avery's own farrier. * 235 



will contain five drachms; a teaspoonfull will equal 

 about seventy drops, a drop will contain a quantity pro- 

 portioned to the size of the vial from which it falls, a 

 common ounce vial is a medium size; one-third of a 

 teaspoonfull will be one scruple, or twenty grains in 

 weight. What would be a dose for a man, may be in- 

 creased as much as the food of the horse exceeds that of 

 man, in many cases. Better give too little than too 

 much. 



By decoction, I mean the boiling of herbs or other 

 substances, and where a large quantity of water is re- 

 quired for this purpose, after boiling a sutficient time 

 to obtain the strength thereof; strain and boil down if 

 the object is to use it as a salve — though long continued 

 boiling is liable to lessen the active matter therein con- 

 tained, if used as a wash. 



By teas and infusions, I mean simply the steeping of 

 articles in hot Writer — not boiling them. 



Tinctures are made by imbuing the articles, or sub- 

 stance, in alcohol, from seven to fourteen days. 



Volatile Oils are made by throwing a sufficient quantity 

 of water on the substance to be acted upon, so as to pre- 

 vent the volatile spirit from flying off during distillation. 

 After maceration for a proper length of time, distil, and 

 separate the oil from the water; as it may be lighter 

 than the water and swim on the surface, or heavier and 

 sink to the bottom. So, according to this method, the 

 oils of anise, wormwood, peppermint, origanum, rose- 

 mary and sassafras are prepared. And then by adding 

 a sufficient quantity of alcohol, to cut the oil, we have 

 the essence. . 



