THEIR PATHOLOGY, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT. 79 



laudable pride to see the animals under their charge excel their neigh- 

 bour's in health and appearance, their ignorance leads them into serious 

 and indeed dangerous mistakes ; and not infrequently strong corrosive 

 acids are administered, directly destructive to the teeth as well as the 

 general health. 



Teething.— During teething horses suffer from slight febrile affections, 

 which, generally speaking, require no further treatment than a laxative, 

 cooling diet, green food, with the corn steamed, and, if necessary, a mild 

 purging ball. 



Thrush, or " frush," as it is called by some stablemen, generally occurs 

 in the hind feet; it is a disease of an inflammatory nature in its earliest 

 stage, going on to suppuration, the parts affected being the sensible frog, 

 which becomes ulcerous and discharges from the cleft a very fcetid matter 

 of a peculiarly abhorrent smell, the soft horn adjacent to and protecting the 

 sensible frog becomes rotten and ragged, and must be cleared away with 

 the knife to make the real seat of the disease accessible to curative agents. 

 The best of these are the following : 



Lotion for Thrush— Pure carbolic acid |oz., glycerine 3oz., rectified 

 spirits of wine 2dr., mixed, to be applied to the ulcerous parts between 

 the clefts of the frog by means of tow tied on the end of a stick ; 

 or instead of the above, chloride of zinc £dr., distilled water 8cz., 

 mixed, used as above. Both of these destroy the foetor of the discharge, 

 or the ointment recommended for canker (p. 25) may be used with good 

 result. 



Thrush is almost a wholly preventable disease, although it is sometimes 

 the result of inflammation and contraction of the feet, in which cases it 

 generally appears in the fore ones ; it is also produced in all four feet by 

 long exposure to wet, as in horses pastured in soft, marshy meadows, but 

 it is oftenest met with in the hind feet only, and caused by want of proper 

 attention and cleanliness in the stable. "When the dung and litter are 

 allowed to accumulate, it collects and holds the urine like a sponge and 

 this fermenting acrid filth is absorbed by the frog, producing the ulceration 

 described. Where such a state of things exists the first step to a cure is 

 of course its removal. Let the stable be well cleansed and disinfected see 

 that the drains are open, supply the horse with a clean dry bed and 

 avoid the accumulation of saturated litter. Thrush, in its incipient sta^e 

 before the discharge takes place, is a frequent cause of stumbling, the 

 frog being tender, pressure on a stone causes sudden pain, and the animal 

 is apt to go on his knees before he can recover himself. 

 Tympanitis.— See Colic. 



Vein, Inflammation of.— This is of a dangerous nature, ending fatally 

 in form of phrenitis ; it is of comparatively rare occurrence, since the absurd 

 system of periodic spring and autumn bleeding of horses has been given 



