FOUNDERS IN HORSES. 



The Chest Founder. — The chest founder is produced by violent exercise od 

 a full stomach, and drinking large quantities of cold branch water ; by the use 

 of moldy bran, corn, or oats, or by eating large quantities of green food, such 

 as oats, wheat, peas, &c, while performing hard labor. The seat of the dis- 

 ease is in the lungs ; the heart and liver are also considerably enlarged, inso- 

 much that there is not room for them to perform their office with ease. The 

 liver, lungs, diaphragm, and surrounding parts, are all covered with large 

 brown spots, and are much inflamed. 



A horse that is chest foundered, will straddle or stake with his fore legs, 

 showing an unwillingness to bring his feet together; and if they are placed 

 ' near each other, he will not permit them to remain so for a minute. Indeed 

 they are frequently twelve or eighteen inches apart, which is caused by a full- 

 ness and continual uneasiness about the chest : the cavity being too small to 

 contain the lungs, &c, in their enlarged situation with ease. 



The hind legs are free from the palsied appearance of those before, and it is 

 not difficult to distinguish it from a common founder, as it is wanting in all 

 its symptoms, except the stiff and numbed appearance of the legs. 



Large bleedings and half an ounce of aloes, given internally in a ball, have 

 sometimes afforded momentary relief. A horse laboring under this disease, is 

 worth but little more than his board, as he is unable to bear fatigue, or undergo 

 severe service. 



The Common Founder is caused by riding the horse until much heated and 

 fatigued, and then allowing him to cool suddenly, by drinking freely of cold 

 water, or standing in an exposed situation, or in a cold stable without cover- 

 ing ; or, without sudden cooling, it may be produced by too bountiful feeding, 

 and his swallowing his food greedily, while very warm and hungry. 



Under such unfavorable circumstances, the poor animal, after resting, instead 

 of being refreshed, is stiff and sore ; his rest, food, and drink, being more de- 

 structive to health than constant action and abstinence. On the contrary, had 

 he been allowed to cool gradually, and fed sparingly, he would have escaped 

 injury. 



Remedy. — Take from the neck vein a gallon of blood, and give as a drink, in 

 a quart of strong sassafras tea, a table-spoonful of saltpetre, and a quarter of an 

 ounce of assafuetida ; withholding any drink for six hours ; at the end of which, 

 should he not be better, take half the quantity of blood, repeat the drink, offer- 

 ing him bran or oats scalded with sassafras tea, his drink being mixed with tea. 

 His feet should be well cleaned, and filled with cow dung. 



Another. — As soon as your horse is foundered, bleed him in the neck in pro- 

 portion to the severity of the case. In extreme cases, bleed him as long as he 

 can stand. Then draw his head up, and, with a spoon, lay salt back on his 

 tongue, till he has swallowed one pint. Let him drink only moderately. An- 

 noint his feet with spirits of turpentine, and he will soon be well. The founder 

 pervades every part of the system. Bleeding arrests it in the blood, and the 

 salt in the stomach and bowels. Attend to it immediately after the injury. 



H. Cole, in the Prairie Farmer, recommends, as a simple and certain cure, to 

 bleed the horse freely in the neck, as soon as the founder is discovered, and as 

 soon as practicable, place him in water about up to his belly — the colder the 

 better — and let him stand two-thirds of a day ; or, if badly foundered, longer. 

 This drives the founder from his feet and legs, and prevents its settling there. 



POLL EVIL. 



This disease in the Horse proceeds sometimes from striking the poll of his head 

 against any hard substance, or from bruising the part with the halter, which cause it to 

 swell. First abate the inflammation by bleeding, physic, and the application of cold 

 lotions to the part. This will sometimes disperse the swelling. If it matters, hasten 

 its formation with warm fomentations, poultices or stimulating embrocations; then open 

 the swelling so that the whole of the matter should run out and continue to do so. This 

 is done bv a seton. Keep it clean with warm water. A piece of the skin of old bacon 

 rubbed on with a hot iron is a good application. Poll evil has been cured by the fol- 

 lowing mixture (apparently at least by it in some instances). Take finely pulverized 

 flint gtass three spoonfuls, put into urine, one pint in a bottle, and bury it in the ground 

 for three or four days; after which take one spoonful or more of the mixture, well 

 shaken up, and put that much into each ear.^once a day for three, four or five days. 



