HIDE-BOUND.] 



THE HOESE, AND 



[faect. 



entitled to that designation, being in fact no 

 more than a temporary inconvenience. To 

 cure it, therefore, take away about two quarts 

 of blood, and in three or four hours after, give 

 a mash of malt, oats and bran, equal parts, 

 continuing the same every night for a fort- 

 night, stirring in it one of the following 

 powders : 



Flour of brimstone 12 oz. 



Antimony 1 lb. 



Let these be well rubbed together, and divided 

 into twelve parts. Give other feeds, morning 

 and noon, of equal parts of oats and bran 

 moistened with water. If the continuance of 

 the bran should relax his body more than 

 seems judicious, put into his feed a handful of 

 split beans, and the same quantity of chaff. 

 This method of treatment will be found to 

 succeed ; but it should be accompanied with 

 regular and substantial dressing, air, exercise, 

 sound good oats, the best sweet hay, and fresh 

 soft water. "When by this means, he begins 

 visibly to improve in his hide, coat, and condi- 

 tion, let him have, twice in the week, a brushing 

 gallop, to produce a tolerable sweat, and 

 enliven the circulation, taking great care to 

 let him stand still until he is perfectly cool. 

 Then dress him thoroughly, and persevere in 

 this every night and morning until he is well. 

 Should this method be unattended with suc- 

 cess, there must be lurking in the system 

 something else that should be removed. Take, 

 therefore, 



Blue pill . . • . , . . 2 drachms. 



Aloes, Cape 4 „ 



Give this in the evening, and keep all food from 

 him during the night. In the morning treat as 

 in administering a dose of physic. In the course 

 of four or five days, repeat the medicine, and, 

 if a third dose should be required, which will 

 be ascertained from his appearance, let him 

 have it, taking care that he does not get chilled 

 during the action of the mercury. The follow- 

 ing powder has been recommended to be given 

 daily in his food without having recourse to 

 \he preceding preparations : — ■ 



Cantharides, finely powdered . 5 grains. 



Pimento 5 drachms. 



Sulphate of Iron 2 do. 



Should the animal reject his food with this in 

 it, form it into a ball, with treacle, and give it 

 for a week or a fortnight as the occasion may 

 192 



require. In the early part of summer, a good 

 piece of grass will be found of great service. 



FARCY. 

 This is one of those diseases, to cure which, 

 and its co-disease, glanders, the veterinary 

 profession have been more puzzled than with 

 all the other diseases to which the horse is liable. 

 Eor a long period the cause of this complaint 

 was hidden in obscurity. All old writers said 

 it was something the matter with the blood, 

 but could not tell what. The Erench studied 

 the disease, and its nature, but still little pro- 

 gress was made towards elucidating its cause. 

 "We are now, however in a position to be able 

 to define the disease in a much more en- 

 lightened form, although its cure cannot at aU 

 times be effected. 



Farcy may be defined to be an inflammation 

 and suppuration, attendant with ulceration of 

 the absorbents of the skin. It was formerly 

 thought to be a disease of the veins, but this 

 is not the case. Its seat or locality is in 

 the superficial absorbents of the skin cover- 

 ing the veins. Were it otherwise, the veins 

 would ulcerate and open, and considerable 

 bleeding take place. Externally, the skin may 

 be said to be the only visible part susceptible 

 of farcy ; but when the disease becomes violent 

 the lungs partake also of it. Every part of 

 the skin is susceptible of the disease, but not 

 all parts equally so. AVherever the skin is 

 thinest, there it is much more liable to become 

 affected than where it is thick. 



The commencement of the disease is gene- 

 rally accompanied with swelling and inflamma- 

 tion, and, at length, a single tumour appears. 

 This goes on until matter is formed, suppura- 

 tion takes place, and of course ulceration. 

 The tumours do no always suppurate, but 

 often become hard and scliirrous. These, in 

 the old farriers' language, are called " hiids, or 

 farcy buds ;" there are frequently many of 

 them, forming a kind of chain enlarging to 

 an alarming degree. Such are the common 

 symptoms and appearance of the disease. It 

 takes place most frequently in the hind legs. 



There is a poison connected with this dis- 

 ease, which, if applied to the skin of a sound 

 horse, will produce inflammation and matter 

 of the same kind ; and if the matter becomes 

 absorbed, it will, in all probability, produce 



