uTDiioiMKnuA.] MODEEN VETERINARY PRACTICE. 



[I'OIBONS. 



agonising torment the poor animal was in, lio 

 was left for a short time ; but on retuniitig to 

 the box, he was lying on tlie lloor, con)j)letely 

 exhausted, lie was immediately ordered to 

 be destroyed. 



The most satiataetory symi)tom3, in eases of 

 this kind, is tho dread of water which the 

 horse usually exliibils. Professor Diipuy 

 iMves us an aeeount of this circumstance: — 

 " A rabid horse was confined in one of the 

 siek-boxes. His food was given to hiui 

 tln-ough an opening over the door, and a 

 bucket was suspended from it, and sup- 

 plied with water by means of a copper tube. 

 As soon as he heard the water falling into the 

 pail, he i'ell into violent convulsions, seized the 

 tube, and crushed it into pieces. AVhen the 

 water in the bucket was agitated, the convul- 

 sions were renewed. He would occasionally 

 approach the bucket, as if he wished to drink ; 

 and then, after agitating the water for an in- 

 stant, he would fall on his litter, uttering a 

 hoarse cry ; but he would rise again almost 

 immediately. These symptoms were dread- 

 fully increased if water were thrown upon his 

 head. He would then endeavour to seize it 

 as it fell, and bite with fury at everything 

 within his reach, his whole frame being dread- 

 fully convulsed." 



Mr. Youatt says, that if a horse is bitten 

 under suspicious circumstances, he should be 

 carefully examined, and every wound, and even 

 the slightest scratch, well burned with the 

 lunar caustic (nitrate of silver). The scab 

 should he removed, and the operation re- 

 peated on the third day. The hot iron does 

 not answer so well, and other caustics are not 

 80 manageable. In the spring of 1S27, four 

 horses were bitten near Hyde Park, by a mad 

 door. To one of them the lunar caustic was 

 twice severely applied — he lived. The red-hot 

 iron was unsparingly used on the others, and 

 they died. The caustic must reach every part 

 of the wound. At the expiration of the fourth 

 week the horse may be considered to be safe. 



The other case was that of a cart-horse, the 

 symptoms of which were so very like the pre- 

 ceding, that they need little or no description ; 

 the horse liaving been shot after the attack had 

 been on him about three hours. To prevent 

 such cases, no dogs should be suffered to sleep 

 in stables. 



BITES OF RKITILKS. 

 Reptiles frequently inllict fatal wounds; 

 but in this country tho udder is tho only ono 

 that wo have known to bite either horses or 

 cattle ; and wlien this occurs, and ia attended 

 with swelling, take of — 



Oil of Turpentine . . , . . 2 oz. 

 Olive Oil 4 uo. 



Mix, and rub a portion of the liniment on tho 

 parts alfected, morning and night. 



VEGETABLE POISONS. 



Of this class of poisons we have only the 

 yew-tree that produces any particularly dele- 

 terious efl'ects upon horses ; and when this is 

 once eaten, the animal wastes away by degrees, 

 until death puts a period to his sulFeringa- 

 Two horses that had been employed in carry- 

 ing fodder, were thoughtlessly placed under a 

 large yew-tree, of the leaves of which they 

 eagerly partook. In three hours they began 

 to stagger; both of them dropped; and before 

 the harness could be taken oft" them, they were 

 dead. On being opened, a large quantity of 

 yew-leaves were found in their stomachs, which 

 were contracted and inflamed. The water- 

 dropwort; the water- parsley ; the common 

 hemlock ; euphorblum, or spurge ; colocynth ; 

 elaterium; bryary root ; savoin ; and common 

 brake, are all classed among the vegetable poi- 

 sons ; but there is little danger of the horse 

 hurting himself by them. 



MINERAL POISONS. 

 The numerous minerals given in veterinary 

 practice, do not produce the same poisonous 

 efl'ects which might be anticipated from their 

 name and properties, and which they ajipear 

 to have when given to the human subject. 

 Arsenic and corrosive sublimate are both used 

 in veterinary practice ; but, in all probability, 

 the former will soon disappear from the medi- 

 cal list. 



STINGS OF HOUNETS. 

 These are very annoying, and are frequently 

 the cause of much pain and irritation to tho 

 horse. AVe have heard of a horse being at- 

 tacked by hornets, and stung until the inflam- 

 mation occasioned proved fatal. The best 



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