DROPSY.] 



THE HOESE, AND 



[deopst. 



which will prevent it for the time being ; an- 

 other is, to have a number of sharp-pointed 

 studs driven into the strap, to prick the neck 

 and throat every time the subject swallows. 

 Now, if these were efficacious, dyspepsia might 

 be easily cured by tying a neckerchief a little 

 tighter than common ; but it is not so, for 

 remove the straps from his throat, and he is 

 as bad as ever. 



Professor Coleman says crib-biting arises 

 principally from long fasting, and the noise 

 which arises from the air that is swallowed. 

 But we would ask how spasms of the stomach 

 arise when a man has been without food or 

 drink the whole of the day ? Does not the 

 stomach secret wind of itself? or why take a 

 glass of gin or brandy to remove any wind that 

 may be in the stomach ? One may feel blown 

 up, as it is said, without food. As gas is gene- 

 rated in the dead, so is it in the living subject. 

 Debility alone will generate it equally in the 

 horse as in the man, only with this difference — 

 that the man can indulge, and the horse cannot. 



Some say that giving horses bad keep will 

 produce the affection ; but there is no truth in 

 this ; for if we look at the horses of farmers, 

 which are kept on the refuse of the farm, we 

 do not find more crib-biters in them than else- 

 where. No ; but we find them principally 

 amongst high-fed horses ; and the reason for 

 this we shall endeavour to explain. — Highly-fed 



animals are rarely subject to have much hay 

 given them ; consequently, the stomach never 

 becomes so full as when it is distended with 

 natural food, such as hay or grass only ; for 

 we never heard of a crib-biting horse at grass 

 or on hay only. The real cause is found in a 

 spasmodic affection of the diaj)hragin, generally 

 produced by an error in the dietary of the 

 animal ; for if you feed with a considerable 

 quantity of corn, and little hay, crib-biting is 

 produced, and vice versd. 



To obviate this affection, the whole of the 

 veterinarians have been equally puzzled. Some 

 years ago, a Mr. Tare invented a kind of 

 muzzle, through which the horse could eat, but 

 was not enabled to seize the manger, in conse- 

 quence of two iron bars being fixed longitudi- 

 nally to the mouth part. This invention, how- 

 ever, like many others, entirely failed ; for, 

 when removed, the horse would take to his old 

 habit again. Prepared chalk, in two-ounce 

 doses, has been tried, but with no better suc- 

 cess. The only thing found, in the shape of a 

 palliative, has been to remove the horse thus 

 affected into a stable by himself, without 

 manger, stall-sides, or anything he can take 

 hold of; and give all his food on the ground, 

 both hay and corn. By this means this 

 troublesome affection has been removed in a 

 great degree, though an entire cure has not 

 been effected. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



DROPSY — OF THE HEAD ; THE CHEST; PERICARDIUM; BELLY; SKIN J SWELLED LEGS. 



DROPSY. 

 Deopsy is a preternatural collection of serous 

 or watery fluid in the cellular substance, or 

 different cavities of the body. It receives dif- 

 ferent appellations, according to the particular 

 situation of the fluid. 



When it is diflused through the cellular 

 membrane, either generally or partially, it is 

 called anasarca. 



When it is deposited in the cavity of the 

 234 



cranium, it is called hydrocepTialus ; when in 

 the chest, liydrotliorax ; when in the abdo- 

 men, ascites; and when within the scrotum, 

 hydrocele. 



We thus particularly enumerate the special 

 names this disease takes, in accordance with 

 its situation, that the reader may not be led 

 astray by the pretender, or country farrier 

 These diseases are of a family nature, and prin- 

 cipally originate in debility : such as long-con- 



