34 MATERIA MEDICA. 



The dose of the foetid spirit of ammoiria^ 

 is from one ounce to one and an half ounce. 



ATTENUANTS. Medicines were thus 

 termed, which were supposed to render the 

 blood more fluid. 



BALLS, or Boluses, This is the most 

 common form in which medicine is given to 

 horses, and generally the most convenient. 

 Every groom ought to make himself expert 

 in giving halls^ without using the instrument 

 termed a balling iron ; but there are some 

 horses that will not take a ball by any other 

 means. In giving a ball the horse's tongue 

 is drawn out on the off or right side, and held 

 firmly with the left hand while with the 

 right the ball is quickly passed over the 

 tongue into the Pharynx, or top of the gul- 

 let : the moment the right hand is withdrawn 

 from the mouth the tongue is let loose, and 

 the ball generally swallowed. The baUing 

 iron is so contrived as to keep the mouth 

 open, while the ball is forced into the throat* 

 it is then immediately withdrawn. 



Balls should be made at the time they are 

 wanted, ashy keeping they often become so 

 hard as to be almost insoluble in the sto- 

 much, sometimes passing through the intes- 



