THE COMPLETE FARRIER. 21 



stronger hold, and opening the way for others to follow ; so that I ad- 

 vise all into whose hands this little treatise may fail, to give the medi- 

 cines herein recommended a fair trial ; and I hope they will seldom 

 be disappointed of a cure. 



THE STAGGERS. 



This disease is a grievous one indeed. Farriers generally divide 

 it into two heads: — The Heart Stagers and the Head Staggers: but 

 tney are both one. It is caused by the liver making blood so fast thai 

 the cavity of the heart is overloaded and the blood flies up the neck- 

 vein till the head is overloaded too : and if relief cannot be obtained, 

 the horse soon dies. 



Smyptoms. — The most common are, drowsiness, watery and some- 

 what full and inflamed eyes, a disposition to reel, feebleness, a bad 

 appetite, the head generally hanging down, or resting on the manger. 

 There is little or no fever, and the dung and urine are very little 

 altered. The horse soon begins to reel, and falls down, and sometimes 

 is so outrageous as to bite every thing in his way. 



Cure. — In the first place, bleed him well as soon as you possibly 

 can, by striking the veins in several places at once, and taking away 

 four or five quarts at one time ; and, in order to raise up his head and. 

 shoulders, support them with plenty of straw. If he survive the firs: 

 fit, cut several rowels, give him clysters at night and morning, made of 

 barley-water and a little sweet oil and salt; and blow up his nostrils a 

 little Cayenne pepper, or white hellebore. Also give him — 



4 drams of Bark. 

 16 grains of Turbeth Mineral. 

 * ounce of Camphor. 



Give it in a little warm ale. If the horse be outrageous, give him — 



1 oz. of Tincture of Opium. 

 1 gill of Syrup of Poppies. 

 1 oz. of Tincture Guaiacum. 



Ee careful not to let him knock his head, for it will increase the 

 disorder. If he get through the first fit, give him two ounces of crocus 

 metallorum every day, to thin his blood, for fear of a relapse. It will 

 be proper to give him the following ball once a month for some time, 

 after : 



1 oz. of Rhubarb, in powder. 



h do. of Jalap. 



1 dram of Calomel, 8 drams to the oz. 



To be made into a ball with syrup of buckthorn. This ball will be 

 of great use in thinning the blood, and preventing a return of the dis- 

 order : for' when a horse has had one fit of it, he is very likely to have 

 another, if care be not taken to prevent it. 



CONVULSIONS, OR THE STAG EVIL. 



Of all disorders to which horses are subject, this is the worst, and is 

 scarcely discoverable till the horse falls down raging mad. It seizes 

 him all at once, without any previous warning. He raises his head, 



