PHYSICKING. 625 



purging continue after this, about half an ounce of tincture of opium 

 may be given with a little gruel. 



Horses sometimes appear sick, and refuse their food, after tak- 

 ing physic, either during the afternoon or evening of the same day, 

 or the following morning. This is generally caused by a neglect of 

 the preparation above directed, by the stomach being loaded at the 

 .time the physic is given, or by the horse feeding improperly too 

 soon afterward ; and not unf^equently by the physic being too 

 strong. When this sickness is observed, the horse should have 

 ,walking exercise ; and if it be on the same day the physic is taken, 

 and the uneasiness be considerable, let a clyster be administered ; 

 nothing more is necessary. Should it continue, however, the fol- 

 lowing morning let him be again exercised, and have some water 

 with the chill off; and if the purging does not come on, and he ap- 

 pears to make fruitless efforts to dung, let the clyster be repeated, 

 which, with repetition of the exercise, will generally produce the, 

 desired effect. A horse should be clothed, and not exposed to rain 

 or cold wind during the operation, of physic ; and when its opera- 

 tion has ceased, he should be gradually brought back to his usual 

 diet and work. 



Cathartics improve digestion and chylification by cleansing the 

 intestines and unloading the liver, and if the animal is afterward 

 properly fed, will improve his strength and condition in a remark- 

 able degree. Diuretics carry off the excrementitious matter of the 

 blood by the kidneys, and thereby produce a similar effect, but not 

 in so essential or permanent a manner ; for if the system of feeding, 

 which renders the blood impure, be continued, it will soon return to 

 its original state. Cathartics are always useful when the appetite 

 and digestion are bad, and this is known by a voracious or de- 

 praved appetite, both for food and for water, rumbling of the 

 bowels, and a frequent discharge of wind from the anus. This is 

 the case in a remarkable degree with broken-winded horses, and 

 generally in such as have chronic cough, or are crib-biters. Ca- 

 thartics should not be given too strong or too frequently, as they 

 may thereby weaken instead of strengthen the digestive organs, 

 and produce the effect they were intended to remove. Cathartics 

 should always be made with soap, in the following manner, and 

 then, if given upon an empty stomach, they will be carried off, and 

 will not be dissolved until they get into the large bowels, where 

 their effect is intended to be produced ; that is, carrying off all the 

 excrementitious matter that may be lodged in them. When given 

 in this way, they never produce sickness or pain in the stomach, 

 40 a 



