FARRIERY. 
246 
OF FEBRILE DISEASES. 
Writers on farriery have defcribed a great variety of 
fevers; but their observations appear to have been moftly 
drawn from the works of medical authors, and their rea- 
foning feems founded principally upon theoreticalenqiliry. 
Practice, however, teaches, that the fevers of liorfes 
bear very little analogy to thofe of the human fubjedt, 
and certainly require a different treatment. The two 
leading diftindlions of fever in the horfe are, the idiopathic, 
or original difeafe, and therefore properly termed Jim pie ; 
the other dependant on internal inflammation, and very 
juftly denominated fymptomatic ; for example, if the lungs, 
bowels, or ftomach, are inflamed, the whole fyftent will 
be thrown into diforder, and a fymptomatic fever induced ; 
but if a collapfe of the perfpirable veffels happens to take 
place, the blood will accumulate in the interior parts of 
the body, and though inflammation is not immediately 
produced by it, yet the unequal diiTribution of rhe blood 
alone will occafion that derangement in the fyfletn which 
conftitutes tli e fimple fever ; and hence the propriety and 
utility of bleeding. The fimple fever does not occur fo 
frequently as the fymptomatic, nor is it by any means fo 
formidable in its confequences; but it is neverthelefs 
neceffary to give it the earlieft attention ; for unlefs na¬ 
ture receives timely’artiftance, the blood will accumulate 
in the anterior parts of the body, until inflammation in 
fome of the vifeera takes place, and a dangerous difeafe 
eftablifhed. The following are the common fymptoms of 
limple fever: fhivering, fucceeded by lofs of appetite, 
dejected appearance, quick pulfe, hot mouth, and appa¬ 
rent debility. 
As foon as a horfe is attacked by this difeafe, let him 
be bled; and if coftivenefs follows, give him a pint of 
caftor oil, or the oil of olives. The fever powders are 
then to be given once in twelve hours, and continued un¬ 
til its diuretic effect becomes confiderable. Warm water 
and math.es thould be given in fmall quantities; warm 
clothing, frequent rubbing down, and a liberal allowance 
•of litter, arealfo neceffary ; and when the fever runs high, 
it is advifeable to infert rowels about the chert and belly, 
in order to prevent internal inflammation. When the 
difeafe begins to go off, the horfe looks more lively, and 
the appetite returns ; then let him be led out occafionally 
in fome warm fituation, and give now and then a malt 
math, for the purpofe of recovering his ftrength. The 
fever powders in this cafe may be thus compounded: 
nitre, powdered, one ounce; camphor and tartarifed an¬ 
timony, of each two drains; well mixed up, for one dofe. 
— Or, powdered nitre, one ounce ; unwartted calx of an¬ 
timony, two drams ; mixed up, for one dofe.—Or, anti- 
monial powder, three drains, and camphor, one dram, 
mixed up for one dofe.—Thefe are to be chofen as the 
liate of the horfe (hall feenr to require. 
The fymptomatic fever is often occafioned by too hi, h 
feeding, clofe (tables, and a want of proper exercile; 
fometimes, how ever, a hidden tranfition from a cold to a 
hot temperature is evidently the canfe of it ; in this re- 
fpeet it is different from the timple fever, which will 
fometimes arife from expofing a horfe fuddenly to a 
cold air, when he has been accurtomed to a hot (table. 
When a fever is fymptomatic, it is not preceded by 
fhivering, nor is it fo hidden in its eft'edts as the fimple 
fever; belt when it is not fubdued by an early application 
of remedies, the fymptoms gradually increafe in violence, 
until they prefent a formidable appearance. When the 
difeafe is occafioned by over-much exertion, it comes on 
more fuddenly, and the complaint is dangerous in its ear. 
liert ftage. The fymptoms are, lofs of appetite, quick 
pulfe, dejefited countenance, hot mouth, and great debi¬ 
lity ; and if to thefe are joined difficulty of breathing, and 
unufual working of the flanks, with coldnefs of the legs 
and ears, it maybe concluded that an inflammation of the 
lungs is the caufe of the fever. But if the horfe hangs 
down his head in the manger, or leans back upon his col¬ 
lar, tilth a rtrong appearance of drowtinefs, and the eyes 
watery and inflamed, it is an indication that the fever 
depends upon an accumulation of blood in the veffels of 
the brain, and that the flaggers are probably approaching. 
When thefe fymptoms of fever are joined with a yel- 
lownefs of the eyes and mouth, an inflammation of the 
liver is indicated. Should an inflammation of the bowels 
be the caufe, the horfe is violently griped. An inflam¬ 
mation of the kidneys will, alfo produce fever, which is 
accompanied by a fuppreflion of urine, and an inability re 
bear preffure upon the loins. When inflammation of the 
bladder is the canfe, the horfe is frequently rtaling, in 
very fmall quantities, and with confiderable pain. Dan¬ 
gerous wounds, and particularly thofe of joints, will alfo 
produce fymptomatic fever. Sometimes feveral of the 
internal parts are inflamed at the fame inftant; and when 
inflammation has exifted for a confiderable time, it is fel- 
dom confined to the organ in which it originated ; the 
difeafe attacks the other-vifeera, and when more than one 
organ is inflamed, the fymptoms become complicated ;■ 
ftill, however, the effential remedies are the fame. 
Inflammation of the Lungs. —Medical writers 
ufttally make a diftinttion between inflammation of the 
lungs, and of the pleura, or the membrane which covers 
thofe organs; calling the former ptripntumony , and the lat¬ 
ter phurify ; this diftindtion, however, is not neceffary in 
veterinary nofology, fince thofe parts are never affedted; 
feparately in the horfe. The progrefs of this difeafe is 
often very rapid ; and unlefs proper remedies are em¬ 
ployed at an early period of the malady, it is apt to ter¬ 
minate fatally. Its approach is indicated by the follow¬ 
ing fymptoms: lofs of appetite, dulnefs, and difmclina- 
tion to move, unufual beating of the flanks, hot mouth, 
and fometimes a cough. If the difeafe, by improper 
treatment, isfuffered to proceed, thefe fymptoms increafe; 
refpiration becomes quick and laborious, the pulfe fre¬ 
quent, irregular, and weak. A ftriking appearance may 
be obferved in the animal’s countenance : the noflrils are 
expanded, the eyes fixed, and the head inclining down¬ 
ward ; and the debility is fo confiderable, that he is inca¬ 
pable of moving in the ftall without great difficulty ; he 
will not lie down, unlefs fo much weakened-as to be in¬ 
capable of (landing. The difeafe, however, is not always 
fo rapid as here defcribed, anti not unfrequently a confi¬ 
derable remiffion may be obferved, occafioned, probably, 
by an effufion of fern in or water having taken place in 
the chert. This remiflion, when it happens, is fo obvious 
as to afford a favourable prognolis, by the horfe beginning 
to feed, and the pulfe becoming lefs frequent. Yet this 
flattering appearance will fometimes prove fallacious, and 
the difeafe then returns with accumulated force, aud puts 
a period to the animal’s life. The tea (on why inflamma¬ 
tion goes on fo rapidly in the horfe, is, the great mufcular 
power of the heart and arteries, which fpeedily determines 
the difeafe to mortification; a cafe very rare in the human 
fubjedt. 
The firft thing to he done under this dangerous malady, 
is to bleed copioufly. If the difeafe does not appear to abate 
in twelve hours after the bleeding, particularly if it has 
become more violent, the operation (hould be repeated, 
and with confiderable freedom. This will tend to re-eita- 
blidt the appetite and ftrength, by fubduing the inflam¬ 
mation, on which the febrile difpolition depends. But 
when the fever has exifted for fome time, and has nearly 
exhaufted the horfe’s ftrength, it nitift not be difguifed 
that bleeding would in that cafe be the decilive means of 
battening death. When (uppuration takes place in the 
lungs, though there is little probability of laving the 
animal, yet there might neverthelefs be a chance of laving 
life by giving frequently licit water gruel, and infufions 
of malt ; opium, fait of hartflionr, aud other cordials, 
may alfo be of fervice. Though this difeafe, in its worrt 
(tage, is always a forlorn hope, yet by timely bleeding, 
and comforting draughts, its virulence is fometimes over¬ 
come. When, in fuch cafe, the appetite begins to return, 
