346 AMERICAN FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. 



and water, containing a slight admixture of spirits of niter, 

 was injected into the vagina, and thrown well up toward the 

 uterus. At the same time the clyster of salt and water was 

 freely used in the ordinary manner. We recommend the ad- 

 dition of a small quantity of cream of tartar to the uterine 

 clyster. In warm weather it had an excellent effect to turn 

 bucketfuls of cold water upon the loins. 



Chief among the obstacles to a cure was the extreme weak- 

 ness of the hips. Once down, the sufferer could not get up ; 

 and lying out in the hot, scorching sun, the prey of a high, 

 consuming fever, she was sure to die. Another great diffi- 

 " culty to be encountered was the almost entire loss of the use 

 of the hind legs, the limbs becoming more and more numb 

 and stiff the longer she lay upon the ground. It was indis- 

 pensable, therefore, to build a shelter over her, and at the 

 same time to raise her to a standing position, so that some 

 exercise of the hind extremities could be obtained. 



We have seen dozens of the finest mares to be found on 

 the farms in Middle Tennessee, where fine stock abounds, 

 lying on the ground, as some of them had been for weeks, 

 exposed to all the alternations of cold rains, chilling winds, 

 and scorching suns which the season might bring, their 

 bodies and legs nearly eaten up by those torments, the flies, 

 and the ground beaten like a mill-path for yards, from the 

 poor creatures dragging themselves along by the fore-legs 

 and feet. How earnestly have we begged and plead with the 

 owner to do something for the suffering animal ! But very 

 often our appeals were met by " the penny-wise, pound-foolish,'' 

 not to say most cruel, reply that he was too busy ; had too 

 much else to attend to, and the sooner she died the better. 

 Sometimes, however, the owners did set to work and raise 

 the patients to their feet, and generally succeeded in carry- 

 ing them through safely. 



The modes of operation adopted in such cases, may be 

 easily explained. One was to set four posts in the ground, 

 about ten feet apart, and of about the same height, and on 

 the top of these to pin strong joists or timbers, the whole 



