CHAP. II.] THE HEAD AFFECTED, USUALLY. 315 



under the article " Poll-evil,' farther down. But 

 the proper time at which the opening is to be thus 

 made requires close observation. In general, this 

 may be ascertained by a change in the animal's 

 manner : he will eat more heartily as the matter 

 increases ; which proves that the disease of his 

 habit has accumulated at this precise spot. He 

 should not be allowed long to remain in this state, 

 lest the offensive matter should penetrate inwardly 

 or laterally. If the disease is thus distinctly known 

 to proceed from the remains of ill-cured fever or 

 inflammation, poultices should be applied to bring 

 it forward to the surface, and the animal receive in- 

 creased feeds of dry corn, of beans, or sodden corn, 

 according to his former habits, in order to encourage 

 the access of matter : for nature, exhausted by the 

 violence or the continuance of the disorder, is in- 

 capable of expelling this last remains of the enemy, 

 and stands in need of support. Should the horse 

 have been lately laid up with fever, or for some 

 time past shown languor in his gait, and heaviness 

 about the eyes, or it may be concluded from his 

 recent hard labour and hard mode of living, that he 

 has been long ailing inwardly : in this case the 

 abscess being evidently a critical symptom of the 

 general evil state of his blood, nature must be as- 

 sisted in getting rid of the offensive matter ; and for 

 that purpose bring the tumour to perfection by 

 means of a poultice. The head is most commonly 

 the seat of swelled glands, about the jowl. 



p2 



