02 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 



up to attend the agonized victim of his igno- 

 rance and folly; which he did with too late 

 and unavailing tendernefs, and an aching 

 heart; for in a few hours, all attendance was 

 unneceflary ; the nag was dead. I quellioned 

 the man, and have reafon to believe he killed 

 his horfe with a dofe of common aloes, af- 

 filed by a drachm or two of diagridium, or 

 gamboge. 



It appears, evident to me, that all draflic or 

 dangerous cathartic articles, ought to be omit- 

 ted in thofe formula? which are intended indif- 

 criminately for the ufe of all perfons, who 

 without any knowledge of medicine, are in the 

 habit of purging Horfes ; were it only on the 

 following confiderations : many fuch are not 

 very accurate in regard to weight ; and, befides, 

 probably think, that if fo very fmall a quantity 

 of a drug can work beneficial effects, an addi- 

 tion to it mud be attended with proportional 

 benefit. Grooms in general are diffatisfied 

 after they have adminiftered a purge, unlefs it 

 rattles away in a hurricane ; and on a mortify- 

 ing difappointment of that kind, always make 

 up their minds not to be foiled a fecond time. 

 I have now and then chanced to enquire of 

 one of thefe fages, what became of fuch and 

 fuch a Horfe, which I had known to have been 

 in training; more than once I have been 

 anfwered with the mod perfect, non chaldnce, 



" Oh, 



