84 
DRENCHING. 
tacle in the spacious area of a theatre, the proportion of oxygen, or 
vital air, was diminished one-fourth, and having the addition of a 
considerable quantity of carbonic acid. The latter evil cannot exist 
in a stable; but a diminution to this extent of vital air must be 
most injurious to animal life. 
Descending to a point of apparently minor consideration, I am 
ready to admit that I have been much interested in the discussions 
which have lately been entered into in your Journal, on the subject 
of drenching horses, and the danger of it. Eight out of twelve 
patients,” says Professor Stewart, of Glasgow, “ died from having 
had draughts administered to them! More than this, the remaining 
four were only saved by the treatment they were put under, and 
none of the whole number shewed any symptoms of the disease 
of which they died until after the draught had been administered.” 
Now, I am quite aware, by what I have read, that danger may 
arise from drenching a horse, and especially with any pungent me¬ 
dicine ; but what creates my surprise is, that I should never have • 
heard or dreamed of this danger before. I would never give a 
draught to a horse when a ball would answer the same purpose, 
and for two reasons—first, a regard to the discomfort of the animal, 
which a nauseous medicine creates; secondly, because there is no 
absolute certainty of the entire dose being given. But how many 
horses of mine have had drenches given them ] Why, I fear to 
say ; but, having had some who would not take a ball, I have had 
recourse to the drenching-horn in such cases; and in scores of 
others—-and particularly in flatulent colic or gripes—have given 
pungent and stimulating medicines, by the horn or bottle, without 
a single instance of bronchitis being the result. In fact, I have, at 
this time, a horse to whom no man in France can give a ball; and 
he has had four or five doses of aloetic physic by the horn within 
the two last years. 
Now, as regards myself, what is the result of my perusal of this 
discussion 1 Why, I cannot help admitting that, although the facts 
stated by Mr. Markham relating to the horses in the stables of 
Messrs. Wimbush, during the raging of the influenza, together with 
the result of my own experience and knowledge, considerably shake 
my belief in the extent of the danger attributed to the drenching- 
horn by Professor Stewart; still, seeing the possibility of injury, 
and to death, by the use of it, I shall in future avoid it as much as 
lies in my power*. But is not the country plate-horse drenched 
* Having always occupied what is called wheat and bean land, my cart¬ 
horses were liable to flatulent colic from eating bean-halm in the dead winter 
months. A turpentine drench was alw^ays resorted to, and no danger oc¬ 
curred. It may be recollected, by some of your readers, that I had a horse 
who used to bring back his physic ball through his left nostril. He was ever 
afterwards drenched by my own and his next owner’s groom. 
