256 STABLE MANUAL AND HORSE DOCTOR 



meat (wheDever it can be procured) is to be preferred. 

 Vetches, lucerne, green clover, and also the various esculent 

 roots — carrots, turnips, potatoes, etc. — are all suited for the 

 sick-stable, because they are more grateful to the palate 

 of the invalid than his ordinary stable diet. During the 

 height of inflammatory disorder, however, food is not only 

 not required, but would by its presence in the stomach be 

 apt rather to irritate than benefit ; and as the disorder 

 declines, the appetite commonly returns. 



It is of great importance, particularly in cases of inflam- 

 mation of the lungs, that the air of the box of the sick 

 horse be cool, free from impurities, and frequently renewed. 

 The medical treatment of inflamriiation consists in the 

 employment of constitutional and local means. The con- 

 stitutional are, bleeding and purging, with the assistance of 

 sedatives, and diuretics, and alteratives. The local means 

 are, bleeding, cold and warm applications, and counter- 

 irritation. 



Bleeding. — When we consider the increased action main- 

 tained by the blood flowing with greater rapidity and in 

 greater quantity through the vessels of the inflamed part, it 

 seems that abstraction of blood must be one of the most 

 direct means of subduing inflammation. In veterinary 

 practice, in many cases, it is the only remedy we have it in 

 our power to employ. In the acute stages of inflammation 

 of the lungs, and even other organs of importance, neither 

 internal nor external medicaments will take effect until we 

 have succeeded in abating the inflammatory action by 

 bleeding; and in cases w^here we cannot purge, we commonly 

 effect nothing without the lancet. Although, as we draw 

 the blood out of a part, we reduce the inflammation in it, 

 yet we do nob by this cure the disorder, for no sooner are 

 the vessels emptied than they are filled again ; in fact, time 

 must be allowed for the inflammatory action to subside. 

 Under the head Bleeding will be found ih.Q modus operandi^ 

 instruments used, quantity, and effects of abstraction of 

 blood. 



Although the abstraction of blood rapidly from a large 

 orifice is a check upon inflammation, it has some bad conse- 

 quences, which in modern practice have been fully proven. 

 The olden practitioner was so convinced in this respect 

 that, as Mr. Mayhew says, "he drew blood with the same 

 complacency as he would draw beer from a barrel, and quite 



