LAXATIVE FOOD. 603 



be kept, as a rule, in a loose box, so that he may lie down, or move 

 about as he chooses. 



Saw-dust will often be better than straw as bedding in cases of 

 lameness ; for it accommodates itself more readily to the animal's 

 movements. The same may be said of moss litter, or wood shavings. 



CLOTHING. — If the proper conditions of warmth cannot be ob- 

 tained by means of the temperature of the sick box, employ light 

 as well as warm clothing for this purpose; it should be changed, 

 beaten, brushed, and dried, as required. If the horse has an 

 irritable skin, a cotton sheet should be used between it and the 

 body-piece. 



FEEDING SICK HORSES.— Tempt the appetite of these 

 animals by presenting them with daintily prepared food. Its 

 nature should be judiciously varied and it should be given in small 

 quantities and often. Remove any that remains and clean the 

 manger, so that the patient may not become disgusted by having 

 rejected, sour messes under his nose. 



Food and drink should not be forced on a horse ; remember that 

 the state of his appetite is the best guide by which to know whether 

 his system requires food or not. 



LAXATIVE FOOD. — Under this general term, we may place a 

 number of articles of diet, useful in allaying inflammatory symp- 

 toms by inducing and keeping up a lax condition of the bowels, and 

 in promoting the excretion of waste material from the system. 

 They also support the strength. The following list comprises the 

 usual ones employed: — 



Green grass. Turnips ; especially swedes. 



„ wheat. Gruel. 



„ oats. Bran mash. 



„ barley. Linseed and bran mash. 



Lucerne. Boiled barley. 



CaiTots, Linseed tea. 



Parsnips. Hay tea. 



Apples. Linseed oil. 



To the above, add, for use in India, sugar cane, bamboo leaves, 

 boiled nioong, boiled urud, bbiled hulthee and' ghi. 



The employment of laxative food is specially indicated during 

 the acute stages of inflammatory diseases, and in cases of injury. 



Green grass, lucerne, and similar articles of fodder should be 

 dried before being given, if cut when in a w6t state. 



Boiled grain should be cooked with a minimum of water, so that 



