36 THE COMPLETE FARRIER. 



Symptoms. — It is always attended with a fever, heat, restlessness, 

 starting and trembling, inward sickness, and shortness of breath. 

 Also the horse's dung is extremely greasy, and he often falls into a 

 scouring. His blood, when cold, is covered with a thick scum of fat, 

 of a white or yellow color, but generally the latter. The congeaied 

 part, or sediment, appears like a mixture of size and grease, and is 

 so extremely slippery that it will not adhere to the fingers ; and the 

 small proportion of serum is also slippery and clammy. The horse 

 soon loses his flesh and fat, the latter being probably dissolved into 

 the blood. Such as have sufficient strength to sustain the first shock, 

 commonly become hidebound, and their legs swell greatly ; and in 

 this state they continue till the blood and juices are rectified ; and if 

 that is not done effectually, the Farcy, or an obstinate Surfeit, is 

 generally the consequence, which cannot be removed but with the 

 utmost difficulty. 



Cure. — In the first place, bleed pretty plentifully, and repeat the 

 operation two or three days successively ; but take care that you take 

 only a small quantity at a time after the first bleeding, as otherwise 

 the creature would be rendered too weak to support himself, and his 

 blood too poor to be easily recruited. As soon as he has been bled 

 the first time, let two or three rowels be put in, and the emollient 

 clysters prescribed for Fevers be thrown up daily, to mitigate the 

 fever, and to cleanse the intestines from the greasy matter. At the 

 same time plenty of water-gruel should be given him, and sometimes 

 a small quantity of water, with a little nitre dissolved in it. The 

 latter Avill be of great service, as it will prevent the blood from run- 

 ning into grumous concretions, and proving the source of innumerable 

 disorders, if not causing a total stagnation, and consequently the death 

 of the animal. 



The horse must be treated in this manner till the fever be entirely 



gone, and he shall have recovered his appetite ; and then it will be 



necessary to give him three or four purges, a week distant from each 



other, which will make him stale and perspire plentifully, and at the 



same time bring down the swelling of his legs. The following is 



well calculated for the purpose : 



6 drams of Socotrine Aloes. 

 4 do. Gum Guaiacum, in powder. 

 2 do. Ginger. 

 t 2 do. Jalap. 

 2 do. Oil of Juniper. 



To be made into a ball with syrup of buckthorn. By pursuing 

 this method the horse will soon be recovered, for this purge will mend 

 his appetite and increase his flesh. If it be too weak, add a dram 

 more of aloes. It will bring down his swelled legs, and carry away 

 all the superfluous matter that clogs the blood. When you give the 

 physic, be careful to give plenty of warm water all the time. 



A SURFEIT. 



Some people pronounce every ill-thriven horse surfeited, whether 

 it is so or not. A Surfeit is nothing more than the effects of an ill- 



