122 
THOUGHTS ON BROKEN WIND. 
Carrots or turnips during winter, in lieu of grass, will be found 
useful. 
I have had cases of broken wind of a very aggravated nature, 
where I have found it necessary to draw blood; and I have 
thought usually with benefit to the animal, by relieving conges¬ 
tion: being careful only to take away a small quantity, and not 
repeating the operation unless found beneficial. If the animal 
have been well fed, and is in fair condition, such treatment may 
be advantageous; but caution is required in the use of the lancet, 
as the disease in its own nature is very enfeebling. Turning a 
badly broken-winded horse out to grass seems, whilst the animal 
remains in the field, to have a surprising effect in quieting 
the breathing: but it does no permanent good; for as soon as 
the animal is taken back to dry food he generally grows worse 
than he was before. It seems rather paradoxical, how a broken- 
winded horse turned to grass should experience relief in his 
breathing; but such is the case, and can only be accounted for 
by the lax state in which the bowels are kept; thus materially 
diminishing the accumulation of flatus, which distends the 
abdomen. Although this is true with respect to the broken- 
winded horse, yet is the reverse the fact in horses about to 
become so; for I have noticed that, during summer, when we 
are usually in the habit of giving troop horses green forage in 
lieu of hay, or mixed with the hay, cases of broken-wind are more 
likely to occur; and I can only account for this by distention of 
the stomach, pressing upon a weakened lung, and so producing 
morbid changes: such occurrences being usually confined to horses 
which have shewn premonitory symptoms of broken wind, such 
as horses with chronic cough, or roarers, crib-biters, &c.,so that 
we never can forget our late esteemed Professor Coleman’s first 
principles. 
I have known broken-winded horses greatly relieved by 
giving to them a certain quantity of linseed oil, and then shortly 
afterwards making the animal to exert himself freely by trotting, 
cantering, or whatever exertion he is fit for. This relief is only 
temporary, and is, I believe, what a certain class of knavish horse- 
dealers call “ shotting a horse for sale.” It certainly has con¬ 
siderable effect in freeing the breathing, if repeated for a few 
days; and I hardly know how to account for it. Perhaps it is 
by absorption or neutralization of the gas, since I am aware 
that common hog’s lard melted will produce a surprising effect 
on horses or cattle, and it may act in a similar manner. The 
exercise, however, that is ordered to invariably follow the giving 
of the oil has much to do with it, by getting rid of the collected 
flatus, by which the animal finds himself temporarily relieved. 
EXERCISE.— However important the consideration of diet, 
