TREATMENT OF DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 491 



Lime was formerly sprinkled over cankered feet and gi-casy lieels, but 

 there are less painful caustics, and more effectual absorbents of moisture. 

 Lime-water is rarely used, but the GJdoride of Lime is exceedingly valu- 

 able. Diluted with twenty times its quantity of water, it helps to form the 

 poultice applied to every part from which there is the slightest offensive 

 discharge. The foetid smell of fistulous withers, poll-evil, canker, and 

 ill-conditioned wounds, is immediately removed, and the ulcers are more 

 disposed to heal. When mangy horses are dismissed as cured, a washing 

 with the diluted chloride will remove any infection that may lurk about 

 them, or which they may carry from the place in which they have been 

 confined. One pound of the chloride mixed with three gallons of water, 

 and brushed over the walls and manger and rack of the foulest stable, 

 will completely remove all infection. Professor Morton, very properly, 

 says that the common practice of merely whitewashing the walls serves 

 only to cover the infectious matter, and perhaps to preserve it for an in- 

 definite length of time, so that, when the lime scales off, disease may be 

 again engendered by the exposed virus. The horse furniture worn by a 

 glandered or mangy animal will be effectually purified by the chloride. 

 Internally administered, it seems to have Kttle or no power. 



Liniments are applications designed either to soothe an inflamed surface, 

 or, by gently stimulating the skin, to rem.ove deeper-seated pain or 

 inflammation. As an emolhent liniment, one composed of half an ounce 

 of Goulard's extract and four ounces of ohve oil will be useful. For 

 sprains, old swelHngs, or rheumatism, two ounces of hartshorn, the same 

 quantity of camphorated spirit, an ounce of oil of turpentine, and half an 

 ounce of laudanum, may be mixed together ; or an ounce of camphor may 

 be dissolved in four ounces of sweet oil, to which an ounce of oil of turpen- 

 tine may be afterwards added. A little powdered cantharides, or tincture 

 of cantharides, or mustard powder, will render either of these more jDOwer- 

 ful, or convert it into a liquid blister. 



Linseed. — An infusion of linseed is often used instead of water, for the 

 drink of the horse with sore-throat or catarrh, or disease of the urinary 

 organs or of the bowels. A pail containing it should be slung in the stable 

 or loose box. Thin gruel, however, is preferable ; it is as bland and sooth- 

 ing, and it is more nutritious. Linseed meal forms the best poultice for 

 almost every purpose. 



Magnesia. — The sulphate of magnesia, or Epsom Salts, should be 

 used only in promoting the purgative effect of clysters, or, in repeated 

 doses of six or eight ounces, gently to open the bowels at the commence- 

 ment of fever. Some doubt, however, attends the latter practice ; for the 

 dose must occasionally be thrice repeated before it will act, and then, 

 although safer than aloes, it may produce too much irritation in the 

 intestinal canal, especially if the fever is the precui'sor of inflammation of 

 the lungs. 



IMashes constitute a very important part of horse-provender, whether 

 in sickness or health. A mash given occasionally to a horse that is other- 

 wise fed on dry meat prevents him from becoming dangerously costive. 

 To the overworked and tired horse nothing is so refreshing as a wami 

 mash with his usual allowance of corn in it. The art of getting a horse 

 into apparent condition for sale, or giving him a round and j)lump ap- 

 pearance, consists principally in the frequent repetition of mashes, and, 

 from their easiness of digestion and the mild nutriment which they afford, 

 as well as their laxative effect, they form the principal diet of the sick 

 horse. 



They are made by pouiing boiling water on bran, and stirring it well, 

 and then covering it over until it is sufficiently cool for the horse to eat. 



