^6 History of Animal Plagues. 



ignis sacer (gangrenous erysipelas or carbuncle) usually affected 

 the back of the horse, and consisted of a tumour filled with 

 matter, at other times a hard swelling, covered by a crust or 

 scab. The treatment was to open it, dress with pomegranate 

 powder, and poultice with meal. The next day pounded cypress 

 leaves were to be applied, mixed with vinegar, after the wound 

 had been washed. Cabbage leaves bruised in meal were to be 

 used subsequently.^ 



Hierocles, a Greek hippiatrist, of whose work only three 

 chapters remain, says that the horse is exposed to many kinds of 

 fevers or plagues : one which runs its course in twenty-four 

 hours, and is caused by excesses of any kind., It is an inflammation 

 of the spirits, which afl'ects the blood, and is cured bv repose. 

 The second fever begins by shivering, and finishes by perspir- 

 ation. The paroxysms last only twelve hours, and when they 

 go beyond that time it is termed bastard fever. To cure it, 

 blood must be abstracted in larger quantity than authors indi- 

 cate, and experience teaches that bleeding from the neck is very 

 beneficial. Refreshing drinks are also efficacious. Much good 

 results by keeping the bowels open by lavements of mallow, 

 mercury, honey, &c. The next fever is one of a continuous 

 nature, and pestilential, due to the presence of corrupt humours 

 in the interior of the vessels, and which it was necessary to treat 

 by blood-letting from the neck, and giving refreshing and cool- 

 inf food, barley gruel, and enemas. Its cause is owing to too 

 much phlegm in the system, in consequence of bad feeding. 

 Horses too fat and flabby are usually attacked by it in the autunm, 

 and it is difficult to cure. Moderate exercise is necessary for 

 these cases, and the skin should be rubbed with hot oil; while 

 their food should be stimulating and nourishing. This writer 

 only notices the carbuncular disease spoken of by Vegetius as 

 very dangerous to mares, and that it is necessary to dress the 

 tumours, which are hard, and to bathe them with vinegar. 



Another Greek veterinarian, by name Pclagonius, who 

 lived about this time, imagines that horses had the pest from too 

 much severe labour, by excessive heat, by great cold, sometimes 



' ApsyrtHs. Scrip. Gra;c. Vet. 



