DISEASES OF HORSES. 235 



and moisture of the litter, occasions a determination of blood, and 

 humours to the legs, and they break out into cracks or scabs, from 

 which issue a bloody ichor, or a more thick matter. Between the 

 sores the hair stares and gets pen feathered, and the horse finds 

 difficulty and pain in moving. 



94. The treatment must depend on the state in which the animal 

 is at the present. If there be reason to suspect the horse to be full 

 and foul, bleed, lower his food, soil him in the stable ; or mash and 

 give him a mild dose of physic. But when some mismanagement 

 is the sole cause, remove that, and if the case be a severe one, by 

 means of an old stocking drawn over the foot, bury the whole heel 

 in a poultice, made of scraped carrots or turnips ; which will subdue 

 the irritation and bring the parts into a state to bear the application 

 of the astringent paste, (Vet. Pha, 136, No. 2,) or if more con- 

 venient, of the astringent wash, (Vet. Pka. 134, No. I or 2.) Mode- 

 rate exercise should be continued, and the heels carefully cleaned 

 from dirt by soft soap and water on each return therefrom ; after 

 which, always again apply the astringent. 



95. Grease is nothing more than an aggravated state of the same 

 affection, and is more common to the hind than the fore legs. 

 Coarse fleshy legged horses are peculiarly prone to the affection 

 from the great accumulation that takes place in their legs; and from 

 the difficulty that the capillaries find in carrying the increased 

 quantity of lymph upwards. In these, long stable confinement 

 should be avoided, and when that is impossible, it should be coun- 

 teracted by exercise frequently and judiciously administered. Many 

 cart horses never go out but to work ; they often work three days 

 incessantly, or nearly so ; and they perhaps rest two days entirely 

 Can it be wondered at, that the change occasions swelling, acting 

 on the weakness and exhaustion of previous fatigue, and could not 

 this be avoided by turning out for an hour, or walking for half an 

 hour night and morning ? stable soiling should be used ; bleeding 

 and physicking also in very bad cases ; and when the inflammation 

 and irritation or soreness are great, the poultices recommended for 

 cracks, should be applied until these circumstances are removed ; 

 when commence the use of some of the astringents recommended. 

 (Vet. Pharm. 134.) White has stated two remarkable cases of 

 grease cured by the application of corrosive sublimate in the form 

 of a wash, as of two drachms of sublimate to ten ounces of water ; 

 increasing it to three drachms if the pain occasioned by the first be 

 not too considerable. Blaine says that the clivers or goose grass 

 has been known to be of great service in bad cases of grease~-half 



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