DEFORMITIES. 47 



now-a-dajs, at least in the United States, can be pro- 

 duced by simply keeping a portion of their usual feed 

 from them for two or three days. 



General Debility. 



Syynptoms. — Swelling of the legs, sheath, breast, and 

 belly. Disturbed breathing. The horse is very weak, 

 and easily pushed from off his feet by the hand. Indeed, 

 he stacTgers as he walks, and sometimes falls to the 

 ground. 



Causes.— Bleeding or giving physic (a purge) in the 

 treatment of disease, especially in diseases of the chest. 

 Starving and low diet given to a sick horse, when he 

 should be supported in the midst of his sickness by good 

 feedincr. The very neglect, or want of knowledge on 

 this point, has killed thousands of horses that would 

 have lived, that have been sacrificed to the shrine of ig- 

 norance, error, and bad judgment. This condition of 

 things in relation to the treatment of diseases of the 

 horse, and indeed all our faithful animals, may be as- 

 cribed to the diligence and persistence of the American 

 publishers deluging the country with reprints of old 

 Enf^lish books that should never have been written. 



o 



Treatment — Give plenty of good feed to the mal- 

 treated animal, and give the following blood-making 

 medicines:— Powdered sulphate of iron, three ounces; 

 gentian root, three ounces. Mix, and divide into twenty- 

 four powders, and give one powder night and morning. 

 If there is much swdi^ng about the body, add five grains 

 of powdered Spanish fly to the evening powder for a few 

 nights only. Be assured the animal is fully restored 

 before it is put to hard work. 



Deformities.— In young colts will often be observed 



