THEIR PATHOLOGY, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT. 49 



will be found in the list of medicines at the end of the volume, or one of 

 the fever balls (p. 23) may be given. In severe cases, however, it is very 

 desirable that a veterinary surgeon should be consulted, who would pro- 

 bably administer remedies that would be unsafe in the hands of amateurs ; 

 but those who treat their own horses cannot be too mindful that gentle 

 treatment and perfect quiet are essential to the animal's recovery. A 

 horse that has suffered from inflammation in the feet should not be 

 taken out of the stable too soon, and should at first be confined to the 

 most gentle exercise, and that on soft turf. 



Foot, Pumiced. — What is known as pumiced foot is oftenest seen in 

 horses bred on low marshy lands, and in heavy draft horses with large 

 wide feet, in which it is sure to be developed if used in town work, from 

 the constant battering on the hard stones and pavement. It also follows 

 founder, during the acute inflammation of which the horny plate3 which 

 support the coffin bone get partially separated, and, losing their elasticity, 

 fail in their duty, hence the coffin bone presses on the sole, which becomes 

 convex. The front of the hoof falls in, showing a depression ; the sole is 

 flat, with rugged walls, and the whole hoof hard, dry, and brittle. All 

 horses with flat wide feet and thin hoofs are subject to pumice, and its 

 occurrence should in such cases be guarded against by applying softening 

 preparations regularly as preventives ; brushing over with cod oil or melted 

 tallow answers well. In pumiced feet it has been recommended to blister 

 the coronet, with a view to stimulate increased secretion of horn, but it is 

 attended with very doubtful results. The best thing that can be done is 

 to shoe with a broad webbed but thin shoe, and to dress the hoof regularly 

 with a mixture of equal parts of Barbadoe3 tar, tallow, and glycerine, 

 melted together, or with the hoof ointment (p. 15) prescribed for brittle 

 hoof. 



Pounder, Foot.— See Foot Founder. 



Pret.— See Colic. 



Gastritis, or Inflammation of the Stomach.— This is of com* 

 paratively rare occurrence in the horse, and is caused by poisoning, 

 through accident or ignorance of the attendant. Horses will sometimes 

 eat the leaves and twigs of the yew from off the tree, which suggests that 

 there is already some derangement of the digestive organs, or the animal 

 would not select as a food that which is harmful to him. Sometimes, 

 however, the leaves and young shoots from the hedge clippings may be 

 inadvertently left on the ground and picked up with the gra=s by the 

 horse when grazing. This should be carefully avoided. 



Many grooms and carters, more " knowing" than wise, give the horses 



D 



