372 THE HORSE. 



frenerally in the alimentary canal : therefore a few mashes, and a mild 

 dose of physic, are first indicated, and, simple as they appear to be, they 

 often have a very beneficial effect. The regular action of the bowels being 

 re-established, that of all the organs of the frame will speedily follow. If 

 the horse cannot be spared for physic, alteratives may be administered. 

 There is no better alterative for being hide-bound and having an unthrifty 

 coat than that which is in common use, and which w^e have so often recom- 

 mended, levigated antimony, nitre, and sulphur ; and given, in these 

 cases, in doses of two drachms of the first, three of the second, and four 

 of the last, and repeated every night in a mash, or in the form of ball. 

 The peculiar effect of the antimony and sulphur on the skin, of the sulphur 

 on the bowels, and of the nitre on the urinary organs, will be here advanta- 

 geously combined. 



Should the horse not feed well, and there be no indication of fever, a 

 slight tonic may be added, as one drachm of gentian, and half a drachm 

 of ginger ; but in the majority of cases attended by loss of condition, and 

 an unthrifty coat, and hide-bound, tonics and aromatics should be care- 

 fully avoided. The cause of the impaired action of the vessels being 

 removed, the powers of nature will generally be sufficient, and had better 

 be let alone. There are not any more dangerous medicines in common 

 use in the stable, and especially in cases like these, than tonics and cor- 

 dials. They often arouse to fatal action a tendency to fever that would 

 otherwise have slept, or they produce a state of excitement near akin to 

 fever, and apt to degenerate into it. By the stimulus of a cordial the 

 secretions may be suddenly roused, and among them, this unctuous 

 secretion from the pores of the skin, so necessary to apparent condi- 

 tion ; but the effect soon passes over, a repetition of the stimulus is neces- 

 sary — the habit is soon formed — the dose must be gradually increased, 

 and in the mean time the animal is kept in a state of dangerous excite- 

 ment, and the powers of nature must be eventually impaired. 



Friction may be employed with advantage in the removal of hide-bound. 

 It has repeatedly been shown that it is one of the most efficacious instru- 

 ments we can use to call into exercise the suspended energies either of the 

 absorbent or secreting vessels. V/armth may likewise be employed, not 

 warmth of stable, which has been shown to be so injurious, and that in a 

 much more important way than the mere want of condition, but warmth 

 of clothing. But before this can be fully considered, the hair by which the 

 skin is covered must be described. 



THE HAIR. 



The hair is the natural clothing of all our domestic quadrupeds. It is 

 some protection from violence, and more so from cold ; and it varies with 

 the climate in which they live. It springs from below the skin. There 

 are found on the cellular and fatty substance, immediately in contact with 

 the internal surface of the skin, numerous little bulbs, which penetrate into 

 and pass through the true skin, and which arriving at the cuticle, the hair 

 protrudes from the summit of them. The hair itself, when examined 

 through a microscope, is seen to be a little tube, containing a pulpy matter, 

 which runs through the whole length of it, by which probably the hair is 

 fed, and rendered pliant; and the loss of which under disease may add to 

 the hard and unthrifty feeling of the coat of a horse out of condition. 

 There is no essential difference in the structure of the hair in different 

 parts, as the mane, the tail, and the body, except that the former is larger, 

 longer, and stronger. 



