ON THE RECENT EPIDEMIC AMONG HOUSES. 
521 
In confirmation of such, when the 14th Dragoon Guards were 
stationed at Piershill Barracks a few years ago, this type of the 
epidemic appeared, and this organ participated in the attack. 
In a few cases that occurred, primitively depleting remedies were 
tried, but were found to be prejudicial to the disease. If a quart 
or two of blood was withdrawn the animal began to faint, and 
exhibited symptoms of collapse, and it was with difficulty that 
the orifice could be pinned up. 
Professor Dick being consulted on these cases, observed, that 
by giving the affected animals diffusible stimulants a complete 
recovery was effected. 
From what we have seen, then, of the nature of the influenza, 
how much care does it not demand from practitioners in giving 
their diagnosis ; and how great is the importance of auscultating 
this, the fountain-head of the circulation, before prescribing a 
remedy of, possibly, a totally different kind to that which the 
appearance of the disease indicates. He must be decisive in his 
practice before he can expect a favourable prognosis of the dif- 
ferent cases that came under his notice. 
Having completed my transient review of the knowledge and 
treatment of this complicated disease among horses, much yet 
requires to be done. There is ample scope for a working mind 
to throw more light upon the subject ; and I hope that practi- 
tioners north and south of the Tweed will not lose sight of it. 
EFFECTS OF MEDICINE ON HORSES. 
By Mr. W. Percivall, Veterinary Surgeon to the First Life 
Guards . 
FERRUM 1 RON. 
While our forges are ringing with the clang of iron in the 
manufacture of horseshoes, few veterinary pharmacies are with- 
out the metal in some form or other, it being found useful as a 
remedy for certain states of disease, and for debilitated conditions 
of body. Like the other metals, in its pure mineral state it ap- 
pears to be ineffective; it readily, however, oxydizes both within 
and without the body, and in that form exerts some influence, 
mild though it be, on the animal constitution. Forge water, as 
it is called — the water from the trough of the forge in which the 
heated horseshoes are cooled — strongly impregnated as it is with 
iron, may be regarded as a powerful chalybeate, and was in 
former days not infrequently exhibited as a medicine to horses: 
VOL. xvi. 4 A 
