245 
FARRIER Y. 
quarter made thin ; which will produce the fame effect as 
altering; the horn ; or, if the hoof be fufficiently ttrong, 
both thefe remedies nyty be employed at the fame time. 
DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 
In the treatment of difeafes, whether of the horfe, or 
the nobler animal man, it is a linking feature of in¬ 
tegrity and penetration to chufe but few medicines, and 
tho r e of the belt kind, and molt efficacious quality. The 
lights recently afforded by the rapid progrefs of compara¬ 
tive anatomy and phyliology, cannot fail to direct the ve- 
terinary pratfitioner in forming a rational prognolis of the 
various difeafes incidental to the horfe; wh.il(I the im¬ 
proved (late of the materia medica, and the valuable ac- 
quilitions lately derived to it from the vegetable aird 
mineral kingdoms, render it no hard talk to feledt medi¬ 
caments for the horfe, at a. ; very reafonable expence; of 
the fame invigorating and ballamiC• kinds,, and equally 
fide and faintary in their operation; as thofe moftjudi- 
cioufly preferred for the.life of man. Fur let it ever be 
remembered, that it is not the quantity of the medicines 
prefcribed, but the quality 'ol them, which muff perform 
the cure. To fimplify difeafes, and.afcertain their neared 
affinity with each other in their cattles cind effects, in (lead 
ot increaffng their nominal quantity by new and high- 
founding titles, (hould be the duty of every medical prac¬ 
titioner, be his department in fociety whatever it may. 
And though fome trivial Ioffes.might be fit {fumed by 
loch a mode of practice,.yet the gratifications of conlcious. 
merit and well-earned reputation, will compenfate more 
than a hundred fold, for every inch facrifice to integrity 
and honour. 
In contemplating the primary caufes of altnoft till the 
difeafes incident to the horfe, we (hall find that they 
chiefly derive their origin from fome fpecies of inflamma¬ 
tion. When any part is inflamed, there arifes in it an 
nnnfual degree of heat, generally attended with conli- 
derable tenlion and fwelling; the■ fenfibili.ty and irrita¬ 
bility are always I increafed, and produced by it in parts 
where it did not before ex iff ; in bones and tendons, for 
example, fcarcely any feniibility can be perceived when 
they are in a (fate of health ; but, when inflamed, it is 
roufed to an alarming degree cf pain,, and the moft dan¬ 
gerous confequences are too often to be apprehehded. 
Inflammation has four inodes, of termination : the firlr 
is termed refolution ; that is, when the difCafe, after going 
a certain length, gradually fubrides : the. fecon a, fuppura- 
tion ; that is, when matter is formed, or,an ab.fcefs pro¬ 
duced : the third is named effujion, which implies an ex- 
travalation either of blood, coagiilabfe lymph, or ferum : 
and the fourth, gangrene or mortification, which is the 
death of the inflamed part. Inflammation of the external 
parts is generally occalioned by fome mechanical injury, 
fitch as wounds, bruifes, &c. fometimes, however, it 
arifes from internal derangement, or (ymptomatic fever, 
and is then to be confidered as an effort of nature to throw 
off the internal difeafe. Inflammation is alio frequently 
produced by plethora, or redundancy of blood ; in which 
cafe it is fometimes general, the whole arterial fyftem hav¬ 
ing its action increafed : this idfo may be confidered as an 
effort of nature to difpofe of the ftipevfluous blood ; ami 
in fuch cafes (lie ought to be affifted by copious bleeding, 
It more commonly happens, however, that the redundant 
blood is determined to fome particular part, occalioning- 
local inflaimnatioii ; very frequently falling upon fome of 
the nobler organs, in which cafe the lungs are peculiarly 
liable: to fuffer;, and from this fource the .itoft. dangerous 
fevers arife. The eyes are alio apt to (utter when a horfe 
becomes plethoric ; to which caule almoft all the difeafes 
of that delicate organ may perhapS-.be attributed. 
When inflammation takes place in tendinous parts or 
joints, the 'faturnine poultice has been found an tifeful 
remedy, and in the latter cafe blitters are often efficacious. 
As in thefe cafes the inflammation generally proves more 
Vol. VII. No. 423. 
troublefome, and as the pain which it occafions is often 
fo confiderable as to produce (ymptomatic fever, it be¬ 
comes neceffary to employ the mod prompt and efficacious 
means for its reduction ; and with this view an artijidal 
inflammation fliould be excited. This is done by means 
of rowels and blitters ; and the inflammation thus excited 
generally tends to di mini fit that which is going on in a 
dangerous and violent way. Should this intention to re- 
folve the inflammation fail, it will probably terminate in 
fuppuration ; and when it appears that the difeafe does not 
give way to proper remedies, an affiduons application of 
fomentations and poultices, will expedite the fuppurative 
procefs, and afford the molt fpeedy relief to the animal. 
When the inflammation, or rather 1 he fwelling it occafions, 
arrives at this (late, it forms an ahfeefs, in which, when the 
fuppuration is complete, and it contains matter, a flu£hia~ 
tion may be felt upon its being preffe.d by two fingers al¬ 
ternately. This point being afeertained, an opening is 
to be made with a lancet, that the matter may be com¬ 
pletely evacuated ; it is then to be drefled with digeftive 
liniment or ointment. Should the wound net be difpofed 
to heal when this treatment lias been purfued fur fome 
time, but difeharges a thin offenfive matter, and '-wants 
that red appearance by which the healing procefs is indi¬ 
cated, the detergent lotion will generally remove thofe 
unfavourable appearances ; the difekarge, by this applica¬ 
tion, will become whiter and thicker, and red granula¬ 
tions of new fledi will foon fprou-t up ; fhould thefe gra¬ 
nulations however become luxuriant, conftituting what 
is commonly termed proud■ jltjhy they are to be kept down 
by the ufual means of the cauftic powder. It often hap¬ 
pens that when a part is inflamed and fwollen, inftead ot 
going on to fuppuration, it degenerates into,a hard and 
infenfible tumour; this depends on the inflammation 
having terminated in ejfufion of coag.ulable lymph, and is 
to be removed by ftimulatiiig embrocations or blifters. 
Should the inflammation run very high, as is fometimes 
the cafe in violent bruifes, cr deep wounds of the lace¬ 
rated kind, it may terminate in gangrene or mortification, 
which is generally attended with danger ; in this cafe the 
matter difeharged, inffead of being white and thick, cou- 
fiffsof a dark-coloured fluid, of a peculiar offenfive fmell ; 
at this time the conftitution is generally affedted, the 
pulfe becomes weak, and fometimes irregular, the appe¬ 
tite goes off", and there is a great degree of debility. In¬ 
flammation arifing on the part from wounds of this nature, 
fhould be dreifed with digeffive liniment, oil of turpen¬ 
tine, or camphorated fpirit of wine ; and fomentations 
ought to be applied until the mortified parts app'ear to 
feparate, and the matter lofes its offenfive fmell, appear¬ 
ing whiter and more thick. If the horle becomes weaken¬ 
ed by the difeafe, and lofes his appetite, one or two of the 
following cordial balls- may be given daily ; viz. yellow 
peruvian bark, one ounce ; ginger powdered, two drains ; 
opium, one dram ; oil of carraways, twenty drops ; with 
fyrup enough to make a ball for one dp,(e. Or, yellow 
peruvian bark, half an ounce ; powdered fnake root, two 
drams; powdered cafiia, one dram ant a. half; oil of 
cloves, twenty drops ; with fyrup enough to. form a ball 
lor one dofe. 
When any of the interval parts are inflamed, a fever is 
generally produced, the violence of which will depend 
upon the importance of the inflamed organ, as well as 
upon the extent of the inflammation; fome of the inter¬ 
nal parts being morf effeneial to life than others,.andyvhen 
inflamed oG.calioniug of courfe greater derangement In the 
fyllein. The only favourable terminations to which in¬ 
ternal inflammation can be brought, arc relolutiun and 
effufion; and, as t lie fir ft is by far the mofl defiiable, the 
moft vigorous mealurcs fliould be adopted in order to ef¬ 
fect it ; the immediate remedy in thole, cafes is copious 
bleeding , and the earlier it is employed the more effectual 
will it prove : the next remedy is external inflammation, 
artificially excited by means of rowels and blitters. 
. 3 R ' OR 
