14 • FIRING HORSES. 



On the side of the neck, body or inside of the leg will be felt a thick 

 substance under the skin V)ut somewhat elevated and hardened -and in- 

 terrupted at distances with a small sore simihir to that on the leg. In 

 some cases soft, puily swellings will be found about many parts of the 

 body. 



Cause. Poorly ventilated stables which are overcrowded with horses ; 

 inoculation from the virus of the gl.-mdered or farcied horses, and this 

 virus producing a ferment in the blood. Absorption of pus into the 

 blood is liable to produce either farcy, glanders or some other zymotic 



disease. 



Treatment. Understanding the cause of this disease you will readily 

 see what the treatment should be— that by removing the cause the effects 

 will cease. Give a tablespoonful of sulphite (not sulphate) of soda 

 twice a day. 



This remedy will stop all fermentation and purify the blood. It would 

 be well to continue the sulphite of soda two or three times a week for 

 a few weeks after the horse seems to be well. 



After leaving off the sulphite of soda give the" tonic powders as 

 directed in the treatment for bots, to improve the general condition of 

 the horse. Give good and generous feed. 



Another plan is to give the following powders once or twice a day. 

 Take sulphur, 8 ozs. saltpetre, 4 ozs. black antimony, 2 ozs. mix and 

 give one tablespoonful. 



Another mode of treating this disease is to give three drachms of 

 sulphate of copper every night, in the food, until the horse refuses to eat. 



After a few days repeat, but if the case is bad give the medicine as a 

 drench in water, for ten days, if he will not take it in his food. 



The horse, as well as all, his clothing and articles used in feeding 

 him should be removed from all healthy animals, as this is one of the 

 contagious diseases of the horse. 



FIRING HORSES. I can fully indorse the following statements of Dr. 

 Robt. Mc Clure in regard to this inhuman practice. He says — " This is 

 an operation which is a great favorite, and in much repute among horse 

 doctors. For my part I think it not only cruel and barbarous, but un- 

 necessary, doing no good whatever, and in many cases a positive injury, 

 the effects of which will never disappear from the legs or body while the 

 animal lives. Firing is intended by its advocates to prevent and cure 

 spavin, curbs, sprains and ring-bones by scoring the parts with a red 

 hot iron in lines over the part that is thought will be diseased or is 

 already so." See Cautery. 



FOOT DISEASES. Navicular disease. (See engraving on cover for 

 location.) 



This is a serious disease, and sometimes is very obscure in its 



