82 Diseases of the Horse. 



head the moment he shows signs of disease, as we observe 

 various Avriters on cattl6, sheep and swine recommend in re- 

 ference to those animals. A dead horse is proverbially of the 

 least possible use. Hence the owner will naturally spare no 

 reasonable pains to keep him alive, as a lame or a sick horse 

 is better than no horse at all. 



The equine species, in which we include the mule and the 

 ass, differs remarkably from the other herbivorous animals 

 we shall consider, in having but one stomach. The tract of 

 the bowels is enormous ; if spread out, it is estimated they 

 would cover ninety square feet Like all the herbivora, he 

 responds very slowly to certain medicines. He never vomits, 

 so emetics are useless ; and many purges act on him slowly 

 and irregularly. Saline purges, for instance, as Epsom and 

 Glauber salts, are quite unsuitable, sometimes appearing in- 

 ert, or again acting so violently that they produce inflamma- 

 tion and exhaustion. For this pur]30se, aloes, especially 

 Barbadoes aloes, on account of their cheapness, are preferred. 

 These, if properly administered, will act in eight or ten hours. 

 Senna, colocynth, buckthorn and other cathartics of value in 

 man have scarcely any such effect on horses. 



This species is more subject to high inflammatory diseases 

 than the other three which w^e shall treat. Fevers and mala- 

 dies of a low, typhoid type are comparatively rare in the 

 horse. He is moreover of a courageous, enduring disposition, 

 and will not yield to the attacks of disease as readily as an 

 ox or sheep. Nevertheless, the treatment by bleeding, active 

 purges, tartar emetic and calomel, heretofore promiscuously 

 practised on hira, is by no means to be commended ; it be- 

 longs to a past age, and only lingers imder the favor of 

 ignorance and prejudice. Not many traces of it will be found 

 in the following pages, as what we have to present is not a 

 rechauffe of antiquated opinions. 



