72 THE DISEASES OF HORSES, 



mentof aconite, but it is a very powerful poison and dangerous in unskilled 

 hands. One of the two following may be tried and will be likely to give 

 relief and hasten the cure : 



Liniments for Rheumatism. — (1) Take soap liniment IGoz., tincture of 

 cantharides loz., laudanum 2oz., spirit of hartshorn loz., mixed; or (2) 

 rape oil 4oz., oil of thyme 2oz., oil of cajeput loz., oil of turpentine 4oz., 

 spirits of hartshorn 4oz., laudanum loz., mixed. 



Whichever is used must be applied with considerable friction, and the 

 rubbing kept up for some time. If the horse is fleshy and gross in body 

 the bowels should be acted on by means of mashes and green food, 

 withholding corn, but if he begins to lose flesh and strength give boiled 

 or steamed oats, and old beans. 



Ringbone. — This is a bony deposit just above the coronet, mostly 

 occurring in heavy draught horses, and oftenest seen in the hind legs. 

 The cause may be a blow, but generally speaking it is the result of the 

 great stress on the parts, as the horse with a heavy load is pressed to the 

 utmost of his strength in taking it up hill, when, as a consequence, 

 inflammation is set up, and when that passes an osseous deposit takes 

 place, which interferes with the natural free use of the foot, and thus 

 detracting greatly from the value and usefulness of the animal. The only 

 hope of cure is in the use of the firing iron, and repeated blistering, the 

 best blister for the purpose being the red or biniodide of mercury (p. 24). At 

 the same time the horse should have cooling medicine, as the firing sets 

 up inflammation as the first process towards the absorption of the bony 

 deposit. Give, therefore, after proper preparation, a dose of physic ; let 

 the horse have mashes, roots, and green meat, and loz. of nitre in a 

 pail of water. The blister must be continued for some time, leaving 

 it off for a few days when the part is too sore for its application, and 

 again renewing it to keep up the irritation. 



Ringwoi'm. — Ringworm appears in bare circular patches quite denuded 

 of hair, scurvy raised at the edge, and, if neglected, ulcerating there. 

 It is not of very common occurrence, and should never be seen in a well 

 regulated stable where cleanliness prevails, and the horse3 are properly 

 groomed. It is somewhat difficult to eradicate, and the nostrums for 

 its cure are numberless. The best cure is, I believe, the ointment of 

 iodide of sulphur (p. 61), of the strength one part iodide to seven parts of 

 simple ointment. The part affected should be well washed with soap and 

 water, carefully dried, and the ointment well rubbed in night and 

 morning. Among the other remedies we may mention iodide of lead, in 

 form of ointment, saturated solution of sulphate of iron, creosote two 

 parts, mixed with eight parts hogs' lard, and carbolic acid one part, 

 glycerine nine parts. Mayhew recommends the following alterative and 

 tonic drink to be given each night : 



Alterative and Tonic Drinlc— Fowler's solution of arsenic 2dr., tincture 

 of muriate of iron 3dr., in half a pint of water. 



This should be continued till all trace of the disease has disappeared. 



