THE HORSE AND ITS DISEASES. 59 



Although the cases which may require bleeding are 

 numerous, yet, one general caution is necessary, namely, 

 never to take away blood but when it is absolutely 

 necessary, for it is a fluid that may be easily taken away, 

 but not so easily replaced. Besides the practice of 

 bleeding frequently, or at stated times, is exceedingly 

 improper, as it disposes the body to become weak and 

 relaxed. In bleeding, therefore, a due regard must 

 always be had to the constitution, age, strength, etc., of 

 the horse, and the state or habit of the body it is in at 

 the time 



Although blood ought not in general be taken from 

 horses on trifling occasions, when they may be said to 

 be healthy, yet, when cases occur that do require it, it 

 may not only safely, but usefully be recommended to 

 take a greater quantity at once, than is usually done. 

 For instance, from three to four quarts, according to the 

 urgency of the symptoms at the time. 



For as horses are veiy subject to inflammatory diseases, 

 and those that are of the spasmodic kind, and as bleeding 

 plentifully relaxes the whole system of the horse in 

 these cases, the taking away a small quantity of blood, 

 is, in fact, playing with the disease ; the horse is then 

 said to be blooded, and that satisfies the owner and farrier. 

 Time is thus lost, the disease acquires strength, and it 

 may then be beyond the power of art to mitigate or 

 conquer it ; hence, the horse falls a sacrifice to timidity 

 and ignorance. 



It is to be remembered that inflammatory diseases, 

 particularly when the bowels are aftected, make a very 

 rapid progress in horses, and if they ai'e not overcome 

 at the beginning by bleeding freely, the liorse commonly 

 dies in 24 hours of a gangrene or mortification in the 

 intestines. 



Bleeding is ^sometimes the quicker method of giving 

 relief in the beginning of inflammatoiy fevers, to which 

 horses are very liable, it is also necessary in all violent 

 acute pains, as in gripes or cholics. 



