496 MEDICINE. 



case are magnesia, or the carbonate of soda or potash, with soft soap. The 

 acid might possibly be neutralized by this combination. 



Adeps, Hog's Lard, very properly forms the basis of most of our ointments. 

 It is tasteless, inodorous, and free from every stimulating quality. That cannot 

 be said of all the ingredients used in the composition of our unguents. 



Alcohol, Rectified Spirit. — This is necessarily used in many of our tinc- 

 tures and other preparations, and is sometimes given to the horse in almost 

 a pure state. Some horses that are compelled to travel far and quickly, show 

 evident fatigue before they arrive at the end of their journey. A cordial 

 or carminative tincture, to the extent of three or four ounces, largely diluted, 

 may occasionally be given, and they rally, and cheerfully pursue their course to 

 the end. The groom or the stableman gives the gin or whiskey of the country, in 

 preference to any other stimulant. In cases of thorough fatigue the Daffy's Elixir 

 may be administered, and probably rendered more stimulant by the addition of 

 pepper. Mr. Bracy Clark recommends four ounces of the tincture of allspice in 

 cases of gripes. On the other hand, some veterinary surgeons have preferred 

 simple hot water, or the infusion of several of our medicinal herbs, as pepper- 

 mint, rosemary, &c. We should be loath, except on extraordinary occasions, to 

 advocate the use of any spirituous drink. 



Aloes. — There are two kinds used in horse practice, the Barbadoes and the 

 Cape. The Socotrine, preferred by the human surgeon, are very uncertain in 

 their effect on the horse, and are seldom to be met with pure. Of the Barba- 

 does and the Cape, the first are much to be preferred. They are obtained 

 principally from the island of Barbadoes, and are the juice of the large leaves 

 of the aloe boiled to a considerable thickness, and then poured into gourds in 

 which they gradually harden. The true Cape are the extract of a species of 

 aloes chiefly cultivated at the Cape of Good Hope. The Barbadoes aloes are 

 black, with a shade of brown, of an unctuous feeling, with a stronger smell, 

 broken with difficulty, and the fracture dull. The Cape are darker coloured, 

 stronger smelling, very brittle, and the fracture perfectly glossy. Every veterinary 

 surgeon who uses much aloes should buy them in the mass, and powder them 

 at home, and then, by attending to this account of the difference of the two, he 

 can scarcely be imposed upon. It is, however, the fact, that these are mostly 

 adulterated, by their being melted together. Aloes purchased in powder are too 

 often sadly adulterated. 



The Cape aloes may be powdered at all times, and the Barbadoes in frosty 

 weather, when enough should be prepared, to be kept in closed bottles, for the 

 year's consumption. They may also be powdered when they have been taken 

 from the gourd, and exposed to a gentle heat for two or three hours before they 

 are put into the mortar. In the proportion of fifteen ounces of the powdei 

 mixed with one ounce of powdered ginger, and beaten up with eight ounces of 

 palm oil, and afterwards divided into the proper doses, it will form a purging 

 mass more effectual, and much less likely to gripe, than any that can be pro- 

 cured by melting the drug. If the physic is given in the shape of a ball it more 

 readily dissolves in the stomach, and more certainly and safely acts on the 

 bowels when mingled with some oily matter, like that just recommended, than 

 when combined with syrup or honey, which are apt to ferment, and be 

 themselves the cause of gripes. It is also worse than useless to add any diu- 

 retic to the mass, as soap or carbonate of soda. The action of these on one set 

 of organs will weaken that of the aloes on another. A physic mass should never 

 be kept more than two or three months, for, after that time, it rapidly loses its 

 purgative property. 



Directions for physicking will be found at page 304. We will only add 

 that, as a promoter of condition, the dose should always be mild. A few fluid 



