122 THE HORSE 



contains the mercury and the stem is marked with the 

 figures 95, loo, no. These are degrees on the Fahrenheit 

 scale. All the long strokes represent degrees and the 

 short ones between, two-tenths of a degree, usually ex- 

 pressed by the decimal point in front of the denominator. 

 Between the bulb and the stem there is a constriction 

 which prevents a small detached rod of mercury from 

 uniting with the mercury contained in the bulb. This 

 rod is called the index, and it serves to register the 

 temperature, as it remains standing in the position it was 

 when the thermometer was in use. A horse is said to 

 have a slight degree of fever if its temperature is 103° or 

 104° ; a moderate degree of fever when the thermometer 

 registers 105° or 106° ; whilst the fever is high at 107°. 

 Temperatures higher than the last-named are by no means 

 frequent, in fact rather the reverse. It is customary to 

 take the temperature at the same time night and morning 

 in the rectum or lower end of the bowel, making a note of 

 it for future reference. Take the stem in the fingers of the 

 right hand, raise the tail with the left and then gently 

 insert the " bulb " into the rectum. 



The Breathing 



During the act of inspiration pure air is taken into the 

 lungs and in expiration carbon dioxide is given out. 

 Normally the respirations number about 14 per minute, 

 but during exertion they are greatly increased. Quick 

 breathing, or " blowing hard " as it is called, is very often 

 significant of lung trouble, either acute or chronic. 



Physicking Horses 



It is customary to speak of the administration of a ball 

 or bolus, composed of Barbados aloes and ginger, as 

 physicking a horse for the purpose of removing waste 

 products from its system. Physic baUs vary in their 

 weight from 4 drms. up to 8 drms., and their action is 



