204 



DICTIONARY OF THE VETERINARY ART. 



minatives, (see Carminatives,) and counteracting the tendency 

 to putrescence by doses of charcoal or lobelia. Some prac 

 titioners recommend puncturing the rumen, or paunch ; but 

 there is always great danger attending it, and at best it is only 

 palliative, and the process of fermentation will proceed ; the 

 gas may escape, but the *iaterials that furnished it still 

 remain. Youatt states, "Acow had eaten a large quantity 

 of food, and was hoven. A neighbor, who was supposed to 

 know a great deal about cattle, made an incision into the 

 paunch ; the gas escaped, a great portion of the food was 

 removed with the hand, and the animal appeared to be con- 

 siderably relieved, but rumination did not return : on the fol- 

 lowing day, the animal was dull ; she refused her food, but 

 was eager to drink. She became worse and worse, and on 

 the sixth day she died ; " thus proving that the remedy was 

 worse than the disease. 



When animals are blasted in a moderate degree, the car- 

 minative drink, and decoction of lobelia, will prove effectual. 

 In all cases of hove, it will be advisable to give injections of 

 warm water, to which add a handful of salt, and the same 

 quantity of charcoal. As a means of preventing the blast, it 

 may be remarked, that animals should never be turned into 

 any nutritive pasture while the dew is on the ground, or after 

 rain. 



Bleeding. (See part first.) 



Blemishes. They consist of broken knees, loss of hair, 

 cracked heels, false quarters, splents, windgalls, spavins, &c. 



Blind, Moon. A disease of the horse's eyes, which is sup- 

 posed to be the forerunner of cataract, and often ends in 

 total blindness. 



Blindness. (See Eye.) 



Blister Fly. Cantharides, or Spanish fly, an acrid ani- 

 mal poison. 



Bloodroot. Sanguinaria Canadensis, used to prevent the 

 growth of fungus, or proud flesh, a substitute for caustic. 



Blood Spavin. (See Spavin.) 



Borax. A crystallized salt : when powdered and moistened 



