7<i TIIE DISEASES OF HORSES, 



Sore Throat.— This is recognised by the difficulty in swallowing, even 

 water being in considerable proportion returned by the nostrils. The 

 horse should be confined in a loose box, and liberally supplied with green 

 food, steamed corn, and oatmeal gruel. These should be offered in small 

 quantities at frequent intervals, and not left standing to get tainted 

 by tho breath of the horse, and the atmosphere of the stable. When very 

 severe it becomes necessary to blister the throat, which can be done best 

 with the cantharidine blistering ointment (pp. 12 and 17), or the following 

 rubefacient liniment may answer the purpose without actual blistering : 



Liniment for Sore Throat.— Take rape oil 2oz., spirit of hartshorn 2oz., 

 spirit of turpentine 2oz., oil of origanum loz., tincture of cantharides loz. ; 

 mix and apply night and morning, rubbing well in with a piece of flannel. 



The bowels should be kept free by soft food, instead of resorting to 

 physic, and the following electuary will give great relief : 



Electuary. — Take powdered opium 4dr., powdered catechu 2oz., 

 powdered kino 2oz., powdered liquorice 4oz., honey or treacle £lb. ; 

 mix very carefully, and place a dessert spoonful well back on the tongue 

 three or four times a day. 



The above may also be given with good effect in all cases of cough. 



Spavin. — Spavin is a bony growth occurring on the inside of the hock, 

 varying considerably in size, but always more or less considerably inter- 

 fering with the action of the horse, although it does not in every case 

 cause actual lameness ; it is commonly said that cow-hocked horses 

 are most liable to it, but this is doubtful, and it is rather in tha 

 light-boned weak -jointed specimens that it is to be expected. When spavin 

 does not interfere with the usefulness of the horse it is better left 

 alone than to submit the animal to torture with problematical results, 

 and frequently perfect rest will be of great service. When remedial 

 measures are adopted, the firing iron is generally depended on, its action 

 followed up by the application of blisters, the best form being the red or 

 biniodide of mercury (p. 24), of the strength of one part of the biniodide to 

 seven parts of simple ointment. This has to be continuously applied, the 

 object being to cause absorption of the bony deposit, which is a slow process. 



Splent or Splint.— Splints or splents, as they are indifferently termed, 

 are bony excrescences occurring on the inside of the knee of the foreleg, 

 at its lower extremity, or en the inner side of the shank bone of either fore 

 or hind leg, but mostly restricted to the fore leg. They vary in siza, and 

 can always be detected by an experienced person by passing the hand down 

 the leg. The cause of them is inflammatory excitement of the membrane 

 lining the bone, which produces a deposit of bone of unnatural growth. 

 During its growth there will be tenderness, with more or less lameness, and 

 where the deposit of bone is so placed that the muscles in use in the horse's 

 movement of his leg pass over it, it is certain to cause pronounced lame- 

 ness, but otherwise, although slightly unsightly, they do no harm, and 

 frequently in the course of time disappear. They are found on young 

 unbroken horses, as well as on 6uch as have been worked. When they do 



