DIAEEHGEA. 425 



which has a very " heating '' effect on the system, owing to the 

 large proportion of albumin it contains. ' A cure may be rapidly 

 accomplished by giving a few bran mashes, followed by a consider- 

 ably decreased supply of gram, which had best be mixed with dry 

 bran. 



Three or four pounds of dry bran, divided between the four or 

 five feeds which a horse gets daily, will have a binding effect. 

 Mashes made of linseed and bran will aid in allaying irritation. In 

 all cases it is judicious to allow horses a constant supply of water 

 in their stalls. As work tends to stop the process of digestion in 

 proportion to the shortness of time between it and feeding ; horses 

 which are inclined to scour should have a long interval of rest after 

 eating their corn. Even a drink of water given shortly before 

 exercise, will cause some " washy " animals to purge. A feed 

 early in the morning, quickly followed by work, is particularly 

 liable to bring about this condition. Such horses should always 

 have chopped hay mixed through their corn, or have hay in the 

 stall at the same time as they are consuming their allowance of 

 corn, in order that their food may have a sufficiently large pro- 

 portion of woody fibre. A small proportion of beans may be used 

 with advajitage. " 



If a horse be a greedy feeder, he should have some hay before 

 each feed. 



The oats given should always be bruised ; for, in that state, they 

 will require to be more thoroughly masticated than when whole. 

 Besides, the hard husk, which might have an irritating effect on 

 the intestines, will become broken up. 



The corn may be given from a trough or sheet placed on the 

 ground' so that the animal will be obliged to take a considerable • 

 time over its consumiption. 



In cases where the diarrhoea is brought on by improper food, 

 give a pint of linseed oil and attend carefully to the diet. For 

 plain water, substitute rice water or thin flour gruel. Give 

 bruised oats and dry bran. Keep the horse warmly clothed and 

 comfortably stabled. If the horse's mouth has a sour smell, mix 

 2 oz. of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) in his food daily. If 

 the case does not yield to these simple measures, give once or 

 twice a day, after purging, an ounce of laudanum in a pint of rice 

 water. If this fails, administer the following ball : — 



Powdered opium 1 drachm. 



Powdered catechu ... ... ... ... 2 drachms. 



Subnitrate of bismuth ... 2 „ 



Treacle enough to make up into a ball. 



A little port wine, spirits and warm water, or oitnce doses of 



