IvNTERlTl!^. S27 



once resorted to. Tlie tincture of Spanish flies, made with turjjentine, 

 should be thoroughly rubbed in. The legs should be Avell bandaged in 

 order to i"estore the circulation in them, and thus lessen the flow of blood 

 to the inflamed part ; and, for the same reason, the horse should be 

 warmly clothed ; but the air of the stable or box should be cool. 



The horse shoiild be encouraged to drink plentifully of \\'arm water or 

 thin gruel, and no corn or hay should be allowed during the disease, but 

 bran mashes, and green meat if it can be procui-ed. The latter -syIII be the 

 best of all food, and may be given without the slightest ajiprehension of 

 danger. Wlien the horse begins to recover, a handful of corn may be 

 given two or three times in the day ; and, if the weather is warm, he may 

 be turned into a paddock for a few hours in the middle of the day. Clysters 

 of gruel should be continued for thi-ee or four days after the inflammation 

 is beginning to subside, and good hand-rubbing applied to the legs. 



The second variety of inflammation of the bowels affects the internal or 

 mucous coat, and is generally the consequence of physic in too great 

 quantity, or of an improper kind. 



When the mucous membrane is in an rrritable condition, or from sym- 

 pathy, as in inflammation of the lungs, a small dose of purgative medicine 

 will sometimes produce this disease. The purging is more violent and 

 continues longer than was intended ; the animal shows that he is suffering 

 great pain ; he frequently looks I'ound at his flanks ; his breathing is 

 laborious, and the pulse is quick and small — not so small, however, as in 

 inflammation of the peritoneal coat, and, contrary to some of the most 

 frequent and characteristic symptoms of that disease, the mouth is hot, and 

 the legs and ears are warm. Unless the purging is excessive, and the pain 

 and distress great, the surgeon should hesitate at giving any astringent 

 medicine at first ; but he should plentifully administer wheat-flour gruel, 

 or arrow-root, or thin starch ; removing all hay and corn, and particularly 

 green m.eat. He should thus endeavour to soothe the irritated surface of 

 the bowels, while he permits all remains of the purgative to be carried off. 

 If, however, twelve hours have passed, and the pvarging and the pain re- 

 main undiminished, he should continue the gruel, adding to it chalk, 

 catechu, and opium, repeated every six hours. As soon as the purging 

 begins to subside, the astringent medicine should be lessened in quantity, 

 and gradually discontinued. The horse should be warmly clothed and 

 placed in a comfortable stable, and his legs should be hand-rubbed and 

 bandaged. 



Violent purging, and attended with much inflammation and fever, will 

 occur from other causes. Green meat Avill frequently purge. A horse 

 worked hard upon green meat will sometimes scour. The remedy is 

 change of diet, or less labour. Young horses will often be strongly purged, 

 without any apparent cause. Astringents should be used with much cau- 

 tion here. It is probably an effort of nature to get rid of something that 

 offends. A few doses of gruel will assist in effecting this purpose, and the 

 purging will cease without astringent medicine. 



Many horses that are not wcU-ribhed home — having too great space 

 between the last rib and the hip-bone — are subject to purging if more 

 than usual exertion is required from them. They are recognised by the 

 term of washy horses. They are often free and fleet, but destitute of con- 

 tinuance. They should have rather more than the usual allowance of 

 corn, with beans, when at work. A cordial ball, with catechu and opium, 

 will often be serviceable either before or after a journey. 



