375 
THE EFFECT OF CANTHARIDES IN CASES OF 
' FARCY. 
By Mr. Thomas Holford, F.aS., Northwich. 
There are scattered through the pages of that valuable and 
highly interesting journal. The Veterinarian, various opini¬ 
ons as to the effect of cantharides, and more particularly relating 
to a specific action which they are supposed to possess in the 
cure of glanders and farcy. The following extracts are the result 
of a few cases out of many in which I have given the fly with 
considerable success. 
CASE I. 
May 20th, 1833, T was requested by G. Woolrich, Esq. of 
Sutton Hall, to take a black mare (in foal) under my care. She 
had been bled by the owner, but to no good effect. I found her 
affected with farcy. The left hind leg was enormously swelled, 
from the foot to the hip. There was also a great deal of febrile 
excitement going on in the system, which led me to repeat the 
bleeding, and administer a purge. 
21st .—Physic operating, and the enlarged leg a little di- 
minished. 
23^/.—The swelling gradually diminished, while the cathartic 
medicine acted ; but as that subsided the enlargement returned. 
2-lth. —R. pulv. lyttee 9j, rad. gent., zingib. sem. carui ana ^j, 
divided into six balls, and give one daily, turning her out to grass 
in the daytime. After one or two doses she began to improve; 
and when the balls were finished, she went to work perfectly re¬ 
covered. This mare has been free from any return of the disease 
since that period, a circumstance contrary to her usual habit 
prior to having this medicine. 
CASE II. 
An aged entire horse (which is since dead from hydrothorax), 
belonging to the same gentleman, was found, June 23, 1833, to 
be similarly affected. The same tonic medicine was given, but the 
cantharides were increased to viii grs. in each ball. In about 
a week the horse went to work quite well. After the medicine 
he improved in his condition, and looked better than he had 
done for a long time before. 
CASE III. 
In the afternoon of October 14th, 1834, I was requested to 
attend an aged carriage horse, sixteen hands high, the property 
