38 
HORSE-SICKNESS IN SOUTH AERICA. 
with sufficient mass to make a moderate-sized ball; this may 
be repeated in four hours, and about 10 or 15 drops of aconite 
may be administered every hour in the interval. 
Instead of blistering the sides with euphorbia, as is too 
often done, it would be better to dip rugs or blankets in 
hot water and apply them to the chest, or if a counter- 
irritant be applied, let it be mustard, it will be as efficacious 
as the other, and less likely to be injurious. Clothing may 
be put on so as to induce perspiration, and so relieve the 
lungs and help to eliminate the poison; and half an ounce of 
the chlorate or nitrate of potass put in water for the horse 
to drink. 
Bleeding should not be had recourse to unless the 
breathing is very difficult; in most cases that I have seen of 
this disease it has not been admissible, and it is often carried 
too far, so that if a horse does not die at once he is prostrated 
as to lessen the chances of his recovery later on. 
When it is necessary to bleed, the amount to be taken 
should be in the proportion of about 1 lb. of blood to every 
100 lbs. of the horse’s weight, unless the pulse begins to 
falter, in which case it should be stopped at once. 
In those cases in which the bowels are constipated, oil 
should be given in preference to more active agents. Horses 
should be placed in a comfortable loose box, if possible, 
but as the stables are generally bad, they would often be 
better under the shade of trees or buildings when it does 
not rain. 
During the acute stages of the diseases horses are seldom 
inclined to eat, but whenever they will the diet should con¬ 
sist of bran or linseed mashes, roots, lucerne, sugar-cane, &c. 
If recovery takes place forage and other good food should 
be given as well in moderation, and this, with the best nursing 
that circumstances will admit of, and the administration of 
tonics along with the food will be essential. 
In suggesting the above treatment, which—in my very 
limited experience of this disease—I have found most 
beneficial, I am not prepared to guarantee its efficacy in 
any case. 
Since I have been enabled to determine the nature of this 
affection I have not had an opportunity of testing the value 
of other medicinal agents, but in the future I intend trying 
the effects of antiseptics, such as the sulphite or hyposulphite 
of soda, carbolic acid, &c. 
