270 THE HORSE BOOK. 



vagina daily or give instructions how it should 

 be done with some antiseptic wash. Mares which 

 abort and are promptly treated should 

 not be bred again until the proper period 

 after the date at which they would have 

 foaled had they carried their young to 

 full time. Once she has aborted a mare 

 is very apt to repeat at about the same 

 stage of a subsequent pregnancy. Care should 

 therefore be taken to watch her closely about 

 that time and she should be kept as quiet and 

 free from excitement as possible. If she shows 

 signs of approaching premature birth get ex- 

 pert aid at once. Trouble may often be headed 

 off by administering fluid extract of black haw 

 in half -ounce doses every other day, beginning 

 perhaps three weeks before the time at which 

 she may abort and continuing as long after it. 

 It is best, though, to place the mare under the 

 care of a veterinarian. Still the black haw is a 

 standard remedy in such cases. Strong medi- 

 cines should never be given to in-foal mares. 



Discharges from the vagina, such as leu- 

 corrhea (whites) should always be treated by 

 injecting into the vagina some antiseptic solu- 

 tion, such as a one-per-cent solution of perman- 

 ganate of potash. Solutions of coaltar dip are 

 also useful for this purpose, the strength being 

 gauged according to the instructions of the 

 makers, and often a simple alkaline solution— 

 of bicarbonate of soda for instance— will neu- 



