Book VII. DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 981 



inside of the eyelids also are tinged with the inflammation. The appetite now becomes affected ; and 

 although there is not much apparent pain, except when the horse coughs, yet there is much anxiety of 

 countenance present. The pulse is usually small but quick. If in this state the horse accidentally or erro- 

 neously be taken out and subjected to considerable exertion, it is almost always fatal to him : it likewise 

 happens that this complaint is sometimes mistaken for distemper, and, from a fear of profuse bleeding, the 

 only remedy that is to be depended on is omitted, and the horse is lost. At the veterinary college, in these 

 cases, a small dose of aloes is given every six hours, and after being bled and rowelled, the horse is turned 

 out in the open air; and it is affirmed that many recover from this treatment. Certain it is, that the 

 stable in which a horse is placed in this disease can hardly be too cool ; but when entirely turned out, 

 his feet and legs cannot conveniently be hand-rubbed, or bandaged up to promote circulation ; neither 

 can we blister a horse when turned out, so conveniently ; and on bUstering we depend as the second source 

 of cure. 



6464. The treatment is to be commenced by attempts at lessening the action of the arterial system by 

 early and large bleedings, as seven or eight quarts from a large horse, and which should be repeated in five 

 or six hours if he be not relieved in his breathing. Immediately rub into the brisket, on the chest, and 

 behind tlie fore legs, the blister. {Vet. Phann. 6559. No. 1.) Give half a dose of physic, and assist it by 

 mashes and warm water, which, if not readily taken, horn down. Back-rake also, and throw up the laxa- 

 tive clyster. (Fet. Pharm. 6')6-i.) Avoid all exercise, clothe moderately, allow a free circulation of cool 

 air through the stable, and rub the legs frequently ; and when not under this process, keep them bandaged 

 up to tlie knees with hay-bands or woollen cloths. When the bowels are opened, give the fever drink 

 {ret. Pharm. 6580.) three times a day. The terminations of this complaint are various. It is not uncom- 

 mon for the horse to appear better, to eat and to drink, and to excite every hope of a perfect recovery ; but 

 on some sudden exertion he falls down and expires. On examination after death, it is found that etlusion 

 of a large quantity of serous fluid has taken place in the chest. 



&i')B. Thick ivind is another termination of pneumonia, by leaving the bronchial passages chargeti witli 

 coagulated blood. Moderate exercise and soiling in the stable, with mild mercurial physic, form the best 

 mode of treatment ; but frequently the cough resists all these, and terminates in broken v/ind. 



6456. Roaring is also a termination of pneumonia, in which case the lungs are not affected, but con- 

 gealed blood, under the name of coagulable lymph, remains in the trkcheaor windpipe, and obstructs (he 

 free passage of the air ; by means of which the roaring noise is made. It is in vain to expect a cure : 

 blistering the throat sometimes slightly relieves it. 



6457. Chronic cough is alio a termination of pneumonia, and appears dependent on a peculiar irrita- 

 bility the disease leaves in the bronchial passages, which are found afterwards incapable of bearing any 

 sudden alteration of temperature: thus horses with this kind of cough are excited to it as soon as the 

 stable door opens, and by every exertion, by drinking, by eating, and, in fact, by any thing that alters 

 the situation of the body, or is new to the part. But, besides pneumonia or inflammation of the lungs 

 producing it, it is often brought on likewise by gross feeding, which, weakening the stomach, im- 

 poverishes the blood, and thus injures the lungs which are fed by tl)at blood. Worms also by the same 

 means are a cause of chronic cough. It is thus that we expect to derive benefit by mediums acting on 

 the stomach. Green food is often found useful, but particularly carrots. 1 he hay should bo excellent 

 in quality and small in quantity ; and it will be found that soiling in the stable, but particularly a course 

 of carrots, forms a better plan of treatment than turning out. - If worms be suspected, treat as under 

 that head. (6478.) Formula of chronic cough balls are seen in the Vet. Pharm. (65ii9.) 



6458. Broken wind is also sometimes brought on by pneumonia, awd. sometimes by occult causes. It is 

 often occasioned by over-exertion after full meals, in which the lungs become permanently weakened, 

 lierhaps ruptured, in their air-cells. Inexperienced persons find some difficulty in detecting broken wind 

 from other chest afl'ections, as chronic cough, occasional cold*, &c. &c. 



6459. Criteria of broken wind. The cough which accompanies broken wind is a short deep hollow 

 grunting noise, and the short grunting expiration is peculiarly excited by turning a horse quickly round, 

 striking him smartly with a stick at the same time, which often produces the deep sound without the 

 cough ; and which is so significant as never to be mistaken when once heard and attended to : but the 

 principal pecuharity arises from the beating of the flanks, which operate rather by three efforts than by 

 two as usual. In the first, the air is drawn in, in the usual manner, and the flanks fill up as in common : 

 but in the next, the falling of the flanks is by no means natural ; for it is not done by a gradual sinking of 

 the sides, but it takes place at once, with a kind of jerk, as though the horse were sighing; and then a 

 third effort takes place by a more slow drawing up of the muscles of the belly and flanks, to press out the 

 remaining air. Broken wind usually destroys the fecundity of the mare, and hence argues i^rmanent 

 alteration of structure ; it is also always incurable, but horses may be rendered very useful that have it, 

 by feeding them very nutritiously, but with their food much condensed in bulk. Little hay should be 

 allowed, and that little should be wetted, water in any other way should be given but sparingly, for which 

 they are however very greedy : from which circumstance, as well as that they are peculiarly flatulent, we 

 learn, that the vitiation of the lungs is either aggravated by the deranged state of the digestive organs ; 

 or, which is more probable, that the digestive powers become weakened from the state of the lungs. In 

 some few cases a partial rupture of the diaphragm or midriff' has been observed in broken wind. 



6460. Diseases of the belli/. Inflamed stomach seldom attacks the horse as an idiopathic aft'ection, but 

 it is not unfrequent for the stomach to become inflamed by mineral poisons as well as rendered inert by 

 vegetable ones. Over-distention may also inflame it. 



6461. Mineral poisons infame the stomach acutely, and produce excessive distress, and cold sweats ; the 

 animal lies down, rolls, gets up again, looks short round to his ribs, stamps with his fore feet, and his 

 pulse beats quick and short Wh' n arsenic or corrosive sublimate have occasioned the malady, a viscid 

 mucus distils from the nose and mouth, and the breath is fetid. When copper in the form of vitriolic 

 salts or verdigris has been given, to the foregoing symptoms are usually added ineffectual attempts to 

 vomit. Immediately the poisoning is discovered, pour down two ounces oi sidphuretted potash, in a quart 

 of water ; or in the absence of that, an ounce of common potash in the same quantity of water : or when 

 no better substitute is at hand, even strong soap-suds are advisable. Mineral poisons have also another 

 mode of acting, and are often received into the constitution, neither by design to do mischief, nor by 

 mistake ; but are purposely given as remedies. In this way, both mercury and arsenic are frequently 

 given for worms, glanders, farcy, &c., in daily doses, which, when even of considerable magnitude, occa- 

 sion for many days no inconvenience ; all at once, however, the constitution becomes fully saturated with 

 the poise n, and although before diffused throughout the blood, it now appears to return and act on the 

 stomach to the great suri.rise of the owner. In these cases the symptoms are not usually so violent as in 

 the former instance, but they are equally fatal A similar treatment with the one already prescribed is 

 necessarv ; and as soon as the fir.st symptoms are abated, give laxatives. In all these cases, large quantities 

 of linseed tea should be horned down, the back should be raked, and clysters thrown up; blood should 

 also be taken away plentifully. As a preventive to this latter mode of poisoning, whenever mineral 

 agents are used, it is prudent every five or six days to stop a while, and then recommence, by which the 

 constitution will part with the previous quantity. . . . ^ ^, ^ ... 



6464 Salivation is also another mode of poisoning ; and though not equally injurious to the stomach, it 

 often proves distressing, and sometimes fatal. Whenever, therefore, mercurials are given, carefully 

 watch the gums, and as soon as they look red, and the horse quids his hay, give him a mild purge instead 

 of his mercurial. . , , -.I ., , 



6463. Vegetable poisons also inflame the stomach ; but by no means in an equal degree witii the mineral 

 poisons nor is it supposed (hat it is the inflammation they raise that proves destructive, but by an effect 



3 R 3 



