210 AMERICAN FARMER'S HORSE BOOK 



for bots, the author of this work had been for years defending 

 that inoffensive little creature from the charge of killing the 

 hoi-se, satisfactory reasons being apparent for believing him 

 entirely innocent of the crime. It was not a case of colic, for 

 the symptomatic indications of intestinal disorder were lacking. 



Treatment was applied as for rheumatism. It was success- 

 ful. Bleeding was the first step, a gallon of blood being 

 drawn from the overloaded vessels. Then, another of the best 

 of remedies for the horse was administered as a drench — one 

 quart of salt and water, as hot as it could be swallowed. The 

 legs were freely bathed with the same mixture. In one hour 

 the sufferer was greatly better, and -seemed nearly free from 

 pain. But a year later he had not entirely outworn the ef- 

 fects of this dreadful attack. 



This, also, was a case of spasmodic rheumatism. Yet a 

 degree of mystery attaches to it. An attack so fearful as to 

 leave behind its brief duration of four hours such evil conse- 

 quences, did not spring up in a few hours or a day. Its 

 causes must have been in existence for weeks, or probably even 

 for months before, the disease, meanwhile, continually accu- 

 mulating its forces, until, at last, it suddenly overpowered the 

 vital energies and prostrated the horse's strength completely. 



But are there no premonitory symptoms to indicate the 

 approach of so terrible a foe? Sometimes there are, but 

 more frequently there are not. Unfortunately, remedies can 

 be prescribed more easily than preventives ; yet considerable 

 may be done, in a general way, in the latter direction. Light, 

 moist food, a good pasture, or any relaxing diet, by keeping 

 the blood thin, will tend to the prevention of rheumatism ; 

 while dry, hard food, such as heats the blood, and makes it 

 thick arid dark, will be likely to bring it on. 



' TREATMENT. 



The treatment has been sufficiently indicated in the history 

 of the case last given. It consists in bleeding from the neck 

 vein, and the free use of salt and hot water, both internally 

 and to bathe the affected parts. 



