PURGATION. 263 



obftrufted excrement without artificial helps. 

 This invariable tendency to accumulation in 

 horfes at hard meat, together with the infpif- 

 fating nature of the aliment itfelf, form the pre- 

 remote caufe of blindnefs, ftaggers, purfivenefs, 

 greafe, jaundice, cholic, and various other kin- 

 dred maladies, which make fuch conftant havoc 

 in our ilables, and from which they can by no 

 other means be freed, but by timely preven- 

 tion. 



The intentions of purging for condition, or 

 to enable the body to undergo extraordinary 

 exertion, are, firft to unload the inteftines of 

 impurities, and to free the ftomach of any ob- 

 flruftion which might impede the digeftive fa- 

 culty ; to leflTen the quantity of blood, and at- 

 tenuate its quality, that it may be able to per- 

 vade eafily the fine emunftories of the body 

 with that increafed velocity, which muft be the 

 natural confequence of violent exercife ; , and 

 laflly, to increafe the ratio and capacity of 

 fibrous extenfion, by relaxing in a certain de- 

 gree the whole fyftem. Hence the neceflity of 

 phyfic for every faddle-horfe, which is expelled 

 to be always ready with his beft performance, 

 and the ftill greater need of it for the race- 

 horfe, whofe blood and humours, without pre- 

 vious evacuation, would be in too copious and 

 denfe a flate, to endure, without danger of iii- 

 flammation and obllru6'tion, that feverity of ex- 

 ercife 



