AND PHARMACOPCEIA. 401 



VETERINARY MATERIA MEDICA AND 

 PHARMACOPCEIA. 



ABLUENTS (from abluo, to wash away). Medicinal liquids, 

 or water slightly impregnated with mucilage, such as bran tea, 

 or white water, linseed tea, or decoction of marshmallows, which 

 are supposed to wash away or carry off gradually any noxious 

 matter there may be in the stomach or bowels, the biliary or 

 urinary passages, or the blood. 



ABSORBENTS. Medicines that absorb or neutralise any 

 acid matter there may be in the stomach or bowels. Of this 

 kind are potash, soda, magnesia, chalk, common clay and earth ; 

 the two last owe their absorbent properties to the carbonate of 

 lime they usually contain. The formation of acid in the stomach 

 depends on some derangement of that important organ, which is 

 brought on by the improper quantity or quality of the animal's 

 food. It will be to little purpose, therefore, to give medicine to 

 absorb the acid, unless the state of the stomach be corrected, 

 which cannot be done without avoiding the cause which dis- 

 ordered it. This morbid state of the stomach, and consequent 

 formation of an acid in it, is very common among horses, and is 

 indicated by a disposition to eat earth or drink muddy water, 

 especially when it is rendered turbid by clay or chalk ; and for 

 Avant of these they will gnaw or lick the walls of the stable, or 

 the dirt from their stalls, or eat their litter. This state of the 

 stomach appears to be brought on by eating too much hay, 

 especially when the hay is indifferent or bad; and this propen- 

 sity to eat too much hay is acquired gi-adually, by keeping young 

 horses idle in the stable with a rack full of hay before them, and 

 allowing them too much water ; also by irregular feeding, that 

 is, keeping them fasting too long, and then giving them as much 

 as they choose to eat and drink ; or by giving them bad hay, and 

 an insufficient quantity of oats, or bad oats as well as bad hav ; 

 exposing the animal to cold and wet, when heated and fatigued 

 by exercise, will disorder the stomach, and immoderate work 

 will do the same. In whatever manner this morbid condition of 

 the stomach is brought on, it must be obvious, after what has 

 been said, that absorbent medicines can only act as palliatives, 

 and as such they are certainly useful. It is advisable, however, 

 to give in the first place a mild dose of physic. If good hay 

 cannot be procured, some good straw may be substituted for it, 

 and a mash of fresh sweet bran, or pollard, by some named 



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