930 PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Pakt II I. 



by exciting evaporation will keep the part cool. A seton may be introduced under the eye or jaw. I n some 

 cases, blistering the forehead or cheek is found useful ; but in every instance bleeding is proper, which 

 should be repeated until the disease lessens. When the Iiorse is very full and gross, physic and alteratives 

 assist the cure. When blistering is used in any part near the eye, the greatest care is requisite to prevent 

 the blistering matter from being rubbed into it. A very peculiar ophthalmic aft'ection is also sometimes 

 occasioned, particularly to the horses of hot climates, by the entrance of a fdaria or thread-worm into the 

 globe of the eye, which swimming about in the aqueous humour, eventually occasions violent inflam- 

 mation. The cure consists in letting out the aqueous humour with a lancet, when, the filkria escaping 

 with the fluid, recovery follows. 



6441. Gdlta serena of glass eyes, so called from the peculiar glassy appearance of the eye, arise from 

 a paralysis of the optic nerve. As the eye is not materially altered in appearance, a horse often be- 

 comes blind without its being noticed, until his cautious stepping, quick motion of his ears, &c., give 

 notice of the case. On examination it will be found that the pupil remains dilated, however great 

 the light, and the eye is irrecoverably lost. In the very early stages, blisters to the forehead and 

 stimulants to the eyes (as white vitriol a drachm, water four ounces,) may be tried, but with faint hopes 

 of success. 



6442. Pole evil. This complaint commonly requires the attendance of an experienced practitioner : but 

 the prevention is often in the power of owners, and others about horses ; and to this point we shall par. 

 ticularly direct their attention. Pole evil is commonly the effect of accident. Repeated small blows 

 of the manger, or continued pressure from hanging back on the halter, &c., will, if not remedied, 

 produce swelling at the nape of the neck, with some tenderness. In this early state, if the collar be 

 removed, and the part be kept continually wet with vinegar and water, the swelling will often disperse; 

 but if, in spite of this, it proceeds to suppuration, let a vent be made for the matter by a seton (6337.) 

 so that it may readily flow out. Introduce nothing healing, but encourage a free discharge, and it may 

 yet heal at once. When such is not the issue, the disease attacks the ligaments, sinuses form, and the 

 matter burrows under the skin and muscles, when a seton must be introduced from the opening above and 

 should be brought out at the bottom : the seton should be then daily wetted with the liquid blister. {,Vet. 

 Phartn.6562) Should this plan fail, escharotics will be required in the {orm of the scalding 7?iixtu7e. 

 (Vet. Phann. 6586.) 



6443. Strangles, vives, or ives. This disease has been likened to the human measles ; because it usually 

 attacks every horse, and most of them at a young period, between three and five years. It is fortunate 

 when it attacks colts at grass, as it seldom occasions inconvenience, which has led some persons into 

 error by turning their horses out as soon as attacked ; but it is not found that stabled horses, thus turned 

 out, pass through the disease more mildly, but the contrary, except the disease exists under its very 

 mildest form. White has conjectured that colts breeding the strangles while at grass are afterwards ex- 

 empt from glanders, but this wants confirmation. Prosser has also affirmed, that inoculation by the matter 

 of strangles is good; because it mitigates the complaint, and renders the horse not liable to any future 

 attack : but the practice has never gained ground. When the strangles occurs in the stable, and now and 

 then also in the field, it proves a severe disease, and shows itself under the appearance of a cold, with 

 cough, sore throat, and swelling of the glands under the jaws, or behind and under the ears. Sometimes 

 there is not much external swelling, and the tumours break inwardly, and nature efl:ects a cure; at others 

 they break outwardly, and the disease runs off that way ; and sometimes the swellings disperse either by 

 nature or art, which breeders think unfavourable, as they suppose it renders the animal liable to a future 

 attack, but many so treated pass the remainder of their lives without more affection. 



64^44. The treatment of strangles. When the swelling lingers, and neither comes forward nor recedes, 

 poultices are preferable to fomentations, which, by leaving the horse wet, promote evaporation and 

 produce cold. Peal recommends blistering the part, as the best means of promoting suppuration. The 

 horse should be kept very cool, and bran mashes with warm water should be his principle support, unless 

 the complaint last long, and produce much weakness, when malt mashes should be substituted. Bleeding 

 is only advisable when the early symptoms are violent, as heaving at the flanks, extreme soreness of 

 throat, with much swelling around it, and considerable cough, in which case bleeding and fever medicines 

 are proper. 



6445. Vives, or ives, is supposed to be a relic of the latter complaint, and it does appear now and then that 

 after the strangles the parotid or vive glands do remain enlarged (6463.), which occasions the disease in 

 question : resolution may be attempted by mercurial frictions; suppuration should be avoided, otherwise 

 the gland may be destroyed. 



6446. Diseases of the mouth, Inmpas. All horses, but particularly very young ones, are liable to enlarge- 

 ment of the rugfc or ridges of the palate, dependent not on any local disease confined to the part itself, but 

 occasioned by an aflection of the whole passage of the ipouth, throat, and stomach. It is usual to attend 

 to the part only, which is scarified or burnt to little purpose, when a mild dose of physic, or gentle altera- 

 tives, would prove more certain expedients ; to which may be added rubbing the ruga themselves with bay 

 salt, or with vinegar. 



6447. Bridle sores. When the bit in colt breaking, or in hard-pulling horses, has hurt the bars, care is 

 requisite to prevent the bone becoming carious. Touch daily with zegyptiacum, and cover the bit with 

 leather, unless total rest can be allowed. < 



6448. Diseases of the teeth are fully treated of under the apatomical description of the bones. (6305.) 



SuBSECT. 4. Diseases of the Neck. 



6449. Fistulous withers are brought on usually by pressure from a saddle with too low or narrow a saddle- 

 tree ; and what has been said both with regard to prevention and cure on the subject of pole evil, will 

 equally apply here also. (6442.) 



645(). Sore throat is common to horses in colds, in influenzas, and in strangles. (6434. 6443.) It is dis- 

 covered by the horse chewing his hay, but instead of swallowing he drops it from his mouth, or, as it is 

 called quids it. He likewise shows a disinclination to drink. In every case, the horse finds great difficulty 

 in reaching every thing that stretches his neck downarwds or upwards ; his water therefore should be held 

 to him, and his hay should be pulled for him : omission of these services greatly aggravates the sufferings 

 of horses labouring under sore throat 



6451. Sivelled neck. A very serious swelling sometimes follows on bleeding with a rusty or poisoned lan- 

 cet, or fleam, and sometimes also from causes not apparent. (6547.) 



SuBSECT. 5. The Chest. 



6452. Inflammation of the lungs is a disease to which the horse is peculiarly liable ; as we might a priori 

 suspect, from the vast dimensions of his circulatory system, and the vast alteration from a natural state to 

 which we subject him, and thereby increase his pulmonary circulation. 



6453. The causes are these deviations remotely, but the immediate attack is generally brought on by 

 sudden cold, acting on a heated surface ; and thus it is that knackers and coUarmakers in frosty weather 

 expect a glut of horses that die from this disease. Hard riding is a very common cause, and high feeding 

 also. It often commences slowly, a hard dry cough has been slightly noticed, but which has occasioned no 

 alarm for two or three days : gradually, however, the cough appears to give the horse pain ; he occasionally 

 shivers, and his ears and feet feel colder than the rest of his body ; he heaves at the flanks, and the lining 

 of his nose is found to be much more red than usual, in the. worst cases it is seen of a purplish hue ; the 



