242 STABLE MANUAL AND HORSE DOCTOR 



iron, not quite so hot as to utterly destroy the animal 

 tissues, will be found by coagulating the serous portions of 

 the blood, and exciting the peculiar contractility of the 

 blood-vessels of the horse, to check, and eventually stop, 

 the loss of blood from severe wounds, and allow time for 

 further remedial measures. 



Sudorifics (see Diaijlioretics). — A relaxation of the skin 

 is produced in the horse by warmth, diluents, and dia- 

 phoretic medicines. A real sweat, however, is seldom 

 excited without violent nauseants, and these are very 

 uncertain in their action. Vinegar in half-pint doses will 

 act as a sudorific, but is dangerous. A greater amount of 

 clothing is preferable, but is very debilitating. Anti- 

 monials, as the acetated liquor of ammonia, will act as 

 sudorifics in many cases. 



Tinctures. — Many substances yield readily their medi- 

 cinal properties to alcohol or spirit of wine. The tinctures, 

 however, frequently require so much spirit to contain the 

 dose necessary for the horse as to make them impossible 

 to be administered in this form, to say nothing of the great 

 expense. The spirit necessary as a vehicle for the drug 

 has destroyed many a horse. Watery solutions, or in- 

 fusions, or powder, are therefore more available. As 

 lotions, tinctures of cantharides, benzoin, myrrh, digitalis, 

 aloes, and opium are properly used. Tincture of catechu 

 is an ingredient in astringent drinks. 



A few of the tinctures kept read}^ compounded in the 

 shops, or sold as patent medicines, may be mentioned here. 

 Friar's Balsam — this is composed of gum benzoin, styrax, 

 and tolu, with aloes. It is a moderately good internal 

 remedy, diluted with water, to effect which it must be 

 beaten up with starch or the yolk of an e^g. As a styptic, 

 or as a healing application to cuts and wounds, we consider 

 it a mistaken remedy. It injures fresh wounds by its 

 stimulant properties, and from the separation of the resins 

 which follow the mixture of them with the blood. These 

 combining form a solid mass between the lips of the 

 wound, which mechanically prevents them coming together, 

 and so setting up the healing process from the first inten- 

 tion. The Tincture of Gum Guaiac is a solution of that 

 gum in aromatic spirit of ammonia (see Diaphoretics, 

 Stimulants, etc.). Tincture of Myrrh, diluted, is a good 

 lotion for spongy gums and sore palate, and a wash after 



