102 THE HORSE. 



occasionally die on the spot, and peculiarly dangerous to those who drive 

 him, for there will frequently be no warning or opportunity to escape. It 

 likewise happens, that whether the vessels have been weakened by this 

 violent distension, and afterwards offer less resistance to the flow of blood, 

 or, whatever be the cause, a horse that has once been attacked by megrims 

 is very subject to a return of the complaint. No prudent man will drive a 

 horse that has had a second attack, especially if, in the intermediate time, 

 he has taken proper means to prevent a recurrence of the fit. 



At the moment of attack, a person who is able to bleed should take three- 

 or four quarts of blood from the neck ; or any one can cut the bars of the 

 palate in the manner explained where we describe the palate, and whence a 

 considerable and sufficient quantity of blood may be readily obtained. The 

 driver should pat and soothe the animal, and carefully examine the harness, 

 and pursue his journey as gently as circumstances will permit. When he 

 gets home, a dose of physic * should be administered if the horse can be 

 spared, and the quantity of dry food lessened, and mashes given, or green 

 meat, or the horse should be turned out at night, or turned out altogether 

 for tv/o or three months. 



APOPLEXY. 



The attack sometimes assumes a still more violent form. The horse 

 falls and dies at once. It then rather resembles, or is the same with apo- 

 plexy in the human being. To this more serious form of the disease he is 

 subject in the stable, and even at pasture ; but there is generally some 

 warning. He will be seen with the head low, extended almost to the 

 ground, and supported against the manger. He staggers as he stands. 

 If moved, he appears as if he would fall. His sight and hearing are evi- 

 dently atfected. This is not mad staggers, for no inflammation of the 

 brain is found ; nor stomach-staggers, for there is no distension of the sto- 

 mach. The horse will continue in this way from one hour to twelve. He 

 then falls ; — grinds his teeth ; — his eyes are open, protruded, and fixed — the 

 pupil is dilated ; — there are twitchings about the frame ; — the muzzle is 

 cold ; — the vein of the neck is evidently swelled ; — he is unable to swallow ; 

 — the drink is returned by the nostril or the mouth, and the dung often 

 voided involuntarily : — the twitchings increase to strong convulsions, and 

 death speedily closes the scene. 



If there be time for medical treatment, the course to be pursued is plain 

 enough. Bleed copiouslyt ; — take at once eight or ten quarts. Bleed from a 

 vein in preference to an artery, for an artery which supplies the brain can- 

 not be got at. Bleed from the jugular or common neck vein, for that re- 

 turns the blood from the brain, and a large quantity rapidly drawn from 

 this vein may possibly give relief. Next back-rake, or remove the dung 

 from the lower intestine with the hand, and give a strong dose of physic : 

 but the case is usually hopeless, and the most decisive and skilful treat- 

 ment alone can avail. We decidedly object to two methods of cure 

 adopted by some farriers, and farmers too. The first is to blow pep- 

 per (and Cayenne pepper if they can get it) up the nostrils of the horse. 

 The violent sneezing that will be produced if the animal is not too insen- 

 sible must pnobably, or almost certainly, rupture some of the vessels 

 already over-distended. The other practice is to give spices and bark to 

 rouse the animal. The effect of these would be to quicken the circulation, 



* By physic, Avhenever the word occurs in this Treatise, we mean purgative medicine. 

 ■)■ Full directions for bleeding will be gwen, when we describe the various operations 

 which it may be necessary to perform on the horse. 



