Chap.XLVIIL Of the Far cm. \6i 



ings of fome Phyficians, but no ways applicable to the Far- 

 cin ; he has thefe Words. 



" For a brief Explanation of the Nature SolleyfellV 



" of that Poyfon, 'twill be fufficientto tell Account of the 

 *' you, that it is a venomous Steam, or cer- P^'"n«o "-^ays 

 " tain corrupt Spirits, which penetrate the ^S^^'^^ble to the 

 « Parts of a Horfe's Body, as the Light of Sjl. "^ 

 *' the Sun palTes through a Glafs. Thefe 

 " Spirits are a fort of Ferment that breed Corruption in 

 *' whatever Part they attack. 



But this Explanation is not only imperfecT:, but altogether 

 unintelligible, his Comparifon being no ways agreeable to 

 his own Ideas and Notions of that Poyfon ; nor indeed de- 

 ducible from thofe Caufes which himfelf has enumerated as 

 the chief Occafion of the Farcin ; for he obferves that the 

 Farcin is fometimes communicated by Contagion from an 

 infeded Horfe, the eating too great a quantity of new Oats, 

 or new Hay, violent Exercife in hot Weather, and even 

 once hard Riding ; Hurts and Wounds made by a foul can- 

 cerous Inftrument, fuch as Spurs, Bits, &c. the too great 

 Abundance of Blood, and a prepoilerous and too hafty Dili- 

 gence in fattening tir'd, lean, and over- heated Horfes. 



But it is very certain none of thefe Caufes will produce fuch 

 a Poifon as can penetrate the Parts of a Horfe's Body in the 

 Manner he has defcrib'd j and indeed, thofe Poifons that 

 are of the moft volatile and corrofive Nature, tho' their Ef- 

 feds are fudden, yet their Operations are not fortuitous, or 

 at Random, but perfectly mechanical, as may be feen by any 

 one who is able to perufe Dr. Mead's Ellays on Poifon, 

 where all thofe Things are clearly and intelligibly explain'd. 

 We (hall therefore endeavour to account for the Farcin 

 in a Way that we hope will be thought more rational than 

 what any of our Authors have hitherto advanc'd, and what- 

 ever Regard be had to the Procatartick^ or remote Caufes of 

 that Diftemper, we may venture to afhrm, that its imme- 

 diate Caufe is a languid and heavy Motion of the Blood, and 

 other Juices contained in the fmall VeiTels of the extreme 

 and outward Parts of a Horfe's Body, and that it has its 

 chief Seat in the Skin and flefhy Pannicle. But before we 

 proceed further, we fhall take Notice, that mofl Authors 

 have divided the Farcin into divers Kinds, viz. the wet, the 

 dry, the inward and the Hying Farcin, the corded Farcin, 

 the Farcin that puts forth red or yellowifh Flefh, and that 

 which is of a livid and black Colour, and refembles a Hen's 

 Fundament. T z The 



