42 DISEASES OF ANIMALS. 



MASHES. 



Mashes of bran and shorts are a soft diet, and highiy 

 valuable for many purposes. They relax the bowels, 

 and prepare them for administering physic with safety 

 and good eficct. They will, in common conditions, 

 operate gently on the bowels, clearing out their con- 

 tents, and thus save the necessity of resorting to purga- 

 tives. When horses are not used on Sunday, a bran 

 mash may be given on Saturday night, instead of grain, 

 which will have a favorable effect, and prevent injury 

 from full feeding, while at rest. Mashes are very useful 

 to horses in high condition. 



As a food, mashes are remarkably soothing, cooling, 

 and emollient. In all inflammatory complaints, and other 

 disorders, when light feeding and laxative food are rec- 

 ommended, this will be found a most excellent article of 

 diet, as it fills the stomach, affording the stimulus ol 

 distention, without furnishmg much nutriment. It is 

 like keeping the fat and gouty patient, who has had 

 more than his share of the good things of this life, on 

 turnips, or on bran or saw-dust puddmg. 



Mashes may be made of ground malt, bran, or shorts, 

 or other similar substance, in hot or cold water. When 

 the animal is in a weak or low condition, boiling water 

 should be poured on the substance, so as to wet it well, 

 then stir it thoroughly, and when lukewarm, give 

 it. By boiling bran or shorts a short time, the water 

 becomes thick, like mucilage ; and we have no doubt 

 that this process renders it more valuable as food, and 

 more soothing. 



In cases of catarrh or sore throat, or any intestinal 

 affection, an emollient mash may be made by adding to 

 the bran or shorts, a decociion of linseed or oil cake. 



FOMENTATIONS. 



These are highly valuable in opening the pores of tht 

 ukin, and keeping up por.^piration in the part, and thus 

 abating l<jcal swellings relieving pjin and lessening 



