FARRIERY. 



purges, and use little clothing. If a 

 critical purging 1 should come on, by no 

 means .check it ; encourage every sore 

 which may appear, and open rowels in 

 various parts. This complaint being 

 highly infectious, no other horse should 

 be allowed to stand within the same 

 area ; in fact, horses labouring under the 

 typhus fever should be removed to some 

 distance from other animals, whether 

 horses, horned cattle, &c. ; the infection 

 being very apt to reach them. 



Fistula, being a complaint absolutely 

 requiring the aid of a surgeon when in 

 ano, perinea, &c. we refrain from stating 

 any thing on that subject. 



Fistulous -withers will be found a very 

 troublesome complaint ; and under the 

 hands of a common farrier will seldom 

 be cured, without considerable delay, and 

 great risk. We advise great cleanliness, 

 and that the part should be laid open, if 

 the situation may admit : or, at all 

 events, thnt a seton should be passed 

 through the bottom of the sore, whence 

 the matter might be discharged. Apply 

 light pledges of lint, just to keep the 

 parts open ; and when about to heal, 

 which may be known by the granula- 

 tions, &c. be cautious not to allow any 

 pressure. If any of the dorsal spinous 

 processes be tainted, exfoliation will take 

 place : encourage the efforts of nature 

 in that respect. Keep the body open, 

 and let the diet be soft and cooling ; al- 

 low free ventilation, and approach the 

 animal gently. Sudden starts, and mo- 

 tions arising from fear, often do incalcu- 

 lable mischief in this complaint ; which 

 may be speedily removed, when time- 

 ously and cautiously treated. 



Founder, has usually been mistaken for 

 a disease of the loins or of the chest; 

 but where its seat is forward, the fore 

 feet will be found injured ; in the former 

 case the hind feet : this may be easily as- 

 certained by observing whether the horse 

 seeks relief from bringing the hind legs 

 forward (as he stands in the stable) to 

 support the fore quarters, or keeps the 

 fore legs inclined considerably back- 

 wards, to support the hinder quarters : 

 thus endeavouring to take the weight 

 off the tender parts. When all the feet 

 are affected, the horse lies down, and is 

 unwilling, or perhaps unable, to rise. 

 This is usually a very troublesome com- 

 plaint, and requires very copious bleed- 

 ing, and every attention to ease and rest. 

 The shoes ought to be taken off, and 

 very soft litter be allowed, and frequent- 

 ly tossed up with the fork, to keep it 



from caking. Bleeding at the toes rare 

 ly fails of giving great relief ; letting the 

 blood flow freely. Endeavour, by all 

 means, to prevent the collection of mat- 

 ter, as that always injures ; indeed, after 

 once suppuration has taken place, weak- 

 ness, if not rottenness, will ensue in al- 

 most every case. Purge well, and keep 

 the feet cool by the frequent application 

 of salt and water, or sugar of lead in wa- 

 ter, or sal-ammoniac and vinegar. Pare 

 away the crust, so as to liberate the foot 

 from its usual constriction. When reco- 

 vering, we would recommend to turn 

 the animal out into a rich soft paddock, 

 if the season permits ; or into a soft 

 straw yard : the former is best, on ac- 

 count of the diet. Allow no corn, un- 

 less where the horse is extremely w r eak ; 

 and then scalded malt, &c. will answer 

 best. In very bad cases, some have taken 

 up the lateral arteries ; but such seems to 

 be a desperate course, and should never 

 be practised where any hope remains of 

 success from milder treatment. When 

 reduced to that extremity, the beast can 

 be of no value. 



Fractures and taxations, are subjects 

 for the introduction of a surgeon ; in 

 most instances cures might be effected, 

 provided the horse could be slung-, so as 

 to take the pressure entirely off from the 

 limb. Iron frames, and very stiff splents, 

 are sometimes used ; but cannot always 

 be had ; neither are they applicable to 

 every case. Nature in time will unite 

 the bones of a simple fracture, after 

 they have been set; but in general a 

 callous protuberance is seen, which ren- 

 ders the animal less saleable; though 

 the limb may be as serviceable as ever. 

 We think it absurd to shoot a horse 

 merely because he has broke a bone, 

 which, by a little care, might be perfect- 

 ly restored. 



Grease is generally the effect of too 

 rich food with little exercise ; or it may 

 be induced by bad standing, or by excess 

 of labour ; it is most frequent, and most 

 difficult of cure, in very long limbed 

 horses. Washing the legs without dry- 

 ing them is very apt to produce this 

 disease, which is equally disposed to re- 

 cur. If grease proceeds from redun- 

 dancy, bleed, purge, and use gentle ex- 

 ercise, with moderate friction. When 

 from weakness, or over labour, allow 

 rest and nourishing food, giving good 

 standing, and preserving perfect cleanli- 

 ness. 



Gripes have remissions of pain, which 

 distinguish them from inflammation in 



