60 THE HORSE AJfD ITS DESEASES. 



Strangwry, or suppression of urine, in rheumatic com- 

 plaints, is where the pain causes stiffness or lameness, 

 and which frequently shifts from one limb to another, 

 or when it affects the neck and occasions that stiffness 

 and contraction of the muscles which is commonly called 

 the chards in inflammation of the liver, the lungs, the 

 plura, stomach, intestines, kidnies, bladder, or any of 

 the internal viscera, in apoplexy, or giddiness, and in 

 all disorders where the head seems affected. 



On the other hand, bleeding is to be avoided in all 

 cases of extreme lowness, or weakness, produced by 

 fatigue, or disease, such as purging, or scouring, or 

 diabetes, or excessive staling, or during the time of 

 molting or shedding his coat. 



Physicing. 



In purging horses, great care and attention are 

 necessary, the bowels being particularly irritable, and 

 liable to inflammation. The physic gen^^ally given is 

 too strong. I am certain that many horses have been 

 destroyed by the immoderate doses that have been 

 recommended by writers on farriery. The only certain 

 and safe purgative for horses, is aloes ; and of the 

 different kinds of aloes, the Barbadoes is undoubtedly 

 the best ; and it is advisable to prepare a horse for 

 physic, by giving him bran mashes for two days before 

 he gets it, as the bran will gently relax the bowels, 

 and remove any indurated faces that may be lodged in 

 them — it will also tend to facilitate the operation of the 

 medicine. 



When the horse is purged for the first time, it is 

 prudent to give a very moderate dose ; were the common 

 quantity given to one of weak irritable bowels there 

 would be danger not only of producing great debility, 

 and thereby of counteracting the intention of the 

 medicine, but likewise of destroying the animal by 

 bringing an inflammation of the bowels, and this is by no 

 means an unusual occurrence. Should the first ball not 



