THE COMPLETE FARRIER. 37 



cured disease, and therefore what is called a Surfeit in horses is very 

 different to the disease which bears that name in the human body ; 

 the latter being the beginning of a disease, and the former the re- 

 mains of one. 



Symptoms. — The horse's coat will stare, look of a rusty color, and 

 even appear dirty, although the greatest pains have been taken to 

 keep him clean. His skin will be covered with scales and dandriff, 

 which will appear hke meal among the hair, and when cleaned off 

 will be followed by a continual succession of the same matter, occa- 

 sioned by the perspiration being obstructed. Some horses will be 

 covered with a kind of scab, sometimes moist, attended with heat and 

 inflammation, and the humor so very sharp, and causing so violent an 

 itching, that the creature is incessantly rubbing himself, and by that 

 means making himself raw in different parts of his body. Some 

 horses have neither scales, dandriff, nor scab ; but look dull, sluggish 

 and lazy. Some are hidebound, and others afflicted with flying pains 

 and a temporary lameness. In short, the symptoms are very various, 

 and almost as numerous as those of the scurvy itself. 



Causes. — The causes are as various as the symptoms. Some horses 

 are surfeited by high feeding and want of proper exercise ; which 

 produce a bad digestion, and generate ill humors. Some are surfeit- 

 ed by unwholesome food ; some by hard riding ; some by drinking 

 cold water when they are hot ; some by bad or improper physic, and 

 some by standing in stables through which the rain drops, or by lying 

 wet. But as many also get surfeited by standing when hot at the 

 doors of public-houses, such bad practices should be guarded against. 



Cure. — If we duly consider the nature of Surfeits, their cure will 

 be much more easily performed. All allow that they arise from a 

 bad state of the blood ; but how is this to be remedied ? By bleeding 

 and purging. But this must be done in a very gentle manner. Take 

 about a quart of blood, and the next day give the following ball : 



1 oz of Socotrine Aloes. 



1 dram of Calomel pp. 



2 do. Oil of Aniseeds. 



Add as much lenitive electuary as will make it into a ball. Give 

 plenty of warm water to work it off. Repeat both bleeding and physic 

 in eight days ; and when the last dose is wrought off, give him six 

 ounces of the cordial balls in a little warm ale. Also give a spoon- 

 ful of the following powders every day in a mash. 



4 oz. of Flour of Brimstone. 

 4 do. of Crocus Metalorum. 

 4 do. Nitre, in powder. 



Mix all up well together. By persevering in the above method you 



may cure the most inveterate Surfeit, and if any scabs or runnings 



appear in the skin, rub them with the following : 



4 oz. of Sulphur Vivum. 



2 do. White Copperas. 



2 do. White Hellebore, in powder. 



Mix these powders with churn-milk, rub the places affected well, 

 and the grievance will soon disappear. Sometimes a Surfeit settles in 



