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JOHNA.SEAVERNS

jUFTS UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

3 9090 013 418 351

Webster Family Library of Veterin^^ Medicine

Cummlngs School of Veterinary iviedicine at

Tufts University

200 V oroRoad x

North Grafton, MA 01536

X

OBSERVATIONS

AND

DISCOVERIES

MADE UPON

HORSES,

WITH

A New Method of Shoeing.

By the Sieur LA FOSSE,
Farrier to the King of France.

With COPPER-PLATES.

LONDON,.

Printed for J. N o u r s e at the Lamb oppofitc
Katherine- Street in the Strand,

MDCCLvT

THE

EDITOR'S PREFACE

TO THE

READER.

I N C E experimental philofophy has heen
fo happily propagated by the learned of
our own nation ; it has heen Spread and
adopted into all the feminaries of Europe wherever
the native curiojity of mankind^gratified and improved
by an application to the liberal arts^ has prevail-
ed. It is to this we owe^ this day^ the benefits
arifing to mankind^ from the progrefs made in
phyfic and furgery \ it is to this we owe the remov-
al of prejudices in every part of learnings and
the replacing of it with certainties and plain
truths \ and it is in a word from this the recipro-^
cal benefits accruing from one nation to another^ by
their improvements and inventions^ daily arife.

However negligently the difeafes of horfes have
heen heretofore committed to the care of the moft
ignorant among mankind *, the great ufe thefe ani*
mals are of in the ceconomy of life has at laft point'^ .
ed out to men of fenfe and learmtg to take them
into their conjideration : Comparative anatomy has
excited them^ and the great fimilarity of parts^

A 2 offices^

[iv]

offices^ and fiindtions in the ftruSfure of a horfe
with thofe of human nature^ was a fufficient allure^
tnent to invite gentlemen to take them under a more
mature confideration^ and to refcue the noble ani-
mals from the hands of the mofi illiterate empi-
rics.

I do not intend to expatiate upon the ufe and im-
portance of thefe animals in life^ as they are evi-
dent already to every obferver \ I mean only to give
fome little account of the improvements made by
the Sieur la Foffe upon farriery in the following
treatife ; which 1 am the more ready to do that
thofe of my countrymen^ whofe concerns require the
imployment of horfes, may profit of it in their ma-
nagement and the cure of their difeafes.

Nor would I in the leafl forget the fenfible trea-
tifes wrote and publifhed by our own authors Gib-
fon^ Bracken^ and Bartlet, who have treated the
fubje^ in a learned manner^ and who made
early and ingenious fieps towards reducing it to a ra-
tional fyfi em ^ ivell knowing it was a matter of
weight enough to engage the mofi fagacious in the
improvement of an art^ from which fo con/tderable
a benefit ari/es to the greater^ and indeed thefuperior^
part of mankind.

But I fhould think myfelf wanting in the duty I
owe my country^ if I did not propagate among
them, whatever occurred to me that might tend to
fuch laudable ends., in the mofifpeedy and befl manner
I could. And therefore as foon as this valuable
little bock come to my handsy I took care to tah

2 the

[v]

the proper rite a fur es for communicating ^ to the puh-
lic^ thofe ufeful hints that appeared in it upon the
moft important points of farriery ; being additional
difcoveries to what has already been ever made in
any country.

This author then has given the anatomy of a
horfe's foot^ and in the moft clear manner laid
down the different degrees of punEiures a horfe is
liable to^ and their different confequences^ which he
has carefully demonflrated by proper reprefentations
in copper plates^ as well as amply provided for in
the method of cure^ as far as human fkill and pe-
netration can go ; and in the whole^ it appears
that he is very well verfed in the anatomical di-
ftribution of the parts of a horfe^ or has been
affified by fame able anatomijl -, and from his ob-
fervations on the parts ^ he has found that farriers
were perpetually rowelling^ cauterifing^ and apply-
ing topical medicines to parts of horfes that had no
ailment^ by their ignorance of fuch as were the
nal feats of their diforders.

Another important dfcovery of this author is
his pointing out the true feat of the glanders^ which
has always been thought a difeafe of the lungs ;
Mr, Bartlet^ one of our Englifh authors has ap*
proved and adopted his do5irine^ and has added
feme judicious remarks of his own upon it ; by
whicb he merits the thanks of his countrymen in
general.

Ifhall only take the liberty to add briefly a word

or

ffr

[ vl ]

OT two concerning two other points of as great mo-
went as thofe mentioned ♦, the firfi is his applica-
tion of the powder of the PufF-balls to flop the
'hlood in divided arteries^ and the other is an im-
provement upon the manner of jhoeing horfes.

As to the fir ft he has made fuch undeniable expe-
riments in cafes of amputation of limbs and other
parts^ that the certificates of the Royal Academy
of Sciences at Paris were readily granted him, as
will be feen in the fec[iiel of his book -, and indeed
the great benefit of this difcovery does not ftop here •,
// will be extended to cafes of amputation in man^
kind, and be capable of taking away a conftderable
part of their pain as well as other accidents that
fometimes attend the ufual methods in furgery, of
providing againft dangerous hemorrhages.

And in a word, the reader will find many CU'
rious remarks upon the methods of fhoeing, which
it were to be wifhed, our farriers will fo on come
into \ and many precautions which cannot fail of
giving great fatisfaEiion, as well as conduce very
much to the profit of all keepers of horfes.

We miifl inform the reader, further that {as our
ingenious author has tranfiated the chief part of Mr,
Bartlet's i2th chapter upon the difeafes of horfes in
this book, we have thought it neceffary to tran-
fcribe the EnglifJj original here, becaufe it contains
the fcope of the Sieur la Foffe's difcoveries upon
the glanders ; and becaufe Mr. Bartlet, befides
trepanning as our author mentions it for this dif-
eafe, dire^s keeping open another hole, which he
calls the lower hole, with a leaden hollow tent,

to,
2

[ vili ]

to let the matter run off \ this lower hole appears

by the foregoing paragraphs to be made into the

maxillary finus^ hy perforation in the place of a

tooth drawn for that purpofe ; and this hint is

wifely taken from the invention of Drake and

Cooper, which makes Mr. Bartlet compare the

ozcena and its method of cure to the glanders^ and

from thence add the keeping open this lower hole

in the manner mentioned above ; as well as that

on the horfe^s cheeky opened by the trepan^ as invent^

ed by the Sieur la Foffe -, nor indeed can it be

thought^ in our opinion^ an ufelefs addition ; we

mufl further add that the infirument referred to by

Mr. Bartlet in the adjoining paragraph^ is no other

than the trepan^ which this author has added to

his copy of the Sieur la Foffe* s plate of the head

of a horfe,

ERRATA.

Page Line

11 13 for cup or. r. cut in the capfula

12 10 r. 4. the holes.

16 I for coronary, r. coronet

Ibid. 2 for which was difculTed, r. they refolved upon

drawing the fole.

Ibid. 16 for harnefTed, r. put to

27 8 for by, r. for the thread, a fpongy excrefcence
fo called

34 6 for fmearit over r. disfigure it.

Ibid. 24 /or amputation r. operation.

3^ 4 for ample r. firm.

36 12 for contrary to nature, r. this preternatural bone.

38 1 5 /or medicine r. farriery.

39 24 for hyppiatric r. hippiatric.
44 17 for fnot r. matter.

46 6 for of four r. to four.

48 4 for defcription r. defign.

82 i2/?r djminilhed ;\ confined down.

BOOKS printed for J. Nourje at the Lamb
oppoftte Katherine-ltreet in the Strand.

A Treatise on the Difeafes incident to Children from
their Birth to the Age of fifteen j with particular In-
Itrudlions to tender Mothers, prudent Midvvives, and careful
Nurfes. The Whole made familiar to every Capacity. By
the learned Dr. John Astruc, Regius Profeflbr of Medicine
at Paris, und chief Phyfician to his prefent Majefty the King
of France, i^c Oftavo, 1746.

Academical Lectures on Fevers j in which the ef-
fential Symptoms and Nature of the various Kinds of Fevers
are defcribed, the immediate Caufes pointed out, with the
general and particular Indications in the Method of Cure
I'ubjoined to each. Confirmed by the Author's fuccefsful
Pradice for forty Years ; read in the Royal College at Paris.
By the fame Author, Odlavo. 1747.

A Dissertation on the Food, and Difcharges of
Human Bodies. By Bryan Robinson, M, D. Cdavo.
1748.

Boerhaave's Medical Correspondence ; Containing
the various Symptoms of Chronical Diftempers, the Profef-
for's Opinion, Method of Cure, and Remedies. To which
is added, his Practice in the Hofpital at Leyden, with his
Manner of inftruding his Pupils in the Cure of Difeafes.
Odlavo, 1745.

In this ColIe£lion are contained many Letters, wrote
originally in Englifh, to the Dodlor by Perfons of Diftinc-
tion. Gentlemen and Ladies, iffc. with his Anfwers ; fuch
are marked %*, the reft are tranflated from the Latin.

The Dispensatory of the Royal College of Phyficians,
London. Tranflated into Englifh, with Remarks, ^c. by
H. Pemberton, M. D. Profeffor of Phyfic in Greiham
College, and F. R. S. Octavo 1749. The fecond Edition.

A Course of Practical Chemistry, in which are
contained all the Operations defcribed in Wilfon's complete
Courfe of Chemiftry, with many new and uncommon Pro-
celTes. To each Article is given the Chemical Hiftory ;
and to mofl an Account of the Quantities of Oil, Salt,
Spirits, yielded in Diftillation, dffr. from Lemery, HofF-
nian, the French Memoirs, Philofophical Tranfadions,
iffc. and from the Author's own Experience; with Copper-
Plates. By William Lewis, M. B. F. R. S. Oclavo.
1746.

[i]

ADVERTISEMENT.

^-^m H E differtations fet forth

^S in the table of oblerva-

K tions are the fruits of the

knowledge of anatomy. It is to that
alone I owe all my difcoveries, and
if I am fometimes obliged to devi-
ate from the common rules of prac-
tice, thefe very principles in anato-
my, and the deftruclive errors I for-
merly fell into, are the caufe of it.

A

I never

[ " ]

1 never had any more knowing
inafters than thofe of my own frater-
nity, and therefore am more fenfible
than any other, how far I am from
being perfea ; but however Imperfed
my firft plan may be, I would, at leaft,
claim the advantage of having firft
opened the way. If my brethren
are wUUng to lead their children in
the fame path, and to caufe thofe
intended for the profeflion of Far-
riery to iludy anatomy in time ; I
am very coiofident fewer errors wdl
be committed, "and the art will in a
little time be carried farther than

it ever vet has been.

However ,

[ iii ]

However, as the knowledge of
anatomy is not the only requifite for
a progrefs in our profeflion, it would
be highly neceffary to join with it
that of medicine. How ihall we cure
difeafes if we do not know them ?
how are remedies to be applied, if
we are not certainly acquainted with
either their vertues or effeds ? In a
word, how are juft prognoflics to be
made upon difeafes, if we are not
truly enlightened either by our own
ftudy, or by fome able and careful
mafler ?

It is yet to be wifhed that all

A 2 who

[ i^ ]

who undertake the cure of horles,
were verfed in the ftrud:ure of that
animal, they would avoid thofe er-
rors which dilgrace the farrier, and
depreciate his profeffion, which is of
fuch moment to tlie public.

A LIST

LIST

OF I M P O RTANT

Obfervations and Difcoveries

UPON SEVERAL

Accidents that happen to HORSES.

I . i^^^^^ H E exa6t anatomy of a horfe s
MIt^^- foot.

tJ?Egj^-^^i^ 2. A hiflory of the caiifes and feat
of different difeafes, faid to be in the hip, or
fhoulder, which lame the horfe, and are dcmon-
flrated to be in the foot.

3. A train of new experiments and obferva-
tions upon the glanders.

4. A memoir prefented to the academy of

A 3 fciences.

[6]

fciences, upon a method of flopping the blood in
large arteries.

5. A new method of fhooing horfes, both for
preferving their feet, and to prevent their flipping
upon fmooth pavements.

A TABLE

[7]

TABLE

O F

OBSERVATIONS.

I. ^ I ^ HE anatomical plate of the diffeded
-■* parts of a horfe's foot, with their ieveral
figures, croiTed by fix parallel right lines, the
fpace of which fhews, upon every part, the im-
portance of the accidents that happen to them ;
fo that the quality and feat of each may be fuffi-
ciently known, to make a true prognoftic upon
their different kinds, without having fludied
anatomy.

2. That the caufe of the lamenefs in hodes,
which is commonly looked for in the fhoulders
or haunches, is in the foot, proceeding from the
comprefTion of the fiefhy fole, by the coronary
bones pufhing againfl: it : this lamenefs often be-
comes incurable by the coalefcing of thefe bones,
for want of applying remedies as foon as per-
ceived,

3. The rupture of the great tendon called the
Tendo Achillis.

4. The fradlure of the coronary bone into three
pieces, and fometimes more.

5. The fradure of the nut- bone in two, and

A 4 fometimes

IS]

fometlmes in three parts, but always fradlured
with the coronary bone.

6. Ihe fradure of the foot bone only in two.

7. A fet of new experiments and obfervations
upon the glanders, as a fupplement, to a treatife
on that difeafc, publifhed in 1749.

8. The manner of flopping the blood of the
great arteries cut afunder, without either ligature
or cauflic •, with the judgment of the Royal
Academy of Sciences, in confequence of the re-
ports of the committee, teftifying the experiments
made before them.

9. The m^ethod of fhooing horfes, in order to
fecure them upon a pavement in fummer, or in
winter, although quite fmooth ; and the advan-
tages attending it; i. They are not fo liable to
call their fhoes. 2. The flefhy Ible is fecured
from feveral accidents : 3d. To preferve the legs
and render their motions more eafy.

10. A note of what Dr. Bracken fays in his
tranflation of my treatife upon the glanders.

11. A tranflation of what relates to the glan-
ders, in the treatife lately publifhed in London by
Mr. Bartlet, iurgeon.

T H E

[9]

THE

ANATOMICAL TABLE.

ne dijj'e^ied parts of a horfe^s foot^ and their fi-
gures^ crojfed by fix horizontal^ parallel right lines ^
the fp ace of which indicates^ upon every part^ the
importance of the accidents that happen to them ;
fo that the quality and feat of each may be fuffi-
ciently known ^ to make a true prognoflic upon their
different kinds without having fludied anatomy.

EXPLANATION of the FIGURES
of the Second Plate.

' I ^ H E firfl figure repreTents the bottom of a
-*- horfe's foot.

A. is the horny fole.

B. the fros;.

2. The ^^^^/ towards its lower edge, called by
the author the wall of the foot.

Figure the fecond fhews the horny fole A. raifed
from the Piefhy fole C. round which is the en-
channelied ^iti'a^ 6. placed in the fulcus of the
inner furface of the hoof: 5. the horny part of
which is foft and white.

Figure the third reprefents the under part of
the fleiliy fole C. raifed from the foot bone * D.
G the covering or thee a of thQ -.Tendo Achillis, 2.
The cartilage. 6. The edge of the flefhy fole
confined in the furrow of the channelled horny
fubflance.

* The foot-bone is Gibfon's Coff.n-hone.

' The

[ IS ]

The fourth figure fhews a back view of the hg,

7. The lldn laid open, in order to view the
iBiier foft parts belonging to the articulations.

8 . The aponeurotic membrane^ formed of dif-
ferent laminc-E, which feparate the mufcles and cu-
taneous tendons-.

^. and 3. Are partly the covering of the flex-
or tendon of —

5. The coronary bone *, which ferves as a co-
vering to the Tendo Achillis, 10.

II. I'he ligament of the cannon-bone, the
pafleFn and the coronary bones ;

16. The cup or capfula of the tendon of theco-
rona-ry hon&.

18. The canon-bone -f.

6. The foot-bone.

Figure the fifth is the fame leg and in the
fame view.

2. The foot bone.

1. The Tendo Achillis> diflefted to fhew the co-
ronary bone 6.

3. The nut-bone J.

4. The concave part of the foot-bone to whick
the tendon is fixed.

7. The ligament of the foot-bone with the nut-
bone.

* The coronary bone is the Tittre pattern of Gibfbn.

f French authors call thofe bones, Camn banes both be-
fore and behind, which Gibfon calls in the fore legs, the
Shonk hcrresy and in the hind legs the hjiep bones.

X T he nut-bone called by the French Os de la mix is a
little cblcng hone placed acrofs at the jun^ion of the lirtle
and great paiUrns behind, which is not taken notice of by
Giblon.

8. The

[ 10 ]

S, The ligament of the tendon with the nut-
bone.

Figure the fixth reprefents the ^endo Achillis
raifed and feparated from figure 5. To fhew the
lamina 8. which ferves as a ligament to the nut-
bone of the fame figure.

Figure the feventh fhews the enchannelled flefli,
I. The wall or hoof being raifed from it j 2.
The rough border that furrounds the enchan-
nelled flefh above the hoof.

3. The cartilage of the foot.

4. The extenfor tendon of the foot.

Figure the eighth demonftrates the bone of the
foot Z. the enchannelled flefh of which is rais'd
with the cartilage.

5. The ligament of the coronary bone with
that of the foot.

3 and 4. The extenfor tendon of the foot.

ne third plate^ containing figures of the ojteology
and fraElure of the hones.

Figure the firfl reprefents a fore view of the
leg.

3. The canon-bone cut acrofs at the upper end.

4. The paftern bone.

5. The coronary bone.

6. The foot bone.

The fecond figure is a back yiew of the fame
leg.

8. The canon -bone.

4. The paftern.

5. The coronary bone.

3-Th

[ « 3

5^ The nut- bone which cannot be iccn in a
fejre view.

6. The foot, or coffin-bone.

The third figui-e is another back view of the
lame leg,

i6. The place where the artery divides into two
branehee.

5- The diftributiQn of thefe two branches round
the foot.

The holes into which thele two branches pafs,
in the foot.

6. The foot bone.

The fourth figure is the coronary bone viewed
ajiteriorly, with the marks of its fradures, i, 2, 3.

The fifth figure is the fame coronary bone in a
back view with the appearance of the fame frac-
tures, I, 2, g.

Tlie fixth is the nut-bone fradlured into three
parts, 4, 5, 6.

The feventh fhews the fame bone fractured in
two, 4. 4.

The eighth is a figure of the foot bone viewed
on its upper furface fradured in two, with the
mark of the fradture, 6, 7.

The ninth is a view of the under furface of the
fame bone, with the fradlure marked 6. 7. this
bone is very fpongy.

OBSER-

[ H ]

O B S E RVAT I O N

UPON SUCH

ACCIDENT

j^ often happen to hdrfis feet^ which ghj€ them
^ ftidden lamenefs^ the canfe of which mrmut he
discovered.

Observation L

lame horie was committed to my care, but
-^ -* I could receive no manner of informatloE
concerning his diforder ; and after I had drdHed
him for eight and twenty days, without either
difcGvering the caufe, or the ieaft ibccefs : they
put him into the hands of another farrier, who
alio attended him Mtt^^ days longer. The owb-
«r of the horfe feeing this man's endeavours as
fruitlefs as m.ine, gave him up to me, and I cut
off his leg in order for difledion ; and found the
^endo Achillis ruptured near its infertion, and the
coronary bone broke into three pieces, without
any diflocation ; having as recent an appearance
as if they had been fractured but a day ; altho*
the accident happened fix weeks before. And not
htiii^ able to find ont how, nor by what particular

[ h]

effort this bone could be broken •, nor whether it
was begun by the foot, or paflern bone •, I
fhewed it to feveral ikilful perfons, who after a
long examination appeared as much at a (land
about it as myfelf Nor was there any fudden
effort of the horfe obierved before it.

Ob SE RVATION IL

With refpe6l to fuch efforts, I myfelf faw a
horfe, put to a coach, fradure the coronary bone
at his firll fetting off.

Observation III.

I happened to pafs by a coach, when the
coachman, ready to put off, whipped his horfe,
w^ho inflantly made a fpring, and became fud-
denly lame ; having obferved it, I felt his foot,
and the rattling nolle I was fenfible of, by touch-
ing him, indicated the coronary bone to be frac-
tured ; and the diffedion farther proved the Ten-
do Achillis to have been ruptured near its infer-
tion, as may be feen by the figures.

Observation IV.

A horfe who was put to a coach, being at
the fame time very quiet, received a cut of a
whip from the coachman, which made him
tremble, whence he fuddenly fell lame ; the

coach-

[ ^5 1
coadiman faw it and looked at his foot. And
though nothing ailed him to appearance^ he
put him into the liable, I was called a.nd
found the coronary- bone fradiuredj declarmg
him inciirable ; but this was doubted, becaule
they had not obferved any effort made by the
horfe before it ; however they took care of,
and drefled him for a month, but as he grew
no better^ they put him to death ; I difTcifted
has foot to fhew them I was not miftaken ^
I demoiiftrated that the coronary-bone was
fra^hured into three pieces : but was fujprifed
to find the nut-bone alfo broke in tw^, and,
the Tendo ^chillis entire, becaufe I never favt^
fraclures of this kind before, among the ma-
oy difleifHoiis I had made.

Observation V.

Having examined a horfe, whofe Ihoulder
was drefled, which was thought the feat of his
diforder-, I aflerted it v/as in the foot, caufed
by the comprejiion of tht coronary-bone ; for,
that being in motion, it raifes and pufhes the
nut-bone againfl the tendon, which puts the
Heihy fole in a ilate of compreflion, as if between
an anvil and hammer. It formed an inflammation
there, and therefore they ought to have imme-
diately drawn the ible ; but as they had loll
fome time, and feeing he did not mend, i faw
him again^ and found a fmall fwelling at the

coronarVy

[ i6 ]

coronary, which I fhewed, and which was
difcufied by drawing the fole. They accord-
ingly drew it out, after having fired the tumor ;
but he was not cured. He remained eight
- months in pain when they killed him. I found
the Tendo Achillis oflified at its infertion with
the coffin-bone, and this with the nut and co-
ronary-bones, round which the cartilage was
alfo coalefced, fo that all thefe parts formed
one entire body *, the pieces of which I have
yet by me. Thefe examples make it apparent
that the comprelTion of the fieihy fole, for want
of a fpeedy remedy, becomes incurable.

Observation VL

Of a fingular fracture which happened in
1743. I was called to fee a horfe who became
fuddenly lame of his two hind feet, being har-
nefTed to a coach. It was thought he had
ftrained his reins ; I examined him, and de-
clared his diforder was in his feet, and that it
was incurable, for that he had fradures in them.
I diffedled thefe two feet and found the two co-
ronaries fractured, and the tv/o tendons of
Achilles ruptured : this horfe walked near a
quarter of a league, with thefe two bones in
that condition.

* An Anchvlofis.

Obser-

[l?]

Observation VII.

Another horfe put to a coach, without any
apparent violent motion, fractured the coro-
nary-bone in twenty pieces ; while the nut-bone,
that of the foot, and the great tendon remained
unhurt ; this was the only cafe of this kind I

ever faw.

Observation VIII.

Another horfe had been lame a confider-
able time •, and it was not known whether it
was in the foot or fhoulder : I examined
him, and found the coronary- bone fradiured,
and affured them his cafe was incurable i they
doubted it, but were obliged to abandon him
at the month's end ; I diifedled his foot and
accordingly found the coronary- bone fradured
in four pieces, and the nut-bone in two, the
Tendo Achillis being fafe.

B Observation

['8 1

Observation IX,

A horfe was lame for four months ; he was
drefled at firfl above the leg, and afterwards ia
the foot, but his fole was not drawn •, I judged
him incurable, as I fufpeded an anchylofis,
and he was put to death. I difledled the foot,
and found the foot or coffin-bone fra6lured in
two, in which fradture the anchylofis began to
be formed, as well as the offification between
the coronary, nut and coffin-bones. The frac-
ture croiTed diametrically one of the cavi-
ties of the articulation, and ended towards
the middle of the toe or point of the foot-
bone. So that this bone appeared to be di-
vided obliquely into two unequal parts -, It is
not unlikely that the horfe had trod upon a
flone which raifed one fide of his foot more
than the other, and which, joined to the weight
of his body, caufed this oblique fradure -, al-
though the foot was in a perpendicular direc-
tion: thisisthefecond fra^lure of this fort I have
met with; and it is curable if fpeedily taken in
hand. I have already feveral feet, which arc
ofllfied like this.

Obser-

i^9i

Observation X.

A horfe was lame for two months without
their knowing his cafe ; I pronounced the lame-
nefs to be in his foot, and fhewed them a fmall
fwelUng at the coronet, they attended him,
but the fwelJing increafed, for two years, by
negleding to draw the fole in the beginning.
I difledted this foot, and found the nut, coro-
nary, and coffin-bones oflified together •, which
was caufed by the difcharge of the oileous
juice upon them •, they were fo coalefced to-
gether, that it was difficult to diftinguifh the
places of the articulation of thefe three bones.

Observation XL

An anchylofis after an inflammation. An
effort or ftrain which might not be violent
enough to fradlure the coronary nor nut-bones,
nor even rupture the flexor tendon, might go fo
far as to produce an inflammation of the fleihy
fole -, if the inflammation is communicated to
the ligaments, tendons, and capfulse of the
joints. I pronounced it always incurable by
the formation of an anchylofis in the part if
not infl:antly taken in hand. I have feen two
kinds of this difeafe in feet difl^edled by my-
felf, an account of the pieces of which, as well

B 2 as

[ 20 ]

as of the fradlured bones inentioned before,
were added to the memoir given in to the aca-
demy as a fupplement.

Observation XII.

Drawing the fole prevents fuch oITifications
as I have been mentioning, and reHeves the
flefhy fole from prefTure •, which fole is regard-
ed as an expanfion of the mufcles and tendons
of the foot ; this operation enlarges the fpacc
in the hoof, the flefliy fole being no longer
prefled, its inflammation ccafes and the foot re-
covers its natural ftate.

When a horfe's fole is drawn, care mud be
taken to let the foot bleed in order to empty the
blood -vefTels and lymphatics, to apply with the
firft drefiings, turpentine and its fpirit, or
oil ; and not to bind the fplints too ftraitly^
that the inflamed parts may not be injured,
the coronet mull be bathed with oil ot tur-
pentine, and the hoof dreflTed up all round
with emollients, in order to moiften, extend
and foften the parts.

Obser-

[ 21 ]

Observation XIII.

The hoof of a horfe may be compared to a
fponge ', when it is dry it contradts itfelf even
to the inner parts ; if it be moiftened, it foft-
ens and dilates •, if he flands long in a liable
without taking care to keep the hoofs moift, he
often goes lame ; becaufe they are fufceptible
of contradlion as well as dilatation. The com-
preiTion in the hoof happens by the coronary
pufliing againfl the nut-bone, upon which it
partly moves ; which having the adlion of a le-
ver, takes for its point of fupport the upper
and fore-part of the foot-bone comprefled ,
the nut- bone which it raifes, and which pufhes
againft the Tendo AchiUis^ which tendon prefTes
the flefhy fole againfl the horny one; and all
thefe combined compreffions produce an in-
flammation upon the flefhy fole, which fpreads
over all the other parts.

Observation XIV.

I have happened to drefs the fhoulders of lame
horfes, becaufe the owners infilled that the caufe
was in that part •, although it really was in the
feet, and proceeded from compreffion ; thefe
horfes were cured without having any remedies
applied to the feet, but it was by great

B 3 chance^

[22 ]

chance, length of time, and reft ; which often
happens.

I can however aflert that I never faw nor
heard of a horfe, put to hard labour, as draw-
ing heavy carriages, or carrying heavy burdens,
fradluring the coronary-bone.

Observation XV.

, Strong compreflions are diftinguifhed by
pufliing the thumb upon the coronet, it makes
a horfe feel as Iharp a pain as if there was a
fra6lure ; in this cafe no time muft be loft be-
fore the fole is drawn.

When the compreftlon is not fo violent, as
that it cannot be thus known by the coronet,
it muft be examined in the foot, the horny fole
muft be pared until it becomes flexible under
the tool ; which muft be done as near the
frog as can be -, the tool muft be prefTed,
and if the horfe is fenfible of it in that place,
we may be affured that there is a compreffion of
the coronary-bone upon the nut-bone. The me-
thod of cure is to pare the fole to the quick, to
let him bleed at the point of the foot, and apply
a pledget with oil of turpentine to the bleeding ;
alfo an emollient pultife in the foot and round
the coronet. Above three fourths of thefe cafes
are cured without drawing the fole : but I pre-
fer bleeding in the upper part of the foot, in
expedbation of the returning blood ; whereby
you will the better unload the part.

Obser-

[as]

Observation XVI.

The moll certain remedy is to draw the fole
immediately, I have cured horfes in fifteen days
by this method, that were not able to put their
feet to the ground.

Again, the length of time the comprelTion has
continued, may be known by the adhefion of
the horny to the flefhy fole, for the horfe bleeds
but little after drawing it ; becaufe of the inter-
ruption of the circulation of the fluids by the
comprefTiOn.

Observation XVII.

A horfe, drawing a cart heavily loaden,
preffed his foot upon a piece of iron, which
fplit the foot or coffin-bone. I took off the
fhoe and drew the fole immediately •, and he
was perfedly cured. This bone fo fplit by the
iron Ihews that this part, fra6lured by the
mere effort or adbion of the horfe, may unite, if
prefently taken in hand, even though the frac-
ture happens above by the coronary-bone.

The fra6ture of the foot- bone which has no
other motion but thofe of the flelhy and hor-
ny foles upon which it is fituated, happens
from one of the two convex fides of the lower
part of the coronary- bone, the other fide mak-
ing an unequal prefifure : this fracture ought to

B 4 unite,

[ 24 ]

unite, becaufe the motion of the foot-bone upon
the fiefny foie is very imperceptible, being
flrengthened by the horny fole, enclofed all
round by the enchanneiled fiefh, and fecured
over all its furface, which is equally enchan-
neiled by the inner horny furface of the hoof,
which is foft and whitilh.

From all I have faid above, it may be con-
cluded, that I. The nature of the union of the
fibres of the fuperior parts, the tenfion and elaf-
ticity of which is very great in the foot, ought
to render them fufceptible of all the unhappy
confequences of compreflion ;

2. That it is to no purpofe to keep horfes
who have any fradlures, except in the foot-
bone; the fradlure of this is capable of unit-
ing, becaufe of its having fo little motion, and
is fecured as I have juft faid.

I keep fome preparations as tellimonials of
cafes which prove, that if a nail penetrates to
the joint of the foot, where matter may be
formed, and by its long continuance putrify,
fo as to erode the cartilages of the joint, by its
corrofive quality, the cafe is incurable.

3. "When a fudden motion or effort of a
horfe is not fufliciently violent to fracture the
articulations of the foot, the puHi of the coro-
nary-bone upon the nut-bone, muft occafion a
ftrong comprelTion upon the fiefhy fole againft
the horny fole, which we look upon to be no
jTiore than an expanfion of the nervous tufts of

the

[25]

the mufcles and tendons of the foot as wc
have faid before.

4. That in all cafes of flrong comprefTion
the inflammation muft oflify the joints of the
foot, by the flagnation of the fluids, efpecially
when not taken care of foon enougl; ,

B. I have feen examples wherein, v/hen the
nut and coronary bones have been wounded by
nails, or when matter has been long pent up,
the cartilages of thefe bones have been eaten in-
to by the fharpnefs of it; thefe are incurable
diforders, even though all the other parts are
found.

There can be no hopes of curing the frac-
tures of the nut and coronary-bones, as we
do the ruptured ^endo Achillis^ for all their
articulations are in continual motion ; and if
by chance they fhould unite, the horfe would
fl:ill inevitably be lame, by the callus formed
in the joint, as Mr. Morand fays in his report
given in to the academy.

B. I prefume the very ftrudlure of the foot
makes it liable to feveral accidents. The hoof
wherein the articulations of the upper parts
aflfemble, and which, befides, has its own par-
ticular motion, has need of great flrength and
folidity \ becaufe all the weight of the body,
bearing upon the feet, can admit neither the
bones nor tendons to vary their condition.

Obser-

[ 26 ] .,

Observation XVIII.

Having drefled a horfe whofe fole was
drawn, from which they had cut away part of
the frog fd> a flreet nail that had afFe6ted it ;
being almoft cured, as he lay along, he had a
cut of a whip given him *, he ftarted up but was
lamed by the fudden fpring in rifing. I thought
at firft that it was occafioned by the prefTure of
the coronary- bone againft the nut-bone; but about
ten days after the accident, a humour appeared
about the middle of the foot -, I then thought the
nut- bone might be fradlured, but the humour
penetrated deeper -, I obferved the nut-bone in-
tire, but the tendon ruptured, and the lower
part properly attached. In five or fix days
more this part of the tendon came off piece-
meal from its adhefion, and laid the nut- bone
bare. I ufed the Fioraventi Balfam * in my
drefiings for three months which fucceeded ;
what gave me hopes, was my having feen
fome horfes, whofe tendons were cut acrofs
through ignorance, recover \ I had a mind to
know how the upper part of the tendon could
reunite at its insertion upon the foot-bone, for
this horfe was cured. And an accident hap-
pened by which he died eleven months after,
which gave me an opportunity of difleding his
foot ; when I found the tendon oflified with

* A vulnerary balfam, like the Friars Balfam.

the

[ 27 ]

the nbt-bone, and this with that of the foot,
fo as that thefe three parts were united, and the
coronary-bone had preferved the freedom of its
motion in the joint. The horfe was no longer
lame, but in walking inclined a little upon the
heel.

Observation XIX. '

A horfe, upon whom the extirpation of the
frog by the thread was performed, had the
^endo Achillis much injured; I could not well
tell whether it happened from cutting out the
thread, or from the acrimony of the topical ap-
plications; the tendon however was deftroyed
as that mentioned above, the nut-bone was laid
bare, and the tendon putrefied at its infertion.
After his cure was compleated, he died in five
or fix months. And I found the nut-bone co-
vered, by a kind of ligament, all over that
part which was connedled with the upper part
of the tendon : this new tendon was as a liga-
ment, and adhered to the nut-bone, which was
olTified to it ; but it was more than twice as thick
as in its natural flate. It remains to know
whether this excrefcence proceeds from the ten-
don, or from the covering of the cellular mem-
brane or from other membranes ; but it is time
andobfervations which muftlead us to the know-
ledge of this.

REFLEC-

[ 28 ]

PvEF LECTIONS.

N refleding upon the various motions a
horfe makes, and upon the flrudture of his
foot, we cannot be furprifed to find this part
liable to fo many accidents. Experience llie^ys
Ks that for one horfe who is lamed in the
haunch or fhoulder, an hundred have it in the
foot, and that the know^ledge of this part me-
rits all our attention : I am of opinion thefe ac-
cidents happen chiefly to draught-horfes, and
not to thofe of the faddle ; I alfo think that
it is the different attitudes of a horfe's foot over-
charged at the fame time with the weight of his
body, that caufe the different fra6lures of the
coronary and nut-bones ^ for when the foot has
not a diredl pofition, the joints are twifted, as
when a horfe treads upon the point or toe of
the hoof, the upper and inner part of the coro-
nary-bone, which is in an oblique pofition,
prefTed in that ftate by the burthen of his own
body, is forced to yield on one fide, and rife on
the other^L its lower and back part, which now
rifes, drives the nut- bone againfl the TendoAchil -
lis which fuftains it, the tendon preiTes in its
turn againft the flelhy fole, which is alfo com-
prefied againfl the horny fole, which is its

point

[^9 ]

point of fupporc ; the tendon, coronary, and
nut- bones become fraftured upwards and back-
wards by the pafrern, which alfo had an
oblique pofition, and downwards and forwards
by the foot or coffin bone, which here adis as a
wedge.

The nut- bone is fometimes fradlured by the
lower and back part of the coronary-bone
alone : but although thefe bones are fra6lured
in the manner I have jufl mentioned, at the in-
ftant a horfe gives a fpring, there happens' no
luxation of thefe bones, becaufe of the manner
of their being tied and fecured all round by the
ligaments, the tendons, cartilages, and the con-
llrudlion of the hoof which inclofes them and
all that depend on them.

In all the horfes feet I diflefled, immediately
after thefe accidents, I found the 'Tendo Achillis
ruptured, and had a notion that the fradture of
the coronary-bone in three pieces ought always
to be followed by the rupture of the tendon,
particularly after the foot is pared •, . or that
there are froft nails or raifed heels to the ihoes,
fo that the frog is thrown up from its point of
fupport •, which will appear when we treat of
fhoeing.

We diftinguifh fradlures of the coronary-
bones in raifing the foot by the lov/er part -, the
foot mufl be drawn forward, and prefled up-
on the coronet with the thumb, and if
there is a fradure, a ratling will be perceived ;

when

[31 ]

when the tendon is not ruptured, it fuftains the
bones ; and, as it is their point of fupport, the
noife is lefs fenfible, but it is better diftinguifh-
cd when the tendon is divided.

It is to be obferved, as to the fra6lure of the
foot-bone, that this bone is in a manner im-
moveable in its place, fupported in its plane by
the horny fole, and in its circumference by the
fides of the hoof, which keeps it univerfally
firm every way.

I never faw this bone fradlured but once, and
believe it curable, and what made me of this
opinion was, that I happened to attend a horfc
who had the foot-bone fplit in two, quite
through, by treading on a piece of fharp iron j
and he was cured of it. A faddle-horfe has a
different attitude and manner of treading from
that of a draught-horfc *, the former always has
the articulated parts of his foot in a perpendicular
cjiredion, and in their proper fituation for ac-
tion ; whereas the draught-horfe is accuftomed
to have thefe parts often in an oblique pofition ;
and convenient for the attitude necelTaryin draw-
ing a carriage ', and accordingly a ftone or fault
in a pavement, happening under one fide of his
foot, which is thereby inclined to the other, the
preifure of the coronary- bone charged with the
whole weight of the body will be very capable

of caufing this kind of fradure.

THE

THE

METHOD

OF CURING

Pricks and other Accidents
That happen to HORSES Feet.

Plate II. upon all the Urns.

Figure I.

IF a nail has only pierced the horny fole, and
but lightly touched the flefhy fole, there is
nothing to do.

But if there is room to fulpedl the bone of
the foot D figure 3. is touched •, a large open-
ing muft be made, in order to prevent drawing
the fole, by facilitating the exfoliation.

If

[32]

' If the nail has penetrated to the infertion of
the tendon lo. figure 4. great attention mufl
be paid to it, drelTing it the oftener, that
the tendon be not injured •, if it pafTes in-
to the concave part 4. of the foot- bone figure
5. an exfoliation will come on, without any
bad confcquences, provided matter be not left
any time to deflroy the ligament 7 upon the
line R figures i. 2. 3. 4. If the nail has
not palTed to the tendon, the horfe will grow
v/t\l without a necefTity for drawing the fole ;
but if the tendon is wounded the fole mufl be
carefully drawn, becaufe the fynovia is difcharg-
ed. If the nail has penetrated to the ligament 7
fig. 5. he mufl be drefied lightly every day rather
twice than once, taking care not to confine the
tent, nor let the matter remain in any time,
lefl it might erode the cartilaginous parts of the
nut-bone and deflroy its ligaments. When the
part is to be laid open, a channel'd direflor
mull be introduced to condudl the point of the
biflory, in order to make a perpendicular open-
ing, and not a tranfverfe one, becaufe the ten-
don might be cut acrofs, which would not co-
alefce again, and great mifchief might be pro-
duced.

Upon the line B. figures i. 2. 3, 4. the fame
manner of proceeding mufl be ufed, as is
marked- upon the line R. but if the nail is gone
up to the nut-bone 3. figure 5. it is incurable,
becaufe this little bone cannot exfoliate, and

becaufe

Is?]

becaufe the cartilaginous part of it is deflroyed
as foon as injured.

Upon the line S figures i. 2. 3. 4. the fame
muft be obferved as at the line R. but if it
reaches to the ligament 8. what is mentioned
for the line R. muft be followed, becaufe there
will be danger of corroding the lov/er cartila-
ginous part of the coronary-bone, which in this
cafe would become incurable.

Upon the line T. there is danger only of
the cartilage 2. figure 3. of v/hich I ihall make
fome mention -, if the nail pafi^es into the frog
B. figure I. fo as not to reach the tendon, no-
thing comes of it, even though it penetrates
through to the paftern. I have made horfes
walk in this cafe, without confining them to the
llables ; but if it has toiiched the tendon, wc
muft proceed in the method obferved before.
If the nail has touched between the line A. and
the line R. and that it has penetrated to 4
plate 3 figure 3. it may have pricked an artery^
in which cafe a proper pledget muft be applied
in order to comprefs the part and ftop the blood.

For all thefe operations the balfam of fiora-
venti or fpirit of turpentine muft be ufed, and
the dreflings prepared as we lliall mention
them for drawing the fole ; but care muft be
taken when it is to be drawn, that the horny
fole be not too ftrong, and if it be fo, to pare
it well that it become more flexible j otherwife,
in bearing with the fpatula upon the edge of the

C hoof

[34]

hoof, wc lliould run the rifque of forcing and
feparating it from the enchannelled fleih, which
would produce a dangerous inflammation, of
which I have feen fome examples. You mull
obferve not to raife the flefhy fole with the
horny fole, nor to fmear it over, as has been
done, for it prolongs the cure ; but every able
pradtitioner knows how to avoid thefe kinds of
dangers. When the cartilage muft be cut
away figure 7 and 8 plate II. if it be fpoiled,
part of the wall or hoof which covers it muft
alfo be taken off, as alfo the enchannelled flefli
reprefented at figure 7. and then the whole car-
tilage without referve ; for if any part be left,
although found, it foon becomes morbid, and
notwithftanding all our endeavours, we fhould
be obliged to come to a fecond operation. The
ligament which joins the bone of the foot to
the coronary, and the capfula that contains the
fynovia of the joint muft be carefully avoided,
for touching thefe parts would render the dif-
order incurable, as if the lower part of the co-
ronary-bone was injured figure i. Plate III.

In order to remedy and afTift this amputa-
tion the fole muft be drawn, if there be any
matter under it, on the difeafed fide •, but if
not. It may be let alone •, for the firft and fe-
cond drefTings good firm doffils muft be made,
fome little fome big; the fmall ones for the
bottom of the wound, the larger ones for the

outer

[ 35 ]
outer part gradually enlarged, which mufl be
dipped in oil of turpentine ; afterwards the dof-
iils mufl be armed with common-turpentine,
and a good ample bandage put on to com-
prefs them, fo as to prevent the flefh from
rifing above the hoof. As for the future dref-
fings they need not be fo clofely confined ; in
this cafe all foftening remedies are good, and
the whole difficulty of this amputation lies in
the cutting, and the management of the
drefiings.

I have obferved that although the operations-
made upon the fore feet, be never fo well per-
formed, efpecially if the hoof be ftrong, and
however well cured, the horfe will fometimes
continue lame-, which never is the cafe with the
hind feet; this is a fad: which perhaps we may
in fome meafure account for.

If what is marked above be not pun6lually
followed, and the cartilage ihould be taken off
piece-meal, either by cauftics, the adlual cautery,
or cutting,we rifque keeping the horfe a longtime
upon his litter -, which retains the matter, fpoils
the capfula and ligament, and often deftroys
the animal.

The diiTedlion of the feet of two horfes has
taught me an exception to this extirpation of
the cartilage abovementioned : It happens
fometimes by an extraordinary conformation,
that the horfe has little or no cartilage upon
the apophyfis of the foot-bone, and that it is a

C 2 vrue

[ 38]

true elongation of the fame bone, which by its
confidence or hardnefs very well refembles the
form at the coronet of the foot. He that is
acquainted with his fubjedl will in this cafe di-
itinguifh the want of the cartilage, in preffing
the coronet, by the moveable refiftance of
the bone ♦, in fuch circumitances it is to be fup-
pofed that the quarter of the hoof muft not
be cut away, but a fimple opening only muft
be made on the upper part of the apophyfis in
order to wait the exfoliation of the carious
bone. If it happens that, contrary to nature,
this bone is edged by a thin cartilage, the faid
part or quarter muft no more be taken off than
in the cafe above, for the corroded part will
feparate by being treated in the above manner,
and will come out at the opening made above.

EXTRACT

[ n ]

EXTRACT

OF THE

REGISTERS

OF THE

Academy of Sciences.

January 20, 1750.

\Xr E have, by order of the Academy, ex-
^ ^ amined a manufcript of the Sieur la
Fofle, farrier of the king's flables. The au-
thor fets forth, that having had frequent op-
portunities of drelTing lame-horfes, and not
finding the caufe of their lamenefs in either the
upper or middle parts of their limbs, he looked
for it in the feet •, and that a fmall tumor which
he obferved, pointed out the feat of the difor-
der ; the difTedion further demonflrated that
the coronary-bone was fradlured.

After this firft obfervation the faid Sieur la
Fofie made feveral others of the fame kind -, and
what is fingular, is, that he aflerts this fradureis
made without any great effort of the horfe : and
that he faw one put to a voiture, fradure the
coronary-bone at the inftant he was ready to fet

C 3 * off;

[38 ]
ofF; thofe alfo who have carried their horfes,.
affeded in the fame manner, to him, have aiTur-
ed him that the leafl falfe ftep has occafioned it.
The Sieiir la Fofle remarks another fingularity,
which is, that the coronary-bone is generally di-
vided in three pieces nearly equal. Perhaps the
reafon of this may be drawn from the confidera-
tion of the manner in which the coronary-bone
is joined to the paftern and foot-bones, by their
ilrong ligaments, which being three in number,
each feems to have retained its part of the bone,
and favoured its divifion into three parts.

The difcovery of this difeafe, which has ne-
ver been treated of before by the writers of ana-
tomy, medicine, or furgery, does not lead us
to the manner of curing it, becaufe it is ab-
' folutely incurable ; on the contrary it ferves to
convince us, that if it was even pofTible to keep
the bones together fo as to favour their uniting,
the fradure being in a joint, there would flill
remain an anchyiofis or callous, which would
render the horfe unfit for fervice.

But the Sieur la FoiTe's obfervation is not-
withftanding of very great ufe, for it fhews us
the impolTibility of curing a difeafe that was
always thought curable from their ignorance
of the matter, and confequently he has found
the means of fparing to the owners of horfes,
taken lame, the expences of a cure attempted
in vain. He further knows how to diftinguifh
when the coronary-bone is fradured or is not ;

although

[ 39 ]
although there may be no vifiUe appearance oF
the difeafe, and the effort wherein the coronary-
bone refills the fracture, indicates the manner
of cure, when the bone is not broken, and alfo
that the horfe ought to feel in this effort very
great pain, when he flrains the fradlure. We
cannot avoid giving the Sieur la Fofle due
praife for his zeal and capacity in his endea-
vours to perfe6l and extend the knowledge of
his profeffion. We think this memoir merits
being printed among the colledlion of the pa-
pers communicated to the academy.

Signed, Morand, Ferrein.
/ certify the prefent extra^ to he conformable to
its original and to the judgment of the Academy.
Given at Paris Feb. i, 1750. *S/^«^i Grand jean
DE FoucHY, perpetual fecretary to the Royal Aca-
demy of Sciences.

EXTRACT of the REGISTERS

OF THE

Royal Academy of Sciences,

Of 23 Auguji, 1752.

MR. Morand, who was appointed by the
Academy to examine the Hyppiatric *
obfervations of M. la Fofle, farrier to the king's

* Relating to Horfes.

C 4 itables^

[ 40 I

ftables, upon fix difeafes of a horfe*s foot,
which appear to have never been known to au-
thors, having made his report, the Academy
judged that thefe difeafes were clearly defcribed,
that the obfervations made in confequence were
very judicious, and that the whole is rendered
ftill the more ufeful as it is accompanied with
anatomical plates, wherein the bones and adja-
cent parts are better reprefented than any where
elfe i this memoir is judged v/orthy to be print-
ed among the pieces communicated by foreign-
ers.

Paris Auguft 31, 1752 •, figned Gr and jean
DE FoucHY, perpetual fecretary of the Royal
Academy of Sciences.

A TRAtN

A

TRAIN

OF NEW

Experiments a^d OhihYv^tions

UPON THE

GLANDERS.

H E Glanders, properly fo called, is

an inflammatory difeafe which has

its feat in the pituitary membrane,

as I have explained it in my treatife

of 1749, to which I refer the reader.

In order to be well acquainted with this dif-
eafe, it will be neccflary to diftinguilh in it
three different periods : to wit, its beginning,
its middle and its end. In each of thefe times
it has a different name, in the firft it is called a

menacing

[42]

menacing or impending glanders ; in the ie-
cond a confirmed glanders -, and in the third
an inveterate glanders. Three fymptoms muft
alfo be known in this difeafe.

1 . The inflammation in the pituitary mem-
brane.

2. A fwelling of the glands under the nether
jaw.

5 , The running of the glanders properly fo
called.

Thefe three fym.ptoms are mutually caufed by
one another: the liril produces the fecond ;
the fecond produces the ulcers, whence pro-
ceeds a running of the noflril on the difeafed
fide.

la my treatife of 1749, I called a gland,
which the inflammation of the pituitary mem-
brane caufes to fwell, the fuhlingual Gland ; but
it is only a lymphatic gland, the canals of
which, after fending out feveral ramifications,
go to the maxillary gland, and then to ano-
ther lymphatic gland placed under the parotid,
from which it divides two large branches which
accompany the trachea in its whole length, on
each fide ; then again pafTes between the two
bronchia, about two inches and half from the
aorta, into two lymphatic glands j there they
part in order to crofs them, and at lafl terminate
n the Vena cava.

As to the fublingual glands they are fituated
at the fyraphyfis of the chin.

B. Although
3

[ 44 ]

B. Although I was certain the Inflammation
of the pituitary gland was the firft lymptom of
the glanders in horfcs, yet in order to afcer-
tain it to myfelf I made the two following ex-
periments.

I injeded one noftril of a found horfe with
a certain liquor. The pituitary membrane be-
came inflamed : this inflammation caufed a lym-
phatic gland under the jaws on the fame fide,
to fwell as I had forefeen ; the inflammation
of this membrane produced ulcers, whence the
fnot or matter of the glanders run through the
fame noftril.

I again injedled both nofl:rils of a found horfe
with the fame liquor -, the pituitary membrane
inflamed, made the lymphatic gland on both
fides fwell ; and the fnot run from both nofl:rils
in a little time ; which confirmed me in the
opinion that the inflammation was the firfl: fym-
ptom of the glanders properly fo called : that
the glands fwelled under the jaws was the fe-
cond, and the running the third.

OBSER^

[45]

OBSERVATIONS

UPON

Glander^d Horses.

1^ F T E R having trepanned an old horle
•^^ in 1749, and dreffed him, they put him
to work ; and eighteen months after he was
knocked on the head. I faw by difledmg his
head that the pituitary membrane was grown 6
or y lines thick, and offified to the neighbour-
ing bones •, it had acquired this thicknefs and
confiftence by the flagnation of the lymphatic
juice, caufed by the inflammation and the fpread-
ing of the ulcers.

2. A horfe received a kick of another
horfe, which broke part of the bone of the max-
illary fmus ', having examined the wound, I
found it was not mortal •, but as the finus was
injured, and the pituitary membrane inflamed, I
did not doubt but the glanders would come
on, and it was not long before the eflecft con-
firmed my fijfpicion. The glands of the jaws
were fwelled on the morbid fide, ulcers were
formed on the pituitary membrane, matter flow-
ed

[ 45 ]

cd thro' the noftril, and this difcharge Is the
glanders properly fo called. I made frequent
injed:ions into the noftril, the dilcharge ceafed
in four months, the fwelling of the gland
was difculTed, the injection cleanled the low-^
cr part of the maxillary finus's, and that of t;he
cornets, which hinder the matter's lyinginthem^
and a thorough cure was made. This horfe be-
longed to Madam Fondu, a miilrefs-carrier, in
the Faux-bourg Saint Honore.

All the authors that have wrote upon the
difeafes of horfes feem to have copied one ano-
ther, to maintain that the glanders was a dif-
charge accompanied with a very offenfive fmell ;
I never found that the glanders had any ill- fmell
of itfelf, but it may when the matter is confined
in the maxillary fmufes, or that the aliment has
infmuated itfelf, as I have obferved it, by the
chinks of old broken jaw- teeth and infeded the
parts.

I have again found horfes whofe glanders
have flunk very much, but then they have had
the ftrangles with decay or farcy.

I have alfo feen fome with whom the running
proceeded from a putrefadlion of the lungs, to-
gether with the glanders ; and others with
whom the fmell proceeded only from the ma-
lignance of the ftrangles which they difcharged.
4. I faw a horfe belonging to a poor man
who worked him in an inveterate glanders for
fix years j and at lail he was knocked on the

head

[ 46 ]

head on account only of his great age. I
opened this horfe to fee the flate of the vifcera
and found them all in a found flate, as
well as the other internal parts, except the
pituitary membrane which was thickened by ul-
cers of four or five lines broad, as well in the
frontal as maxillary finufes.

It is known that a horfe with the glanders
properly fo called can communicate the difeafe
to other horfes ; but this difeafe will alfo be
catched from any caufe capable of inflaming the
pituitary membrane. For example, a horfe will
often become glandered, if after fwimming him
he is left in the cold, or his nofe expofed to the
wind ; for in two hours the glands under the jaws
will be fwelled, and the nollrils be filled with
a vifcid mucus.

I have had horfes brought to me who had
catched cold thus in the pituitary membrane,
and could perceive by their glands they were
threatened with a confirmed glanders •, I bled and
cooled them, and cured them in a very little time.

And I have fince obferved horfes thus affedr-
ed in the glands from the fame caufe, for which
I propofed the fame treatment by way of pre-
vention, became abfolutely glandered for want
of that care.

In order to prevent thefe difeafes, when horfes
are hot, they mull not be let to grow cool
without adlion, and therefore they fhould be
walked gently after running, to hinder their fud-

denly

I 47]

denly taking cold. If they cannot be walked
about, their nofes muft be covered to hinder the
fir ft fudden ingrcfs of the cold air ; their tails
fhould alfo be turned towards the wind, to pre-
vent its affeding the pituitary membrane, and
alfo care fhould be taken that the delicate tex-
ture of this membrane, fo expofed to the imme-
diate contad of the air and wind, may not have
too fudden a change from heat to cold.

But if a horfe has been afFe6led in the glands
for a confiderable time, and has had a dif-
charge from the obllrudied fide without
coughing, the glanders is confirmed even tho*
he has a good appetite, and every other fign of
health. Emollient deco<5lions muft be thrown
up the noftrils, being careful to pufh them to
the frontal finufes, and to repeat them three times
a day for a week ♦, if the running continues, it
will be very proper to ufe fumigations, which
would come more into pradlice, if their good
effeds were better known.

To fumigate is to make a horfe receive the
vapour or fmoke of certain medicines thrown
into the fire or upon a red-hot iron. And this
fumigation produces different effedls, according
to the different compofition made ufe of

For this purpofe I thought of a kind of box
with a tube fixed to it, which may be put into
the noftril of the horfe ♦, this box has the ad-
vantage of conveying the vapour as intended,

which

[48]

which by the common method is mollly wail-
ed. The mechanifm of this box is too fimple
to need a particular explanation ; the bare de-
fcription of it is eafily underftood. After pro-
per injedlions and fumigations, the horfe mull
be walked about without heating him, taking
care to give him nothing but bran, and keep
him warm in the liable. There is no anfwering
for the cure, for that depends upon the flub-
bornnefs of the difeafe. But if the fymptoms
be purfued with attention, and we undertake it
in time, the glanders may be cured.

If the gland is of any (landing, and the horfc
difcharges a bloody matter, and another gland
appears to be affected on the other fide the jaw,
with difficulty of refpiration, we mufl fuppofe
it proceeds from the thickening of the mem-
brane: when the glanders is inveterate the
horfe mull be trepanned, as I have mentioned
it in my treatife of 1749 •, for it is the only me-
thod to prevent the flagnation of the corrofive
humour.

Suppofe two horfes, one glandered the other
found, at the fame manger, if they are tied up
fo as that the found horfe may not receive the
breath of the diflempered one, he certainly will
not be infefled.

After having explained what is a confirmed
glanders, I {hall treat of fix other kinds of dif-
charges by the noilrils, of which four are incu-
rable.

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[ 49 3

The firft of thcfe four proceeds from the
lungs when they are affedted, and therefore may
be called the pulmonary glanders: the fecond
is called the wafting glanders •, the third the
glanders with malignant ftrangles j and the
fourth the farcy- glanders.

The pulmonary-glanders proceeds from one
or more abfcelfes formed in the lobes of the
lungs, the purulent matter of which gets into
the bronchia, comes up the Trachea, pafTes
through the nafal cavities, and is difcharged
by the noftrils like a whitifh liquor, fome-
times appearing in lumps or grumes. In this
cafe the horfe runs at the nofe without having
the glands affedled ; and therefore what he dif-
charges cannot be accounted the true glanders.
If the horfe be young, he may be relieved by
making him work a little ; pe6lorals muft be
adminiftered, and he muft be turned to grafs
every year.
■ That humour which I call the wafting hu-
mour ufually feizes a horfe at the end of dif-
eafes caufed by too hard labour, which have
been thought cured j a defluxion is made upon
the lungs which produces a whitifti humour,
fometimes tinged with yellow, which is dif-
charged by the noftrils, he eats and drinks pret-
ty well, but notwithftanding he runs out of
flefh.

The ftrangle-glanders produces humours
which nature is not able to difcharge, and they

D fall

[ 50 ]

fall upon the lungs, where they form abfceffes ;
"rhefe humours take their courfe alfo by the nof-
trils, and fometimes in coughing by the mouth j
and the horfe gradually periihes.

The farcy-glanders is fo acrimonious a hu-
mour, that it feizes, at the fame tirae, both the
' lungs and pituitary membrane ; making more
havock than the three other kinds already de-
fcribed.

The three firft kinds, as I have defcribed
them, are not catching, except when the hu-
mour has acquired an acrimony by length of
time, which pafling by the noftrils is detained
in the maxillary fmufes, inflames the pituitary
membrane, and fwells the glands ; a fure pro-
•gnoflic of the true glanders.

But the fourth, which is the farcy kind of
glanders, being more of an eroding nature, is
apt to ulcerate both the lungs and pituitary
membrane, and is confequently infe6lious.

It remains to mention the two other kinds,
the one which proceeds from a horie's being
over- heated ; he coughs, and firfl difcharges a
"limpid fluid, and after, a whitifh matter; be-
caufe the cold air has laid hold on the pituitary
membrane, has condenfed the lymph in the
fmall veflels, which caufes an inflammation,
•and fwells the throat, larynx and lymphatic

gland?.

' The horfe fometimes as he coughs difcharges
the matter from his mouth, and when the

cough

[51]

cough ceafes, and that he flill continues to dif-
charge it for fifteen or twenty days, that the
gland under the jav/hardens rather thandhninilh-
es ; this running is fufpicious and fometimes de-
generates into a true glanders •, and therefore, as
foon as a horfe is found to be overheated, he mud
be blooded, kept to white drink, kept warm,
and not worked too much •, but if he continues
ill for fifteen or twenty days, he mud be fumigat-
ed or injected, as we have mentioned it before.

The fixth kind of difcharge is the flrangles,
which every horfe ought for his health's fake
to difcharge. This is a humour which circu-
lates in the mafs of blood to a certain age, which
nature endeavours to throw off. It dif-
charges itfelf in different manners, and that
which is leafl fatiguing to the horfe, is when it
forms an abfcefs between the jaws without tak-
ing its courfe by the nofe : It fometimes is
thrown upon different parts, where it produces
different effedbs according to the difpofition of
thefe parts. For example when it falls upon the
throat, all the part is fwelled, the arteries are
compreffed, the blood is impeded, an inflam-
mation fucceeds, and an abfcefs is formed.

In order to remedy this evil, the horfe is to
. be kept warm, and as foon as the fwelling is
perceived, it mufl be dreffed with a proper me-
dicine to encourage the fuppuration of the abfcefs,
which fometimes breaks of itfelf j but it is more
©ligible not to wait for this, but to open it in

D 2 order

order to difcharge the malignant matter with -»
the pus, and the horfe does well. This is what I
call a mild kind of llrangles.

The ftrangles which difcharges by the nof-
trils produces alfo different effecls, according to
the parts affe6led.

At firft the horfe begins to be dull and hea-
vy, carrying his head lower than ufual, and
fometimes falling off his ftomach ♦, he has fome-
times alfo a little cough, and the jaws fwell a
little, by the inflammation.

At different times feveral fmall glands feem
obflTud:ed, and in a fmall time after, a dif-
charge by the nofbrils follows of a thick kind
of glanders more or lefs.

It often happens too that the noftrils run,
without any fwelling or obflru6tion about
the jaws •, this firfl fpecies of flrangles goes
off frequently by nature, it is however necelfary
to give her fome affiftance •, wherefore the horfe
ought to be kept warm, and fome cordial me-
dicine fhould be given him in order to promote
the expulfion of the humour.

When the humour falls upon the lymphatic
parts of the larynx, it caufes the fame inflam-
mation of all the parts of the pituitary mem-
brane, and fo flraitens the refpiration of the
horfe, that his breath can fcarce move the flame
of a candle held to his nofe-, and as this animal
refpires only through the noftrils, he is forced
to rattle in the throat. To afllll his breath, a

piece

[ 53 ]
piece of wood ought to be put into his mouth, in
order to keep it conflantly open, and favour
the difcharge of the flegm caufed by the in-
flammation of the parotid and maxillary glands-,
afterwards the humour of the ftrangles is thrown
off by the noftrils, which fometimes has an ill
fmell.

And as I have remarked that even this way
is not always fufficient for the difcharge of the
quantity of humours that the inflammation
caufes, one may expedl that the humours will
neceffarily be thrown under the jaws, or on one
fide ; this abfcefs muft be opened to afiift that
difcharge already begun by the noflrils, and be
he never fo ill he Vv^ili by this means be cured ;
but if fuch a depofite of the humours does not
form an abfcefs, it is to be feared it will fall
upon the vifcera, and the cafe is full of dan-
ger.

In order to relieve him in this cafe, cordials
muft be given him to promote perfpiration ;
but when all the pafTages are obftrudled, as well
.for his drink as for refpiration, a quantity of
oats muft be boiled in vinegar, put into a bag,
and applied to the region of the kidnies, cover-
ing him up warm, and the perfpiration, which
•this remedy produces, will promote the expul-
^lion of the humours.

What I have juft explained plainly Ihews
that this ftrangles although mild enough in it-
feif, may become very dangerous with refpe6l to

D 3 the

[ 54]
the funcflions of the part afFeded, efpecially
when the inflammation feizes the oefophagus
and about the larynx ♦, for it often happens in
this cafe, that the horfe difcharges his meat
throuq;h his noftrils when he cannot fwallow

Thefe kinds of ftrangles are the moft laudable
of all i I call them laudable becaufe it is necef-
fary for the health of a horfe that he has and
difcharges them ; which if he does not, the hu-
mours which caufe the flrangles are apt fooner
or later to fall upon one or more parts of the
body, where it may form tumors or abfcefles,
and that even upon the vifcera, which we then
call the baftard flrangles, or malignant flrangles,
as I have called them before.

It fometimes happens, though but feldom,
that thefe two kinds of flrangles feize a horfe at
the fame time -, that is, that he difcharges the
matter both from an abfcefs, and by the nof-
'trils. I do not mention another, feventh, kind
of glanders, which horfes throw off by the
nofe, and fometimes even at the mouth when
they cough, like the whites of eggs.

I have opened horfes in thefe cafes, and
found that this kind of glanders was flopped,
and fell upon the upper part of the afpera arte-
ria, from whence it feparates and defcends with-
out any hindrance by the noftrils.

By opening horfes who difcharged a kind of
glandered matter both by the nofe and mouth,

caufed

[55]
caiifed by an inflammation of the throat, I found
that it was caufed by a defluxion upon the tra-
chea; which appeared to be the effedl of a quin-
zy ; this diforder lafls two or three days andfome-
times longer -, the horfe can fcarce eat or drink,
and it is known by a fmall fwelling under the
throat, which is fenfible to the touch.

A horfe difcharged a great quantity of white
thick matter by the nofe for eighteen months ;
and when he was at reft in the ftable the run-
ing ftopped ; but he was heard to rattle, which
alfo ceafcd when they made him work j how-
ever although he was not affeded in the glands
they knocked him on the head. I opened him
and found the pituitary membrane perfedlly
found, the fmus and all the internal parts of
the nofe well, the vifcera in the abdomen found;
but upon opening the thorax, I found a confi-
derable abfcefs, where the trachea divides to
fink into the fubftance of the lungs.

By this obfervation it is plain a horfe may
live and work a long; while with an abfcefs in
the thorax; and yet the pituitary membranes
may remain uninjured by the matter palling by
the trachea, crofs the nafal cavities ; and
that we muft diftinguifh this from a true
glanders, by the ratling, tumefied glands,
and the vaft quantity of matter that runs
off. .

I have faid before that it was neceflary a
horfe Ihould difcharge the ftrangles at a certain

D 4 time.

[ 56 ]
time, for the good of his health ; in this cafe it
is cuftomary to feparate the found horfes from
the difeafed ones, becaufe it is infectious.

I am not of the opinion of thofe who fepa-
rate horfes with the flrangles from fuch as have
not yet had it, in the fine feafon of the year ;
on the contrary, I turn them together in order
to make them catch it of one another, to avoid
the danger they would rifque in not throwing off
the matter of that difeafe.

[ 57 3

AN

ANATOMICAL TABLE

O F A

HORSE 's HEAD.

Plate I.

BB. The boundaries of the cerebellum
which is very fmall in a horfe, as is alfo the
brain D.

CC. The beginning of the upper part of the
frontal finus with the depreflions or finkings
which terminate the lines.

D, and E. Shew a body fhaped like a chan-
nelled pear, which is the ethmoidal- bone, thro'
which the nerves pafs which go to the pituitary
membrane.
, E. The beginning of the maxillary fmus.

M. The fpace between thefe two lines repre-
fents the depth of the finus.

Note, the cells and windings are not marked
here to avoid confufion.

F. This white oblique line is a bony in-

clofure

[ 58 ]

clofure or partition which feparates the finus in-
to two cavities.

F. G. Two other inclofures -, fomctimes
there is but one to be found in horfes.

N. The beginning of the cornets or horns.

O. Their dupHcation.

P. Their middle part.

Q^ Their lower extremities.

M. The bony canal which inclofes and guards
the upper maxillary nerve.

AA. The partition or feptum which divides
the nofe by a line all along to form the two
noflrils.

THE

[59 1

THE

REPORT of the COMMITTEE

O F T H E

Royal Academy of Sciences.

Extras of the Regifters of this Academy of the
2th of January i ^75'^*

T> Y order of the Royal Academy of Sci-
-■-^ ences we have examined a new memoir
of the Sieur la Fofle upon the glanders in
horfes.

In the firil memoir he delivered upon this
fubjecl, he has efbablilhed by obfervations,
confirmed by the committee of the academy,
that the pituitary membrane is the feat of this
difeafe •, which in confequence of an inflamma-
tion, ulcerates and makes an habitual difcharge
of a corrofive pus which renders the bones it
adheres to carious ; and in the memoir which is
the obje6l of this report, he improves and brings
to perfection, his difcovery. He diftinguiflies
feven kinds of difcharges which may come from
the noflrils of horfes, lays down the fymptoms

and

[6o]

and caufes of each, and fliews the evil of their
being all confounded under one denomination :
he alfo rri^kes it evident that the true glanders
has its charadieriilics, which eflentially diftin-
guifh it frome very other difeafe that has been
called by the fame name.
; And in order to prove that a great inflamma-
tion of the pituitary membrane is always the
caufe of the glanders,' he has attempted to
bring on an inflammation upon the fame mem-
brane by a corrofive injedion ; and when the
injedlion was only made into one fide, the max-
illary lymphatic glands were fwelled on the
fame fide, and that noilril only produced the
difcharge.
• But^ on the other hand, when both, noflrils
were inje^ed, thefe fymptoms appeared on both
fides.

The author produced, with his memoir, a
feclion of fome of the bones of the head,
comprehending a portion of the maxillary and
frontal bones : thefe pieces had on their inner
furface very remarkable veiliges of a caries, and
are in many places become more thick than in
their natural ftate •, which feems to have been
produced by the continuance of a fuperabundance
of vitiated mucous matter, which foftened and
injured the texture of thefe bones.

The firft memoir prefented by the Sieur la
FofTe was confined to a bare defcription of the
difeafe, and only a propofal of a method of

I cure

{61 ]

cure by way of projedt ; but in this, he certifies
that he has cured feveral glandered horfes by '
means of his injedions and fumigations throwa;,
into the noftrils.

Although he has not yet found out fuch in-
jedlions as will fucceed in the greater number
of cafes that come before him, there is room
to hope that end will yet be attained ;, nor caa
we withhold our approbation of the enquiries he
is inceffantly making, in order to bring the mat-
ter to perfedlion. '^'*
Signed Morand and Bouvard.

/ do certify the prefent extra5l to be conforma-
ble to his original memoir^ and to the judgment of
the academy. Paris January 12, 1752. Signed
Grandjean de Fouchy, perpetual fecretary to
the Royal Academy of Sciences.

fp

'■^'-■'^^^^^^fSsn^^'S^^ *^

.ffi'^

REMARKS

[62 ]

REMARKS.

"T^ R. Brachen an Englifh phyfician has
•*-^ wrote a treatife on the difeafes of horfes ;
and has alfo tranflated^ my treatife upon the
glanders into EngHlh. The following is an ex-
tradt of what he fays about it.

cc

I agree with Monf. La Fofie that the feat
of the glanders is in the pituitary membrane,
and not at all in the vifcera ; that drenches are
*' of no manner of ufe in this cafe -, and that
injedious thrown into the finufes is a judi-
cious pradice."

€C

CC
CC

The

[^3 ]

The Twelfth Chapter

Of Mr. BART LETT'S Book

UPON THE

DISEASES OF HORSES,

Being this author'' s doElrine of the Glanders^ which
is tranjlated by the Sieur la Fojfe into French
in this work,

' I * H E caufe and feat of the glanders has
-■* till lately been fo imperfe<5lly handled,
and fo little underfcood by the writers on this di-
ftemper, that it is no wonder it fhould be rank-
ed among the incurables : but a new light
having been thrown on this whole affair by the
lludy of M. la Foffe, the King of France's Far-
rier, who has been at the pains to trace out,
and difcover by diffedlions, the fource and caufe
of this diforder ; we hope the method he
has propofed, with fome further experiments
and improvements, will foon bring to a certain-
ty of cure (in moil cafes at lead) a diftemper
fo dangerous to our horfes, and that hitherto
has eluded the force of art.

Before

2

[64 ]

Before we make mention of this work, which
has the approbation of the Royal Academy of
Sciences^ it will not be unacceptable to our read-
'ers, we apprehend, to have a more particular
account of the fymptoms of this diforder than
M. la Fofie has laid down, that we may the
better judge of the merit of our author and his
difcoveries. ' — - ■

The matter then difcharged from the noflrils
of a glander'd horfe is either white, yellow, or
greeniih, fometimes ftreaked or tinged with
blood ; when the difeafe is of long Handing, the
matter turns blackllh, and becomes very fetid,
v.and is always attended with a fv/elling of the
kernels or glands under the jaws •, in every
other refpedl the horfe is generally healthy and
found till "the diflemper has been of fome con-
tinuance.

From thefe fymptoms and fome obfervations
made by Bracken and Gibfon, it is plain they
were not abfolute flrangers to the feat of this
r diforder, though they neglefted pufhing their
enquiries to the fountain-head, and confequent-
ly were at a lofs to know how to apply the re-
medy to the parts afte6i:ed. ;

But our author after examining by diffedlionthe
carcafes of glander'd horfes, and making a ftrid
fcrutiny into the ftate of the vifcera, affiftcd for
that purpofe by ingenious and expert anatomifls
for ten years together, afiirms this difeafe to be
altogether locaU and that the true feat of it is

in

in the pituitary membrane, which lines the par*
tition along the infide of the nofe, the m.axillary
fmufes or cavities of the cheek-bones on each
fide the nofe, and the frontal finufes or cavities
above the orbits of the eyes -, that the vifcera,
as liver, lungs, &:c. of glandered horfes are in
general exceeding found ; and confequently that
the feat of this diforder is not in thoie parts, as
has been alTerted by moil authors •, nor indeed
is it probable it fnould ; for hov/ could fuch
horfes preferve their appetite, their good ap-
pearance, fleek and fliining coats, in a word
all the figns of health for many years together
(which many gland^ered horfes are known to
enjoy) with fuch diftempered bowels.

But on nicely examining the heads of fuch
horfes he found the cavities abovementioned,
more or lefs, filled with a vifcous flimey mat-
ter, the membrane which lines both them and
the noflrils inflamed, thickened, and corroded
with fordid ulcers, which, in fom.e cafes, had
eat into the bones. Thefe finufes or cavities
will be better underflood by referring to the an-
nexed plate.

He obferves that when glandered horfes dif-
charged matter from both noflrils, both fides of
the membranes and cavities were affedled -, but
when they run at one nofiril only, that fide on-
ly was found difbempered.

It is a curious remark of our author, that the
fublingual glands, or the kernels fituated un-

E . der

[ ee ]

der the jaw-bone, which are always fwelled in
this diftemper, do not difcharge their lymph in-
to the mouth, as in man, but into the nof-
tril j and that he conflantly found their obftruc-
tion agreed with the difcharge -, if one gland
only was affedied, then the horfe difcharged
from one nollril only, but if both were, then
the difcharge was from both.

He fornetimes, though rarely, found the
bony partition of the nofe carious and rotten ;
but that the fpongy bones about this part mufl
fuffer from the acrimony of matter long pent
up, is not at all to be doubted, though the
more folid ones may efcape.

The feat of this diforder thus difcovered, our
author with great ingenuity has paved the way for
the cure, by trepanning thefe cavities, and taking
out a piece of bone, by which means the parts
affeded maybe wafhed, with a proper inje6lion,
and, in fine, the ulcers deterged, healed, and dried
up.

This operation he has performed on three
horfes, one of whom difcharged from one nof-
tril only, and the third from both. The two
firft he trepanned on that fide of the head which
was affeded j and to the other he performed it
on both : and found that the wound and per-
foratioii filled up v/ith good flefh in twenty-fix
days, and that the horfes fufrered no inconve-
nience from the operation. Though after this
experiment they v/ere knocked on the head.

The

[67]

The directions and orders of the civil
vernment of France, which hindered people
from keeping glandered horfes long, prevented
M, la FofTe repeating his attempts, and pufhing
his experiments further •, but it is to be hoped
that fo ufeful a projeft will be purfued to its ut-
mofl extent, as it feems fo promifing in the
execution, and is fo important in its confe-
quences: to which end we fliall beg leave to
animadvert upon what has been faid, and offer
our opinion both in relation to the difeafe, the
operation, andthemannerof conducing the cure.

The oriorinal fource and caufe then of this
diforder feems to be an inflammation of the
glands and membrane that lines the noilrils
and thefe cavities •, which if not difperfed in
time, will form matter and ulcerate and erode
the bones, for want of a free difcharge to un-
load the cavities ; and of proper applications
to cleanfe and detero;e the ulcers : violent colds
or a feverifh tranflation fettling here, may alfo
occafion the fame complaint, and are commor^-
ly the general caufes.

There is a diforder in men called Ozcena that
has great fimilitude to this in horfes, and arifes
often from an inflammation in the maxillary li-
nufes, or cavity of the cheek-bones •, from
whence enfues a collediion of matter : which
when the cavity is full, or the head propefly
inclined, runs over into the nofe, and would
confbantly difcharge thence like a glandered

E 2 horfe

[68]

horfe was the head continued in the fame pofl-
tion. The furgical cure is the taking out one
or more teeth from the upper-jaw, and perfo-
rating the cavity with a proper inftrument in
order to make a depending orifice for the matter
to flow through ♦, and to make way for fyring-
ing the parts affected with proper injecPcionSj
which in this cafe are thrown thro' the cavity
into the nofe.

The fimilarity of thefe two cafes, with the
method of cure, and the fuccefs attending the
furgical treatment, (which was firft invented
by our countrymen Drake and Cooper) un-
doubtedly gave the firft hint for trepanning
and fyringing thefe cavities in horfes : and it is
moft probable, that w^hen the operation is at-
tempted in time, before the bones become rot-
ten, it will be attended with equal fuccefs ; but
after opening the cavities, fhould it by probing
be difcovered that the bones are in that ftate,
the be£l way then would be to difpatchthe horfe,
to prevent unnecefTary trouble and expence.

The parts fixed on for applying the trepan
arc pointed out in the plate, and the manner of
fawing out the bone will eafily be underflood by
a view of the inilrument, and the explanation
annexed.

The perforations being made, our next bufi-
nefs is to prevent their filling up too fait : as it
may be neceffary to keep them open for fome
weeks, b(jfore a cure can be effedled; for which

purpofe.

purpofe, after the ufe of the inje(5lIon, let the
upper one be filled up with a piece of cork
waxed over and adapted exaclly to its fize ; the
lower one may be filled up with a hollow lead- '
en tent, and both kept on with a proper ban-
dage.

If this method fhould not prevent the granu-
lations or fhoots of fiefh, from filling up fb fail,
as to choak up the perforation, and by that
means hinder the injediions pafTing freely ; they
mufl be fuppreffed by rubbing v/ith cauflic me-
dicines, or touching with the adual cautery ;
as may alfo the bony edges ; which by obliging
them to exfoliate or fcale off, will retard the
healing.

The injedlions firfl made ufe of fhould be of
a deterfive nature ; as a decoction of birth -
wort, gentian, and centaury -, to a quart of
which, if two ounces of segyptiacum, and
tindlure of myrrh are added, it may be as
proper as any ; and when the difcharge is
obfcrved to abate, and the colour alter to
a thick white matter, the injedlion may
be changed for barley water, honey of rofes
•and tindiure of myrrh-, and finally to dry
up the humidities, and recover the tone of the
relaxed glands, Bates's alum-water, or a folu-
tion of colcothar, vitriol, lapis medicamentofus,
or the like, in lime-water will mofl probably
complet the cure.

E 2 But

[ 70 1

But v/hoever is at all acquainted with prat^li-
cal furgery, well knows that without the aflill-
ance ot internals, efpecially in glandular difor-
ders, the cure is not fo eafily effeded, nor ren-
dered complete and lafling j I therefore advife a
ilrong deco6lion of guaiacum chips to be given
every day to a quart or three pints throughout
the cure, and when the matter leiTens, to purge
at proper intervals and put a rowel into the
horfe's cheft in order to divert the fluids from
their old channel.

If thele fliould not fucceed, mercurials may
be given with the phyfic-, and the alterative
powders with lime-water may be taken for a
time, if the horfe is worth the expence. Vide
chap, on altcrvatives.

My treatife upon the glanders has been tranf-
lated into Englilh by Dr. Bracken, author him-
felf of feveral treatifes upon the difeafes of
horfes, and was alfo' approved of by Mr. Bart-
let an Englifh furgeon. My difcovery made
upon this difeafe and my method of cure have
been approved of in England. But I ought to
declare that I have lead Mr. Bourgelat, author
of a book entitled Elemens d'Hypptatrique into
an error, where I fpeak. of the fublingual
glands, upon which he has expatiated with a
credulity that does me honour, for which he
has my thanks \ bur unhappily it was a mif-
take in me, for I acknowledged it fince, and re-

tr;icled

[ 71 ]
tra61:ed that opinion that horfes have no glands
but under the fymphyfis of the chin. And I freely
own that I called them fublingual glands very
improperly ; they are lymphatic glands that the
inflammation of the pituitary membrane caufes
to fwell, the canals of which after having
thrown off feveral ramifications pafs under the
maxillary gland and fixes under the parotid ^
from whence two large tubes ilTue which ac-
company the trachea on each fide for its whole
length, and ends in the vena cava.

Mr. Bourgelat, a good anatomift, ought to
have known this error, and to conclude from
thence, that he fhould not be in fo much hafle
to criticife as to approve.

E4

A ME-

MEMOIR

PRESENTEDTOTHE

ROYAL ACADEMY of SCIENCES

November i8, 1750.

Upon a mcft fpsedy mid infallible remedy to flop
blood in large divided arteries 'without a liga^
ture.

N order to flop the blood in accidental hse-
morrhages of the fmall vefTels, I had a no-
tion to try what effe6l the dufl of a certain
wild mufhroom, commonly called in France
VefTe-de-loiip *, and botanically Lycoperdon,
could have upon great divided arteries -, in the
cafe of accidents in bleeding, and in performing
amputations of limbs , I propofed therefore to
make my experiments on horfes.

Having chofen proper fubjeds, I laid the
temporal artery bare in one, and di ided it
traniverfely half way •, the blood ftarted out

* In England pufl'-b^lls.

witk

[ 73 "J

with great impetuofity ; I applied fome of this
dufl of the puff-ball, which I confined to the
part, by only the palm of my hand, for about
tv/elve or fifteen minutes ; and the blood
flopped.

I pricked, In the fame manner, the artery in a
horfe's leg; I drelTed it with the fame dufl, and
the blood flopped in like manner.

I cut off the fore-leg of another horfe at its
upper part, near the thorax, and applied the
powder or dufl to the flump, without any
other dreffmg than a bladder to keep it on,
and the blood flopped ; notwiihflanding the
flruggles of the horfe to relieve himfelf, for he
was thrown, in order to make the operation.

I afterwards cut off the tail of the fame horfe
at the place of its firfl joint ♦, and the blood of
the four arteries flopped like the other cafes by
the fame treatment.

I caufed this horfe to be knocked on the
head on the fourth day after, and diffedled the
divided arteries-, when I found that a mem-
branous inclofure was formed, which was half
tranfparent and exadlly flopped their orifices,
the center of each of which had a little grume
of blood like a nipple.

It mufl be obferved here that as I examined
the flump of this horfe while he was yet alive, I
faw with great pleafure, the blood force againfl
the faid inclofmg membrane, which being up-
on the level with the flefh, made it eafy for

me

[74]

me to obfen/e very diflindly the extremity of
the artery by its pulfation.

Havirg feparated the flefh from the artery,
I fiit it up longitudinally, and found that the
little grume of clear blood was of a firm con-
fiftence, of a lively red, in form of a cone or
fugar-loaf, the bafis of which adhered to the
little inclofing membrane which lliut up the
artery v/ithout ; the point of which floated in
the cavity of the vefTel •, snd I further found
the coats grown thicker at their extremities.

At length, in order to try whether the fuppu-
ration of the wound would not open the orifices
of the arteries again, which were juft flopped
up by the remedy, I let the firft horfe live,
which was the more vigorous of the two, un«
til a perfecl fuppuration was eflabhfhi^d, which
proved^ that it did not, in the leaft refpedt, hin-
der the cicatrifino; of the arteries.

EXTRACT

lis]

EXTRACT of the REGISTERS

OF THE

Royal Acadeptty of Sciences,
December 23, 1750.

TH E Sieur la Fofle, Farrier to the king's
fLables, in the laft memoir he prefented
to the academy, aflerts, i. That by applying
the powder or duft of the lycoperdon or pufF-
ballsto very confiderable divided arteries in horfes
the blood was flopped in a few minutes ; and the
arteries cicatrifed by this means alone, without
any fucceeding hemorrhage.

2. That about twenty hours after the appli-
cation of this remedy, a membrane, or rather a
pellicule, or thin fkin, was obfervod to cover
the extremity of the divided artery, with a
fmall grume which fhut up the mouth of the
fame artery.

3. That the pulfation of the artery was very
diftindlly perceived in the place.

4. That this grume was fhaped like a cone,
the bafis of which flopped up the orifice of the
divided vefTel, and the point was turned inward
in the velTei.

Thefc

I 76 ]

Thefe are the fads which the academy or-
dered us to confider and verify. In order to
try the experiment we caufed M. la Fofle to cut
off the tail of a mare as near the root as he
could, the blood flew out of the four arteries
with great force*, he applied this puff-ball pow-
der to the ilump with a cap of a pig's bladder
to keep it on •, he took off this dreffnig in a
quarter of an hour, and three of the arteries
weie ftaunched, but the fourth continued to
bleed very fail ; and by applying a pinch of
the powder to the bleeding artery, which he
kept to it only with his finger, the blood was
silfo topped in this vcild in fix minutes.

He cut off the kg of another horfe about
ten inches above the knee •, and as the arteries
did not bleed, he handled them for half a quar-
ter of an hour in order to force them, but to no
purpofe : however he applied the powder fecur-
ed by a pledget and proper bandage -, and there
"was not any bleeding for three days after, al-
though the horfe had moved himfelf very much,
and v/as often put to pain after the operation.
The horfe was ordered to be killed, and hav-
ing opened the principal artery of the flump
longitudinally, we found a body of a conic fi-
gure about four fingers breadth above the ex-
tremity, the bafe of which adhered ffrongly all
round to the internal coat of the artery, its
other extremity turned inward into the veffel ;
wiien this conic body was macerated in v/ater,

k

[ 77 ]

it appeared very diilinclly to be a kind of mem-
Branous fack, like a funnel filled with blackifii
grumous blood : the internal convex furface of
the fack, fhewed, in tufts, a great number of
granulations like thofe of a wound beginning
to incarn ; as to the reft, all that interval of
the artery comprehended within the place
where the fack adhered to the divided extremity
was filled with grumes of lymph and blood,
without any regular order or figure, which had
neverthelefs fome adhefions to the artery. In
this cafe, the matter does not exadly anfwer
the Sieur la FofTe's narrative; but there is the
greateil reafon to fuppofe that the agitations of
the horfe after the amputation, had interrupted
the efforts of nature to form the grume ♦, and
indeed this obfervation ought to be looked up-
on as an exception to thole we fliall give the
following account of.

In eight days after the amputation of the tail
of a young mare, there appeared no manner of
hcEmorrhage •, and when we dire6led M. la Foi&
to cut ofi' the thigh of the fame mare, about
tQu. inches above the ham, the blood fpurted
out with great rapidity from feverai arteries ;
and in order to try whether an application of
armenian. bole would not Hop it as well as zHq
puff-ball powder, we armed a pledget with the
bole, and applied it, fecuring it with a proper
bandage; two hours and a half after, though
the animal had not flirred, the blood dill iflued

3 ^'^^

9

[78 ]

out ; the drefTings were taken off, and tlien the
blood fprung out with great force ; the
aforefaid powder of the lycoperdon was ap-
plied, which was gently confined by his
hand only, for fix minutes, when upon taking
away his hand, the crural artery only bled
through the layer of powder upon the fliump ;
but this little fiiream was two thirds fmaller
than before, by the application, but it grew no
bigger though let alone for fix minutes longer ;
then the Sieur la Fofle applied a pinch of the
powder to that little ftream, which he held on
with his finger about four minutes longer, and
the bleeding was flopped. In its place a little
elevation was very clearly obferved, pufhing
and retiring fucceflively, and exad:ly corre-
fponding widi the arterial pulfation. This ob-
fervation lafied a quarter of an hour, without
the leaft hemorrhage from any part •, the flump
was then drefTed up with pledgets of tow, and
three days after we obferved at the extremity
of the artery a grumiC which plug'd up the
orifice, and over the grume a white tranfparent
fkin •, when this vefTel was opened longitudi-
nallv, we obferved the grume intire as it was ; it
was formed into a cone, the bafe of which was to
the divided end of the artery, which it clofed
exactly, the point or apex being turned inward,
and was elongated like a ftilet floating in the
arterial tube. The bafis projeded about a line

beyond

3

[79]

beyond the extremity of the artery, and was
fungous and rounded Hke a nipple, and cover-
ed with granulations like the little membranous
fack mentioned before. The point had a fmooth
furface, and was nearly equal to the internal
furface of the artery in confiftence ; the middle
part, which might be called the body of the
grume, was more red than the extremities,
which had but a very faint tindhure of the fame
colour : but it was firm, and was fo ftrongly at-
tached to the artery, that we could not pull them
afunder without tearing, and leaving a confi-
derable quantity of its fubflance behind, which
conilituted one body with the vefTel. We or-
dered another amputation of a horfe's flioulder,
and every thing anfwered in the fame manner,
as in the former experiment, except in a few
trivial circumflances ; which feemed indeed to
depend only upon the horfe's having died twenty
fix hours after the amputation : the grume in
this cafe was redder at the extremities, fhorter,
and lefs folid, nor did it adhere fo firmly to the
artery : but it is very plain that it wanted only
the horfe's living two days longer to have been
exadlly parallel to the former cafe.

From what has been laid down, it may be
concluded that the Sieur la FolTe has advanced
nothing but the truth •, we agree, however, that
the ufe of this powder of the puff-bails for
flopping of blood was not wholly unknown,
but it is not certain that the blood which the

moft

t So ]
mofl confiderable arteries could difcharge, was
ever attempted to be (lopped by this remedy
before, which it did in the fpace of fix minutes ;
this author's explanation ot the formation of the
grume, differs from that of Monf. Petit, it
opens to philofophers an opportunity of making
ufeful difcoverics upon this fubjed, or at leaft
fuch as are very curious •, figned

Bernard de Jussieu, and Bouvart*

I certify that the prefent extrcM is conformable
to its original a7td to the opinion of the Academy,
Paris Feb. i, 1750. 6'i^;?£'/i Grand jean de Pou-
chy, -perpetual fecretary to the Royal Academy of
Sciences.

A NEW

/.

■' n.-i-c.-i .i.-i <V/.-'.,/^.

ItHL-^-intc 'z\irt^. I'Cut^lit'''

A NEW

METHOD

O F

SHOEING

BOTH

COACH AND SADDLE-HORSES,

In order to render them more fectire upon their feet
at all times y upon even the [mo oth eft pavements,

EVERY country has its different method
of fhoeing horfes ; but as I do not intend
to make a critical examination into either the er-
rors or perfections of their methods, I fhall on-
ly give a Ihort account of the pradice of feveral
countries, that the reader himfelf may judge
how nearly the method of fhoeing in our time
comes to perfedlion, or how far from it.

F In

[ 82 ]

In PrufTia they only fhoe before and not be-
hind.

In Germany they flioe both before and be-
hind \ and commonly put three cramps upon
each fhoe.

In France they cramp them only behind.

In England the fhoes have no cramps either
before or behind, and the fhoes are thin, broad,
and have very ftrong heels in order to hinder
the frog's bearing upon the ground.

In Spain the heels of the fhoes are thin, and
partly diminiflied upon the heels of the horfe.

In Turky the horfe's heels and foles are co-
vered with a plate which ferves them inftead
of fhoes, wherein they contrive an opening
to let part of the frog come through. All thefe
feveral kinds are rcprefented in the fourth
table.

As to the manner of paring the foot, it only
differs according to the greater or lefs quantity
of the foles being taken off.

It mufl, however, be obferved, with refped
to the cramps, that our anceflors put them on
the fore-feet j though there is no treatife that
makes any mention of it; but over the door of
the chnrch of St. Severin there is a number of
Ihoes fixed to the wall with two cramps on each,
which were certainly the fhoes before the lafb age.
Some of them had been worn and others not, bur
it is plain they were thofe in ufe at that time.

For

[ 83 }

For feveral years pall the method of cramps
have been left off, infiead of which flrong heels
have been brought into ufe^ but the more
able farriers perceiving the abufe of fuch, now
keep the heels equal to the reft of the fhoe.

Every nation thought themfelves right, and
believe fo ftill ; nor will any of them change
the manner oi fhoeing. The foreigners who
are lovers of horfes, and who come into this
kingdom, are a flrong proof of this; for almoft
all of them bring- with them a farrier of their
own country -, being ftrongly of opinion that
their methods are preferable to ours.

But we are pretty even with them in our opi-
nions of them, for we generally ufe the fame
precaution when we travel into their coun-
tries.

It mufl not be fuppofed that the difference
of the ground, caufes any manner of difference
in the methods of fhoeing, which I have fome-
times heard mentioned as a caufe ; for we daily
fee here horfes fhod in the Englifh, German,
and Spanifh manner, and yet go upon our
ground neither better nor worfe than thofe fhod
in the French method -, but only that this prac-
tice is fcarce better in one country than ano-
ther, and that in all places it is rather a matter
of fancy and cuilom than of confideration and
reafon.

It appears to me that the cuftom of fhoeing
horfes was a good one, and even neceffary up-

F 2 on

[ 84 ]

on a pavement, but it is upon their form and the
manner of fetting them on, that not only the
prefervation of the foot, but alfo the fafety of
their legs, and the eafe of their motions depend.
And in effedl, the more eafy our fhoes fet
upon us, the more adlive we are •, fo a large,
long, thick fhoe ought to have the fame effect
upon horfes, that wooden Ihoes have upon us,
that is, make them heavy, unweildy, and
hobling.

Let us now obferve the going, as well as the
externaP and internal ftrudture of a horfe's foot.

The horfe who drav/s, prefles firfl upon the
toe, then fuccefiively upon the fides, to eafe
the toe •, and then the horfe's heel yields upon
the heel of the fhoe, from which it immediately
rifes ao;ain.

The faddlc or pack-horfe places the toe but
lightly •, which is the only difference in their
going ; fo that in both cafes, the point of fup-
port is fixed neither upon the heel nor toe, but
between both •, which it is eafy to demonftrate
anatomically, figure the firfl:, plate III.

The canon-bone 3. preffes upon the paftern 4.
this upon the coronary 5. the coronary upon
the coffin or foot-bone 6. and UDon the nut-
bone 3. fig. 2.

By this difpofition of the bones, we fhould
obferve two effential things, which lay open
the faults in the prefent m.ethod of fhoeing,
and point out the means of being able to re-
medy

[ 85 ]

medy them for the future : one is that the effort
of the weight of a horfe does not bear either
upon the toe or the heel, but on the middle be-
tween both ; the other fhews that the greater
the dillance of the fole from the ground, or
from whatfoever point of fupport, the more the
pufhing of the coronary-bone upon the nut-
bone, will fatigue the nerve or tendon upon
which it refts, by the inordinate diftenfion it
undergoes at every ftep toe horfe takes *.

We find therefore that in our prefent method,
a long flioe is not only perfe&ly ufelefs, but it is
even very prej j.dicial ^ in thefirfl: place it will be
lefs folid ; — fecondly, the horfe's heels coming
to fmk upon thofe of the fhoes, the longer the
lever, the greater will be the drag upon the
clinches of the nails at the toe ; and we often
fee horfes, having long fhoes, ftrike them off
in walking upon the befl ground.

They often alfo lofe their fhoes in flifF or
tough clay, for they are apt to flick the fafter
for being fo long.

Again when the flioe-heel happens between
two pavement ilones, the fhoe comes off.

The fame thing very otten happens when
they pafs into the doors of coach houfes, which
have commonly bars of iron along the thre-
fhold.

An old colonel of horfe told me that horfes

* See the anatomical plates, which fiiew the ftrudure of
a horfe's foot.

very

[ S6 ]

very fi'equently lofe their fhoes in pafilng over
the draw-bridges of fortified towns, becaufe
they are flrengthened with crofs parallel iron-
bars. He feemed convinced of the convenience
of the new method of fhoeing I propofe.

Horfes frequently too knock off their Ihoes
by hitting the toe of the hind-foot upon the
heel of the fore-fhoe when they trot, efpecially
when they are too apt to over-reach -, and alfo
.lofe them by happening to put one foot upon
another, while in the flable. from the length of
the fnoe.

The Ion<?er a fhoe is, and the more it covers
the fole, the more liable the horfe will be to
fall, trip, and hobble in his walk ; particular-
ly if he goes upon a pavement, becaufe the
furface being formed of round parts, and the
fhoe having a large uniform hard face, he can
fcarce have above two or three points of fup-
port.

The Englifh who pradtife this kind of fhoeing
take care therefore not to bring their horfes upon
a flat pavement without an abfolute necelli-
ty. The length of the Ihoe caufes yet another
ill accident to fome horfes, which they fctl all
their lives -, and it is to thofe el'pecially that lie
down as a cow ufually does ; for in this polture
the fore-legs are fo bent under them backward,
as that the heels of the fhoes wound their elbows,
^nd caufe a kind of abfcefs in the part.

It

C s? ]

It IS thought that ftrong flioe-heels are art
eafe to the weak heels and fetlocks of horfes,
as if the body of the fhoe was flexible enough
to yield to the horfe's heel, and under this no-
tion, they raife the fhoe-heel, and leave a va-
cant fpace between that and the horfes's heel.

Neverthelcfs the dire6l contrary happens.

1 . It is the hoof that by its flexibiUty yields
to the fhoe-heel, which is quite inflexible.

2. The thicker the fhoe-heel is, and the more
fubjed that of the horfe is to meet it.

3. Inflead of being eafed, the horfe's heel be-
comes more compreflTed, becaufe it has always
the fame point of fupport.

Let us but remember what I have faid above
concerning the horney fole ; that it is from the
flefhy fole it receives its nourifhment •, that its
connexion and juicy parts confift in its thick-
nefs •, and that it hardens, and receives lefs nou-
rifliment in proportion as it is thinned. We
even fee horfes grow lame by the habit of paring
the fole.

The air, when it is in this thin flate, pene-
trates and dries it to fuch a degree, that if
when a horfe Hands dry, they negle6l moiftening
his feet, they contrad, and comprefs the flefhy
Ible, fo as to lame the animal.

But let us go on : what dangers does not a
horfe run, when his fole is almofl gone by be"
ing pared too clofe ? if he fhould happen to
tread upon flumps, pieces of bottles, or nails,

F 4 they

[ 88 ]

they will eafily penetrate to the flefhy fole,
lame the horfe for a confiderable time, and
fometimes for his life.

Suppofe a horfe lofes a Ihoe, which often
happens, when his foot's but newly pared ; he
cannot go an hundred paces before he grows
lame j becaufe, as in this flate the fole is hol-
lowed away, the horfe is fuilained only upon
the walls of the hoof, which having no alTift-
ance of fupport from the horny fole, is imme-
diately worn and battered by the weight of the
horfe's body ; and the fooner he treads upon
any hard fubllance, the fooner he growls quite
lame.

But this cannot happen to a horfe, whofe fole
is left intire in its full flrength ; for when the
fhoe happens to fall off, the fole and frog bear
upon the ground, eafe the walls of the hoof of
part of the weight of the body, and the horfe
thus unfhod, will purfue his journey, and come
in fafe and found.

It is moll certain that all horfes, except fuch as
have their feet overgrov/n, or fuch as may have
a particular occafion of being fhod topreferve the
fole, may, at any rate, go without flioes •, and
we have examples among ourfelves, (without
mentioning the cufcoms of Arabia, or Tartary)
of horfes who are at daily work in the country,
without the leaft need of being ever fhod. But
as we employ all our care and addrefs to hol-
low the foot by paring it even to the quick ;

and

[89]

and to form an exa6l fine frog, in fhort fuch an
one as, we fay in France, is neatly put out of
hand, it is abfolutely neceifary to fet Ihoes on
them.

I therefore warn all lovers of horfemanfhip to
fecure their horfes, as much as may be, from
the perfedlion of fuch work. Perhaps it may
be afked what becomes of the horny fole if it
be not pared ? they may be afraid of its be-
coming too large by its growing ; not at all, for
in proportion as it grows, it dries, fcales, and
falls off in flakes.

Again if the horny fole be left intire, there
would be no fearof thofe inflammations, arifing
from the dangerous compreffions mentioned in
this treatife. For by its conne6lion, thicknefs,
and flexibility, as well as its contexture, it
would feem to be wholly deftined, by nature,^
to ferve as a cufnion to the flefhy fole and ten-
don which refl upon it, in order to break the
violent iliocks of a pavement, ftone, or any
kind of iiiump, &c.

There is a fa6l which we mufl alfo be convinc-»
of, and that is, that a horfe very feldom goes
eafy, or efcapes being foon jaded, if the trog
does not bear upon the ground ; and as it is the
only point of fupport to the tendon; if you keep
it at any diflance from the ground by paring it
away, an inordinate diflenfion will happen to
the tendon, caufed by the prelTure of the corona^
fy-bone upon the nut-bone (as we have faid

already)

- [ 90 ]

already) which diflenfion being repeated at
every ftep he goes, tires it, and caufes an in- '
flammation, whence proceed relaxation, de-
fluxions and tendinous fwellings, efpecially after
long journies or hard riding. Thefe accidents
proceed lefs from the length of the journey which
is the common notion than from the bad cuftom
of paring the fole.

The common methods of fhoeing have another
general inconvenience upon journies ; which is that
fand and gravel get in, and are ground between
the fole and fhoe, and again between the horfe's
heels and thofe of die flioe ^ and not coming
out again readily, they caufe comprefTions, in-
flammations, and at length a collection of mat-
ter which putrifies and ruins the cartilage,
forming in this latter cafe, callous horny ex-
crefcences, and in the former bruifes and com-
prefllons of the fole.

Thefe laft accidents are alfo very often the
effedls of a flone's being wedg'd in between
the fhoe heels ; and although this is foon per-
ceived becaufe the horfe fuddenly goes lame,
yet in endeavouring to knock it out, you run
the chance of either hurting and laming the
horfe, or ftriking off the fhoe.

Let this circumflance be well attended to,
that the more a horfe's foot is pared, the more
he is expofed to the danger of meeting fuch ac-
cidents : It is in the firfl place, depriving him
of the defence provided by nature againll hard

fharp

[ 9' 3

fharp bodies, which he may chance to tread up-
on ; and in the fecond place of a more impor-
tant advantage both for his own, as well as his
rider's fake, which is, that in not paring away
the fole, nor fetting on any more fhoe than is
necefTary to preferve the horny fole, he will no
more be fubje6t to flip, neither upon the win-
ters icy pavement, nor upon the dry fmooth
one of the fummer fcafon, which I fiiall now
proceed to demonflrate.

1. In making a horfe walk upon the frog
and partly upon the heel, the former being
ftrongly rubbed and puflied againft the ground
or pavement, as it were, imprefles itfelf, by
the weight of the horfe's body into the inequali-
ties and interflices, it happens to meet in its way.

2. By its flexibility it eafily receives the im-
preflions of fuch inequalities, fo as that the foot
refl:ing upon a great many more parts which
mutually eafe it, by multiplying the points of
fupport, gives the animal a flrronger adherence
and more fecurity upon the plane he goes upon.
It may even be aflTerted, that the frog acquires
a kind of fenfation, by its correfpondence with
the flefliy fole, and of this with the nerve ;
which though I will not compare it with what
we feel in going barefoot ; yet this fenfation is
fully fufficient to give him proper warning of
the counterpoife he ought to p\it his body into,
for maintaining his equilibrium to keep himfelf

from fl:umbling and falling.

The

[ 92 ]

The end and defign of fhoeing horfes could
not have been aimed at upon any other ac-
count, by whomfoever firft put in praftice,
but as a prefervative and defence for the hoof
as well as the fole ^ but he could not think at
the fame time that it was neceifary to pare away
what he wanted to prefervc by the ufe of the
flioes, I will not even fay to that excefs that
we ufe in paring them, but not at all -, becaufe
that w^ould be to acl contrary to his firft prin-
ciple, and deftroy his own work.

This precaution could never be recommended
but in cafes where the horny fole is uneven, in-
fomuch that the fhoe could not bear equally
upon it J which w^ould take off from its necef-
fary firmnefs ; in fuch a cafe it may be reafon-
able, otherwife it would be very abfurd.

I have often fpoke to fuch lovers of horfe-
manfhip as take great care to have their horfes
feet well pared ^ but none of them could give
me any demonftration either of the neceifity or
propriety of it. But at length convinced by
my reafons againft it, I never could have any
fatisfadtion from them, but that it was an efta-
blifned cuftom, and that it mufr be allowed to
be by far the moft genteel method.

I will offer but pne word more upon this per-
nicious pradtice, which is, that the greater part
of the farriers, in order to pare their horfes the
neater, pufh the buttrefs even to the very

bloodj

[ 93 ]
blood, and then in order to flop it, have re-
courfe to a red hot iron.

When this operation is finilhed he returns
lame to the liable : the owner aflcs the reafon
of it, but cannot be informed, becaufc both
farrier and groom are either equally ignorant, or
rather equally difcreet upon this article.

I will venture to fay, as a fad, that if a horfe
lofes Ihoes ten times a day, a farrier will as of-
ten pare his foot, fo exceffively obflinate is the
cuftom, and fo pofitively thought necefTary by
the generality of the farriers.

I do not take upon me to inveigh againft
able and fkilful farriers, I have refpe6l for thefe,
and do them all the juftice imaginable •, I only
flrike at that ignorance alone, which has re-
duced a method of fhoeing, which is in itfelf
fimple, eafy and ufeful, in its principle -, to a
work which is pernicious in its life, and meerly
a mark of dexterity and neatnefs in its execu-
tion.

From what has hitherto been faid, it is plain
that our kind of fhoeing, and the manner of
our application of it, far from being ferviceable
to horfes, ruins, fatigues, and renders them
unwell dy and hobling -, expofes them to flreet
nails, makes them take up their limbs aukward-
]y, fubjects them to comprefiions of the fole,
callous excrefcences, tender- fqotednefs, and ob-
ftru61:ions and fwellings of the tendon. But by a-
new manner of fhoeing, which will make them

more

[ 94 ]

more alert and agreeable in their going, we
fhall be able to prevent the crowd of accidents
mentioned ; and it is from its fimplicity, and
the great cafe of performing it, that all its ad-
vantages arife.

I cannot but wonder others have never
thought of it before, and I have, indeed, fome
difficulty to perfuade myfelf, that I am the in-
ventor ; and I am more ready to believe, that it
is no more than copying that which was prac-
tifed by the firft arufl, who thought of fetting
Ihoes on horfes.

If I am right in my fufpicion, its having
been forgotten, proves nothing againft its per-
fedlion •, becaufe neither a good nor bad method
has any more right the one than the other, to
fix our inclination from varying. We grow
weary of every thing; and one, in order to im-
prove upon the other, has invented flioes of
different forms, lengths, and thicknelTes, to
w^hich he has been fure to attribute many ufe-
ful properties. The world, more credulous
than well inflrudted, are eafily convinced, and
from hence fprung the ufe of fome long fhoes,
others thick, others with cramps, at length
others with thick flrong heels, and in fine,
others with thin ones. It is not unlikely that
if the poor animals themfelves were able to give
their opinions, nothing of all this would be
put in execution •, they would be kept to their
antient method of being fhod, which being in-
vented

[95]

vented to preferve the hoof, had certainly none
of the inconveniencies that attend our prefent
method.

In order to give a flriking example of this,we
need only to obferve a draught- horfe, when he
draws a loaded cart, at a time when the pave-
ment happens to become flippery ; we fhall fee
the pain and torment the poor animal fuffers,
his feet having no purchafe, he attempts in
vain, to claw the pavement ; every flep is a
flip, for which he is often whipt without de-
ferving it ; the back, breafl, fhoulders, legs,
and all are flrained, all upon the rack -, to
which may be added, the perpetual fear of the
whip, at every falfe ilep he makes upon a pave-
ment, which it is impofnble to draw a load up-
on •, under thefe circumftances the horfe fuffers
more in one league, than if had drawn ten
leagues upon the road ; the foundering, inflamed
lungs, fevers, and every other accident of afl:rain-
ed horfe are the confequences, which are often
attributed toother caufes : but what is flill more
dreadful, that the very worfl: jades do not fuffer
fo much as the beft horfes, v/ho put all their
ftrength forward, and yet are not the more
fpared for their willingnefs.

I fliouldnct omit m.entioning here, that one of
the principal reafons that determined me to feek
a means of reforming the old m.anner of flioeing,
was the difliculty that horfes have to keep their
feet upon the pavement of Paris in a very dry
2 feafon ;

t96]

feafon ; the more elegant the pavement of this
capital is, which is wonderfully kept in repair,
and the more advantageous to the citizens, the
more prejudicial it is to the horfes. And the
oftener the pavement is fwept the more eafily
it grows flippery, and the more thefe animals
are expofed to dangers. But above all we muft
without controul yield to what is convenient to
men, and accommodate the arts to them, which
made me think of this new method, I proceed
to propofe.

A TRA^N

[ 97 ]

J

THE

Manner of Shoeing.

T^ H E fole nor frog mull never be pared,
-*- for the reafons given before ; we ought
to be content with only taking down the edge
of the hoof, as ufual, if it be thought too long;
and then to fet on a fhoe in form of a half-
moon *; thinning the heels, and making them a
little longer for fuch horfes as have weak hoofs ;
for when the feet are good they muft only reach
the middle of the hoof.

Eight fmall nails made in the old way, that
is, having veryfmall heads, are incrufted in the
holes which are made, as the head is, in an ob-
long form ; the figures both of the fhoe and
nail are to be feen in the fourth plate.

This is the whole of the myflery ; I own
this method does not feem to be in tafle ; it is
even a general reproach which they who make
the trial for the firfl time offer me. But the
greater part of thofe who have tried this way,
continue it, they find it lb advantageous.

As to the refl, if the reader does not find
my reafons fuf^cient to convince him of the

* See the plate of the ihoes.

G imper-

[ 98 ]

imperfedion of the common method of (hoe-
ing, and of the advantage of the new way, I
refer him to making the experiment ; afluring
him he is very much miftaken, if he takes all
I have faid^ for a fimple projed, which would
have no other merit than to have been formed
from a meer rational theory. I affert to him that
my notions have more folidity, and that in
praifing my new method of fhoeing, I declare
nothing but a fa6l a long time ago put in ex-
ecution, and confirmed by pradlice.

The marquis de L. O *** colonel of horfe,
and a lover of horfes, to whom I mentioned
this new way of fhoeing in Odlober 1753,
knowing the llrudure of a horfe's foot, told
me he thought it an ufeful and good way, and
that he had a mind to have his horfes Ihod fo;
in Ihort he had it done, and tried it upon
fmooth pavements as well as upon ice •, and
although the roads were almoft impaffable this
year 1754, his horfes never ftum.bled ^ and he
recommended to me to go on with the fame
method.

I have Ihod in this manner for a great num-
ber of houfes in Paris j the firfl eifay was made
upon my own horfe, who draws my carriage
to this day ; he ufed to flip frightfully in go-
ing, though he was fhod with cramps all round.
But as foon as I had fliod him in my new way,
he became as fure footed, as if he always
walked upon good ground. I even proved in

the

t99]
the laft froft, of laft winter, that the famehorfe,
being fhod in this manner and only two froft
nails at the toe went firm and fure even upon the
ice.

1. I have obferved before that all kinds of
fhoeing went well upon every fort of ground ;
it is necelTary however, to mention a word or
two more about it.

In the German fhoeing, the fafhion is to
have two cramps to each fhoe ; and is only fit
for going upon the ice •, upon all other grounds
it is hurtful to the legs, which are raifed upj
as if upon flilts.

2. The Spanifh method hurts the horfes heels
by the length of the fhoe they fet on, and with
which they confine the heels upon the two
quarters of the horfe's heel, which joins the co*
ronet, in fuch a manner that the foot becomes
tormented and prefTed fo as not to be capable
of fpreading, which makes almofl all the Spa-
nifh horfes grow narrow heeled.

3. The Englifh manner of fhoeing is to keep
the fhoe-heels large and high in order to fave
the frog •, by this means they deprive them of
the liberty of going with eafe upon a pave-
ment ; becaufe the fhoe does not bear upon the
level, and produces an effe6t like that of a pi-
vot, upon the middle of the flioe-heels and the
vault or hollow.

4. The Turkifh horfes have alfo a great deal
to do to keep themfelves fafe upon a pave-
ment, becaufe the fhoe covers all the foot.

G 2 5. The

[ 100 ]

5- The French method of fhoeing has the
fault I obferved before, of making their fhoes
too long ; of paring the feet and fetting on one
cramp on each fhoe behind, which makes them
go fideling •, it would be better that they had two
cramps to each fhoe, but they make but one
for fear the horfe fhould go lame -, I allow that
cramps are ufeful, efpccially in defcents, and
in backing, but this cramp in a few days is
worn, it flips upon a, pavement, and has no ef-
fe6t but jufl when it is new ^ again, does not
the pavement alfo wear, while the flones grow
convex in the middle, and make it flip from
one xo another, having no hold nor purchafe
between both ?

It is therefore very eflfential to leave off the
cramps and to flioe the horfe in fuch a manner
that the frog may bear upon the ground, in or-
der to enable him to fl:op fliort, and make him
more fure-footed than with cramps : the frog
will ferve horfes to go upon the fmooth pave-
ment, as felts enable men to go upon the
ice.

It mufl: be owned that the French method of
flioeing is the beft and mod folid of all for
flat-feet.

As to thofe horfes who have tumors within the
feet, and fifllires without, or weak quarters,
they mufl: be fliod in the femilunar manner ; that
is, fo as that the outer-heel of the flioe may be
fomething longer, the inner very fliort,in order to

I prevent

[ lor ]

prevent the weights bearing upon the afFedbed
or painful part, there are feveral expedients
which produce the fame effe6l; we may even
think of many others, for it is the bufinefs of
the artifl; but to this time I know of none bet-
ter, more ready, nor more certain, than the half
moon fhoe.

I wifh for the benefit of fociety that my at-
teflation and experience were convincing enough
to caufe a reformation in a pernicious pradlice,
which is fubjedl to fuch great inconveniencies ;
it would be the moll agreeable recompence I
could defire.

This is what I had to fay upon this new
method of fhoeing ; there are already fome of
my fraternity who pradife it ; and many gentle-
men of knowledge approve of it, and all I have
done myfelf in it for fix months, confirms to me
more and more that it is a good method •, yet I
every day bear many contradidlions from all ranks
of people ', fome condemn it from prejudice, others
thro' ignorance, and others thro malice. Some
farriers, and feveral coachmen and grooms are
againft this method ; I therefore think it my du-
ty, to anfwer in a few words, all the objedions
which have come to my knowledge about it.

Objec-

[ 102 I r.

Objection I.

They fay that this kind of fhoeing will caufe
ftrains, bruifes, and other ailments in the
heel.

Answer. I have already demonftrated that
the fhoe- heels never yield as was thought ; that
the weight of the horfe forces the hoof to come
upon the fhoe- heel -, by which the horfe's-heel
is bruifed, as if in a prefs ; and confequently
having the fhoe-heels Ihort, he will be lefs fub-
je6i; to thefe diforders by this fhort fhoeing,
becaufe the horfe's-heel will but lightly touch
the pavements, bearing the weight of the body
intirely upon the middle of the foot, and upon
the frog.

Objection II.

Some pretend the horfe's-heel wears away.

Answer. To prove without reply, that this
is falfe, that the heel can never be worn to the
quick, and that its fubftance is of fuch a nature
as to grow more than it wears •, it is that we are
obliged to take it down every time we fet on a
fhoe : but it is only in fuch horfes as have the

heels ftrong.

Object

[ I03 ]

Objection IIL

It Is faid that I never open the heel, and that
that is the caufe of diforders.

Answer. There are three forts of diforders, the
firfl comes from a ftrain ; to which I have anfwer-
ed, the fecond from not opening the heel well ;
but when ever I fee them difpofed that way, I
pare them, leaving the frog in its full llrength -,
and the third fort proceeds from the natural ftruc-
ture of the foot -, and in this cafe whether the foot
be pared or not, they will equally come on.

Objection IV.

They fay that the frog ought to be fatigued,
becaufe the horfe goes upon it.

Answer. I could rigoroufly appeal for this
to experience : no horfe Ihod in this new me-
thod has to this day fhewed the lead fign of
the fatigue of the frog, or of its fenfibility;
and I even do not believe that any one can fay
he ever faw horfcs lamed, having old fhoes
on, for having travelled upon the frog -, and
it will be feen that it is fcarce pofTible, when
we refledt upon the whole particular flrudture
of this part as I have given it in this work. It
is a foft, fpongy, flexible fubftance, which by
its natural elaflicity yields to the weight of the

G 4 body

I 104 ]

body the inftant the horfe prelTes his foot againfl:
the pavement, and immediately recovers again.
There is, however, a cafe wherein a horfe'
may become lame, by going upon the frog -,
but which never was objedled to me -, which is
when it is hard and dry . The obfervation and
anatomy of the foot have fhewed me that it may
caufe lamenefs, becaufe the horfe in bearing
upon the ground forces this hard part againfl
the expanfion of the tendon which is attached
to the foot- bone, and the horfe may become
lame from the great fenfibility of this part : but
if I take off the little end of the frog with the
buttrefs, he ought not to be lame.

Objection V.

It is faid the frog will be more fubjedt to
have fpongy excrefcences.

Answer. That happens only to fuch horfes
as are full of humours , and if there appears any
difpofition towards it, the frog may be pared,
and the horfe will go upon his heels, if they
be ftrong, as fafely, upon a fmooth pave-
ment.

Objection VI.

They fay the nerve is wearied, that is, that
the Tendo Achillis is flretched or dragged ;
and fuffers' by this Ihort fhoeing, becaufe the
frog bears upon the ground.

Answer. It is juil the very contrary.

Let

[ 105 ]
* Let us obferve the effects of the weight of
the body upon the Tendo Achilhs in the fol-
lowing circumftances.

If a horfe be fhod with cramps, then there
is a great dillance between the frog and the
pavement : the weight of the body bears upon
the cramps -, the frog which is now free in the
air yields downwards, the tendon is llretched,
and if the horfe makes a fudden violent motion,
the rupture of the tendon is almofl inevitable :
becaufe the frog cannot reach the ground
to eafe the tendon, to which it ought to be the
point of fupport j if the tendon is not ruptured,
yet the horfe will be lame a long time after,
becaufe of the great diftenfion of the fibres
which were fo much upon the ilretch as to be
near breaking.

If we fet on fhoes with only flrong heels,
the frog is not fo high from the ground -, the
"weight of the body may indeed force the frog
to touch the middle of a paved (lone, and
thereby prevent the great diftenfion of the ten-
don ; but as the thicknefs of thefe heels hinders
the fubftance of the frog to bear upon the
ground, to yield and reftore itfelf as much as
it is capable of by its natural elafticity, the
tendon muft fnap, by any violent and fudden
fpring, every other circumftance being equal.

But if a horfe is fhod without ilioe-heels,
the frog which bears all the horfe's weight
gives way at every Hep, and by its elafticity is
reftored to its natural Hate, the tendon is never

dragged

[ io6 ]

dragged or flrained ; its fibres will not be fuf-
ceptible of any violent diflenfion, in cafe of
any fudden violent motion.

I dare affirm before hand that a rupture of
the tendon will never happen upon the middle
of a paved flone ; and if it ever ihould, it could
only be ruptured in the interftice between two
of thefe paved flones. From what I have faid,
two things plainly appear : that all the different
degrees of violence that one can imagine from
its total rupture, to the moft flight diftra6bion
of its fibres that can lame a horfe, may happen
to the tendon ; and that it is upon the frog alone
that all thefe degrees depend, as it is more parti-
cularly laid down in the hiftory of the fradure
of the coronary- bone, and in the anatomy of a
horfe's foot.

Objection VII.

It is faid, the horfe will be more fubjedl to
be injured by ftreet nails, and to other acci-
dents which proceed from pricking the flefhy
fole.

Answer. As in this method the foot is
not pared, the horny fole will aKvays have its
full natural ilrength i and confequently will be
lefs liable to be penetrated, than when it is made
extremely thin.

Objection VIIL
They fay that the horfe is not fhod to be
eafy, that he goes in pain, and mull be lame.

Answer.

[ 107 ]

Answer. If the horfe goes uneafy, or is
lamed, it cannot happen from the fhoeing,
however fhort the fhoe may be ; if it be not
from the different accidents that often proceed
from the common methods of Ihoeing, and
which may as well happen in the new way :
which are i . The foot being too much flraiten-
ed ; 2. Accidental pricks: 3. The fhoe nails
may bind the enchannelled flefh too much. 4.
The fhoe may bear too much upon the fole.
5. When the fhoe heels prefs upon the weak
heels of the horfe. 6. When the fole is burnt,
7. Wounds of the flefhy fole made by the
buttrefs.

In my way of fhoeing I avoid four of thefe
accidents, i. The heel is never ftrained, be-
caufe I put no part of the fhoe upon it : 2. I
preferve the fole intire, to which I never ufe
the buttrefs. 3. The flefhy fole can never be
burnt, nor wounded by the buttrefs, fince it
never is touched with it. Let the three other
accidents abovementioned be taken care of, and
I defy them to lame a horfe that has a good
foot, let the Ihoe be never fo ihort.

Objection IX.

It is faid that the horfe is liable to lofe his
fhoes, becaufe they are fet on with only fmall
nails.

Answer, It is moft certain that a fhort

fhoe

[ 'o8 ]

fhce with fmall naiis, will hold on better than
a long flioe with large nails ; that it has lefs
weight ; that the lever is fhorter, which has yet
lefs weight of the Ihoe, and by confequence it
llrains the clinches the lefs ; and does not di-
vide the hoof like a large nail. Moreover I
refer to the experiment. As to thofe who are
no friends to the new method of Ihoeing, let
them only clinch the nails in a carelefs manner,
and the horfe will caft his fhoes, as they
pleale.

Objection X.

It is faid that the horfes that are not ihod
with cramps are moil lubjedl to flip.

Answer. I can affirm that the more dry
and more fmooth the pavement, and the more
the frog or horfes heel bears upon the ground,
the horfe will be the more fecure j and he will
flip much lefs than if he had cramps , even tho'
he goes down very fleep places, or backs
flrongly. What is mofl certain is, that the
lefs fhoe a horfe w^ears the lefs he flips, becaufe
if it were poffible he could do v/ithout any, he
would not at all be liable to flipping.

I do not, however, engage that the flioeing
I propofe would have the fame effe6t upon a
moifl: or greafy pavement, or that the horfes will
hold on them fo fecurely, efpecially on the hind
feet ; I think indeed that large nails would in
fuch places be of ufe ; which might alfo happen
upon a flippery foil.

I have

[ 109 }

I have obferved that the common llioe wears
away almoft half more than that I propofe •, if
for example, I fet on a ihoe of two pounds
weight, it will be half worn off by its fervice,
upon a pavement ♦, and the fame horfe going
the fame ground, and in the fame fpace of time,
if he is fhod with the half-moon £hoe, it will
not be diminiflied above a third part : the fhoes
may be weighed before they are fet on, and af-
terwards, by which the truth of what I advance
may be judged of, and we Hiall be convinced
by that, that a horfe fhod according to my me-
thod, goes more lightly.

My new manner, which I repeat again, has
nothing but prejudice againft it -, anatomy
which has taught me the flrudlure of the foot,
laid open to me all its advantages, and experi-
ence has confirmed them.

I hope, by the fequel, it will be more re-
lilhedj and that they will return from a preju-
dice, which has no other foundation, than be-
ing an old cuftom ; as of a multitude of anci-
ent bad pra6lices, which often turn out dan-
gerous or ufelefs, of which I think I ougb.t to
give a fiiort account for the good of fociety,
while the work I am about ferves to make
them the more public.

Error I.

I have feen a horfe whofe jugular vein was
divided, perifh by the ignorance of the opera-
tor.

[ no ]
tor, who not knowing the circulation of the
blood, made a ligature upon the lower part,
inflead of the upper-part of the vein from
whence the blood flowed ; and whilfl he tried to
ftop it in the part from which it did not flow,
the horfe died.

I faw the fame fault committed upon horfes
in whom the faphena was divided ; among
others upon one who died while they were
Hopping the vein, becaufe they made the liga-
ture above, inflead of making it below. Such
as are more timorous than ordinary ufually make
two ligatures and divide them in the middle ;
but there mull never be but one upon what-
foever vein.

Error II.

They fl:op up veins for different caufes, un-
der a notion that they are the vehicles for cer-
tain humours i I faw the jugulars fl:opped up
in horfes, who became blind ; and that muft
be very prejudicial to every other part, becaufe
thereby they fliop the courfe of the fluids. But
there is yet fomething more, which is, that I
am perfuaded that this operation, independent
of the accidents it occafions, is ever ufelefs, for
it is falfe that the veins carry any nourifhment to
the parts, for they ought to know that the ar-
teries do that ofRce.

Error

[Ill]

Error III.

When horfes are foundered they flop the
circulation of the blood without knowing it,
with bands of ftraw, which they roll round the
legs before and behind, or with a ribbon, and
bind it very tight, for fear the difeafe fhould
defcend to the feet. I have feen horfes who
had gangrenes upon thefe parts, by fuch com-
preflions.

Error IV.

It is a very bad method to fufpend horfes
who cannot Hand on their feet ; for while they
leave them on the flings a gangrene happens
where thefe prefs. The reafon of this is plain,
it is becaufe they flop the courfe of the fluids.

Error V.

There are fome who pretend that the gripes
in a horfe are caufed by the vives *, and in
order to cure it they open the maxillary glands
which they vulgarly call the Avives^ and, by
this opening, often deflrroy the maxillary ca-
nals which carry the faliva to the mouthy and
fometimes the fore becomes fift:ulous, and the

♦ Swellings of the glands under a horfe's ears.

fluid

[ 112 ]

fluid is loft by this opening inftead of going to
the mouth, and deftroys the horfe.

Error VI.

There are fome who take out the lampas -, I
have feen a horfe who bled to death after this
operation, for they were never able to ftop the
blood.

They perform this operation under a notion
that this produ6lion of the roof of the mouth
is preternatural ; they burn out one or two of
the ridges of the roof, which they call the bean
or lampas, with a red-hot iron, and confequent-
ly make a fore upon the part.

It muft therefore be obferved, that it is a ge-
neral rule that all young horfcs have their
mouths more or lefs full of what are called
lampas ^ and fometimes they rife higher than
the fore-teeth ♦, now in proportion as a horfe
grows older, the roof flattens of itfelf, and the
teeth then appear to rife.

Error VII.

Some horfes fall off their fl:omachs, and it is
pretended their lofs of appetite is caufed by
fome teeth grown above the reft, but this is a
meer imagination ; for 1 have feen many horfes
who had fome of their teeth confiderably higher
than others, and yet chewed their aliment the

better.

I

I 113 ]

better. I have proved that, in attempting to
file thefe pretended overgrown teeth, they fhake
all the upper and undcr-jaws, and frequently-
even caufe inflammations by the violent fhocks
of the files they ufe to lower the eminences :
and this operation, far from making him feed
with eafe, prevents it. I have even feen teeth
which were broken off by this operation.

Error VIII.

They take out what is thought a nerve at the
end of the nofe for different reafons, which
anfwers no end, and does more harm than good;
I have ken horfes become blind upon it, and
others feized with a gangrene, and that by
the great inflammation that happens from this
method upon the part. Our old pra6litioners
pretend that this a is nerve which begins at the
end of the nofe, and extends to the lafl vertebra
of the back (a meer error) ; for it is the two
elevator mufclcs of the upper-lip which, take
their origin or attachment under the eyes, and
terminate at the end of the nofe •, from which
nothing but a tendon is the refult •, the opera-
tion confifts in making an opening at the end
of the nofe, and raifing the tendon with a wild
goat's horn ; dividing the two mufcles near
their infertion, and pulling them forcibly out ;
this operation is performed for feveral difeafes.

H Error.

[ii4]

Error IX.

They fay there are horfes troubled with the
vertigo, and therefore run a red-hot-iron thro'
the foretop and mane, near the occipital bone;
which fometimes falls upon the cervical liga-
ment which is inferred into the pofterior creft
or ridge of the occipital-bone, this operation is
intended to deftroy a live worm which beyond
difpute is a meer chimera •, for I opened fcveral
of thefe horfes, attacked (as they faid) with the
fame diforder, and never faw any worms, nor
any perfon who faid he ever found any. 1 be-
lieve this diforder to be nothing but an inflam-
mation of the brain. I faw a horfe cured of this
inflammation, but he was plagued for four
months with the application of the cautery, and
not being able any longer to hold up his head,
he was abandoned. I found that the cautery
had deftroyed the cervical ligament, which
confirms what I have faid above.

Error X.

I faw a horfe into whofe throat they had
thrufl a leek, imagining he had fwallowed a fea-
ther, which made him cough •, they thrufl it to
the very trachea and feveral of its fragments re-
mained behind, which made him cough more
and more : they then thrufl in an oxe's fmew

down

["5]

down his throat which they forced yet farther,
and the horfe was fuffocated •, I opened him
and found the fragments of the leek as far
down as the Bronchia.

As to the notion of a horfe's cough proceed-
ing from feathers fwallo^wed down, it is very
falfe, for before they can reach the oefophagus
they are moiftened by the faliva, which is al-
ways in great abundance in horfes -, I more
than once made the experiment ; for I gave to
fome greedy horfes feathers of different fizes to
eat among their hay, which never did them any
harm ; they very often eat them in farms where
there is poultry, and nothing happens to them
from it.

Error XI.

I once faw a horfe who was thought lame in
the fhoulder, and was forced to go on the part
affedled, by tying up the other foot to the leg
with a cord •, this is called fwimming on dry
land •, fome time after there appeared a fwelling
on the coronet, which fhewed the feat of the
lamenefs to be in the foot, and that it was very
injudicious to have forced him to move upon the
difeafed part. This horfe, inftead of being re-
lieved, continued lame.

Error XII.

They perform, what is called drawing the
thorny upon lame horfes, being perfuaded that

H 2 the

[ xi6 ]

the head of the thigh-bone is diflocated, with
an intention confequently of reducing it.

Let us fuppofe it was fo, (which I never yet
faw) I have adually feen the femur and its head
fradkured in its cavity, and even the ofla iUa, but
never obfcrved it to be diflocated, nor has any
one ever pretended to me to have feen it ; but
in this fuppofition, I fay, I do not believe it is
poflible to reduce it.

To draw the thorn^ is to tie one end of a
rope to the fetlock of the difeafed limb, and
the other to a flexible tree, from which they
jnake the horfe pull by whipping him \ I
have feen fome who were but a little lame,
and after this torture, became more lame, and
remained fo all their lives.

Error XIII.

For the cure of drags and flirains they have
recourfe to the fkin as if it was the feat of the
dilbrder ; it was never {ttn that a horfe was
lame from cutaneous difeafes, except fometimes
by a fl:ring of the farcy -, which comprefl^es the
niufcles and hinders their motion j or by fome
abfcefs formed upon them.

The common remedy for thefe diforders is to pafs
fetons or rowels between the flcin and cutaneous
mufcles, made either of Ample cords or mixed
with hair \ or of ribbon, or leather ; they alfo
put in fl:raw and twigs of birch or other wood ;

there

there is an infinite number of other remedies, but
it would be too tedious to enumerate them, all
which tend to promote fuppuration in fome
part or other, and produce no other efFedb than
to punifh the horfe to no manner of purpofei
Thefe operations Ihould be regarded as kinds
of cauftics which are of no other ufe than to
caufe a difcharge of humours.

I once was obHged by the importunities of
the owner to fire his lame horfe (as it b yet in
pradice) who, he faid, had a drain ; he madt
me apply the cautery to a great many point*
which penetrated to the mufcles; a great f ft*
fiammation came on, and the animal becamej
more lame than he ever was before; the whole
thigh was dried up, and was lamed by it for
ever. I performed this operation againfl my
will ; but as I was fubjedl to his orders for that
time, I was obliged to fatisfy him.

Error XIV.

There Is yet a method which in my opinion
is another error, which is bleeding horfes in
the month of May, even though they are in
perfedl health ; I cannot fee upon what this
cuftom is founded, efpecially as they are well j
indeed I have feen many become ill by it.

I fhall add this laft Ihort refledion upon horfes
faid to be cold in the Ihoulders, or feized in the
Ihoulders.

I think it is in the joints of the foot, and not

in

[ ii8 ]

in the flioulders, the caufes of laming horfes
ought to be looked for.

What leaves no manner of room to doubt
that the origin of this dileafe is not folely in the
articulations, is, that after having diffedled
horfes whom they thought cold in the fhoul-
ders, I found that the fynovia of the joints in
the foot was diminiihed and changed. I be-
lieve that when a horfe is very hot, the fweat
which falls from the fhoulders and neck upon
the legs, in proportion as it defcends from the
trunk grows cold upon the lower extremities,
which moreover cannot be fo warm as the
mufcles.

It is to this diflance, to this organifation, and
to the cooling of the fweat upon thefe parts v;e
may attribute the diminution and alteration cf
the fynovia which firft caufes the foot to chop
or crack and then lames the horfe.

This evil may be prevented by walking a
horfe gently after hard riding, that he may cool
by degrees, till he is well dried •, he is then to
have his legs well rubbed down, to be covered
and kept very warm, in his cloths for an hour •,
no rifque is run in carrying him to the water to
walh him, if he is fplalhed with dirt, though
he is in a fweat •, care muil only be taken not to
let him drink, and to walk him before you put
him into the liable, that he may not grow fud-
deely cold ; the cuflom of rubbing the legs
with flraw is falutary, being intended to refrefh

the

["9]

the parts, and fo is that of keeping them warm,
in as much as it prevents foundering, glanders,
and other accidents.

The fubjeds would be inexhauftible if I
fhould enlarge upon all thofe that are the objetfls
of this book ; but I leave it to thofe of my frater-
nity who are more learned and fkilful than my-
felf to publifh what I may have forgot : and hope
that the little light I have thrown upon our art,
which is yet in too much obfcurity, will engage
them to bring it to perfe(ftion •, and for my part,
I declare I fhall be fincerely obliged not only
to thofe of my profelTion, but alfo to all lov-
ers of horfemanfhip, if they will be fo kind as
to fhew me my errors, as well as communicate
their own refiedions and difcoveries.

It appears to me that the Englifli farriers
have neither more knowledge nor experience
than we have in the fubjecfl, and particularly in
that of the circulation of the blood ; nor indeed
in a vafl number of difeafes, for which they
generally apply the fame remedies without di-
ilindlion, and without endeavouring to be cer-
tainly acquainted with the true caufe.

Here is the manner in which Mr. Bart-
let, a furgeon of London, explains himfelf up-
on the matter •, who has publillied a book this
year, which I have caufed to be tran^ated, en-'*
titled : 'The Gentleman's Farriery ^ or a pra5iical
Treatife on the Difeafes of Horfes : wherein he has
pointed out the beft authors who have written
upon the fubjed. He

He fays, in the 4th chap, which treats of fevers,
that he cannot recover from his amazement,
that farriers are fo ignorant in the knowledge of
thepulfe-, the following are his words : " A due
attention to the pulfe is fo important an ar-
ticle, in order to form a proper judgment in
fevers, that it would appear am.azing it has
*' fo much been negleded, if one did not re-
" colled: that the generality of farriers are fo
*' egregioufly ignorant that they have no man-
" ner of conception of the blood's circulation,
*' nor in general have they ability enough to di-
" tinguifh the difference between an artery and
*' a vein. "With fuch pretty guardians do w^e
" intrufl the health of the moft valuable of ani-
" mals !"

I forbear mentioning certain difcoveries,
cures and operations, of which Mr. Eartlet gives
the account in his book ; which appeared, to me,
fo much the more jufl, as they are founded up-
on an exadl knowledge of the anatomy of a
horfe, till I fhall be able to mention with cer-
tainty his method of docking a horfe, and of
the defcription of the machine he has invented
for performing that operation.

As I have laid down to myfelf a plan of ne-
ver giving any thing to the public but what is
certain and confirmed by infallible experiments,
I will firfl prove it to myfelf before I communi-
cate it.

FINIS,

''<''/'.v-^ ./.V AVW^

\irj.irctit/iun

Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine
Cummlngs School of Veterinary Medicine at
Tut:3 1 J

200 Westboro Road
NQr[hGratton,MA01536