Medication by the Mouth or Nostrils. 



MEDICATIOX BY THE MOUTH OR NOSTRILS. 



39 



A ball or bolus is made by mixing the medicine to be 

 given with linseed meal, molasses or soap, to bring the mass 

 to a consistency of a thick paste, and then rolling it out in 

 the shape of a small cylinder, about two inches long by a 

 half or three-quarters thick. These can be wrapped in oiled 

 paper or coated with sugar or gum. For horses this is the 

 most common and handy method of giving medicine. What 

 is called " common mass " is a mixture of equal parts of 

 linseed and molasses, and is much used for giving a proper 

 consistence to other drugs. 



The ball may be administered either with the aid of the 

 balling iron or with the fingers, and the latter plan is gene- 

 rally preferable. The operation is as follows :— 



The ball is held by one end in the right hand between the 

 thumb, which supports it below, and the fingers above, the 



FIG 2.— MODE OF ADMINISTERING A BALL EY THE HAND. 



hand being drawn together and rounded as nmch as possible. 

 The horse's tongue is gently drawn out a little way by the 



