382 THE HORSE. 



feeling, with a stronger smell, broken with difficulty, and the fracture dull. 

 The Cape are darker coloured, stronger smelling, very brittle, and the 

 fracture perfectly glossy. Every person who uses much aloes should buy 

 them in the mass, and powder them himself, and then, by attending to 

 this account of the difference of the three, he can scarcely be imposed upon. 

 Aloes purchased in powder are too often sadly adulterated. The Cape 

 may be powdered at all times, and the Barbadoes in frosty weather, 

 when enough may be prepared, to be kept in closed bottles, for the year's 

 consumption. They may also be powdered when they have been taken 

 from the gourd, and exposed to a gentle heat for two or three hours 

 before they are put into the mortar. Fifteen ounces of the powder, mixed 

 with one ounce of powdered ginger, and beaten up with eight ounces of 

 palm oil, and afterwards divided into the proper doses, will form a purging 

 mass more effectual, and much less likely to gripe, than any that can be 

 procured by melting the drug. If the physic is given in the shape of ball, 

 it more readily dissolves in the stomach, and more certainly and safely 

 acts on the bowels when made up with some oily matter, like that just 

 recommended, than when combined with syrup or honey, which are 

 apt to ferment, and be themselves the causes of gripes. It is also worse 

 than useless to add any diuretic to the mass, as soap or carbonate of 

 soda. The action of these on one set of organs will weaken the action 

 of the aloes on another. A physic mass should never be kept more than 

 two or three months, for after that time it rapidly loses its purgative 

 property. 



Directions for physicking will be found at p. 210. We will only add 

 that, as a promoter of condition, the dose should always be mild. A few- 

 fluid stools will be sufficient for every good purpose. Violent disease will 

 alone justify violent purging. 



Three drachms of Barbadoes aloes will have as much purgative power 

 as four of the Cape, exclusive of 'griping less and being safer. If the 

 horse is well mashed, and carefully exercised, and will drink plenty"of 

 warm water, the Cape may be ventured on, or at least mixed with equal 

 quantities of the Barbadoes ; but if there be any neglect of preparation 

 for physic, or during the usual operation of the physic, the Cape are 

 not to be depended upon, and may be dangerous. 



Some persons are fond of what are called half-doses of physic. Three 

 or four drachms are given in one day, and three or four on the following, 

 and perhaps, if the medicine has not operated, as in this divided state it 

 will not always, two or three additional drachms are given on the third 

 day. The consequence is, that the bowels having been rendered irritable 

 by the former doses, the horse is over-purged, and inflammation and death 

 not unfrequently ensue, when the effect of the three becomes combined. 

 In physicking a horse, whatever is to be done should be done at once. 

 Whatever quantity is intended to be given, should be given in one dose. 



The system of giving small doses of aloes as alteratives is not good. 

 These repeated small doses lodging in some of the folds of the intestines, 

 and at length uniting, often produce more effect than is desirable ; and 

 it is never safe to ride a horse far or fast, with even a small dose of aloes 

 within him. 



Most of all objectionable is the custom of giving small doses of aloes as 

 a nauseant, in inflammation of the lungs. There is so much sympathy 

 between the contents of the chest and the belly of the horse, and inflani- 

 mation of one part is so likely to be transferred to another, that it is 

 treading on very dangerous ground, when, with much inflammation of the 

 lungs, that is given which will stimulate and may inflame the intestines. 



