FARRIERY. 



allow a moderate current of air, if the sta- 

 ble be hot. 



Dysentery, or flux, commonly called 

 molten-grease, is a most painful and dan- 

 gerous complaint. The animal is usually 

 afflicted with tenesmus, and voids a great 

 quantity of slimy mucus, and but little 

 dung-. This disease arises from a great 

 variety of causes, and in some seasons is 

 said to be epidemic. 



The safest purge, in the first stage, is 

 about a quart of castor oil. If that does 

 not remove the fceces, give calomel four 

 drachms, gum arabic two drachms, with 

 honey enough to form a bolus. On all 

 occasions ample clysters of gruel, lin- 

 seed water, &c. should be frequently in- 

 jected. In obstinate cases administer the 

 following: take ten poppy-heads, boil 

 them in six quarts of water till only a gal- 

 lon be left, add starch enough to soften 

 into a thin mucilage, throw up three or 

 four times daily. Internally the following 

 may answer. Opium two drachms, ipe- 

 cacuanha four drachms, nux vomica, in 

 powder, one drachm, port wine one quart. 

 Mix, and repeat morning and evening. 

 Let the horse be well clothed, so as to 

 keep his skin moist; the stable should 

 not be hot. If the dung smells offensive- 

 ly, the stable must be fumigated and kept 

 extremely clean. 



Farcy is easily removed in its first 

 stage, when it consists of merely a super- 

 ficial inflammation, but if suffered to pro- 

 ceed, it quickly taints the circulation, and 

 often induces the glanders. It is highly 

 infectious ; in the first instance each bud 

 or swelling should be burnt with a hot 

 iron, or by caustic ; but when the blood 

 is infected, (which is known by the buds 

 being ulcerated, and a discharge at the 

 nose,) the strongest medicines must be 

 used. Let a scruple of corrosive subli- 

 mate, levigated, be mixt with butter, or 

 in gruel, and given in two doses ; *. e. 

 night and morning. If the bowels should 

 be affected, the dose must be less ; but if 

 no uneasiness be produced, it may be in- 

 creased to half a drachm, or even to two 

 scruples. If the sublimate should prove 

 too powerful, substitute a drachm of calo- 

 mel, night and morning. Green food is 

 peculiarly serviceable. Destroy the cloth- 

 ing after a cure ; or the disease will be 

 regenerated. 



Fever must always be traced to its 

 cause, and its particular species must be 

 ascertained, before medicine is given. If 

 the common inflammatory symptoms are 

 indicated by the pulse, the eyes, and the 

 general action of the horse, bleeding, to 



the extent of three or four quarts, ac- 

 cording to the size and condition, ought 

 to be immediately practised : after this, 

 rake and throw up the following clyster : 

 gruel, or broth, 3 quarts ; common salt 

 (or Epsom salt, if at hand) 4 ounces ; 

 brown sugar, 4 ounces, and sweet oil, or 

 melted butter, or lard, 4 ounces ; admi- 

 nister blood warm, in a gentle manner. 

 Give the following twice, daily ; emetic 

 tartar, 2 drachms ; nitre, 1 ounce ; mix in 

 a pint of gruel, or form into a bolus with 

 honey. Avoid whatever is heating ; let 

 the animal be kept in a cool stable (not 

 windy or damp) and clothe moderately. 

 Let him have plenty of warm drink of a 

 diluent kind ; such as bran-water, hay -tea, 

 scalded malt, or warm ale ; which last 

 ought, however, to be very mild. Leave 

 a little very sweet hay for him to pick 

 at ; if at a proper season, green tares, or 

 other young artificial grass, may be given 

 in small quantities. Avoid tight girthing, 

 and allow plenty of bedding. Sprinkle 

 the stall occasionally with hot vinegar, 

 and remove the dung as soon as it falls. 

 If cold fits intervene, use warmer cloth- 

 ing, and let friction, with a soft brush, be 

 persisted in, until warmth is restored. 

 Above all things keep the body open, 

 and avoid every thing that frightens or 

 irritates : if the horse will lay down, it 

 will favour the cure. 



When a fever is symptomatic, the 

 cause must first be removed ; in the 

 meanwhile soothing treatment should be 

 resorted to, and palliatives be principally 

 used. In this we allude to diet, &c. as 

 detailed in the foregoing paragraph. 

 When the fever runs very high, and that 

 bleeding cannot be attempted (either at 

 first, or in repetition) clysters must be 

 frequently given, and rowels may be made 

 in the breast and thighs. 



When the fever is equivocal, or when 

 it is decidedly of a malignant species, 

 such as the typhus, or epidemic, which 

 in some countries is by no means rare, 

 though uncommon with us, if the horse 

 be in a robust state, bleed copiously ; but 

 if emaciated, or of a weak frame, avoid 

 that evacuation. Wash the body with 

 warm vinegar, in which aromatic herbs 

 have been boiled ; sprinkle frequently 

 with the same ; remove the dung instant- 

 ly, and change the bedding twice or 

 thrice within the day. Burn nitre every 

 half hour, so as to occasion a thick 

 smoke, and let a piece of touch-paper 

 be always smothering in a corner of the 

 stable, which ought to be very cool. 

 Keep the body open with antiseptic 



