THE horse-keeper's GUIDE. 299 



grass and putting him too suddenly into a stable, where he 

 IS fed upon oats and hay ; or by feeding him too high, with 

 little or no exercise. 



Fever, when thus induced, does not require medicine ; 

 a copious and early bleeding, is the best means of cure. — 

 Bleed till faintness is produced ; from one to two gallons 

 of blood should be taken. A light and moderate diet 

 should be given for a few days, by which time he will have 

 recovered. A dose of eight ounces of Epsom, or Glaub- 

 er's salts, may be given with advantage the day after the 

 blood-letting, and repeated, if thought useful, an the fourth 

 day. Let the horse be kept cool, not wari/.ly clothed, nor 

 in a stable where the warmth is any higi^ r than temper- 

 ate; if he be turned out into a field, when the weather is 

 favourable, it will be as well. 



Inflammation. — When to the first symptoms of this dis- 

 ease, usually exhibited in a heaviness, redness of the mem- 

 branes under the eyelids, want of appetite, and disincli- 

 nation to motion, that of delirium or madness is added, — 

 when the horse becomes violent, plunges about, and en- 

 deavours to bite every thing, inflammation is then very ac- 

 tive in operation, and must be checked, — In this case, a 

 horse, after a fit of dehrium, sometimes falls down, as if ex- 

 hausted, and after lying for a time, gets up suddenly, and 

 becomes as violent as ever. The treatment in this is the 

 same as in the previous case, early and copious bleeding, 

 but to a greater extent; he must now be bled until per- 

 fectly free from delirium, and at least two to three gallons 

 of blood must be taken. — in other respects, the remedial 

 treatment may be the same as in the preceding case. 



Staggers, — This is also an inflammatory disease, but is 

 produced by very different causes to either of the prece- 

 ding : staggers are usually the consequence of improper 

 feeding, or rather of unwholesome food, as bad or foul hay, 

 or rank grass ; and are evidently induced by a cause which 

 impairs the digestive system, and leaves the stomach dis- 

 tended with undigested food. This disease is called by a 

 variety of names, as lethargy, apoplexy, epilepsy, vertigo, 

 convulsions, &c. ; it presents itself under two distinct forms, 

 which may be described as sleeping staggers, and mad 

 staggers. 



When the sleeping staggers attack a horse, he nangs his 

 head as if unable to hold it up ; is dull and inactive, and 

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