278 PURGATION. 



the operation of a purge, and of their refufal 

 of warm water, and of the neceihtv of fub- 

 ftituting cold, and various other infelicities, none 

 of which, I have hitherto been fo fortunate, as 

 to experience. Good aloes, rhubarb, or falts, 

 the quantities beingjudicioufly apportioned, and 

 the body of the patient in a fit flate for their 

 reception, never gripe or naufeate. As to the 

 unwillingnefs to drink, noted by authors, I 

 know nothing about it, having always found 

 that the medicine has rather made the horfe 

 thirfly, and that far from refufmg, he would 

 drink warm water fooncr than at other times ; 

 but in cafe of refufal, I fee no fort of difficulty, 

 and fliould inilantly order half a gallon to be 

 poured down in horns, and repeated every 

 hour, until a fufficient quantity fliould have 

 been delivered. Cold water fhould never be 

 allowed. Inflances may be produced ofhorfes 

 which had taken coarfe plantation aloes, made 

 up with a large quantity of common rofin, and 

 I know not what cheap horfe-doftoring or fale 

 articles, being killed outright by a plentiful 

 drink of cold water, the body fwelling enor- 

 moufly, and appearing as if the animal had 

 been deftroyed by poifon. With regard to ap- 

 petite upon thefe occafions, I have been fre- 

 quently obliged to check the liberality of the 

 groom in difpenfing his m^aflies ; but more par- 

 ticularly after the phyfic has been fet, when I 



have ' 



