160 METHODS FOR CASTING AND SECURING HORSES 
May —I do not like the animal; the countenance is anxious 5 
it does not feed, but the purging is not so violent. He must 
have the same powder. 
2d .—Decidedly worse; refuses to eat; breathes hard ; sadly 
weak; anxious countenance; deathy-cold muzzle. I attempted 
to bleed him, but no vein could be raised, and he could not bear 
the ligature a moment. Give sp. nit. seth. siiij, laudanum 3 ij, 
Epsom salts §iiij, ginger 5i, in gruel. In an hour afterwards he 
was dead. The rumen was filled almost to distention ; the other 
stomachs were in their natural state. The liver and spleen was 
sound ; the lungs were somewhat emphysematous, and shewing 
marks of old affection. There was peritoneal inflammation of all 
the intestines ; but the mucous membrane, and particularly of 
the large intestines, was dreadfully inflamed. 
THE METHODS OF CASTING AND SECURING 
HORSES FOR OPERATIONS. 
By Mr. Harry Daw^s, London, 
The operations to which the horse is subjected are but few, 
comparatively speaking; but it is essentially necessary (when we 
consider the amazing strength of the animal, and the disposition 
which some horses evince to injure those around when pain is 
inflicted, and too often unnecessarily) for the safety of the opera¬ 
tor, that his tackle for securing his patient should be of the best 
manufacture, and as simple as possible in its construction. With 
this view I am induced to address my observations principally 
to the junior branches of the profession on a subject of such im¬ 
portance, many of whom, I am sorry to say, never placed a strap 
on a horse’s leg, although in possession of a diploma. Here I 
would remark, that, as self-preservation is the first law of nature, 
they cannot make themselves too expert in all the manual opera¬ 
tions of casting and securing their patients previous to operation, 
instead of entrusting their own lives and limbs to the carelessness 
or caprice of others. I shall briefly comment upon the principal 
operations, and describe the tackle necessary, in my opinion, to 
be employed. 
These consist of blinds, twitch, side-line, casting-hobbles, 
cross-hobbles, broad body-roller, with back rope, casting-bridle, 
and webbing. Docking is the only operation that should be per¬ 
formed without casting, although, I dare to say, marty members 
