THE HORSE IN SICKNESS AND DISEASE 353 



removed from the dead animal, to the abdomen, the woolly 

 side outermost. If these cannot be procured, the fomen- 

 tations should be repeated, or the abdomen may be 

 stimulated by a blistering application. The legs must be 

 kept warm by flannel bandages, assisted, if necessary, by 

 rubbing in a stimulating liniment composed of oil and 

 spirits of turpentine. During the continuance of pain the 

 horse will, of course, take no food ; nor is any desirable. 

 He will most probably be disposed to drink, of which 

 circumstance advantage should be taken by offering him 

 oatmeal gruel, or linseed tea, as often as he will take it. 



If relief be not obtained in the course of six hours, our 

 prognosis will be unfavourable, particularly if, on again 

 resorting to bleeding, we find the blood very dark and 

 thick, and with difficulty obtained. 



A second, and even a third bleeding should be tried, 

 though in less quantity than at first. If the pain ceases, 

 or greatly diminishes, the pulse becoming more distinct or 

 moderate, we may then augur a favourable result, which 

 opinion will be greatly strengthened by the bowels be- 

 coming gradually relaxed. If a favourable result should 

 attend, great caution is necessary for some little time as 

 to the diet, and soft food should be given for several 

 days. 



DYSENTERY. 



This disorder is an inflammation of the internal surface 

 of the bowels. It is caused by obstructed perspiration ; the 

 continued use of certain kinds of food ; but more frequently 

 by the injudicious administering of improper purgatives, 

 either as to quantity or quality, by which such irritation is 

 brought on as ends in inflammation. Dysentery is com- 

 monly accompanied with purging, whereas enteritis is 

 almost always associated with costiveness ; neither is the 

 pain so acute in dysentery, consequently the horse seldom 

 expresses his uneasiness by rolling or stamping ; the pulse 

 is also quick and small, but is seldom very hard, even from 

 the beginning. However urgent may be the symptoms, 

 and whatever the pulse may denote, no blood must be 

 withdrawn in this disorder ; for it is inflammation of the 

 mucous membrane, and after all we can do to support the 

 horse, he will hardly have strength to get through the 



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