Scalded Shorts. 105 



method of administering medicines. 

 We know of no improvement to the common custom 

 of administering medicine in the form of a drench, using 

 a common champagne bottle, and stand a little elevated 

 on the right side of the horse, your back turned towards 

 his body ; then take a firm hold of the lower jaw with 

 the left hand, at the same time moderately elevatmg the 

 head, (not too high,) while with the right introduce the 

 bottle between the canine teeth and grinders, keep it in 

 that position, and gradually pour down the contents of 

 the bottle. Time should be taken. If it is poured down 

 in small quantities, so much the better ; the horse will 

 be more likely to swallow it, especially if it shall be 

 made palatable by the addition of a few caraway seeds 

 or a little honey. Medicine given in the fluid form is 

 readily taken up by the lacteals, and operates, for good 

 or evil, in much less time than balls. Horses, like chil- 

 dren, must be handled in the most gentle manner. They 

 will generally refuse to drink even a little gruel, when 

 any unnecessary severity is resorted to in its administra- 

 tion. They may be coaxed, but not forced. 



SCALDED SHORTS. 



Shorts, as they are familiarly termed, when scalded 

 make an excellent diet for sick animals. The usual 

 method of preparation is, to turn two or three quarts of 

 shorts mto a bucket, to which add boiling water, so that the 

 mixture, when stirred, shall be about the consistence of 

 a soft poultice ; it is then to be covered with a cloth, and 

 not given to the horse until sufficiently cool. When a 

 horse has taken cold, and labors under a discharge from 

 the nostrils, the mash may be put into the manger while 

 hot, with a view of steaming the nasal passages, and fa- 



