452 MATERIA MEDICA 



irritation. It is therefore peculiarly suited to those disorders of 

 the intestinal tube which i-equire laxatives. The dose is from 

 half a pint to a pint, or a pint and a half. 



It has been asserted that castor oil is a good remedy for 

 worms ; but I have seen it given for this complaint without 

 effect. It has been suggested that either olive oil or linseed oil 

 may be substituted for. castor oil; perhaps they are inferior as 

 laxatives, but so much cheaper that they ought to be fairly tried. 

 See Laxatives. 



CATAPLASM. — Cataplasma. See POULTICE. 



CATECHU. See Acacia Catechu. 



CATHARTICS, or PUPvGATIVES. Medicines that cause 

 purging. The preparations employed for this purpose are com- 

 monly termed physic. Previously to physicking a horse, he 

 should be fed with bran mashes for two or three days, and have 

 moderate but regular exercise, or be worked with moderation. 

 He should be allowed only a moderate quantity of hay, especially 

 if he has a voracious appetite ; and if inclined to eat his litter he 

 should be prevented by a muzzle, or by being tied up to the rack 

 in the day-time, or, what is still better, by having his litter re- 

 moved during the day, and by applying the muzzle at night after 

 he has eaten his allowance of hay. If in low condition some oats 

 may be mixed with the bran mashes ; but eight to ten pounds of 

 good hay are a sufficient alloAvance for a day and night. On the 

 morning when the physic is given, neither hay nor mashes should 

 be allowed, until two or three hours after it has been taken. 

 Some practitioners, however, direct a small thin mash of bran 

 only to be given about an hour aftei', for the purpose of dissolving 

 or mixing with the physic. It Is a good plan to give a moderate 

 quantity of mash about two hours before the physic is given, as 

 some horses refuse it altogether afterwards. If this Is not done, 

 a little should be given about an hour after the physic, before 

 nausea Is created. This, however, is unnecessar}^, though sup- 

 posed to render the effect milder and more expeditious : but this 

 is not the case ; physic should be given fasting. Dui'ing the day 

 the horse may have walking exercise for about half an hour, and 

 once only, and be fed with bran mashes, and have the chill taken 

 off his water. Grooms generally consider exercise unnecessary 

 or improper on the day the physic is given : and on the following 

 day, when the medicine generally operates, they are apt to give 

 too much exercise. But as soon as the purging has taken place 

 in a sufficient degree, which is generally the case about the 

 afternoon of the day after it is taken, exercise is unnecessary or 

 improper ; and should the purging continue or be found to be 

 going on the following morning, that is, on the morning of the 

 third day. Including that on which the medicine was given, it 

 should be restrained by gruel made of arrow-root or fine wheat 



