178 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



Stomach was found inflamed, and in some parts blistered ; an 

 appearance he never before met with. These are the only cases 

 that have come within my knowledge in which oil of turpentine 

 has done mischief; but, on the other hand, I have seen, and 

 have been informed of, a great number of cases, in which it has 

 proved an efficacious remedy for worms. It has been frequently 

 given in a dose of 4 oz. as a remedy for the flatulent colic, or 

 gripes ; and I have known it given even in a dose of 8 oz. without 

 doiug any injury. Its efficacy, as a vermifuge, was first com- 

 municated to me by a medical gentleman of Bridport, who had 

 given it himself, and had known it employed by some flxrriers in 

 his neighbourhood with the most striking eflPect. His method 

 Avas to give the horse the day before about 3 drachms of aloes, 

 in order to relax the bowels a little. He was kept fasting dui'ing 

 the night, and early in the morning took 4 oz. of oil of turpen- 

 tine in a pint of gruel. He was kept fasting for two or three 

 hours afterwards, and then fed sparingly with bran mashes and 

 warm water during the day. This previous fasting appears to 

 me necessary to the success of the medicines ; for, in this case, 

 it seems probable that some part of the turpentine is absorbed 

 from the empty stomach and bowels, so that the worms are 

 attacked both in the bowels and through the medium of the 

 blood. Tlie celebrated remedy of M. Chabert for worms is 

 said to consist principally of empyreumatic animal oil. A mix- 

 ture of olive oil, tar, and oil of turpentine has been found ad- 

 vantageous in the I'ot in sheep ; a disease occasioned by worms 

 in the liver, named jiukes. 



From the experiments of Professors Tiedemann and Gmelin, 

 lately published, it appears probable that this mixture, which is 

 to be given after a night's fasting, is absorbed from the empty 

 stomach and bowels, and conveyed immediately to the ducts of 

 the liver, where it quickly destroys the flukes. It is not un- 

 likely, I think, that a similar mixture would be found a good 

 vermifuge in horses. 



[The great error in the exhibition of vermifuge medicine is 

 In not continuing its use for a sufficient length of time. When 

 we consider the vast amount of surface afforded by the intestines, 

 and that worms may be attached to a great portion of it, it may 

 readily be conceived that a few doses of medicine must com- 

 pletely fail in eradicating the greater portion of them. Another 

 error consists in not sufficiently attending to the restoration of 

 the coats of the intestines and the system generally to a healthy 

 state ; and thus, though some worms may be removed, yet the 

 system is left in a favourable state for the production of more. 



The following medicines have been found by the Editor 

 exceedingly useful, not only in desti-oying the worms, but in 

 restoring the condition of the animal ; — 



