604 NURSING. 



it may be comparatively dry, when it is taken off the fire. Salt 

 should always be given with it. 



One gallon of good gruel may be made from a pound of meal, 

 which should be thrown into cold water, set on the fire and stirred 

 till boiling, and afterwards permitted to simmer over a gentle fire, 

 till the water is quite thick. 



To make a bran mash, scald a stable bucket, throw out the water, 

 put in 3 lbs. of bran and 1 oz. of salt, add 2| pints of boiling water, 

 stir well up, cover over, and allow the mash to stand for fifteen or 

 twenty minutes, until it is well cooked. 



For a bran and linseed mash, boil slowly, for two or three hours, 

 1 lb. of linseed, so as to have about a couple of quarts of thick 

 fluid, to which 2 lbs. of bran and 1 oz. of salt should be added. 

 The whole should be stirred up, covered over and allowed to steam, 

 as advised with a bran mash. The thicker the mash, the readier 

 will the horse eat it. 



Linseed tea is made by boiling 1 lb. of linseed in a couple of 

 gallons of water until the grains are quite soft. It may be more 

 economically done by using less water to cook the linseed, and 

 afterwards making up the quantity of water to about a gallon 

 and a "half. 



Hay tea is prepared by scalding a bucket, filling it with good 

 sweet hay, pouring in as much boiling water as the bucket will 

 hold, covering it over and allowing it to stand until cold, when 

 the fluid may be strained off and given to the horse. This forms 

 a refreshing drink. 



Linseed oil, in quantities of from J to | pint daily, may be 

 mixed through the food. It keeps the bowels in a lax condition, 

 has a good effect on the skin and air-passages, and is useful as an 

 article of diet. 



NOURISHING FOOD.— Under this heading I wish to include, 

 more particularly, those foods specially valuable in supporting the 

 strength, and w'hich are consequently indicated during the period 

 of convalescence. The chief ones are the various forms of " corn ; " 

 milk ; eggs ; bread and biscuits ; malt liquor ; wine, etc. Milk is 

 usually given skimmed, and may be rendered palatable by first 

 mixing in it a little sugar. The horse may get one or two gallons 

 of it daily. Eggs may be given raw as a drench, or may be boiled 

 hard and mashed up in the milk which the horse is to get. The 

 yolk of the egg consists almost entirely of fat, and the white is 

 largely composed of albumin, which is a flesh former. Horses soon 

 learn to become fond of bread and biscuits. A couple of quarts of 

 stout, ale, or porter, or half a bottle of wine, may be given daily. 

 Malt liquor and wine have really very little nutritive value, their 



