SIMPLE AILMENTS 277 



as a wire, tells of fever ; but not, as a rule, of congestion of 

 the lungs, which is usually accompanied by a full pulse the 

 beat of which is indistinct. Injury to the brain, or spinal 

 cord, is shown by a particularly slow pulse. 



The temperature of the horse is taken by inserting, a 

 thermometer in the rectum, and in a state of health is 

 about 99J° to 101° Fahrenheit. It is a surer guide than 

 the pulse, and taken in conjunction with it affords clear 

 indication of the condition of the patient. Anything above 

 102° indicates sickness, 103° shght fever, whilst 106° means 

 very high fever indeed. 



When the patient is very feeble the pulse can sometimes 

 be felt on the right side when it can no longer be discerned 

 on the left. In a state of ordinary rest, standing quietly in 

 the open air, the normal rate of breathing is about twelve 

 times per minute. 



The other indications denoting good health are a bright- 

 looking, smooth coat, clear eyes, and the legs clean and 

 fine with well-defined sinews ; then, if the appetite is also 

 good, the man in command need feel no apprehension about 

 the state of his charges. One of the surest indicators of 

 health is the condition of the dung, which should be not too 

 dark in colour; in good large balls sufficiently soft; and, 

 when first dropped, with a distinct glisten on their surface. 

 If, on the contrary, the balls are small, hard, and very 

 dark, the digestion is not as it should be, and often the tem- 

 perature will be found to be above the normal, and a bran 

 mash and linseed gruel should at once be substituted for 

 hard corn. Another indication that the liver is out of order 

 is shown when the dung is not formed into balls, but is a 

 light-coloured mass with a dull surface, somewhat resem- 

 bling yellowish clay. This may arise from too much heating 

 food, but also from many other causes. Bran mashes are 

 again indicated, and often a little sulphur and nitre, or 

 sulphate of magnesia, with nitrate of potash, will put the 

 animal right in a few days. Of course, it should have 

 a holiday from work, except of very light description, and 

 should not be taken out in rain. 



More important than drugs in illness is what is known as 



