JS2 THE farmer's guide. 



in severe pain, give him, in a little warm water, 1 oz, 

 opium, 1 gill syrup of poppies, 1 oz. tincture guaiacum. 

 Care should be taken that he does not knock his head 

 against anything, as that would aggravate the disorder. 

 He will need a small dose of physic once a fortnight for 

 two months. 



THE SCRATCHES. 



This disease is often very troublesome to the horse, 

 and, unless speedily cured, often renders him lame and 

 unfit for use. Sometimes in slight attacks of it, after 

 properly cleansing the parts with weak soap-suds, a little 

 flour of sulphur and spirits of wine or vinegar, made into 

 an ointment and applied to the cracks, will effect a cure. 

 Another: take 1 lb. hog's-lard, 4 oz. white-lead, 2 oz. 

 powdered alum, 1 oz. white vitriol, i oz. sugar of lead, 

 3 oz. olive oil ; pulverize all but the lard, in a mortar or 

 on a stone slab ; then add the lard, and work the whole 

 together until united. A small quantity must be put on 

 the part afflicted, night and morning. In case of wounds 

 or injuries from shoe-corks, it will be best to spread the 

 ointment on bats of tow, and secure them with bandages. 

 This is a neat and very convenient composition, that 

 ought to be kept on hand through the winter. If this 

 disease is not soon checked, it will run into another 

 called the grease, which requires more particular atten- 

 tion. 



THE GREASE. 



This disorder is generally brought on by soft corns, 

 want of proper cleaning, bad stable-management, hard, 

 usage, or an impure state of the blood. A table-spoon- 

 ful of nitre and sulphur, in equal parts, given each day 

 with his food, is calculated to prevent the grease and 

 refine the blood. 



Treatment. — When you first discover the horse's legs 

 to swell after standing several hours, be careful to wash 

 them clean with vinegar and water or soap-suds, every 

 time he comes in, which may prevent or cure the com- 

 plaint. If this should fail, some simple cooling ointment 

 can be applied. If the disease is not soon removed, and 

 cracks make their appearance, a common poultice^ with 



