny be tried on three 

 or four consecutive days. Unless every facility and circumstance 

 favors the application of heat in the foregoing manner, do not attempt 

 it. If the weather is very cold or any of the details are omitted, more 

 harm than good ma}^ result. Mustard may be applied by making a 

 paste with a pound of freshly ground mustard mixed with warm water. 

 This is to be spread evenly over the sides back of the shoulder blades 

 and down to the median line below the chest. Care should be taken 

 to avoid rubbing the mustard upon the thin skin immediately back of 

 the elbow. The mustard-covered area should be covered with a j^aper 

 and this with a blanket passed up from below and fastened over the 

 back. The blanket and paper should be removed in from one to two 

 hours. When pneumonia follows another disease, the system is always 

 more or less debilitated and requires the careful use of stimulants 

 from the beginning. To still further weaken the animal by bleeding 

 him is one of the most effectual methods of retarding recovery, even 

 if it does not hasten a fatal termination. 



