42 K0R5ES AND HOUNDS. 



and valuable liorse belonging to a farmer. This horse was 

 seized suddenly with what the farmer thought the colic, or 

 fret, and the village practitioner being sent for, he gave him 

 what he called a warm drench, with about a quart of gin as 

 well The result of this imprudent dose was soon visible, by- 

 increased pain and inflammation, which set in so rapidly that 

 the horse was dead before nine o'clock the same evening. My 

 advice was solicited in the afternoon, when too late ; but I pre- 

 scribed the only remedies which would be serviceable in such 

 a case — the use of the enema and warm fomentations to the 

 stomach — the horse having been already bled by his doctor 

 till he dropped down. A little before nine o'clock, I fortunately 

 went to see him, and found him surrounded by men and boys, 

 trying to keep him on his legs, and prevent him lying down. 

 The learned Vet. was also present, but ignorant that at that 

 moment his patient was dying. I ordered the men and boys in- 

 stantly to come away from him, and they had not left him one 

 minute, before the horse fell dead against the wall. Being a 

 very large animal of the cart-horse breed, he would certainly 

 have crushed to death one or more of the people who were 

 around him but for my fortunate arrival iust at this critical 

 moment. In cases of this kind, where inflammation sets in 

 so rapidly, the probability is that the most scientific treatment 

 would scarcely avail to save life ; but when fuel is added to fire, 

 by peppery drenches, or drastic doses of physic being crammed 

 down the horse's throat, the chances of a cure are hopeless. 

 In the very first instance bleeding may check the inflammation ; 

 a good dose of castor oil should also be given, and warm gruel 

 with a little ginger in it. A warm mustard poultice may also 

 be a[»plied to the stomach, and flannels steeped in hot water. 



I will state one case more which came under my own obser- 

 vation, and where a very valuable horse would most inevitably 

 have been sacrificed at Mt. Bolter's altar of maxims but for my 

 timely arrival on the scene of action. A friend was staying 

 with me in the hunting season with two good horses. He had 

 his stud groom, of course, a very consequential gentleman, and 

 who did not, as the vulgar saying is, think small beer of himself. 

 I gave them some loose boxes to themselves, which were 

 generally hermetically sealed against all peering curiosity hun- 

 ters. I seldom ventured to look into this garden of the Hes- 

 perides for fear of the dragon, but my man often talked of the 

 condition and other balls which were being continually crammed 

 down the horses' throats, much against his advice ; but he was 

 considered ordy as a country bum])kin, and what should ho 

 know about the management of high-bred cattle like his mas- 



