6oo The Book of the Horse. 



seizures occur, tlic animal had better be disposed of. Attacks may, to some extent, be 

 prevented by carefully dieting, and avoiding driving soon after feeding and in very hot weather. 



Tetanus is a disease of the nervous system associated with a persistent violent contraction 

 of the muscles. It is commonly accompanied by a wound in some portion of the body, and 

 is supposed to be due to an injury to the extremity of some of the nervous cords. Its usual 

 characteristic symptom is that of a fixed closure of the jaws, hence it is vulgarly designated 

 lockjaw. 



This disease often baffles the skill of those thoroughly acquainted with it, therefore send 

 for the best veterinary surgeon within call, and until he arrives close the stable, and keep 

 the patient as quiet as possible. 



To Chloroform a Horse. — Place two towels around the jaws, allowing them to reach nearly to 

 the eyes. You will then have about half a yard of towels lying from the nostrils upon the 

 ground ; by carefully raising them you can easily form a tunnel of towelling, through which 

 your arm and hand, holding the sponge, can be introduced. This sponge, saturated with chloro- 

 form, can be brought gradually near to the horse's nostrils, and when four inches from them 

 can be permanently held there. 



MEDICINES AND INSTRUMENTS FOR A STABLE IN THE COUNTRY. 



Aperient Ball or Draught. — An aperient ball for a moderate-sized horse should contain 

 two drachms of Barbadoes aloes, of saltpetre and ginger, made into a mass with a small 

 quantity of soft soap or treacle. The same materials, minus the soap or treacle, dissolved in 

 a pint of warm water, may be given in draught. 



N.B. — A ball should never be given when Iiard. It must be re-made, and softened. 



Stimulating Drink in case of Fever. — Take acetate of ammonia (the concentrated) half an 

 ounce, of nitric ether and of the sal volatile each one ounce, and mix with three half-pints 

 of chilled water. This may be repeated every four hours. 



Alterative Ball or Powder. — For an alterative powder, sublimed sulphur, sulphuret of anti- 

 mony, and saltpetre, of each two drachms, may be given. The same ingredients, with the 

 addition of a drachm of aloes, make a good alterative ball with a little soft soap. 



Instruiuoits, &c. — A drenching bottle, Arnold's pattern ; an enema syringe ; thorn forceps ; 

 leg pail ; surgical needles ; shoeing-smith's tools. 



N.B. — -To be kept clean, looked over once a week, and be always in place ready for use : 

 the bottle, enema, forceps, and needles, in the same drawer as the horse clipper and singeing 

 comb and tube. 



