<J4 T/je^ARRnR'sNewGfiUe. Chap.XVIIL 



C H A P. XVIII. 



Of the Lethargy y or Sleeping EviL 



'T^Hough this Diftemper is as feldom to be met with as 

 ■*■ the former, yet becaufe it has been treated oif by fome 

 of our Authors, we fhall lay as much concerning it as is 

 needful. 



Markham obfervcs, that it proceeds from Phlegm ; and 

 that white and dun Hcrfes being of a phlegmatick Difpoli- 

 tion, are moll lUbjedt to it. But a Lethargy is as near al- 

 ly'd to thofe that have been the lall delcrib'd, as poliible, 

 and is oftentimes their Companion, and is produced by the 

 lame Caufes which bring on an Apoplexy, or any of the 

 other Diftempers peculiar to the Head. For in a Lethargy, 

 tho' a Creature is not abfolutely depiiv'd of Senfe and Mo- 

 tion, yet by a PreflUre of the fmall Arteries upon the Nerves, 

 and an Over-thicknefs of the nervous Juice, both the exter- 

 nal and internal Senfes become dull, caufing a perpetual In- 

 clination to Sleep, which at length, as it impairs the animal 

 Faculty, weakens and decays the Body. 

 The Cure "^^^t Cure is, in the Beginning, to take a 



moderate Quantity of Blood, if your Horfe 

 be in good Cafe ; but if he be very poor, and that the Dif- 

 eafe has taken its Origin from Exinanition, then your Horfe, 

 if at all, is to be but Sparingly bled and purged. 



But Cheiving-b'alh of the moll fetid Itinking Things ima- 

 ginable, are to be ufed every Dayj lb far as the Horfe '9 

 Strength is able to bear the Action ; for thefe will help to 

 rouze his Spirits, and put the Blood into a brisker Motion. 

 And for the fame purpofe. Volatile Salts or Spirits, as thofe 

 of Armoniack, or Harts-horn, may be fometimes held to his 

 Nofe. The Cin?iabar-baUs, direded in an Apoplexy and 

 Vertigo, ought alfo to be given him every day, and con- 

 tinued for a coniiderable Time, and Rowels or other Ill'ues 

 ought to be put into his Belly, but particularly a Hair- 

 Rowel put through his Skin behind the Poll of his Head, 

 which alone will fuffice, if the Horfe be weak. In which 

 Cafe alfo he mult be well kept, by having Food often, tho' 

 but little at a Time. By this Method your Horfe may be 

 recovered, if he is not wore out with Age, or very much 

 broke by the Continuance of his Difeafe, 



CHAP. 



