130 ON PHYSIC. 



were in this respect principally guided by the recipes 

 of their forefathei's. I have known them give aloes in 

 very large portions to horses in training, and at times, 

 without paying due attention to their constitutions, or 

 to the state in which their bodies were at the time ; 

 and from these circumstances, a valuable horse has 

 now and then died in physic ; and this is an error to 

 which grooms have too frequently been liable. The 

 aloes which were formerly made use of by grooms, were 

 principally the succotrine ; but for horses they are un- 

 certain in their effect, and are seldom to be depended 

 on, unless with delicate horses, or when given in very 

 large quantities. 



The Barbadoes aloes, being stronger than any 

 others, are of course more active, and although given 

 in a less quantity, they are more certain in their ope- 

 ration. If these aloes are given in proper quantities, 

 according to the age, constitution, and condition of the 

 horse, there is no danger to be apprehended from their 

 use. Indeed, as far as my experience has gone, I 

 think the Barbadoes far the best for all descriptions of 

 horses, but more particularly for race-horses, which 

 are at all times very difficult to be purged. It is by 

 giving powerful physic that horses are much debili- 

 tated, and thrown back in their condition. I remem- 

 ber an instance of a large quantity of aloes being given 

 to a three-year-old colt, which I looked after myself. 

 The groom I was living under at that time could 

 neither read nor write ; nor could any boy in the stable 

 except myself. Stable boys, at the period I am 



