MEDICINES. 461 



the bran, in order to soften it and render it more digestible. Bran 

 mashes are very usefiil preparatives for physic, and they are 

 necessary during the operation of the physic. They very soon 

 become sour, and the manger of the horse, of whose diet they 

 form a principal part, should be daily and carefully cleaned out. 



When horses are weakly and much reduced, nlalt mashes will 

 often be very palatable to them and very nutritive : but the water 

 that is poured on a malt mash should be considerably below the 

 boiling heat, otherwise the malt will be set, or clbgged together. 

 If the owner was aware of the value of a malt mash, it would 

 be oftener given when the horse is rapidly getting weaker from 

 protracted disease, or when he is beginning to recover from a dis- 

 ease by which he has been much reduced. The only exception 

 to their use is in cases of chest affection, in which they must not 

 be given too early. In grease, and in mange accompanied by 

 much emaciation, malt mashes will be peculiarly useful, especially 

 if they constitute a principal portion of the food. 



Mercury, — see Hydrargyrum. 



Mercurial Ointment, — see under Hydrargyrum. 



Muriatic Acid, — see Acidum Muriaticum. 



Mustard, Sinapis. — This will be found occasionally useful, if, 

 in inflammation of the chest or bowels, it is well rubbed on the 

 chest or the abdomen. The external swelling and irritation which 

 it excites may, to a greater or less degree, abate the inflammation 

 within. 



Myrrh, — may be used in the form of tincture, or it may bt 

 united to the tincture of aloes as a stimulating and digestive ap- 

 plication to wounds. Diluted with an equal quantity of water, 

 it is a good application for canker in the mouth, ' but as an inter- 

 nal medicine it seems to be inert, although some practitioners ad- 

 vocate its use, combined with opium, in cases of chroiiic cough. 



Nitre, — see under Potash. 



Nitrous jEther, Spirit of, — is a very useful medicine in the 

 advanced stages of fever, for while it, to a certain degree, rouses 

 the exhausted powers of the animal, and may be denominated a 

 stimulant, it never brings back the dangerous febrile action which 

 was subsiding. It is given in doses of three or four drachms. 



Olive Oil, — is an emollient and demulcent. Its laxative effect 

 is very inconsiderable and uncertain in the horse. 



OproM; — However underrated by some, there is not a more 

 valuable drug on our list. It does not often act as a narcotic, ex- 

 ec pt in considerable doses ; but it is a powerful antispasmodic, 

 sedative, and astringent. As an antispasmodic, it enters into the 

 choUc drink, and it is the sheet-anchor of the veterinarian in the 

 treatment of tetanus or locked-jaw. As a sedative it relaxes that 

 universal spasm of the muscular system which is the character- 



