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JOHNA.SEAVERNS

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^... A. r-'^^Z^^

IN

FARRIERY;

IN WHICH THE

DISEASES OF HORSES

ARE TREATED ON THE PRINCIPLES

OF THE

VETERINARY SCHOOL

OF

MEDICINE.

BY

JOMJV SMIFP^

LATE VETERINARY SURGEON TO THE ELEVENTH, AND NOW TO THE TWENTY THIRD

REGLVIENT OF LIGHT DRAGOONS.

LEEDS:

PRINTED BY EDWARD BAINES, FOR THE AUTHOR ;

AND SOLD BY LONGMAN AND CO. P ATERNOSTH R-ROW, AND HARDING, ST, J AMEs's-STR EET, LONDON

HEATON, LEEDS ; TODD AND WOLSTENHOLM, YORK; HARGROVE, KNARESBRO'; JOH.V

HURST, WAKEFIELD ; SHEARDOWN, DONCASTER, AND BY THE

BOOKSELLERS IN GENERAL.

/ fi>.^

Advertisement,

THE scientific and learned Reader ■will readily perceive, that no regular Arrangement,
or Methodical Classification of Diseases, has been studiously observed in the Performance now before
him ; yet the Author trusts, that as the Contents of the Volume were sent to the Press in detached
Parts, during his Absence on Regimental Dulij, he may hope to obtain some indulgence ; and
that the Sincerity of his Intentions, though often expressed in a plain unlettered Style, may disarm
the Critic, and plead his Excuse.

A L I S T

OP

SITBSCRIBEMS.

A,

.LDERSON, Rev. VVm, Aston, Yorkshire.
Allen, Captain, 23cl Light Dragoons.
Anderson, Lieutenant, 23d Do.
Antrum, Mr. Wm. Woodford, Dorsetshire.
Armitage, Richard, esq.
Atkinson, Stephen, Esq. Barnby-Moor.
Aynesley, B. Leeds.

Aylor, Charles, esq. 54th Regiment, Clonmell.
Aylmor, Sir Fenton, Bart. Donadee-Castle.

Backhouse, Mr. Wm. Paling.

Barrolt, Captain, llth Light Dragoons.

Barton, Robert, esq. Colonel, Life Guards.

Barry, esq. Castle-Lyons.

Bragg, James, Esq. Dorchester, Dorsetshire.
Brandling, Charles, Esq. M. P. Gosforth-House.
Buckle, Thomas, esq.
Butterfield, Robert, esq. Leeds.
Buttler, Richard, esq. Woodhouse, Ireland.
Buttler, Richard Lowe, esq. Lowes-Green.
Burk, Lieutenant, 23d Light Dragoons.
Boles, Capt. 23d Light Dragoons.
Bosville, Captain, Royal Marines, Leeds,
Bales, Captain, 23d Light Dragoons.
Beckford, Horace, esq.
Buck, Thomas, Esq. Leeds.
Brown, Wade, esq. Chapeltown.

Caley, Mr. Surgeon, Doncaster.

Carew, Sir Henry, Bart. 1 1th Light Dragoons.

Chase, Mr. F. Be.xfield, Berks.

Childers, Colonel.

Clowe, S. esq. Warmsworth.

Close, William, esq. Leeds.

Colum, Mr. S. Crawl, Lincolnshire.

Coleman, Edward, Esq. Vet. Surgeon General.

Colson, esq. Dorchester, Dorsetshire.

Cotton, Harbert, Ipswich.

Coupland, Charles, Jun. esq, Leeds.

Coulman, Thomas, esq. Do.

Crawshaw, John, Esq. Beeston, Yorkshire.

Cummings, Col. 11th Light Dragoons.
Cutcliff, Captain, 23d Light Dragoons,
Co.\, P. Z. 23d Do.
Croker, Walter, esq. Clonmel.

Dalbiac, Captain, 4th Dragoons.
Davis, Robert, esq. Dorchester, Dorsetshire.
Durham, Hon. Rt. Rev. Lord Bishop of.
Dillon, Lieutenant, 23d Light Dragoons.
Douglas, Rev. A. Clonmel, Ireland.
Dodwell, Lieutenant, 23d Light Dragoons.
Drake, Captain, 23d Light Dragoons.

Elam, J. W. esq. Leeds.

England, Rev. Stafford, Dorsetshire.

Eyre, Matthew, esq. 1 1 l.Hatton-Garden, London.
Echonhead, Captain, Royal Marines.

Fawkes, Walter, esq. M. P. Farnley-Hall.

Fearnley, Mr. Robert, Attorney, Leeds.

Fursdon, Major, George, Fursdon Hall.

Fenton, Samuel, esq. Leeds.

Fooks, Mr. Robert, Wolverton, Dorsetshire.

Foot, Robert, esq. 1 Itli Light Dragoons.

Foster, Thomas, esq. Selby.

Fox, James, esq. Bramham Park.

Fennel, John, esq. Tipperary.

Foljambe, Captain, 23d Light Dragoons.

Goulbouin, Lieutenant, esq. 23d Light Dragoons.
Grub, Ffancis, esq. Clonmel, Ireland.
Grub, Thomas, esq. Clonmel, Ireland.
Green, Edward, esq. Henley, Berks.
Green, William, esq. Sunning, Berks.
Greenwood, Thomas, Reading.

Gretton, Captain, West Essex M.
Growce, Mr. Surgeon, Bilderston, Suflolk.
Grant, Sir Alexander, Bart. Bassingstoke, Hants.
Granger, Mr. G. H. Leeds.

Hairies, H. C. esq. Timtleton-Cottage.
Hankin, Captain, Royal Scotch Greys'.

A LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS,

Hayes, Hon. St. Ledger, Doneraile, Ireland.
Harewood, Right Hon. Lord.
Hautenville, A, J. esq. County Town, Irelaad.
Hawker, Major, 20th Light Dragoons.
Hawkesworth, F. esq Hicklcton.

Hill, Quartermaster, 1 Ith Light Dragoons.

Horslev, Captain, 1 1th Light Dragoons.
Humble, Joseph, esq. Middleton.
Her.uing, Mr. Dorchester, Dorsetshire.

Ikin, Thomas, esq. Leeds.

Inson, Mr. J. Dorchester, Dorsetshire.

Jackon, Capt. Leeds.

Johnson, J. esq. Sandtoft, Lincolnshire.

Johnson, Mr. Thos. jun. Sandtoft, Lincolnshire.

Kelley, Lieutenant, 23d Light Dragoons.

Lapage, Mr. G. Leeds.

J^alar, — ^ , esq. Limerick,

Lee, Wm. esq. Grove.

Lee, Thomas, esq. Leeds.

Lennon, Lieut. Royal Artillery Drivers, Cork.

Levell, T. esq. F.R.S. Y.C. Couper Feife,

Lyon, G. Esq. Col. I.F.O. Chichester.

Lyoii, Colonel, 9Tth Regiment.

Lighten, Sir Thomas, Bart.

Little, Thomas, Esq. 23d Light Dragoons.

Lowe, Richard Butller, esq. Lowes-Green, Tip-

perary.
Lumley, Hon. Lieut. Col. 23d Light Dragoons.
Littlewood, Mr. Milwood, Lincoulshire.
Lumb, Mr. Thomas, Waketield.
Lutyens, Captain, 11th Light Dragoons.

Mabbot, Captain, I Ith Light Dragoons.
Maude, William, esq. Selby.

Meach,Rev. , Dorchester, Dorsetshire.

Meaheon, M. Capt. Assistant Adjutant General,

Limerick.
Miller, Captain, 69lh Regiment.
Micklethwaite, Thomas, esq. Seacroft.
Mitton, Mr. Attorney, Pontefract.
Mills, Captain, 11th Light Dragoons.
Morritt, J. B. S. esq. Rokeby.
Morrilt, William, esq. Leeds.
Mulcachy, esq. J. R.Tipperary.
Murkay, James, esq. 23d Light Dragoons.

Oliver, Charles D. esq. Shawhill, Killfirmin, Ire-
land.

Pearson, Mr. T. Attorney, Doncaster.
Pickerd, Rev. T. AVsrms-worth, Dorsetshire.
Power, , esq. Castle-Lyons.

Prest, Thomas, esq. Bedale.
Prest, William, esq. Leeds.
Pullan, Arton, esq. Leeds.

Raynes, Mr. Stonehill, Lincolnshire.
Read, Thomas, esq. Leeds.
Eidsdale, Francis, esq. Park Gate.
Robson, Mr. James, Leeds.
Royds, Clement, esq. Mount Falinge,
IJoyds, T. G. esq Brownhill.
Rayson, Mr. G. Leeds.
Riiodes, John, esq. Halifax.
Romer, Capt, Royal Artillery.
Ross, Major, 23d Light Dragoons.
Rudolf, Lieutenant, 23d Do.

Scott, Rev. Dr. Leeds.
Scott, Samuel, esq. 23d Light Dragoons.
Scott, James, esq Commisseriat, Clonmel.
Sicker, George, esq. 11th Light Dragoons.
Seymour, Colonel, 1 5th Light Dragoons.
Sleigh, Major, 1 llh Light Dragoons.
Sleigh, Lieutenant, 23d Light Dragoons.
Smith, A. H. esq, Sherbourn, Dorsetshire.
Smith, J. W. esq. Charmington, Dorsetshire.
Smith, Charles, esq. Barrowby.
Somerset, Rt. Hon. Lord Charles, Duke of Beau-
fort's London.
Spink, Mr. J, Kirkstall Bridge.
Stone, William, esq. Basliiigton, Berks.
Stephens, John, esq. Reading, Berks.
Stone, William, esq Jun. Englelield, Berks.
Stirt, Humphrey, esq. Clifton, Dorsetshire.

Taylever, Charles, esq. Castle-street, Liverpool.

Teal, Mr.Thomas, Leeds.

Thomas, Col. T. 1 Ith Light Dragoons.

Walker, Dr. Leeds.-

Wall, C. W. esq. Coolnemuck, Ireland.

Watkins, Benjamin, esq. London.

Wardel, Robert, esq. Durham.

Warr, Captain, 23d Light Dragoons.

Walkins, Thomas, esq. 1 1th Light Dragoons

M'atsoiT, Mr. Thomas, Senier.

Welstead, G. esq. Lewell, Dorsetshire.

Woodcock, H. esq. Worksop.

Wormald, Harry, esq. Leeds.

Wormald, Thomas, esq. Do.

Wormald, Richard, esq. Do.

Yelverton, Hon. J. W. 36, Gloucester-street,
Dublin.

DEDICATION.

TO EDWARD COLEMAN, ESQ.

PROFESSOR OF THE SCIENCE OF VETERINARIAN MEDICINE, AND VETERINARY SURGEON-GENERAL
TO HIS majesty's TROOPS OF CAVALRY, AND THE HONOURABLE BOARD OF

ORDNANCE, &C. &C.

SIR,

IF the diJiiyiguiJJied eminence you hate attained, and the office you
have fo long filled with honour t.oyourfelf, and benefit to your country, did not point
out a peculiar propriety in my dedicating the following pages to you, 1 Jliould have
been influenced by theftillfironger motives of affection, and thefenfe of duty I owe
to you as the Profe[for under wliofe guidance and direction 1 firft imbibed the rudi-
ments and principles of the Veterinary Art. And, altho' I am confcious, that the
prefent ivork can have no other claim to your notice, than as a tribute of profound
refpect, and unfeigned gratitude, yet, if it fiiould receive your approbation and pa-
tronage as the firft fruits of my endeavours to render myfelf ufeful in my ftation, it
-would infpire me with a f mall degree of confidence and hope that my labour has not
been altogether in vain.

A 2 / alfo

( iv )

/ alfo wi/h, at the fame time, to exprefs my obligatiom, in commo?i
with Veterinarian Surgeons in geyieral, and the community at large, to Dr. Baillie,
_Mejfrs. Cline, Cooper, Abernethy, Home, STc. who have Jo amply merited praife
and gratitude for their noble and dijiinterejied afsiduities, attentioji and infiruction,
communicated to the Veterinary Collegians, and for whom, I truft, I Jliall ever re-
tain the viqfi grateful feelings of regard*

I remain, dear Sir,
With the fincerejl ivijlies for your profperity and happinefs.

Your much obliged and moji obedient humble Servant,

JOHN SHIPP,

Veterinary Surgeon to the 1 \th and 23d Begimenis of Light Dragoons

LccHs, July 5d,
1806.

PREFACE.

A,

.LTHO,* from the firft eftabliihment of the Veterinary College, much in-
tereftlng information on the Treatment and Difeafes of Horfes, has continued to
ifsue from the prefs, and has defervedly obtained both credit and celebrity ; yet,
as the author of the following pages has had the honour of being the firft
Veterinary Surgeon appointed to one of his Majefty's regular regiments of Ca-
valry, it has afforded him fuch an extenfive field of obfervation and enquiry
as may not, perhaps, have fallen to the lot of many others. And as his prac-
tice has happily met the approbation of thofe who have employed him in his
public capacity, as well as of a numerous clafs of gentlemen and others who
have confulted him in the line of his profefsion, he candidly acknowledges that
he has been induced, at the earneft folicitation of thefe, to offer the prefent fhort
detail of fafts to the eye of an impartial public, hoping for its kind indulgence.

In a work of this fort, where the path has been often occupied by the
footfleps of others, a coincidence of fentiment mufl fometimcs occur, and afford
a corroborative proof that the mode of pra6f ice recommended by the Ve-
terinarian School is daily eftablilhing itfelf on the firm bafis of experience.

1 am

( vi )
I am alio Induced to hope, that my feeble attempts at inflru(5lion may
have a tendency to excite, in fome degree, the feelings of humanity, in re-
fpefl to the many fuffcrings which the generous animal, for which I am con-
cerned, is frequently liable from unmerited cruelty and injudicious treatment;
and that mankind may be induced to view thefe fuffcrings with an eye of fym-
pathy and tendernefs, and have recourfe to rational pratflitioners whendifeafe,
or accident require relief.

Veterinarians labour under much greater difficulties than Phyficians and
Surgeons, as the faculty of fpccch feldom fails to afsill: the endeavours of the latter,
and to lead to the difcovery of the feat of the difeafe, or malady, while the
former are directed by the Ample fymptoms only. If \he Phyfician alleviate
flcknefs or pain he gains credit, but if we fail in our attempts to render a lame
horfe perfedlly found, we rarely give fatisfa6lion.

The Veterinary Art is ftill in its infancy, as Surgery was a century or two
ago, yet many great and folid improvements have been made in it, not only in
difcovering the caufes and feats of difeafes in the Horfe, but in preventing and
removing them, and particularly in the treatment and managenient of his feet,
and the diforders brought on by improper ihoeing.

Corns, contra6led and convex feet, now admit of a radical cure. Inflam-
mation of the lungs, (which if neglecfted in the incipient Itate, is foon fucceed-
ed by a dropfy of the chefl) and many other acute difeafes, which, if not re-
lieved in a few hours, become fatal, are fuccefsfully treated by the new pra<?tice,
as well as quotidians, tertians, and quartans, to which the horfe is liable. The
farcy, which, till lately, was dreaded as the plague, and fuid to be contagious,

and

( vli )

and fatal, wherever It made its attack, has at lafi: proved to be neither conta-
gious, nor fatal, when properly and judicioufly treated.

The Jaundice, or Yellows, adifeafe which has fo frequently baffled the
old praditioners, and which to this day, the Farriers perfift in the opinion
that it is infedtious, but which I beg leave pofitlvely to deny, is fo far from
being fatal, that It admits of an eafy remedy.

That dreadful difeafe, vulgarly called the Canker in the foot, is now re-
moved without having rccourfe to the crueleft of all operations, that of drawing
Ihe fole.

His Royal Highnefs, the Commander in Chief, fully imprefled with a
fenfe of the rationality and fucccfs of the Veterinary Pra6lice, and of the modes
adopted for preventing difeafes, particularly in the feet of horfes, and of the
ufefulnefs of free ventilation, in ftables, &c. ; has fignified his high approbation
by oflering a more ample remuneration to the Veterinary Surgeons in the army.

Emperlclfm, and the private interefl of individuals, have tended greatly
to retard the more general adoption and progrcis of the regular Veterinarian;
even the reputation of the College has fufi'ered by falfe prejudices and mifre-
prefentatlons ; no wonder then that the Veterinary Surgeon (hould meet with
limllar treatment, and perverfe oppofltlon, from common Farriers and emperlcal
pradiltioners; yet we cherKh a hope, that truth, fupported by fa6ls, will ulti-
mately prevail, to the full eftablifliment of rational prafrice, in which humanity
and tender nefs are blended with judgment, direfted by experience.

INTRODUCTION.

B

At is my defign to point out the moft eligible mode of Shoeing Horfes, both
as it refpedts the fomid, and difeafed hoof, and particularly that method which
has come more immediately under my own fuperintendance and care ; alfo to
fpecify the moll eflential parts of the infenfibk hoof, deflgned for the protedi^ion
oi ihc fenfible ; with the fize of the nails mod proper in fhoeing, and where
they ought to be placed : with cautions againft, and confequences of, ap-
plying hot (hoes to the feet, by way of fitting the hoof to the flioe, inftead
the flioc to the hoof. Alfo to offer a few hints refpedling the application of
cow's dung to the feet ; and the injuries fuftained by fuel) pradtice, with the
method 1 have usually employed in treating the difeafes occafioned by it. It
is likevvife my intention to give an anatomical defcription of the foot, with the
llru(5ture, economy and difeafes of each part of It fcparately, in as explicit a
manner as pofsible.

A Perfect Foot described.

JLT can fcarcely have efcaped the obfervatlon of gentlemen and others,
when viewing the bafis, or bottom of the horfe's foot, that the naturally healthy
foot approaches nearly to the form of a circle ; fo that a ftraight line drawn
from the infide to the outfide of the heel ought to be as long as a line drawn
from ,the heel to the toe ; and by whatever means this circular form is altered,
it mufl prove injurious to the foot.

Since the erroneous ideas of Farriers have fo long prevailed, in continuing
the pradiice of cutting away the very efleniial parts of the hoof formed for a
defence againft external injuries, and prefervatives againft the difeafes which
are daily occafioned by the removal of them, to the great difad vantage of
thoufands in the army, as well as of great numbers of Horfes employed forprivate
use. It appears to be a duty incumbent on every Veterinary Surgeon to fupprefs
fuch a deleterious and deteftable praftice. It is not, however, my defign to

bring

12

bring reproach on others, but rather to hiftrudl thofe who may unfortunately
be unacquainted with the fymptoms of difeafes in general, and to remove their
doubts, particularly on fubjedls of importance. I have, therefore, arranged
my praftice into cafes ; each cafe numbered, that the reader may, at one view,
fee the fymptoms of the difeafe, with the treatment of it immediately follow-
ing ; and laflly, the canfes fully explained fo far as they have been afcertained
by all the afsiduity, attention, and obfervation in my power to beflow; together
with the fuccefs of my pradlice in each inftance. It may be proper, firft to
hint, that the fhoeing of horfes is a work of art, and by no means the defign of
nature ; in many countries, to this day, no flioes have ever been worn ; to this
fa6l I have been a witnefs, in a variety of inflances. Two fillers of the name
of Dover, at Kimble-Wick, in Buckinghamfhire, who followed the farming
bufinefs, kept fix or feven horfes, three of which were never fhod ; two of them
were fix or feven years old, and one of them fifteen or fixteen ; they have done
all the neccfl'ary work on the farm, repeatedly going to market, and other
places, with cora, &:c. &c. without fuffering the leafl: inconvenience from it.
Thefe horfes, I have often obferved, have feet as circular as a colt's, or as that
natural hoof which has never undergone any change. Upon inquiry I
found that the old horfe's feet were always circular, and expanded at the heels,
and perfectly found. And on examining the fole, it appeared to be very
thick, compaiSl, and flat, the bars parallel with the frog; and remarkably thick
andilrong; the frog more expanded than nature formed it; hard and tough,
the fole equally flrong, hard, and thick enough to refifl any offending body,
fo that altogether they formed nearly one parallel flat furface, of that denfe, com-
pa<?l texture that never required fliocs through life.

The feet of the young horfes were alfo as perfe6l and compa6l as ihofe

of

13

of the old horfe, and as well formed for durability ; had never been In the leaft
tender ; nature having always fupplied them with a growth of hoof equal to
the confumption ; the farmer had often occafion to rafp down the heels
parallel with the toes, the confumption at the latter being greater than at the
heels ; and was frequently obliged to rafp the external edges of the hoof to pre-
ferve them from breaking when they became brittle by Handing too long in
the liable upon dry ftraw, &c.

The fa(Sl that a great number of horfes pafs through life, without flioes, is
too well known to require any repetition. Every horfe which I have had an
opportunity of examining, after he had gone feveral years without Ihoes, had
lik feet as circular as a colt's, or as when firfl formed by nature.

Surely there requires no ftronger evidence to prove, that contraded feet
are the immediate offspring of imprudence, and the abfurd work of art unat-
tended by fcience, and forbidden by all the laws of nature.

"What can pofsibly tend more to illuftrate the above-mentioned abfurdily
than feeing thefe horfes undergo daily labour and fatigue, without either lamc-
nefs, deformity in their feet, or any Inconvenience whatever ; whilft thofe that
are repeatedly Ihod, and have their frogs, bars and foles cut away by unguard-
ed farriers, can fcarcely fland with one foot bare whilft they are fixing the
Ihoe upon the other, without danger of falling down upon their knees. This
every one muft have obferved who has been accuflomed to fee horfes fliod.

What remains to be fald refpe(5ting the foot, relates to the prefervation of

it.

1*

It, therefore a defcription of the parts which compofe it, together with their
ufes, may be advantageous as well as acceptable to my readers.

This work might perhaps have appeared more elegant, and have been
better received, had I laid down the flrudure of the foot, and its component
parts, in technical terms ; at the fame time it would have faved me much
writing, and been fomewhat more accurate, but I muft; beg leave to add, that,
that mode of exprefsing myfelf, in defcribing fuch an important part as the
foot of a horfe, would neither have anfwered my defign nor the purpofe of
thofe who are unacquainted with the anatomical, and technical terms ; for
this reafon, I trufl, the work will prove of more general ufe, by my explaining
the ll:ru6lure and economy of the different parts that compofe the foot in as
explicit and intelligible a manner as the nature of the fubjedt will admit.

id. It may not be improper to begin with defcribing the internal contents
of the hoof, in order to illuftrate more clearly the ftruflure of the whole foot,
and the Ihorter the explanation is, the better imprefsion it will make on the
mind.

The internal part of the hoof is compofed of ARTERIES, VEINS,
NERVES, LIGAMENTS, TENDONS, LAMINATED SUBSTANCES, and
FROG, thefe compofe ihefaifible contents of the foot.

2dly, The box, or external cruft or wall of the foot, the SOLE, BARS
and FROG, with the INSENSIBLE LAMINA, the CORONARY or HORNY
RING.

Thefe

15

Thefe are the principal parts of the external and infenfible contents of
the foot, to be feparately defcribed hereafter.

3dly, There fllll remains to be mentioned, three bones and two cartilages
that make part of the compofition of the foot, viz. The SMALL or LOWER
PASTERN BONE, one end only of which enters the internal part of the foot.

The fecond is the COFFIN BONE, the upper furface of which forms an
irregular concavity for the reception of the inferior (i. e.J the lower end of the
fmall paftern bone. The coffin bone is conical, rcfembling the hoof, and is
extremely vafcular, (i. e.J more blood veflels are, I believe, fent through this
bone, than through all the bones in the whole horfe.

It is concave at the bottom, to correfpond with the fole, to grafp the
o-round, and for the reception of the flexor tendon of that mufcle which bends
tlie leg, and a portion of the fenfible frog.

Innumerable arteries pafs through this bone for the nourifhment of all
the internal parts of the foot, the fenfible frog excepted, which is nouriihed by
tranches of arteries fent from the two large arteries, running on each fide of the
flexor tendon in the fetlock joint, and at their termination forming a complete
network of veins, covering the whole external furface of the coffin bone, (that
part excepted which is covered by a portion of the frog) and the infertion of
the tendon of the flexor mufcles of the leg, and the concavity for the reception
of the lower end of the fmall paftern bone, fo that the foot altogether is the
moll vafcular of any organ in the whole body of the horfe, the kidnies excepted.

4thly,

16

4thly, The third and lafl bone Is the NAVICULAR or NAVICULAR E,
fo called from its likenefs to a boat, fituated in the cavity of the heel of the coffin
bone, as if it were defigned by nature to a6t as a prop, to keep expanded the
two points of the bone of the heel, and it would occafionally, from its fituation,
anfwer that immediate purpofe, were there any power of contraction employed
fiifficient to do away the refiftauce of the coffin bone itfelf.

Oyer this bone paffes the tendon of the flexor mufcle of the leg to be
inferted into the bottom and concave part of the coffin bone, and at the fame
time to perform the office of a Lever to the tendon, and enable the mufcle to
make a more rapid and powerful fpring. This would appear more evident
had I time to give a defcription of thefe parts on plates, to Ihew the mechanical
Urielure and powers of them ; as I cannot, I beg leave to refer my readers to
that beautiful and valuable work of Mr. Coleman, on the ftrudlure and cecono-
my of the foot pf the.horfe.

5th, The cartilages of the foot are of a triangular form, one fituated on
the' upper edge of each hind quarter of the coffin bone, near that part which
is within the hoof, each of them occupies a femicircular fpace of about two
inches above the top of the hoof on each heel, which may be felt by employ-
ing a little preffure upon the upper part of the heels, called the quarters, by
which preffiu-e any one may, who has the leaft knowledge of the cartilages and
their texture, determine whether they arc in a perfect ftate, or become ofsified.

: , The cartilages fituated on thefe parts are very wife provifions of nature^
for. i|" die. heels of the coffin had been completed with bone, of the fame thick-
•'':;. nefs

17

nefs that it Is with cartilage, it would have been fubject to fracture from the
nature of their daily employment.

But it may be alked, why thefe cartilages are not as much fubject to
fracture, when ofsificd from difeafe, &c. as if they had been fo formed by na-
ture at first ? We may anfwer, that the Maker of all things has as wifely altered
the form of the cartilages, when become ofsified, to prevent fra6lures, &c. as he
firil finifhes the coffin bone with cartilages for the greater convenience to the
animal, without being fubjecft to fradture, which is evidendy fo, and every one
who has fecn an ofsified cartilage, and another in its natural, healthy flate,
forming or completing the upper and hind parts of the coffin bone, may
Very eafily perceive that it is nature's determination not to leave her work un-
finifhed, or undefended ; and though difeafes have changed its flexible texture
to a brittle one, ftill flie interferes, and alters the ufual breadth and thicknefs,
contracSling the cartilage, which before occupied a triangular fpace of two or
three inches, into the fpace, in many cafes, of not more than one inch and
half high, and thick in proportion.

That part of the cartilage which is lost by being contra<5Ved, is mostly
that portion which projeds above the hoof; and the part inferted into the
coffin bone is fafely protedled by the hoof.

One very evident ufe of cartilages in thefe parts not yet mentioned, is to
take offer prevent the preffure of hoof upon the blood veflels, when compreffed
by external bodies, difeafe, or deformity ; as a great number of blood-veffels
are diftributed all over the external furfaceof the cartilages; which are flexible on
prellure. If they had not been fo formed by nature, and the blood veflels thus

upon

dillributed upon their external furface, the mifchief of cutting away the fole, bar
and frog, would have been much greater than it is, for as the heels contradled, they
would have afted as a comprcfs upon the blood veffels, dlftributed upon the
cartilages, and would have rendered them all impervious ; but, as I before men-
tioned, nature has wifely formed flexible bodies for the diflribution of blood
veflels in thofe parts, which muft otherwife have fuffered great inconvenience
by expofure to external injuries, which may be better underftood by examining
the foot of a Horfe, with all the blood veirds injeded.

Having defcribed the boiies and cartilages, with their ufes and fun<5lions,
and alfo hinted that there is fenjible as well as infenfible Lamina, I Ihall proceed
to the fenfible with its mutual connexion with the infenfible.

Any perfon who has obferved the lower or concave furface of a mufh-
room, is at once able to judge what fort of an appearance the laminated sub-
fiance of a Horfe's foot exhibits. For there is no one thing in nature that fo
nearly refembles it, as may be proved, when the hoof is detached. At one view
the vv'hole external furface of the coffin bone, (/. e.) the front and quarters,
may be feen completely covered with the laminated fubftance, refembling, as
before obferved, the concave furface of a mulhroom, when fituated in a per-
pendicular direction from the coronet to the toe ; the whole of the concave
furface, or bafis of the coffin bone, is alfo plenteoufly fupplied with thefe laminse,
the fpace excepted which is occupied by the fenfible frog, and the infertion
of the tendon of the flexor mufcles before defcribed. Thefe laminas appear
to be a continuation of thofe diftributed all over the front and quarter, but are
much finer or fmaller, and are continued towards the iVog in an oblique direc-
tion, diminithing in fize as they approach it, and laftly terminate in a fmall

furface

>9

furface entering the fides of the fenfible frog. Thefe laminos are about five or
fix luindred in number in a horfe's foot. Between each of them there is a fpacc
(as may be feen in thofe of the mu(hroom) to receive the fame number of in-
fenfible laminie, which are firmly attaclied to the internal furface of the hoof,
to be hereafter defcribed. Thefe fenfible and infenfible lamlna3 receive each
other into their fpaces, fimilar to the teeth of a rat-trap, ftrongly embracing
each other. By their contrac?lile power they anfwer the purpofe of a ligament,
and articulate the infenfible hoof to the fenfible foot. And though fmall, yet
being numerous, and of a very tough, ftrong, elaftic texture, they are equal to
the office of keeping the horfe completely fufpended on his hoofs, without
relling his weight upon Ins foles, and this prevents concussion.

The truth of this teftimony is unimpeachable, from the frequent oppor-
tunities which occur of making obfervations of this nature, in Horfes affected
with inflammation in their feet, viz. that they cannot fupport themfelves as
long as any inflammation fubfifts in the laminated fubfl:ance. This is not bc-
caufe the foles or bones are unable to bear the weight of the animal, but be-
caufe the fenfible lamiiue are rendered more fufceptible of impression, from the
inflammation, and when a Horfe, in this fituation, is driven beyond his abilities.
. the fenfible and infenfible laminae will lofc their union. I have feen, in ieveral
instances, a hoof completely detached from excessive inflammation in the feet.
Surely there cannot require any other demonfi:ration of a proper diflin6lion to
be made between fenfible and infenfible lamina;.

fenfible

'20

Sensible Frog.

THE Senfible Frog is of the fame form as the infenfible, only fomewhat
lefs elaftic, very vafcular, and fufceptible of external injury. It is fituated im-
mediately under (and is fmaller than) the infenfible. It receives two branches
ofarteries for its nourithment, &c. from the two large arteries running by the fides
of the tendons before-mentioned, which fupply all the other internal parts of
the foot, and thefe arteries terminate in fmall veins diftributed over its own
external furface, after which, they all unite into two, towards the heel, and
enter the two large veins, which convey the blood forwards to the heart. The
infenfible frog is concave in the middle, to receive the convex part of the
fenfible, by which means they very powerfully embrace each other, and
prevent diflocalion.

Nerves..

21

Nerves,

THE Nerves of the foot are a continuation of what are termed radiales^
about the fize of a fmall wheat ftraw, running on each fide of the tendon of the
flexor mufcle, and purfue the fame diredlion till they preach the fmall
bone, called the navicular, under which they pafs, that they may enter the
coffin bone through two fmall apertures, formed for their reception, after which
they divide into innumerable branches, and pafs through the coffin bone,
again fubdividing into imperceptible ramifications, to give fenfibility to the
foot. A technical defcription of the nerves would perhaps have been more
accurate, but it would have been too intricate for thofe who are not acquainted
with afiatomy.

Tdndons.

22

Tendons,

THERE are two large tendons In the compoiition of a horfe's foot, which
arc continuations of the extenfor, and flexor mufcles of the leg.

The extenfor is infcrted uito the fuperior or upper edge of the coffin
bone, at which infertion, and about two inches upwards, it is more expanded
than in any other part, by way of forming a ligament, to what Is termed the
cofiEin joint.

The flexor is infcrted Into the bafis and concave part of the coffin bone,
equally expanded at its infertion, which expanfion is continued over the na^
vicular before-mentioned.

Thefe Tendons are compofed of white, hard, and tough elaflic fibres,
firmly conne<?l:ed together by a fmall portion of cellular fubltance. They do
not all appear to have entered the foot, for the purpofe of completing the
form of it only, but for the purpofe of facilitating the mechanical powers,
there being no mufcles in the composition of a horfe's foot, which are the chief
inflruments of motion in every other part of the body.

Li£,aments.

23

Ligaments,

THERE are alio iigaments in the compoiition of the foot, which are
clofe, compadl, fibrous fubftances, for the purpofe of articulating the bones
together, and forming a cap to retain the fynovia (or what is generally, and
particularly amongft Farriers, termed joint oil) within the joint, defigned for
lubricating, and facilitating its motion. For a more perfe6l and better under-
Handing thefe parts of the internal foot, I would recommend my readers to
the pcrufal of Mr. Coleman's obfervations on its ftruclurc, economy and
difeafes, who has given very accurate demonftrations of the foot on plates.

ArltriCi

2*

Arleries,

' THERE are fome few arteries not yet mentioned, which make part of
the compofition of the foot, called the fuperior and inferior coronary arteries.
The fuperior appears from its being fituated round the coronet, whence its
name, and giving off a great number of fmall branches defigned to perforni
the office of fecrcting the horny matter for the formation of the horny or
coronary ring, the horny hoof in general, and the infenfible laminated fub-
ftances. '

The inferior is fituated immediately upon the lower edge, and whole
circumference of the coffin bone, giving off a great number of fmall branches,
fcemingly for the purpofc of fecrcting the fenfible laminae of the fole, &c.

I prefume that an accurate defcription of the internal or fenfible bars,
and their connexions with the fenfible fole, without plates, would be intricate, as
it requires an accurate anatomical knowledge of the foot, to form the leaft idea
of them ; from tlieir minutenefs and fituation, they cannot be demonftrated
explicitly without the nicest dififecflion.

Hoof.

25

Hoof.

Having defcribed the internal contents of the foot of a horfe, with their
fundions, I prefume that a brief explanation of the external parts will be quite
fufiScient, as every perfon muft be in fome degree acquainted with its form,
contents, and office.

It cannot have efcaped the eye of any one, that the hoof of a horfe is
of a conical form.

It is compofed of a number of compa6l, horny, elaflic fibres, much
fmaller in diameter at the top than the bottom ; and its bafis or bottom when in
its natural form, approaches nearly to a circle, fo that a line drawn from heel
to heel, is as long as a line drawn from the heel to the toe, which every perfon
may fee by examining the foot of a colt, which has never been fliod. But
trufi: not to the foot of any horfe that has ever been fhod, for the perfe6l form
of a foot is from its Maker. The very firA inftrument that is employed to the
foot, by the Farriers, viz. the butteris, tends to pervert the work of nature, by
cutting away the bars, frog, and fole, which are mutually fubfervient to the
expanfion of the hoof, the form of which cannot be well underftood when
thofe parts are cut away.

Sole.

26

Sole.

THE fole IS a compofition of horny fibres, fomewhat more elaftic than
the fibres of the external hoof, and forms the whole bafis of the foot, (the
fpace occupied by the frog, and the thicknefs of the cruft excepted,) It is about
half an inch thick, and is firmly articulated to the fenfible fole, by the lami-
nated fubftance.

The fole appears to be in fome meafure formed to keep the hoof ex-
panded, efpecially at the heels, to defend the fenfible fole, and the fenfible
contents under it, as well as to a6l as a fpring to the foot when in action,
and by its concavity to embrace the ground, and give a more fiim ftep to the
horfe.

Frog.

27

Fro

S'

THE frog ha. very powerful, elaftic, compa6t fubftance, occupying a
triangular fpace in the bottom of the foot, from the centre to the heel, one
angle, with the bars, forms that part of the bottom of the foot called the heel.
A healthy frog proje6ts up parallel with the external edges of the crufl, keeps
the heel expanded, and a<5ls as a fpring in motion, and prevents the horfe from
flipping.

Bars.

Bars,

THE bars are two in number, conipofed of compafl, horny fibres,
fituated in an oblique direclion from the heel, on each fide of the frog, be-
tween that and the external crust, and terminate in forming a part of the fole
at the point oflhe frog, to keep the heels expanded, leaving a fpace of about
half an inch broad between them and the external cruft, which is fomewhat
more brittle than the rest of the fole. This fpace is the feat of a corn, let the
caufc be what it may.

Having finiflied the defcription of the fenfible and infenfible parts of the
foot of a horfe, with their fundtions, &c. I thall next endeavour to explain the dif-
eafes, how they are fo frequently produced by cutting away thofe parts of the
foot moft fubfervient and effential to its protection and offices.

1ft, Then I fhall endeavour to prove, that whatever alters the natural
form of the foot, produces defeafe, (i. e.) the effeft of that alteration which
may properly be called the caufe of the difeafe. It is cafily proved, by
examining fuch feet as have never had their bars and frogs cut away ; and
comparing them with thofe which have been repeatedly cut by the Farrier,
that unfkilfui treatment has been the principal caufe of moll of the difeafes inci-
dent to the foot of the Horfe.

2dly,

29

2dly, That corns are produced by preflure of the fhoe, or bruife, upon
that fpace between the bars and cruft fpecified in the defcription of the bars.
Any perfon at all acquainted with the fituation of the bars, (independent of the
profession) may be convinced, that if they were not cut away, but kept pro-
minent and parallel with the external crufl at the heel, and that fpace between
them hollowed out with a drawing knife, each time of flioeing, no fuch im-
proper preffure could take place ; as I am well alTured, that by a ftri6l per-
feverance in Ihoeing, according to the principles laid down in this treatife, a
horfe would never have a corn, and the moft inveterate corn would be radically
cured by the fame pradice.

3dly, That cutting away the bar expofes that part between It and the
cruft to preflure ; the heel of the cruft, at the fame time, being cut too clofe
to the fenfible parts, expofes it ftill more to external injury.

1ft, By a thick heeled flioe being placed nearly flat upon the fole.

2dly, By gravel and fmall ftones working under the flioe, and adding
to the prefllue. This could not happen, were not the bars cut away.

Cankers and running Thruflies are alfo the immediate effe6ls of paring
down the fole, bars, and frog, which will appear under their proper heads.

That corns are produced by prefture, &c. is evident. The bars and
heels of the fole being previoufly cut away, the thick heeled ftioe employed
upon the remainder of the then infenfible fole, contiguous to the fenfible, pro-
duces

30

duces inflammation. Sometimes it happens, that the blood vefiels become im-
pervious from prefllne, applied in the above manner; fometimesthe inflamma-
tion proceeds to fuppuration and abfcefs, forming matter between the fenfible
and infenfible fole, fllU retaining (to my furprize) the appellation of a corn.
Corns in common, appear to be no more than a fmall portion of the external
fole, placed between the bar and cruft, firfl: appearing red, which is the chief
fymptom that leads to the difcovery of the difeafe, as many horfcs are lame
from bruifes, and from thick fhoes, &c, the parts when but recently bruifed,
exhibit no appearance of corns, but inflammation remains for fome days. Far-
riers attempt to remove the inflammation without removing the caufe, which be-
ing impossible, they fay the horfe is ftrained in the coffin joint, he is accordingly
bled at the toe, fired and bliftered upon the coronet, and is frequently obliged
to undergo the moil cruel of all operations, that of drawing the fole.

The rednefs before-mentioned, I believe to proceed from the violence
of the preflTure upon the thin external fole, rupturing fome of the fmall blood
veflels ; and the extravafation of blood tinges the infenfible fole in contadl with
them, and foon dilcovers itfelf externally.

There are alfo foft corns incident to horfes*^ feet, but there is no difference
in the caufe of the two, (/. e.) the hard and foft corn, for both are produced
by bruifes or preifure upon the fame part, and put on the fame external ap-
pearance, at first altering in colour and confiftcncc, from changes in tempera-
ture and treatment, (i. e ) the removing a horfe from a hot, dry fliable, to a
cold wet one ; turning him into a ftraw yard, where there is much wet dung ;
or into wet marfhy ground. Such chances will alter both the appearance,
and confidence of a corn. But when foft corns arc found in horfes' feet,

when

31

when {landing In a dry flable, I believe they proceed from hiflammatlon of
the fenfible fole, or the fenfible laminated fubftance which keeps the foles of
fo me feet in a ftate of perfpiration, wifely ordained to get rid of the exifting
inflammation ; fo that not only the corn itfelf, but the frog, and fole, are much
fofter than in the feet of thofe horfes in which hard corns exift. Thofe feet
■ called by Farriers pummy feet, are mofl fubjc6l to foft corns, which ap-
pear to be more fufceptible of bruifes and prcfliire, from their form, than hard
or concave feet, and in thefe the corn is always the fofteft part of the fole,
as is the cafe alfo where corns are found in hard feet.

TREATMKM

H

TREATMENT

OF

CORJVS.

HAVING finiilied my obfervations on the production and appearance
of corns, I sliall next fliew my indication and moft approved method of cure.
If matter be formed, and the laminated fubftance difeafed, or deftroyed by
the formation of matter, I invariably drefsthe corn, or ftimulate the growth of
new laminae, by dropping a few drops of Tin6lure of Myrrh and Aloes upon
the feat of the dileafc; the old external hoof, or the fpace between the bar
and crust, being previously cut away down to the fenfible laminas.

If the laminated fubftance be not difeafed, or deftroyed, as above-men-
tioned, removing the caufe will remove the difeaic. That is, by taking off the
flioe, paring the corn down to the fenfible laminated fubftance, between the
bar and crust, leaving the bar prominent for the heel of the llioe to reft upon,
with the fame equal prefiure as upon the crull:, and Immerfing the foot two
or three times a day, for three or four days together, in warm water, will be
quite fufficient to remove the painful effects of the corn ; and if the bars are
h!':.h cnougli to form a ]:)arallcl furface at the heel, with the crufl, the horfe

may

33

may be fhod with the common long flioe, and perform his ufual office. If
the bar be cut away too low to admit of a bearing of the heel of the Ihoe, a
bar fhoe fliould be employed, with the parts covering the feat of the corn
hollowed, to take off the bearing from the quarters, and caufe the part cover-
ing the frog to come in clofe contadt with it, and let the nails be placed round
the toe, and none in the quarters.

By this mode of fhoeing, in one month, the bars will grow high enough
for the heel of the long flioe to have a bearing equal with the crufi:. The
bars being perfe<?t, and the fpace between them hollowed out, each time of
ihoeing, to prevent future preffure, will be a certain preventive of corns in the
feet. When I firft joined the 1 1th Light Dragoons, a great number of the hoifes
wpre tender or lame, from corns, the Farriers not being acquainted with the
Veterinary mode of preparing feet for fhoeing, all which I treated as before-
mentioned, viz. by taking off the ihoes, immerfmg the feet in warm water, to
promote a growth of the bars, to relieve the inflammation of the feet, and to
foften the feat of the hard corns. When matter was formed, I drefied the
parts with the tlnfture as above, and employed the flioes before defcribed with
general fuccefs ; and though there were nearly feven hundred horfes in the
regiment, I had not the care of a corn for two or three years afterwards. In^
deed the difeafe is fo fmiplc, that It requires little or no furgical treatment ;
and if gentlemen would take the trouble of procuring a natural hoof prepared
with the bars, fole, and frog perfect, they would fee the cavity, or feat
of the corn, and by Infifting on the bars being prefcrved when their horfes
were Ihod, they might prevent them from ever having corns.

Cafe.

Case 1.

CORNS are fo common to all forts of horfes, after having been ihod,
that they requh-e no defcription ; I fliall therefore only briefly inform my rea-
ders, that they are fituated between the external crust of the heel and
the bar, tinge the part of the fole with blood, in the feat of them, extra-
vafated from the fmall blood vellels of the fenfible fole. The caiife of corns in
the feet of horfes, is the fame as that in the human toe, namely, the preffure of
the flioe ; but the corn itfelf bears no fmillarity — that in the horfe is a difeafe
in the fenfible fole, difcriminated by inflammation, extravafation, and frequently
iuppuration ; in the human toe the difeafe is generally in the flcin only, a corn
is the fimpleft difeafe to cure of any incident to the horfe, it commonly yields
lo paring away, at difl'ercnt times, with a drawing knife, all the part that is dif-
coloured, leaving the bar and cruft proje6ling a little above its furface, every
time the horfe is fhod ; hollowing out the fpace between the bar and crufi,
which not only removes the corn, but if perfevered in, will prove a fure pre-
ventive in future ; including accidental caufes, I have not had fourteen
cales of corns in the llthLiglit Dragoons for feven years together; and they
have never required any other treatment than the fpecified alteration in flioe-
ing. The firfl: cafe I met with of any importance, was in a horfe the property
of Captain Barratt, who had juft before bought him of a gentleman who had
tried every means he could hear of, but to no purpofe, and he was fold chiefly
on that account; the prcflure had excited a violent inflammation, which had ter-
minated in fuppuration, leaving all the feat of the corn to the fcnflble fole

hollow.

35

hollow, and difeafed ; the horfewas not able to bear any fort of flioe; the other
heel had alfo an incipient corn, and was a little inflamed ; to get rid of which,
I caufed his feet to Hand in warm water two or three hours a day, for three
or four days ; the inflammation being abated, 1 difcontinued the water, and
pared away the incipient corn, nearly to the fole, leaving the bar as prominent
as the ftate of the heel would admit; the part of the fole in the feat of the other
corn, from the aflion of the warm water, was brought into a more properfl:ate for
its being removed ; which being done, with a fine drawing knife, I dropped fix
or eight drops of Tindlure of Myrrh into the cavity, night and morning, for
five or fix days, at which time there were granulations projecting and forming
fenfible fole, apparently quite as prominent as it ought to be; I then difcontinued
the ufe of the tincture, and applied dry tow prefled down into the hole, which
gave a firm furface to the granulations, or fenfible fole ; and, in a few days, an
infenfible furface was formed over it ; in about ten days the horfe was fliod
with the common long heeled ihoe, in which he went, without flrewing any
fymptoms of lamenefs. Mr. Barratt had the horfe in his poflefsion two or
three months afterwards, and then fold him perfedly found. Some people
allow two forts of corns, the hard and foft, they are both one and the fame,
the hard is the firfi: ftage of inflammation in the parts, the foft Is the termination
of inflammation, in pus or matter, or a predlfpofitlon to abfcefs or ulceration ;
abforption fucceeds, and the parts are deflroyedand carried away in a fluid ftate.
I once faw a cafe in which nearly the whole bottom of the foot was equally
inflamed, but was fofter in the feat of the corn than in any other part ; the
bars were entirely cut away, but the feat of the corn was more prominent
than the external crust, fo that the flioe lodged upon the feat of the Corn ; I re-
duced the feat of the corn to the fenfible fole, and applied tips, in which the
horfe was turned out for a few weeks, in a foft, marfliy field ; in confequence

of

56

of the violent inflammation, it was very defirable to have had his feet put Into
warm water, but that being impradlicable, he was turned out ; I vlfiied him
again, and, to my aflonifhment, found almoft every fymptom of inflammation
and rednefs in the fole, and feat of the corn removed ; at a fecond vifit I pared
away the corn, and ordered feated ihoes to be made, but not to be put on till
the horfe had ftood a few days longer without, in order to give preflure to the
convex fole. — I was informed in about a month afterwards, that he was at
work, and not the worfe for having had corns. When any confiderable inflam-
mation exifl:s, it is bell to immerfe the feet in warm water, three or four hours
a day, till it abate, in which time, the bars, which are generally cut away, will
be growing up level with the external crufl:.

Case 2.

THIS horfe was the property of Mr. Clark, at the Bell Inn, Barnby-
Moor, Nottingham ; he was a valuable poll horfe, but Mr. Clark had nearly
lofl the ufc of him in confequence of corns ; hearing that I was at Don-
cafter, he called to requeft I would go and look at him, and on examining his
feet, I found four of the word corns I had ever feen in my praflice ; the fole
was fo completely convex, that when the fhoe was taken off", and the foot put
upon a level furface, the external crufl: did not even come in contadl with the
ground, wanting about the fifth of an inch to bring it upon a level with the
fole ; however, I found that the fole would bear reducing nearly to a level with
the crufl:, without any material injury, which I accordingly did ; and finding

the

37

the corns occupying nearly three times the fpace which they do in common,
attended by violent inflammation, and forenefs, infomuch, that the animal
could not bear the prefiiire of my finger upon the feat of corn ; the bars were
entirely cut away. I ordered the horle to be turned out into a foff, marfliy
field, and fliod in tips for two or three weeks; when I again vifited him, to mv
furprize, found every fymptom of inflammation and rcdnefs in the feat of the
corn removed; I pared away the corns, and very flight fymploms could be per-
ceived of their exiftence, I ordered him fome leated fhoes, but not to be put
on, till he had flood a few days longer without, in order to give prefllire to the
convex fole. I was informed about a month afterwards, that the horfe was at
work, and had fuffered no very material detriment.

Case

THIS horfe was the property of the Rev. Afcough Hawkfworth, of
Hickleton-Hall, in Yorkfhire. I obferved that the corns in the infide heels
were much worfe than the outfide, which generally is occafioned by greater
preflfure being applied to the former, than to the latter ; and that is the
refult of turning up the outfide heel, which throws the centre of gravity upon
the infide quarter ; the bars, at the fame time, which is very unufual, were
very good, therefore, it appeaced that thefe corns were occafioned merely by
negle6t of not leaving the feat of them concave, fo that the prefigure upon that
part might be equal to that upon the bar and crufl. I have no other caufe to
assign, why a horfe fliould have corns, when the bars and cruft are equally

prominent

prominent and healthy ; I pared thcin out with a fine drawing knife, as deep
as was convenient, without cutting the fenfible fole ; he was turned out to
grafs for about ten days, after wlilch I repeated the operation, and was able to
cut away nearly the whole of the corn, and he was again turned out. I paid
hiin a vifit about twelve days after, and found but trifling appearances of corn.
Mr. H. Informed me four months afterwards, that they were completely
eradicated.

Case 4.

FRANCIS HAWKSWORTH, Efq. had a chefnuthorfe, at the fame time,
which had corns, nearly as bad as the preceding ; he was treated in the fame
manner, and perfedlly cured.

Case 5.

A Horfe the property of William Preft, Efq. Leeds, bad corns cured by
a few times paring out, in the fame way that Mr. Hawksworth's were.

Caft

39

Case 6,

A HORSE the property of Mr. Horsfall, of Leeds, was cured by t!ie
fame treatment, at two operations.

Case 7.

THIS was a poney, the property of Godfrey Wentworth, Efq. of
Wooley-Hall, Yorklhire, which had one corn only, and which was radically
cured by twice or three times paring out.

I could very eafily introduce four hundred cafes more, that have come
under my care, treated with the fame fuccefs, having never failed in the cure
of a corn in my life. I have had two cafes in which the Farriers had pared
away too much of the hoof, and applied fpirits of fait, which had deflroyed
the blood veflels of the fole in the feat of the corn ; a local depression of the heel
was the confequencc, and it was with the greatefl difficulty that a flioe could
be applied. The feven cafes before-mentioned, will, I trufl, be fufficient to
infi:ru6l gentlemen in the mode proper to be employed in the cure of corns,
and the method of fhoeing, that will be found convenient to prevent their return.

Running

40

Running Thrushes,

HAVING fhevvn the caufes, fymptoms, prevention, and cure of corns, I
ihall next coniidcr the caufes, prevention, and indications of cure of Running
Thruflies.

The chara6lerlflic of a running thruih is a fmall, foft, rotten, foetid frog,
occafioned by flubs in hunting, bruifes from prominent ftones on roads, and
other accidental caufes. But nineteen times out of twenty by contra6led
heels, caufed by two tliick heeled Ihoes preventing the frog from coming in
conta6l vi'ith the ground.

In this part I ditTer much from Mr. Taplin, who fays, in his eleventh
edition, page 94-, that the thrufli is occafioned by an ichorous, corrofive dif-
charge, frequently the evident eflfe6l of negle^l, in fuffering the horfe to go
badly fliod, till the frog, by repeated bruifes, lofes its original property, and
becomes difeafed. Now inftead of that corrofive difcharge being the caufe,
it is abfolutely the effe6l of the difeafe, or inflammation of the fenfible frog ;
and the worfe horfes are fhod, or in other word?, the thinner their fhoes the
better their feet arc, (i. e.) the longer they wear their ihoes without injuring
the cruft or bars, even till the fliocs are worn as thin as a (hiUing, the more
compadl, tough, prominent and healthy will tiie frogs be ; and when I have
a horfe that has a running thrufli, and unfound frog, I immediately caufe him

to

41

to be ill fliod, if I may ufe the term, not fuffering him to have any fhoe upon
the difeafed part of the foot, or nothing more than a tip upon his toe. I have
been feveral years in the habit of obferving running thruflies, but I never faw
one in a perfe6l foot, defcribed in page 9, except it proceeded from a nail, or
fomething of that nature, puncturing the fenfible frog ; in that cafe, the treat-
ment has been as follows, immerfe the foot in warm water two or three hours
a day, two or three days together, or confine a poultice of bran, boiled to a
jelly, to the wounded part, till the inflammation has abated, and, if the fize of
the hole will admit of a little fpirits of turpentine, being dropt into it, after
the inflammation has fubfided, it will very foon ftimulatc and quicken the
growth of new parts, and fill up the fpace. But the turpentine fliould not be
applied till the inflammation has been removed.

When the running thrufli is occafioned by contra6ted heels, the cure,
in moft cafes, depends upon a removal of the caufe, and to do that radically
is a work of fome time, particularly if the fize of the frog be much diminithed
by the compression of the heel of the cruft upon it. In that cafe, the. heel of
the cruft, called the quarters, muft be rafped down to the fenfible parts ; and,
with a drawing knife, that part of the cruft which prefses upon each fide of the
frog, muft be cut away, to give room for expanfion ; at the fame time, the foot
ought to ftand on foft clay, or in water, a few days, to foften the quarters, by
which means they will expand a great deal better, and grow. much faftcr. If
there be any inflammation in the frog, it would be better to employ the water as
warm as the hand can bear, by adding occafionally a regular fupply of hot
water.

After which, a firmer texture may be given to the growing frog, by

wafliing

42

wanning it twice a day with the following mixture, viz. Alum Powder, two
ounces; White Vitriol one ounce; difsolved in a quart of hot Vinegar.

But I mufl hint to my readers, that to dry up the difcharge from the
fenfible frog before the caufe be removed, is very dangerous, as the running
is actually an effort of nature to get rid of the inflammation ; and that ichorous
fluid difcharged from the frog is no more than the horny matter fecreted by the
fccretory power of the parts, for the formation of infenfible frog, but the com-
})ression of the horny cruft upon the fenfible frog, impedes nature in her defigns,
and compels her to throw off that horny matter in its fluid flate. This is the
method which nature has taken to remove the inflammation in the frog of a
liorfe's foot ; and what tends more to corroborate this opinion is, that by removing
the caufe, viz. the contra6lion of the heels, the difeafe will ceafe, without any
application whatever; by only turning the horfc out while the hoof is grow-
ing the cure of the thrufli will be efte6led. It may, however, be better to
afsill nature as much as lies in our power, and I have cured the greater part of
ihcfe difeafes which have come under my care, by only thinning the cruft,
rafpingthe heels down parallel with the frog, wafliing it two or three times a day
with the forc-mcntioncd mixture, and letting the horfe ftand barefoot upon
flat lloncs or ground, for a week or two, which is a fufficient time to render
any foft frog hard and firm. A running thrufli is fo Ample in its incipient
ilate, that it is fcarcely entitled to a place in thefe pages. As long as it retains
that appellation, that is, before it terminates, as it frequently does, in another
difeafe,- namely, a canker, it is the fimpleft of all difeafes incident to the foot,
and may, at all times, be prevented by proper fhoeing ; or be removed in the
early ftage of the difeafe, by Amply paring away, with a drawing knife, that
part of the cruft at the heel, which by contra6lion, prcfies upon it.

Sand-

43

Sandcrack*

A SANDCRACK originates from ncgle<5l, being generally occafioned
by treads, &:c. upon the coronet, at which part the horny fibres of the cruft
are divided ; and as it grows down towards the toe, the gravel, &c. not being
properly taken out every time the horfe comes in from a journey, works
through the infenfible cruft, to the fcnfible laminated fubftance, producing
inflammation, which frequently terminates in fuppuration, or abfcefs, com-
monly called a quittor.

A Sandcrack fometimes proceeds from a natural difpofition in the horny
cruft to crack, when the horfe ftands a long time together in too hot a ftable,
without exercife.

Sandcracks occasioned by fuch negleft, are fometimes met with in a
tranfverfe direction to the horny fibres, but one caufed by a cut, &:c. runs
in a diredlion with the horny fibres, and by gravel working into the crack, it
reaches the fenfible laminx, and produces difeafe. If the feat of the difeafc
be in the centre of the horny hoof, forming matter, it moftly makes its way
up to the coronet before it Ihews any difpofition to vent itfclf, unlefs an aper-
ture be artificially made in the horny cruft, for its outlet.

I have feen many inftances of fandcracks produced by too long nails

being

44.

being diivcu into the hoof. This fort of fandcrack is generally worfe to cure
than either of the former, for this reafon, that the crack moftly reaches nearly
down to the toe, which has its portion of the weight of the body upon it,
keeping it in a ftate of cxpanfion, by which the horny fibres are divided, and
actually fo fcparated, as frequently to prevent their union, until the crack has
made its way up to the coronet, without producing any difeafe in the foot, or
anj' inconvenience to the horfe. If tliis fort of crack fhould be occafioned by
one of the nails being driven into the quarters or heel, and it fhould make its way
up to the coronet, the confequence is much worfe than when it takes place
near the toe, for the union is then more difficult to cffe6t, id confequence of
the weaknefs of the cruft at the heel ; and when it happens to the fore foot,
the confequence isflill greater than in the hind foot, in the fame fituation, by
reafon of a greater portion of weight being thrown upon the heels of the horfe's
fore feet, when in a6t:ion, than on the hind feet, which not only prevents the
union of the divided horny libres, but alfo expofes them to bruifes, &c. the
cfFecft of which is fometimes very alarming, producing a quittor, and fre-
quently a falfe quarter. Such are the caufes, appeai'ances, and confequences,
of what are termed Sandcracks.

The next thing I fhall confider, will be how to prevent fandcracks, as
prevention mull: be more advantageous to the owner of a horfe than a cure.

Ifl, Tliat fort of fandcrack which proceeds from heat, as before-men-
tioned, may be cafily prevented by keeping the liable clear of hot burning dun"-,
and of an uniform, moderate heat, directing the horfe's feet to be well walked
and cleared of gravel, &c. If the hoofs fhould have acquired a hard, brittle

texture.

45

textufe, from frequent expofure to heat, let the horfe's feet (land, for a week
or two, in a fhallow tub, in which there is fome clay, reduced with water to
theconfiftence of thick cream, which will retrieve the loftelaflicity of the horny
fibres.

Secondly, That fandcrack which is occafioned by too large nails being
driven into the hoofs in fhoeing, may be eafily prevented, by ufing nails of a
fmaller fize, as dire(5led at page 46.

That fort of fandcrack occafioned by cuts, &c. upon the coronet, adm it s
of an eafy cure, by a little care, in avoiding fpirituous tinflures, oils, balfams,
ointments, &c. and bringing the lips of the wound in conta6l, by means of a
needle and thread, uniting them with adhefive plaifter, or comprefs and band-
age.

All thefe modes of uniting the lips of the wound fjiould be performed
during the bleeding ftate. If the accident happen upon a journey, and the
blood fliould have flopped, and gravel, or dirt, has worked into the wound, it
may be waflied out with warm water, and rubbed dry with a linen cloth ; after
that operation, fufficient friction ihould be ufed with a dry cloth, or the finger,
to excite frelh bleeding, in which ftate, clofe up the wound as before-men-
tioned.

This mode of treatment will, in moll cafes, prevent the hoof from being
materially injured. I have lately had feveral cafes of this nature, in which the
coronet had been cut through very deeply, but having fpeedily completed a
union of the parts divided, they never aflected the hoof farther than leaving a

fraall

46

fmall fear or fcam, about an inch long from the hair, without any divifion of
horny fibres. Tills has been my treatment Invariably in recent cafes of this
nature, and generally with fuccefs in this fort of fandcrack.

The fandcrack occafioned by too large nails being driven into the hoof
in flioeing, requires quite a different treatment ; if the crack be in the toe, or
near it, the ufual Ihoe may be employed, only with fmaller nails ; and two
fmall nails fliould be placed one on each fide of the crack, within a quarter of
an inch of it, making the two ends of the cracked, horny crufl into two fixed
points by the nails, which will prevent any farther divifion of the horny fibres
upwards. If the divifion of the horny fibres does not extend to the fenfible
laminated fubftance, there will not be required any other treatment to effect
a cure, and if the laminated fubllance fliould be affefted by the crack, thereby
producing inflammation, or matter, the foot fliould be made to Hand in water
of the heat of 108 degrees of Farenheit's thermometer, about fix hours a day,
till the inflammation is relieved, and the hoof fufficiently foftened to be eafily
cut away for difcharging the matter, &c. if there be any. In thefe cafes, about
the fixth of an inch above the crack, the edge of a hot iron made in the form
of a chifel, fliould be applied in a tranfverfe dire6lion, with the horny fibres, or
crack, till it burns its way through the infenfible hoof, to the fenfible laminated
fubflance, care being taken not to burn the laminae if possible.

The mode of burning the horny cruft in a tranfverfe diredlion of the
crack, as above, will prevent the crack extending any farther, at the fame time
ftimulate the growth of new horny fibres to fill up the crack. When it is
occafioned by the bigncfs of the nails, as before-mentioned, and negledted, it
will make its way up to the coronet, leaving the hoof fplit from top to bottom.

The

47

The fame thing will occur if the hoof at the heel be fplit by the fame means,
and both are very troublefome to unite, or cure, as they require a long time,
and much reft to effe6t it.

The beft method of forming an union, that I have been able to learn, in

thefe divided horny fibres, is that of drawing the crack with a fine drawing

knife, as wide at the infide or bottom of the crack next the fenfible laminae, as

the external edges are from each other ; then with a hot iron, made to fit the

crack, burn the bottom, the whole length of it, by lightly drawing the edge

of the firing iron upon the crack, till it flightly burns the fenfible laminated

fubftance, without burning the edges of the crack on cither fide ; this being

carefully executed, will ftimulate the arteries, particularly about the coronet,

to throw out more than the ufual quantity of blood for the formation of new

horny fibres, to fill up the opening. A few days after the firing iron has been

applied, equal quantities of Tar and Linfeed Oil being poured boiling hot

into the crack, two or three times a day, will promote a much greater growth

of hoof, and reftore the loft elafticity of the horny fibres in a fliorter time than

nature of herfelf can accomplith.

This, with due reft, is all that is requifite to effe<5l a cure of this fort of
fandcrack ; unlefs through neglect, gravel (hould be forced in between the
fenfible and infenfible laminae, in different directions, which I have repeatedly
experienced ; and in fuch cafes I have been obliged to follow the gravel, &:c.
by cutting the hoof away in every dire6lion, where I found any extrane-
ous fubftances introduced ; till I could extract every particle ; after which I
drefl^ed the feftion or wound with the boiling hot Tar and Linfeed Oil as be-
fore-mentioned, which will effe<5V a more fpeedy cure than any application I

have

M

48

have ever feen in my pra6lice. But let me admonish my readers to employ
an early remedy, as delay is fometimes of great importance. Any of the above
defcribed fandcracks, may terminate in falfe quarters, quittors, and frequently
cankers in the foot.

CANKER

CANKER

IN THE

FEMT>

THE chara6leriftic of a canker is a fetid, putrid ftate of the foot, occa-
fioned by an ichorous, corrofive difcharge from a difeafed frog ; or a termination
of inflammation of the fenfible frog, and fenfible, laminated fubftance, &c.
moltly brought on by contra6led heels. Whenever this difeafe becomes in-
veterate, it is attended with a Jofs of the whole frog ; part of the fole next to
the heel ; and frequently the whole of the fenfible, laminated fubftance placed
under the horny cruft at the heels ; the bone itfelf alfo difeafed, fo that the
pra6litioner is obliged to cut away both quarters, or heels, before he can apply
a proper remedy.

Case 1.

THE following was the cafe of a canker in a horfe's foot, belonging to
Mrs. Tudor, at the Crown Inn, Reading, Berkshire^ which had been under a

the

so

Farrier's care three or four months previous to my being called in. Upon ex-
amining the foot, I found tliat ail the frog was gone, either by difeafe,
or fome other caufe ; and the whole of the external crufl; or hoof, from
one quarter, and all the fole from the bottom of the fame quarter ; the bone was
cxpofed for about five inches in circumference, (which arofc from the difeafe)
and was become as black as ink ; the laminated fubftance for an inch further
round the difeafed bone, and the remaining laminae were in a fiate of high
inflammation, afl'uming the appearance of a piece of fungous flefli, projecting
full three parts of an inch above Its ufual height.

As the horfe was unable to bear any part of his weight upon the difeafed
foot, Mrs. Tudor confulted mc, according to her own declaration, upon the
expediency of attempting a cure, or of immediately putting the poor animal
out of his miferv, as there appeared lo little probability of his ever becoming
ufeful again; judging from the prefent afpedl of the difealc.

As I did not think it a loft cafe, but that it appeared to require ditferent
treatment, I was requefted to take it under my care, though not without fome
hefitation, as the horfe had already been very expenfive to the owner, ihe
could not afford to give much for the cure upon an uncertainty. In confidera-
tion of her lofs, &:c. I aflentcd to undertake the cure for two guineas, which
was, in truth, worth ten, upon the terms of no cure no pay ; to which Mrs.
Tudor agreed. After carefully examining the difeafed foot, next morning,
I acquainted Mrs. T. there was a great probability of refloring the horfe to his
labour. She was, however, ftill undetermined whether to deftroy him or not,
he had been fo expenfive to her; but, as this was a very rare and bad cafe,
1 wifhed much to have the management of it, accordingly, for the fmall

gratuity

51

gratuity before-mentioned. I began to treat him in the following manner.
The unhealthy appearance of the bone ; the projection of fuperfluous, fenfible,
laminated fubftance refembling flefh, with the fetidnefs of the foot, altogether
indicating a defperate difcafe, induced me to apply a more powerful drefsing
than I am ufually accuflomed to do, viz.

Common Turpentine, half a pound, "^

Spirits of Turpentine, half a pint, I ^.^j^ mhed.

I'owdered Euphorbium, three ounces,

Corrofive Sublimate, one ounce ; -^

I drcfled the foot with an ounce of the mixture, made boiling hot, night
and morning, for a week ; cutting away part of the difeafed, fuperfluous flefh,
and then binding it well with tow, &c. The corrofive, ftimulating qualities of
this drefsing foon caufed the unhealthy part of the bone to exfoliate ; the
apparent fungous flefli completely floughed off, the fetid difcharge ceafed ;
the foot began to put on a healthy appearance, and in a fhort time, nothing
was wanting to complete the cure, but a growth of hoof, and the other parts that
had been deflroyed by the difeafe ; which parts I drefTed every day with the
following liniment, made warm, viz : —

Oil of Turpentine, four ounces.
Oil of Linfeed, eight ounces,
Ointment of Elder, fix ounces,
Bees' wax, two ounces ;
•AH well mixed over a flow fire. I applied this liniment about a month, when

1 directed

52

I dircded a light flioe to be put on the foot, and tliehorfe turned into a ftravv
yard for fix or eight weeks ; in which time the hoof was fufficiently grown
to bear a common flioe, as ufual. I advifed Mrs. Tudor to take him up, and
work him, which flie did for feveral weeks before I left Reading.

Happening to be quartered in that town, two years afterwards, I made
inquiry after the horfe, and was informed, that he was perfedly found.

REMARKS,

Had not the difcafe extended to the quarters, or heels, and deftroyed
them, as well as the frog, and fole, ftrong Tincture of Myrrh and Aloes, with
a fmall quantity of Tincture of Euphorbium, or powdered Euphorbium mix-
ed with it, would have been a better drcfsing to have Simulated the growth
of the laminated fubftanec, after ufing the cauftic liniment ; but in thefe cafes,
in which there is a lofs of hoof, all fpirituous Tinctures, applied to the parts,
tend to harden, dry, and contract the growing, horny fibres upon their fenfible
contents.

On this account, oleaginous mixtures are preferable to fpirituous Tinc-
tures, &c. The fenfible laminated fubftance projecting above its ufual height,
forming fungus, Sec. should never be dcflroyed by a hot iron, nor hot oils,
fuch as Oil of Vitrol, &c. as they not only deftroy the fuperfluous parts, but ren-
der impervious the blood velfels, which by nature are formed for the convey-
ance ot' blood to the external furface of the coffin bone, and for the formation

of

53

of the fenfible laminas there, which being deflroyed, as above-mentioned, a
hollow fpace will remain (perhaps through life) between the external furface of
the coffin bone, and the internal furface of the horny crufl: or hoof.

The growth of the horny crufl originates at the coronet, forming infen-
fible laminas in its internal furface, to be articulated to the fenfible, which being
previoufly deflroyed by difeafe, &cc. renders an union impofsible. This is
the immediate refult of unlkilful hands, and an inconvenience hardly to be got
rid of. When a knife might be ufed inllead of thofe burning oils, with fafety,
and repeated as often as neceflary without danger.

Case 2.

/,- ; t

THIS horfe was the property of Mr. Corfter, of Wallingford, in Berks-
fiiire. The difeafe was occafioned by the neglefting of an acrimonious dlf-
charge from a farcy, greafy leg, (vide cafe 3, of the Farcy) and charadleriftic
of canker, and the fymptoms in page 4ff.

In this cafe, the difeafe had not made any great progrefs. The frog
was deftroyed, and part of the fole, on the fide of the frog, with part of the
fenfible laminated fubllance.

Treet?nent.

54

TREtATMEJVT.

I firft cut away all the difeafed frog, and that part of the fole and la-
minated fubltance which was difeafed, drefsing it with Egyptiacum, twice a day,
and wafliing off the old drefsing prevloufly to the new one being applied.
This treatment I continued for three days, then difcontinued it two days ; dur-
ing which interval I ordered the foot to be immerfed in warm water, two
hours a day, which brought away all the adhefive drefsings that had been
applied ; and all the difeafed parts of the frog, &c. floughed off, leaving the
fore perfedly clean, after having been dreffed twice a day for ten days
together, with Tindure of Myrrh and Aloes. The parts then put on a very-
healthy afpe6t, and nothing more was wanting but good care and cleaning, to
promote a fpeedy growth of frog and fole.

This horfe, previoufly to his lamenefs, had ran in a pofl chaife, but his
difeafe, complicated as it was, (which may be feen by referring to cafe the 3d
of the Farcy) preventing him from doing any fort of work, for feveral months
before I undertook the cure ; and notwithftanding the violence of the difeafe,
and the length of time it had fubfifted, he was, by this fim pie application, en-
abled to endure his ufual work in eight weeks, from the firft commencement
of the cure.

Cafe

55

Case 3.

THIS horfe was the property of Humphrey Sturt, Efq. of Clifton, In
Dorfetfhire.

SYMPTOMS,

A mofl extraordinary contraction in the heels of both fore feet ; ifrogs
foft, fmalh fetid and putrid, attended by a violent inflammation. Mr. Sturt
informed me, upon my firft vifiting the horfe, that he had, about a year ago,
as open, expanded heels, and broad, prominent frog, as ever he faw.

Cause.

Mk. STURT agreed with nie in opinion, refpeSlingthe caufe, he fup-
pofed it to have proceeded from the want of cleaning in feme mcafure, and
from ill flioeing, or improperly cutting the fole, bars and frog, by which the
fenfible frog was expofed to every prdje6ling ftone, &c. on the roads; and
bruifes from flubs, and the like, in hunting, had, altogether, excited a violent
inflammation in the frogs and heels ; though the difeafe had not gone on fo
far as to defl:roy much of the fenfible frog, and laminated fubflance, yet great

pain

56
pain, and inflammation were excited by the contraction of the heels of
the cruft upon the frogs, on each fide, and a continued difciiarge of ichorous,
fetid fluid was kept up for fome months before I was called in.

To cure the difeafe, without firfl: removing the caufe, I found im-
pofsible; which induced me to fet about removing the caufe firft, and that in
the following manner. I firft rafped the quarter, or heel, from the coronet to
the bottom of the cruft, as thin as pofsible (i. e.) till I came at the fenfible part
of the foot ; Shortened the toe as much as it would bear, and thofe parts of the
quarters or heels that prefs fo powerfully upon each fide of the frog, i drew out
with a fine drawing knife, which gave room and liberty for the new frog to
grow and expand. The heels being thinned, and kept in contadl with the
bottom of a tub filled with warm water, in which the Horfe flood fix
hours a day, for a week, not only caufed the heels to grow much
quicker than they would otherwife have done, but, by reafon of the prefllire,
to expand to their original dimenfions ; which has a double efficacy in
fuch cafes, as it at the fame time removes the inflammation, and leaves the
foot in an equal temperature with the body. At the time I had this
horfe under my care, nearly the whole of the infenfible frogs was cut
away, or floughed oft', yet, without any other treatment, every fymptom of
difeafe disappeared, and nothing remained to be attained but a growth of frog
and cruft, in order to efteft a cure. To give a firm texture to the growing frogs,

I caufed

57

I caufed them to be waflicd three or four times a day with tlie following embro-
cation, viz : —

Alum, two ounces.

Brandy, half a pint,
Tin6lure of Opium, two ounces-;
The Ahmi to be firfl ditfolved in half a pint of Vinegar. This embrocation,
in a few days, gave a covering or coat to the fcnfible frogs, which, at the time,
were growing very faft, and perfectly found. I, at the fame time, encouraged
the growth of the hoofs at the heels, by frequently applying tar and hog's lard
to them. With this treatment I effected a cure of this complicated difeafe in
about fix weeks, which renders it obvious, that the more fimple the treatment
the more certain the cure, particularly in the incipient ftate of the difeafe. I
do not mean to fay, that the horny cruft was fufificiently grown down to bear
the prefsure of the long fl^oes in the fix weeks, but that the horfe was conftantly
ridden in tips; and in ten weeks, from the time 1 undertook the cure, he
hunted with Mr. Sturt's own flag hounds. It may perhaps appear extraordi-
nary, that I employed tips upon this horfe's feet from the firfl time of fhoeing,
as bar fhoes might be fuppofed to be more proper, but the weak flate of the
hoofs was not fufficient to carry the quantity of iron requifite to form a bar fhoe.

Case 4.

THIS was a cafe in the General's troop, in the llih Light Dragoons,
which vyas treated in every refpedl the fame as the lafl, and with equal fuccefs*

I

I Hiould have firft informed my readers that this horfe had a very grealy
Jieel, iuch as I could not get the better of till I had recourfe to firing the
difeafed parts. The difcharge and inflammation occafioned by this treatment,
were fo violent, that fomentations, poultices, diuretics, mercurials, alteratives,
^cc. made no material difference in the difeafe of the heel, though I never had
a cafe of greafe before, but what would yield to the above treatment. This
induced me to fire the heel in the inflamed (late, although evidently contrary
to nature, and foreign to my own principles and pra<5lice ; but having failed in
every other attempt to abate the Inflammation, and the horfe, at the fame time,
being of little value, I knew the Injury could not be great. From thefe con-
iiderations, I drew ten lines with an iron perpendicularly. In the heel, upon
the Inflamed part, which foon raifed a very high degree of inflammation. Inde-
pendent of the pre-exitting one In the part, which had the effedl ofcounter-
a6ting the former difeafe, and occafioning a new one, and then It admitted of
a natural cure ; for the inflammation raifed in this manner, fubfided without
any application whatever, leaving the heel as healthy and found as ever it had
been.

Several other cafes of this kind have come under my care, all of which

I treated In a fimllar manner, with equal fuccefs, excepting one. A horfe

belonging to Mr. Smith, at Loud's Mill, Dorcheilcr, had been feveral months

imder a Farrier's hands, who had cut, applied cauftlcs, and burnt away both

fenfible and infenfible laminas, that the natural properties of the fenfible

laminated fubftances were deftroyed, their appearance and fun61ions altered

and perverted, and lallly, put on the appearance of fungous flefli, (which can

never unite' with the infenfible laminse of the hoof,) fo that a hollow fpace from

the coronet to the bottom of the hoof remained, which was never likely to

unite.

Shoe/rig.

59

Shoeing*

WHEN I firft undertook this work, which was in 1797, I intended to
have treated more largely upon the pradice of Ihoeing horfes ; but I con-
fidered, that the ihort experience of a year and a half, could be no great ac-
quilition to the public, although no work of the kind had been publiflied
fince the eltablifliment of tlie Veterinary College ; therefore, determined to
poltpone it till I had had at leafl feven years pradice ; and during that interval,
in 1798, Mr. Coleman favoured the public with his obfervations on the
Structure, Economy, and Difeafes of the foot of the horfe, upon a very large
fcale ; which comprehends the art of ilioeing horfes in all the various forms,
fo ably and explicitly, that I conceived no more than a brief explanation of
the general mode of Ihoeing was wanting, and which is certainly of more im-
portance than the treatment of difeafes incident to horfes. By prefcrving the
foot in health, it is enabled to carry almoll any form of Ihoe. It is true that
the common pra6fice of ihoeing produces conlra<5lcd heels, corns, running
thruflies, and fandcracks ; in fome feet unnatural concavity, in others con-
vexity i and in fa6l, almoft every difeafe and deformity incident to horfes' feet,
which, by proper flioeing, may be ealily prevented. As it appears that Mr.
Coleman's obfervations on the foot, is in the poflefsion of almoft every gentle-
man, a repetition of the fame words, or to the fame purport, would only tend
to fwell this book, without producing any good ellcd. However, left this
treafife lliould fall into the hands of any gentleman who is not provided witli

Mr.
p

eo

Mr. Coleman's work, it may not be improper (In as brief a manner as pofsi-
ble) to defcribe tlic natural foot, as it relates to the mode of flioeing, and di(lin6l
from that of the anatomy of the foot. The bafis, or bottom of a natural foot
approaches nearly in form, to that of a circle ; or a right line drawn from one
Iieel to another, is as long as a line drawn from the heel to the toe. Befides
this circular form, upon examining the bottom of a perfe6l foot, we find the
frog, which it would be ufelefs to defcribe a fecond time, occupying and form-
ing at Icall two-thirds of the heel, prominent and parallel with the heels of the
horny crufl ; befides the frog now mentioned, may be feen the bars, which
are of no little importance to be well underflood ; they are fituated obliquely
Irom the heel about three-fourths of the length of the frog, leaving a deep
cavity between the bar and frog on each fide of it, growing prominent and
parallel with the crufl: at the heels, with which they form a jundlion, and a
firm foundation for the heel of the flioe to reft upon.

A hard, expanded, prominent frog, with the crufl: at the heels, and bars
projc(5ling and forming a level with each other, is a criterion by which a gen-
tleman may form a tolerable idea of the propriety of applying a fhoe, and of
what Ihape or form ; but if the frog be much contracted in depth, it would be
dangerous to lower the heels to the fame level. The fpace between the crufl:
at the heel, and the bar, being made concave with a drawing knife, calculated
for that purpofe, and a Imall portion of the fole, about a quarter of an inch
from the crufi: at the toe and quarters being carefully taken away, even a flat
Ihoe may be applied with fafety ; but flat or convex fleet, require a flioe to be
left fufiicienily concave next the fole, to admit a picker to pafs under it. Such
a thoe may be employed upon any foot with fafety, provided no part of it be
fuffercd to refl upon the fole. It is impofsible to apply a flat ihoe to a flat or

convex

61

convex foot, without injury. Concave feet admit of a flat fhoe, in which cafe
the furface in conladl with the ground may very properly be made concave.
This kind of fhoe is beft calculated for hunters, as by its concavity it embraces
the ground, and prevents flipping ; and for this purpofe, the narrower the flioe
the better, as it alfo gives the frog its full power in flopping the progrefs of the
liorfe. Hard fl:ony countries require more cover to the foot, and frequently
an artificial flop to the flioe, namely, the cauker. Where caukers are ne-
ceflary, they fliould be equally high on both heels of the flioe. By diminifh-
ingthe weight of iron in the flioe, the labour of the mufcles is alfo diminiflied.
The flat or convex foot requires a broader flioe than the concave, which may
be made without adding to the weight of it, as the internal edge of the flat flioe
will, from its thick nefs, almofl: invariably admit of being beaten out one-fourth
broader than ufual, which flioe fliould always be feated. In roads which
are ftony, pointed, and proniinei>t, a little more cover is required. The fame
obfervation holds good in hunting in ftony countries. The average weight of
the flioes employed upon the horfes' feet in the 1 1th Regiment of Light Dra-
goons, to which for feveral years I had the honour to belong, is almofl fifteen
ounces and a half, which weight I find befl: calculated for the general run of
liunters ; and the fame weight of iron will admit of being extended, when
thought ncceflary, fo as to afford more cover to the foot in ftony countries.
When called with the regiment into Holland, in 1199, I reduced the average
weight of the flioes nearly two ounces ; the roads being foft and yielding, con-
fequently the hoofs required little or no defence : the breadth likewlfe as well
as the weight of the flioe, was diminiflied. The high upright hoof is generally
the effeft of negledf, in not paring down the cruft in due time ; by which the
inferior edges of the hoof at the heels, defcend much below the frogs; and,
having no fubftance to keep the heels expanded they gradually become

narrow

62

nairow and upright, fimllar to that of an afs's hoof; the heels contradled, tl>e
frogs fmall, and frequently difeafed. See cafe No. 1, of the Rev. John Sheep-
shanks', Leeds ; and cafe No. 2, of WalterFawk.es', Efq. of Farnley-Hall, York-
fhire. This fuperabundance of hoof caufcs the horfe to go fometbing like a
man in high pattens, he never appears to be firm upon his legs. It is a fort
of contraction that comes on very gradually, and may be prevented by early
care in paring down the heels ; and as eafily removed or cured by the fame
treatment, viz. carefully paring down the heels, and gradually making the
Ihoes thinner at the heels, by which means the frogs will foon be brought in
contadl with the ground. As the frog defcends and expands, fo much the thinner
ihould the heel of the ihoe be made, until the frog and the heels form a level,
able to fuftain fuch a continued degree of preflUre, as is fuited to the ca-
pacity of the frog. If the frog be prominent, as is fometimes the cafe, in up-
right feet, a Ibort fhoe or tip may be employed, for a month or two, with great
advantage. Bar flioes have been frequendy employed in thefe cafes ; but it
is a very nice matter to calculate the prefl'ure requifite in fuch inflanoes, for if it
to be too violent, it is more than probable it will excite inflammation ; and if
deficient, no advantage can be derived from the application. Therefore, I
would recommend the fhort ihoe for a few weeks, iu dry weather ; and the
long thin heeled fljoe in wet weather. •

Nails.

Nails.

THE nails I have been in ilic habit of ufiiig In the 11th Regiment of
Light Dragoons, are of three fizcs ; namely, fixes, fevens, and eights ; (he
eights are the fitteft to be applied to the toe of the Ihoe, and fixes and
fevens nearer the heel. Tiie counterfink nails are the bell calculated to
enter the groove of the fboc, by which they hold the flioe on tighter than the
common nails, and their heads arc lefs liable to be broken off by prominent
flones, &c.

Horfes are very apt to pull off their fhoes in hunting, which is generally
attributed to the badnefs of the nails, but that is feldom the cafe, it is the effedl
of improperly clenching them. If a nail of any given length be driven through
a board of fufficient thicknefs to admit of the point pafsing through five
twentieths of an inch, and four twentieths be cut off, and then clenched with
only the one twentieth, which is left, it would admit of being drawn out with
a very little force. On the contrary, was the clench left two or three twen-
tieths of an inch long, it would moil probably require ten times the force to
draw out the nail. Therefore, I fay, that the clenches ought to be left one
lialf as long again for hunting, as they ufually arc. Ten nails, of number
fix, being applied to each ihoe, will hold it on much firmer than eight of any

larger

64

larger fize, and may be drawn out with lefs Injury to the foot. The above-
mentioned nails are beft calculated for hunters and hacks ; the larger fort of
horfes require larger nails. The fame rule holds good with refpecl to fmallcr
horfes.

UPRIGHT

UPRIGHT HOOFS.

Case 1 .

HAVING defcribed the upright hoof, with the caufe and confequences
I beg leave to introduce a cafe of it in a iiorfe, the property of the Rev. John
Sheepfhanks, of Leeds, in YorklTiirc. In December, 1802, Mr. Sheeplhanks
applied to nie to attend a coach horfe of his, that, by fome accident, ran away,
and, in turning a corner, brulfed his fhoulder very much againfl: a wall. A
Farrier who attended him applied fome fort of oils, which having run down
the leg, made the horfe appear very lame. I was induced to examine the feet,
when I found enormous high, upright hoofs ; the remaining portion of frog,
which the dlfeafe had left, was completely rotten, and admitted of aconfider-
able quantity being pulled off by the fingers. There was alfo a violent dlf-
charge of tlie raoft fetid kind I almofl ever fmelt ; not the fmalleft particle
of found healthy frog left in either of the feet ; and the hoofs, at the heels par-
ticularly, were more than an Inch longer than is ufual in a healthy foot; the
heels being contra6ted more than an inch and a half. I caufed the heels to be
pared down to their proper length, the whole of the difeafed frog to be cut
away, leaving the bars as prominent as the ftate of the foot would allow;

and

ou

and caulcd the expoled furfacc of the ienfible iVog to be drcfl'cd two of three
times a day with the following atlringent mixture : —

Spirits of Wine, Ijalfa pint.

Alum difiolvcd in a pint and half of boiling water, half an ounce.

White Vitriol, and Sugar of Lead, eaeh four drams.

This lotion, fimple as it appears, 1 find a very efficacious aflringent, de-
tergent antiputrefcent, in all t'oul, putrid and running thruflies. The caufe of
the running thrufn being removed, namely, the contraftion, by paring that part
of the hoof away at the heels, which prefl'ed upon the frogs; the above applica-
tion very foon removed the difeafe. I never faw the horfe after the operation ;
but I frequently met Mr. Shecpflianks, who informed me he was doing very
well.

Case 2.

THIS horfe was the property of Walter Favv'kes, Efq. of Farnley-Hall,
near Otley, Yorklhire. The enormous height or length of hoof appeared to
be the immediate eftc6l of negle(5l, of the blackfmith, in not paring down the
external crufl fo low as he ought to have done each time of (hoeing : it is
more that probable, in this cafe, as well as in many others of a fimilar nature^
that the horfe had not been fliod for fiK weeks, or two months together, du-
ring which time the hoofs grew confiderably, and the blackfmith, when fent
for to fhoe the horfe, paid no regard to the growth of hoof fincc the laft fhoe--

61

'mg, and had pared no more away from the cruft of the foot than li he had
iliod him only a fortnight before. This neglecft being feveral times repeated,
gives the hoof Hberty to grow confiderably higher than ufual, the frog) at the
fame time, lofing its afcion, and becoming contra6ted and difeafed : the heels
contradl upon the fmall remainder of frog, and, of courfe, inflammation
enfues, which nature vigoroufly refifting, too frequently terminates in that
fore difeafe to horfes, called the canker. It is generally fuppofed that the
fiuid difcharged from an inflamed frog, is purely the work of nature to get rid
of the prefent exifting inflammation. I have no doubt of the great wifdom
difplayed in preventing the defi:ru6tion of animal life, and believe, that the
fecretion in the frog is nearly as great in health as in difeafe ; only in the form-
er cafe it is imperceptibly converted into found parts, forming the frog, &c.
The truth of this is obvious, otherwife the confumption of frog at the bottom,
would be quicker than the fecretion at top could fupply. It is probable that
the fecretion is in proportion to the fupply of blood ; confequently there may
be an increafe of fecretion during the exiftence of inflammation in the parts.
The inflammation is therefore the caufe of the increafed fecretion, and the
fecretion the eife6t. The caufe being removed, the effefl ceafes. Contra6lion
is the refult of removing the frog and bars. Inflammation is in confequence
of contraction, and increafed fecretion is in proportion to the inflammation.

There was no material Inflammation In Mr. Fawkes's horfe, although the
contraftion was confiderable, the diameter of the vefl'els being probably adapt-
ed to the quantity of blood thrown into them. To remove the contraction, I
caufed the quarters to be rafped as thin as the horfe could bear, without pain ;
I then, with a fine drawing knife, pared away all that part of the quarter con-
tiguous to the bars^ which gave preflbre to the frogs, leaving an opening between

the
R

^8

the quarter of tlie hoof and the frog, by which means the frog was left at
liberty to expand at leaft half an inch. I alfo ordered the cruft, (which was
not lefs than an inch and a quarter higher than it ought to have been) to be pared
down as low as it pofsibly could be, to leave a fufficient quantity of hoof re-
maining to admit of nailing a liglit ihoe or tip upon it. As it was found incon-
venient to keep the horfe in the ftable, during the growth of hoof from the
coronet to the bottom, I ordered him be turned out into a foft pafture, and
gave dire6lions for the operation of paring away the part which prefTed upon
the frog, once a month, till the quarters were grown down.

ShnehiiT.

CONTRACTED HEELS.

Case 1.

DURING my ftay at Weymouth Camp, in 179^, I had the honour to
be called in by the Rev. Mr. Piccard, of Warmwell, near Dorchefter, Dorfet-
ihire, to fee a horfe that had contradtcd heels, and the cartilages exhibiting
fymptoms of incipient ofsification.

I caufed his fliocs to be taken off, and his heels, from the coronet to
the lower edges of the hoofs, to be rafpcd as thin as pofsible, without injuring
the fenfible lamina;, (defcribed in page 59,) and the toes pared as fliort as the
horfe could conveniently fland upon them. I then had the pavement taken
up in the ftall, and the fpace filled up with clay, made wet, to about the con-
liilence of cream, or a litde thicker, and diredled that he fliould ftand in it with
his fore feet, up to the fetlock joints, eight or ten hours a day, for about ten
days. By reducing the hoofs at the heels, 1 was enabled to bring the frogs
nearly in conta6l with thefoft ground at the bottom of theflall, which, together
with the prelfure applied to the weakened quarters, caufed the heels to ex-
pand

10

I)ancl as fall as they grew down. About ten or twelve days after the operation
of culthig away the quarters, the cartihigcs being, as before-mentioned, dif-
eafed, I fired them in ilraighthnes about two inclies long, and five lines on each
cartilage, and bliflered them. In about ten or twelve days after, I repeated
the blifler. Immediately after the effe6t of the fecond bliller was gone off, the
liorfe appeared to luffcr no inconvenience from the former difeafe, and little
from want of hoof. As foon as the quarters were grown down, he was per-
fectly found, the heels expanded, and the iect were as perfect as they ever had
been.

Mr. Piccard having done me tlic juflice to caufe the mode of flioeing
which I had recommended, to be flricfly pcrfevered in, viz. that of preferving
the frog, bars, 5cc. the horfe continued, and performed his ufual exercife of
hunting, &c. About three years afterwards I was again quartered at Dor-
chefler, and being called in by Mr. Piccard, I Inquired after the horfe which
was formerly under my care, who informed me, that he was perfedly found,
and had been fo ever fince 1 left that country. I examined his feet, and found
them completely healthy.

Case 2.

THE fecond cafe is that of a remarkable large coach horfe, the property
of the Bifliop of Durham. His lamenefs had arifen, in a great meafure, from
concussion, and the removal of the frog and bars. The feet were very much

inflamed.

71

inflamed, and the horfe, of courfc, unable to do any fort of work, I caufed
his fhocs to be taken oft", the heels of the hoofs, called the quarters, to be rafp-
ed away to the fcnfible, laminated fubflance, the cruft, at the heels, to be
lowered, the fmall refidue of frog prcferved, and that lie fhould fland in a
tub full of water heated to 10<5 degrees of Fahrenheit's thermometer, eight
hours a day, for near three weeks ; in which time the feet were relieved of
the inflammation ; and, almoft all the fymptoms of that excruciating pain he
had before fuffered were alleviated. By the above treatment, in a very fliort
time, he was enabled to trot upon moderately hard ground, without fliewing
any fymptoms of material lamenefs ; as the cartilages were ofsified, as is
generally the cafe in contra6tions of long landing, and the inflammation being
abated, I fired the cartilages, as I had done in the cafe of Mr. Piccard's horfe.
In about fix days I bllftered him, and applied bar flioes, having fix nails placed
round each toe. When the frogs had acquired a confiderable degree of firm-
nefs, I dlre(?ted a bar flioe to be placed in contact with the frog, the preflure
of which caufed the growing frog to expand confiderablj^ This preflure
upon the frog, by the flioe, caufed the heels alfo to expand very much, so
as nearly to make up the deficiency in the foot or heels to the ufual diameter.
When the hoofs were grown down at the heels, and formed a jundlion with
the bars^ the feet appeared nearly as circular as before the contraction took
place. The horfe was turned out to grafs for a few weeks, after that taken up,
and put to work. The regiment being ordered to march to Dorchcfler, in
Dorfetfliire, I was obliged to leave the horfe under the care of Mr. Hulcup,
the Blfliop's fteward, to whom I wrote a few months after to inquire about the
horfe, and to give dire<5flons refpedling the flioelng of him. Mr. Hulcup, in
his anfwer. Informed me, that the horfe had been conftautly at work ever fincc
I left him, but that he thought he was fometlmes a little tender, which I fup-

pofcd

72

pofed might be caufed by the nails being placed too near the quarters, when
he was Ihod, they not being fufficiently grown down to bear a nail ; or that
the quantity of iron, or thicknefs of the ihoe at the heel occafionally gave the
horfe pain ; flill he continued his work without inconvenience. In June,
1798, the regiment received orders to march to Canterbury; on my way, I
called at Mongwell, a feat of the Bifliop's, where I had attended the horfe,
in hopes of feeing him, but unfortunately he was gone to Durham, with the
Bilhop, a journey not lei's than 200 miles (the Bifhop, as I have been informed,
feldom travels lefs than fifty miles a day, when he is on his rout from Mong-
well to Durham), which gives me reafon to fuppofe the horfe was perfectly
found, to be able to perform a journey of that diftance, along with the other horfes.

Case

THIS horfe was the property of the Right Honorable the Earl Cavan,
and proved to be one of the worft cafes of the kind I had feen in my pradlice.
The cartilages were completely ofsified, the bars and frog cut out to the fenfible
laminated fubflance, which had reduced It to about one fourth of its natural
fize. I caufed his Ihocs to be taken off, and the parts, defcribed between the
bars and frogs. Cafe 1 and 2, in upright hoofs, to be pared away, weakened the
heels or quarters with a rafp, and ordered his feet to be kept in water, as in cafe
2, for two or three weeks, only allowing them to be out during the night. The
cartilages being ofsified, I applied the actual cautery, and blifters, which were
repeated about ten days afterwards. As foon as the inflammation had fub-

fided.

73

fided, he was ihod with the long thin heeled fhoe ; at this time his feet were
greatly expanded ; and as far as the growth of the hoof had reached, the frogs
were much more prominent than when I firfl examined them ; the thin-heeled
flioes having permitted them to come in contadl with the ground. I caufed
the horfe to be trotted feveral times backward and forward, upon a piece of
hard road, near the blackfmith's fliop, the coachman being prefent with two
Farriers, who all allowed him to be perfectly found. This was tlic lafl viHt I
had an opportunity of paying him.

Case 4.

THIS horfe belonged to Sir George Cooke, Bart. Wheatly-Hall, York-

fhire, and was a cafe in its incipient ftate ; for as foon as Sir George difcovered

that he was tender on the pavement, he applied to me, to examine his feet, I

found them contra6led, but not fo much as in many other inftances. I had

his Ihoes taken off, and the cruft of the heels pared down to a level with the

frog, which was not fo fmall as I ufually find them. I rafped his heels and

hoofs, at the quarters, for about an inch from the coronet downwards, till I came

at the fenfible parts. I alfo ordered him to ftand in warm water four or five

hours a day, for about a week or ten days, at the expiration of that time he was

turned out to grafs in tips. The bars having been previoufly cut away, the

fhoe had occafioned a corn in one foot, which by prefcrving the bars, leaving

the fpace between them and the crull hollow, the corn was cured. I called

upon

7*

upon Sir George about fix months after, who informed me he had given the
horfe to his fon, who had hunted him in his turn with the other horfes, and
that he was perfedtly found. I examined his feet, and found, from the opera-
tion performed upon them, that they were very much expanded, to the fatis-
faiftion of Sir George.

OBSERVA-

OBSERVATIONS

W*MRM W^dTEM,

I BEG leave to inform my readers, that In the early part of my pradice
in the 11th Regiment of Light Dragoons, I almoft invariably, in cafes of con-
tradlion in the feet, after the operation of thinning the quarters, caufed the horfes
to (land in a tub of clay, reduced to the confidence of thick cream, by adding
water. The water and clay, of courfe, were employed with an intention to
abate the inflammation, then exifting in the feet, as well as to foften and pro-
mote the growth of new hoof. This pradice I purfued for fome time in tire
regiment, not having convenience to get warm water ; I am however, very
well convinced, that cold water and clay not only foften the hoof and promote
its growth, but abate inflammation, yet, by quite a different procefs to that of
warm water. The cold water and clay abate inflammation by their denfity
and fedative powers, and the intenic cold medium to which the parts have
not. been previoufly accuftomed for any length of time, added to their power-
ful repellent properties. This appears to be accompliflied by the cold repellent
power of the water and clay, dimlnifliing the diameter of the blood veflels.

This
T

7^

This procefs of abating inflammation is very flow, compared with that of put-
ting the feet into warm water, which gives a pleafant fenfation to the inflam-
ed part. The beft calculation I have been able to make of the comparative
difference of cold and warm water, in promoting the growth of hoof, and
abating inflammation in tlie feet of horfes is, that the ivarni water not only re-
lieves the inflammation in about one fixth part of the time that the cold water and
clay do, but that the growth of the hoof is about three times as quick, and the
inflammation is abated by the efle6l of infenfible perfpiration. lam fl:rongly
inclined to believe that cold water applied to horfes' feet, in feme cafes, for a
great length of time, proves injurious. It appears to debilitate and benumb
the joints. Cold, to a certain degree, no doubt, a<fts upon weak joints as a
tonic; but an excefs of tliat medium, 1 am perfuaded, produces direct debility.
Uniformity of temperature adapted to the natural heat of the parts, bids faireft
to remove fuch difeafesas appear to have been occafioned by variation of heat.
I. have forn\erly been accuflomed to apply the cold medium, but have fre-
quently obferved, that horfes, after llanding in cold clay and water all day,
upon being taken out, have appeared fo extremely feeble, that they could
fcarcely walk, even upon turf; this was the cafe in a favourite horfe under my
care, of Lord Charles Somerfet's, who after having flood about fix days in foft
clay, grew dally worfc. I therefore ordered his feet to. be put into water,
heated to 106 degrees of Farenheit's thermometer, and foon found a confider-
able improvement in his going; he continued to ftand in water nearly to the
above heat, for five or fix weeks, without any fymptoms of that debility, which
Jiad apparently been occafioned by the clay and cold water. I have frequent-
ly obferved the fame thing hapi>en under fimilar circumftances ; in confequcnce
of which, I recommend warm water, where it can be conveniently procured,
.in preference to clay and cold water. When it is inconvenient to prove ihe

tt m-

77

temperature of the \\'^terby a thermometer, the hand will be found tolerably
convenient, as 3 or 4 degrees will not make any material difference, the hand
not being able to bear more than 110 or 112 degrees, and that heat will not
give any unpleafant fenfatlon to the horfe's foot. Ten degrees below that heat
will not anfwer the defued purpofe ; 4 degrees above it, namely, 116 would
not only make the fenfation unpleafant as a fomentation, but excite evaporation
of the living principle of the hoof, which would lofe its elafticity, and break
when nails were driven into it. Excefsive heat ftimulatcs, and does not de-
bilitate fo much as intenfe cold. Too long an application of moderate cold or
heat produces relaxation and atony, and the parts become reconciled to the
application..

I made the follovAing experiment upon a horfe with an inflamed heel,
the inflammation was the effc<?l of inattention in grooming, and ran very high ;
although the horfe was not lame, I put him into a cold ftablc, and added an
additional fhcet and hood to his otlier cloaths, and a large canvas bag, into
which I put the inflamed leg, and fi^lled it up with fnow,. and although the
fnow was prefTed down very tight, it was all diflblved by the heat of the leg in
about two hours ; I caufed it to be filled again, and it was near three hours in
diflfolving; in the evening I filled it a third time, and left it. In the morning
I took off the bag and examined the heel, and found the inflammation very
much abated. I repeated the fnow again, and it did not diflx)lve under five
hours ; when empty I repeated it until the third day, when there was but little
inflammation remaining; at night I filled the bag as full as I pofsibly could,
tied it up, and left it till the next morning at nine o'clock, being fifteen ho-urs
from the time I filled it, and it then remained nearly half full ; the horfe
cxprefl^ed fome pain in the heel and quarter. The leg was at this time entirely

free

78

free from fvvelling and inflammation, I attributed the pain to the intenfity of
cold, after the inflammation of the leg had fubfided, notwithftanding there
was neither fwelling nor heat. I was determined to carry the experiment of
the efledl of cold ftill further, in order to prove its fedative, debilitating power ;
I filled the bag as before with fnow, which did not melt more than one fourth
during that whole day and night, when I examined him again next morning
he could with great difficulty be moved in the ilall, and was apparently un-
able to bear one pound weight upon the difeafed foot, although not the flightefl
fymptom of inflammation or difeafe could be perceived. The horfe grew
confiderably worfe the laft twelve hours the fnow remained upon his heel.
Being then convinced that the cold a<5led as a direi5l debihtating power, I dif-
continued it, and let the horfe fland all that day in the fame cold flable, with-
out moving him ; I examined him next morning, when he could move from
one fide to the other without exprefsing much pain. I then ordered him into
his own flable, without applying any thing to the leg, at the fame time for-
bidding friction by the hand. The following morning I caufed him to be
taken out of the flable and trotled 20 or 30 yards, which he performed with-
out fhewing any figns of lamenefs. This experiment of the cffed of intenfe cold
is fufficient to prove its debilitating effects, when employed to excefs, and that
removing the horfe into a warmer medium and thereby refloring his leg to its
former flrength and adlivity, indicates that moderate warmth is congenial to
the natural powers of the animal.'

Cold produces its effedts by a diicol operation, always in proportion to its
intenfity, and the length of time it is employed. Cold, and long continued tem-
perate heat, caufe atony and laxity of ilie veflels, and fometimes gangrene.

J Heat

Heat In excefs ftlmulates ; temperate warmth, if not long continued, proves
falutary and refrefhing to the animal fibre, and the nervous functions. But
when a tepid heat is long protradted, it produces Languor, Lafsitude, and

Debility.

CON.

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CONTRACTED FEET.

Case 5-

THIS horfe was the property of John Johnfon, Efq. of Sandtoft, called
Sir Solomon, the celebrated racer ; he was the firft horfe that beat Cockfighter.
About three or four months before he went into training, to run at Newcaftle,
his feet were confiderably contra6ted, his frogs fmall and narrow; but there
was very little inflammation, and the contraction in the incipient ftate. I found
it pra6licable to expand them without weakening the quarters- The portion of
horny cruft at the heels, prefllbd upon the frog, which had excited inflam-
mation, very fimilar to that of the nail growing into the quick of the human
toe. I pared away all that part of the cruft which prefled upon the frog with
a fine drawing knife, which gave the frog room to expand on each fide a full
quarter, of an inch. This being done, I applied the patent artificial frogs upon
the natural frogs, employing juft prelfure fufficientto reduce the frogs in depth
about the tenth of an inch, and caufed the preffurc to be increafed a little every
day, fo regulated as not to excite inflammation in the frog. This practice was
purfued for two or three weeks, t!ie parts between the cruft^ and the heel and

frogs,

81

frogs, being frequently pared away. The heels being greatly expanded, and
the frog hard, I had him fhod with the common long fhoe, bringing the frogs
upon a level with the heels of his ihoes. He became found, and was frequent-
ly galloped, and about two months afterwards was fent to Newcaftle, where he
won the cup; unfortunately, the horfc, after having run at Newcaftle, being
obliged to be fliod by another fmith, who was not acquainted with the bars
and frog, cut them all away, which occafioncd a fecond contraction, much
worfe than the firft. 1 was again fent for, and repeated the operation of cut-
ting out the cruft: which prefled upon the frogs, but the frogs being too tender
to bear the preiTure of the artificial frog, I only expofed them to dry ftraw in
the ftall, and ordered the artificial frogs to be applied when the frogs were
found enough to bear them ; this treatment, the fecond time, removed the con-
tra61:ion, and the horfe recovered from the tendernefs, was again trained, and
won a fecond cup at Newcaftle, and at Nottingham, although Mr. Johnfon
was doubtful, whether be could ever be trained again, I faw him feveral
times after my attending him, and his feet appeared perfe6lly found; after
that I was informed he was fold to Mr. Saville, for One Thoufand Guineas.

Case 6,

THIS was a chefnut mare the property of Thomas Johnfon, Jun.
Efq. Her heels were very much contra<5fed, I think I never witnefled any
worfe in my life. I directed her (hoes to be taken off, and her heels, or the
cruft of the heels, rafped about half an inch from the coronet downwards to

the

S2

the fciifiblc, lamiiiated fiibftaiice. I alio reduced the emit at the bottom nearly
to a level with the remaining fmall portion offrog, which was difeafed, and
a copious fetid matter perpetually dilcharging iVom it. I ordered her to be
kept clean, and expofed to a hard lurface tor icveral days; her legs being
fwelled from very hard work, I recommended firing them, which was com-
plied with, and a few days after turned her out to grals, where Ihe remained
all the fummer. I faw Mr. Johnfon in the winter following, who informed
me that the marc was quite found, and her feet as good as he could wilh them
to be,

Case 7.

THIS was a cafe in the 1 1th Light Dragoons, the horfe was rode by Ser-
jeant Bowfcr, was a t'avourite in the regiment, although an old horfe, and had
been lame half a year. He was kept, hoping that fome opportunity might
offer of turning him out to grafs, by which he might recover. As foon as I
joined the regiment, I was informed of this horfe ; I examined him, found him
very lame, and tender on both his fore feet, which were contradied till the two
heels came nearly in contadt, that is, that there was fcarcely any frog inter-
vening; and that which remained was difeafed; his cartilages were ofsified
and completely inflexible ; I immediately rafped away all that part of the hoof
called the quarters, from the coronet to the bottom of the cruft, pared away
the part which prefled upon the frog, and cut the edge of the cruft as low as
the'horfe could bear, to be able to ftand in foft clay, letting him remain in the
■ i clay

8-3

clay three weeks, I lired his cartilages, and put him into the clay as before, in
which he Hood fix hours, every day, for eight weeks, at which time the
regiment was ordered to march to Hounflow Barracks, whither he travelled
without exprefsing much pain, and was then fhod in the long flioes, with thin
heels, in which he went about 12 weeks, his frogs having defcended nearly
to a level with the cruft at the heels ; and to prevent any future contraction,
I fhod him with tips ; at firft he went a little tender ; but in about a week or ten
days, he became found ; at which time his feet were expanded to nearly their
original diameter, and the horfe was free from all lamenefs or difeafe.

Case 8.

IN fome few inflances, contradlion takes place in one heel only.
Lieutenant Childers' Ilorfe of 1 1th Light Dragoons, was firfl lame, al-
though but flightly, at York, but by the time he arrived at Hounflow, he was
much worfe. Mr. Childers defired I would do fomething for him ; upon
examining him, I found that the contrail ion was in one quarter only, apparently
from improper cutting away the frog more on one fide than the other, giving
liberty for the cruft to prefs upon the portion left ; which was not
fuffioi«ntly ftrong to rcfifl the contraaile power of the horny cruft. The cure
of this lamenefs was extremely fimple and eafy ; with a line drawing knife, I
pared away all that part between the frog and quarter, leaving a fpace fuffi-
cient for the frog to expand about a quarter of an inch ; and repeated the fame
operation ten days afterwards, and ordered the difcafcd frog to be waflied every

day

84

day with a little weak vitriol and water, the horfe was perfeclly found in a
fortnight, and fit for work.

Case

THIS horfe was the property of Lord Charles Somerfet, he having been
under the diredlion of Mr. Meercroft, and fome other Veterinary Surgeons,
for a year, before I faw him, I entertained very feeble hopes of being able to
render him any fervice, and at firft declined making any trial ; but at the
particular wifh of Lord Charles, I proceeded in the following manner: I took
off his fhoes, pared away the part of the heel before difcribed, which prefled
upon the frog, thinned the quarter to the fcnfible part, and put his feet into a
tub of clay, as in the cafe of Serjeant Bowfer's, for about fix days ; but fuppofing
that the cold clay and water weakened his joints, I changed the treatment to
warm water, in which he flood five or fix weeks ; after that, I fired his cartilages
and bliflered them, turned him upon a foft place, in the day time, and took
him up at nights, and repeated the blifler two or three times, but to no purpofe.
I then applied the ftrongefl flimulating embrocations I could think of for
feveral weeks, but finding he continued lame as ever, I applied to Lord
Charles, for leave to deflroy him, who gave me an order fo to do, which was ex-
ecuted ; one foot was fent to the Veterinary College, to be diileifled ; and
the other I difTedted myfelf, and made blood-veffel-preparations of his hind
feet, one of which I fent to Lord Charles : in the foot which was dlfle<5led at the
College was found, an ofslfication of the fenfible laminie, which •was fuppofed

to

85

to be the caufe of his incurable lamenefs, no fuch difeafe exifted in the foot
which I difle6led. I am, however, perfectly fatisfied, from the repeated
diffe^lions I have made on the feet of horfes, fuppofed to be incurably-
lame from contractions, that the inflammation excited by it has terminated in
an ofsification of the laminated fubrtance of the feet, together with the car-
tilages defcribed in the introdu(5lion ; and that the fuccefs of the operations in
which I have been fo generally fortunate, has been owing to the early ftage in
which they were performed ; this is corroborated by my fuccefs in curing at
leaft 150, out of 170 cafes, which have come immediately under my fuper-
intendance within thefe lafl 10 years.

CUTTING.

CUTTING.

THIS is a fubjecl which well deferv€s our attention, independent of the
pain the poor animal endures from the repeated blows he mull unavoidably
receive from the oppofite foot ; and from the great danger his rider incurs,
there is attached' to it, the moft unpleafant fenfations I am acquainted with.
I confefs 1 am fhocked when I think how many centuries have pad over the
heads of fo many thoufands of Farriers, in this kingdom, without the lead im-
provement having been made, (except in a fliort tra6l by Clark), in the art of
Shoeing horfes, till the eftabliflament of the Veterinary College, even not fo
much as to point out a remedy for the moft trifling olifiacle, namely, that of
cutting. Nothing is more fmiple, than that of removing the habit of cutting,
by carefully obferving what pofition a horfe's legs are in, during the a6t. If
fuch a horfe be made to fland upon a board, or any other perfeelly level fur-
face, it will be found, that the horfe does not fland perpendicularly upon his
fetlock joints ; he has acquired a habit of ftanding with the fetlock joints bend-
ing a little in, from having the outfide heel of the Ihoe made thicker and
higher than that on the infide, and a perfeverance in this pradtice mull in-
evitably bend by degrees, the two fetlock joints towards each together. This
mode of fhoeing fometimes produces WTaknefs, particularly in young horfes;

and

87

and thofe that are worked beyond their ftrength, as pofl, and chaife horfes,
which can fcarcely avoid cutting. The fault is generally laid upon the fhoe
on the contrary foot, but if the evil be in the fhoe, it is in that which is on the
foot which is cut, and not that which cuts, and the caufe is either in the infide
heel of the hoof being pared lower down than the outfide, or that the Ihoe
is made thicker on the outfide heel than it is on the infide, both have the fame
effe6l in bringing the joints near together. If a horfe cut with one fool only,
reverfe the mode of fhoeing, which I have flated to be the caufe, and it will
efleftuaily prevent his cutting; ifhecuton both legs, the fame alteration on
both will prevent it. Cutting may be avoided without any alteration in the
fhoe in fome cafes, where a long continued ufe of that plan of flioeing has
not occafioned a habit of flanding with the legs bending towards each other,
by removing three times the quantity of hoof from the outfide heel, that you
do from the infide.

Case 1.

WHEN the regiment was quartered at Doncafler, I had occafion to ride
a hack horfe feveral times. The befl of them are not very fafe, and the one
I had, ufed to flrike one leg againfl: the other, fometimes twenty times in a
mile. I difmounted, examined his feet, and found that he had cut himfelf, both
in the fpeedy cut, and that of the fetlock joints, till the blood had ran down to
the hoof. When I returned, I inquired of the owner if this horfe would run
in harnefs ? to which he replied, there never was a better. I alfo afked if he

would

88

would fell him ? he informed me he had no obje6tion to fell him, as It was a.
general complaint that he cut himfelf fo dreadfully, that he appeared every
minute in danger of throwing hlmfclf down. I hired him the next day, and
drove him to Sheffield, and he performed the journey remarkably well ; and
as he was to be fold, and, according to my judgment, for about two thirds of
his value, I bought him; and finding his Ihoes much thicker on the outfide
than the infide heel, 1 had them taken off, and reverfed the thicknefs of the
two heels of the fhoes, and at the fame time removed much more of the cruft
from the outfide than I did from the infide heel. This practice entirely pre-
vented the fpeedy cut, but not the cutting of the fetlock joint. It not being
proper to pare away any more hoof from the heel of the outfide, I had the heel
of the flioe made ftlll thinner, reducing it to the thicknefs of a fliilling,- yet
this did not radically cure his cutting; the joints appeared to me to be a little
deformed, Infomuch, that I began to be doubtful 1 Ihould not be able to pre-
vent the cutting; I however was determined to carry the experiment to an
extreme. I again had the flioes taken off, caufed the infide heel to be made
about the tenth of an Inch thicker, and cut the outfide heel of the flioe two
inches and a half ihorter than the infide, fo that the outfide heel of the cruft
for two inches and a half with the fole and bars, were all expofed to the ground.
I travelled him from Doncafter to London, in thefe fhoes, without perceiving
he had cut once ; he went in the fame fort of thoes fix or feven months, with-
out cutting, and when the common fhoes were put on, he went as well in
them, as if he had never cut in his life.

All the Farriers were aftonlfhed at the experiment I was making,
and thought I fiiould lame the horfe, recommending at the fame time to

reverfe

89

reverfe the plan of flioeing, and make tlie inficle fliort inftead of the outfide,
which would have made the evil ten times worfe. This treatment I am con-
vinced from repeated trials, will prevent any horfe from cutting.

GRIPES.

MMi ia«Lit^iLiii(iiMuj|iLtnTiTin' ww»a ■rinp't '■giMgg'JWJiw >>iMi iLwaBtuimim mHmtnunxmmmm

GRIPES.

WE learn from medical and pliilofophical refearclies^ that fpafm, local
or general, commonly arifes from debility, and is ufually brought on from de-
ficient ftimulus, whether that be the bcniimbing effeds of cold, want of food,
or too much, or too little exercife. Cold water taken into the ftomach when
the animal is heated by exercife, is the common caufe of fpafm in the ftomach
and inteftines ofhorfes, conftringing the minute blood veflelsof the parts affe6led,
and fuddenly checking the perfpiration, &c. Too long retention of the excre-
ments alfo impedes the periftaltic motion in the guts, and excruciatmg pain
appears to arife from over dirtenfion, caufed by diminilhed a<5tion in the parts
afte6led, which is clearly manife6led by the difcafe yeilding to the operation
of cathartic ftimulants. That the mod rigid contraclion of mufcular, or other
parts, producing fpafm, &c. as in a locked jaw, is the confequencc of dire6l
debility, is well fubilantiated by its not yeilding to the debilitating plan of cure,
fuch as bleeding, purging, and the like; but in moft fuch cafes, or in ninety
nine out of an hundred, the cure is performed by ftimulants. In the incipient
ftate of the gripes, I conceive, from its moft common caufe, namely, that of
drinkine cold water when the horfe is over heated, there is feldom reafon to
fufpec^ inflammation, in which cafe, a ftimulus may be with fafcty employed,

and

91

and that kind of ftimulus which I have found the moil efficacious is oil of
turpentine, in the quantity of about two or three ounces in a pint of warna
water, or oatmeal gruel ; and it may be repeated every four hours afterwards, if re-
quired, till the fymptoms abate. Next to this approved antifpafmodic, which
fo feldom fails in gripes, when unattended by inflammation in the bowels,
when tlic fymptoms remain any length of time, and denounce an unfavorable
termination; two drams of extraft of opium diffolved in a pint of warm water,
and repeated every four hours, will be found a much better medicine. Large
glifters of warm water, fyrup of buckthorn and foap, with or without a hand-
ful of fait, fhould be frequently inje(5led up the rc6tum ; firft raking the horfe
with a fmall hand, as far as two feet into the inteftines, which is often of great
life ; in fome few inftances warm fomentations externally over the whole body,
have been found ferviceable. If the fymptoms do not abate in twenty-four
hours, inflammation of the ftomach or inteftines is to be apprehended, in which
cafe the pulfe will be found to be more frequent than ufual, and the fize of
the artery diminiihed. His eyes will be fixed, his mouth fenfibly colder, his
extremities intenfely cold and feeble, his ears damp, and he refufes food. Un-
der thefe circumftances, I have ufually difcontinued all internal medicines,
for a time, and have had recourfe to external applications, fuch as very power-
ful bliflers on the fides, with two or three rowels, placed in different parts of
the body, where mofl pain was fuppoled to be feated ; the rowels firft well
wetted with oil of turpentine, or in its flead, a liquid blifter ; if that produce no
inflammation orfwelling in about three hours, they fliould be taken out and
immerfed afrcfh in liquid blifler, made boiling hot. If external inflammation
cannot be raifed by this treatment, and the fymptoms continue, more violent
meafures must be employed, or the horfe will inevitably be lofl. The lall
refource is the aiflual cautery, in which I have frequently had fuccefs, even as

i

92

it were almoft in the expiring hour. Copious bleeding when inflammation of
the inteftines has taken place, will alfo fometimes remove it, and ought to be
tried ; yet it often fails ; mild purgatives are alfo indicated. If a high degree
of external inflammation be excited by the rowels, allfymptoms of inflamma-
tion in the inteftines will ceafe in about 24 hours ; that is, the legs will reco-
ver their ufual temperature, the horfe will become more vigorous, he will fre-
quently fliake himfelf, and rub his head and neck againft the manger, his
mouth will be warm, ears warm and dry, and a defire for drink will return, which
are f;ivourable fymptoms; his firft beveragd after he is recovered, Ihould be
light and mucilaginous, linefeed tea fweetened with honey ; or good oatmeal
gruel, to fix or eight quarts a day, and which ihould be continued for two
entire days, along with warm bran mafhes ; one of the rowels fhould be left
in three or four days after the fymptoms of inflammation have abated. If they
all remain in too long, they will occafion dropfical fwellings in the legs, and
fometimes in the belly, leaving the whole fyftera in a ftate of direct debility.

Case 1.

THIS was a cafe of fpafm in the inteftines, in a liorfe belonging to
Lieutenant Grantham, of the 11th Light Dragoons, the fymptoms were, fre-
quent lying down and rifmg up fuddenly, the horfe endeavouring to lie upon
his back by fupporting his legs against the fides of the ftall, looking back, and
-putting hisTiofe to the parts in pain, as if to excite your afsiftance ; lofs of ap-
petite, and flight fever ; he was fuppofed to have been taken ill about 12

o'clock

o'clock at night, being heard by the men who flept over the ftable. I gave
him two ounces of oil of turpentine, in a pint of warm water, caufed him to
be rowelled with one rowel only, as a preventive against internal inflammation ;
had him raked, and a glirter inje(?led of warm water with a handful of fait in it ;
thehorfe getting but little better, I repeated the turpentine in about four hours
from the firft dofe ; he ftill remained uneafy, till about f) o'clock in the evening,
when I gave him forty grains of opium, diflblved in a pint of hot water; at
feven he was much better, and at nine he eat a warm madi, and drank fome
tepid water, to which a little bran had been added to foften it ; I concluded
all danger was pafl:, but defired the fervant to inform me early in the morning,
if he perceived any of the fymptoms which had appeared in the day. The man
informed me next morning about eight, that he did not quit the liable till two
hours after I had left it the preceding evening; why he ftaid I cannot inform
you, but he faid he found the horfe much worfe, and applied to one of the
Farriers to go to him ; upon inquiry, 1 found that they had repeated the dofes
of turpentine feveral times before morning ; as foon as I was informed of this,
I went down and found him much worfe than he had been the day before,
with all the fymptoms of an inflammation in the inteftines. I took about two
quarts of blood from his neck, had him fomented, by three men, about his
body, with hot fomentations, for one hour ; caufed the body to be rubbed per-
fe<5lly dry with linen cloths, covered him with blankets, and placed two more
rowels in his belly, in a triangle from the firfl. They had no clfe(5l, the horfe
got worfe every hour ; being at that moment ordered to go and fee a horfe
then taken with the flaggers, at grafs, I left him, and ordered all the rowels to
be taken out and put into boiling hot bliftering ointment for five minutes, and
put in again, however this was negleded, and when I returned about four

hours

94f

hours after, he was then m his dying ilruggles, I beg leave to remark that
three cafes very finiilar to this, have occured in tlie 1 1th Light Dragoons, (ince
I have had the honour to be appointed to it, and every horfe recovered, though
one of them was much worfe than Mr. Grantham's was, when I left him;
but in thofe fuccefsful cafes, after I had taken out three rowels, and put
them into boiling bliftering ointment, and applied them again, they did
not excite the leafl degree of Inflammation. I clipped off the hair,
about 18 inches fquare, and applied a hot iron, making eighteen lines the
length of the part clipped, and Immediately bliflered it, which raifed a very
hish inflammation in about four hours. As the external inflammation in-
creafed, the fymptoms of the internal, decreafed ; and the horfe recovered in
four days from the time of the a6lual cautery being applied. The other two
cafes were treated in every refpe6t in the fame manner as this, (the actual cau-
tery excepted, and both recovered. I do really believe that Mr. Grantham's
horfe was loft through noncompliance with my directions. Another cafe,
fimilar in fymptoms, happened to a horfe ofCapt. Furfdon's troop, in the lith
Light dragoons, during the campaign at Winfield, he Ihewed every fymptom
of the most violent gripes or fpafms, in the inteftines ; the fame method fpecified
in the cafe of Mr. Grantham's horfe, and the other three cafes, (firing ex-
cepted) were employed, without affording any relief to the animal. Early on
the third morning the horfe was heard to whinny, an inftance I never heard
of before or fince, it appeared fo extraordinary to the man who attended him,
that he came for me about five o'clock in the morning to inform me. I got
up immediately, and went to the horfe, he exprefled no material pain except
at long intervals, and that was by whinnying, and then gave a jump as far as
■he could leap in the barn. Upon inquiry I found that he got out of the barn
in the night, and had been all over the man's garden, adjoining the barn, and

had

05

been making the fame whinnying noife aimoll: all night. His pulfe was a little
more frequent, and fmall ; but not fo much fo as to indicate any thing ferious.
In attempting to put my finger into his mouth, I found his jaw locked, and
not having been able to obtain a pafliige through liis body, I was then doubtful
about his recovery, and as I had foretold, fo it happened, in about two hours
after he died. 1 Immediately opened the body and found the duodenum, firft
intefline from the ftomach, thruft fairly into the jejunum or fecond gut, fimi-
milar to a man's putting his hand into his flocking and drawing the foot into
the leg of it. The foot reprefenting the duodenum, and ti^e leg defcribing
the jejunum. Mortification had taken place in the duodenum, extending to
the ftomach. The jejunum was nearly in the fame ftate. Tlie duodenum
contamed a flone with a very irregular furface, weighing nine drams and a
half. This difeafe is called, Intufufception*

GRIPES;
A a

GRIPES;

IJ¥F]L^MM*ATIOJV IJ¥ THE IJVTESTIJVMS,

Case 2.

THIShorfe was the property of Harry Wormald, Efq. of Leeds, York-
fliirc. "When I was called in, I found him in the moft extreme pain, frequently
laying down, throwing himfelf upon his back, and fuddenly ftarting up, ftrik-
ing his belly with his feet, looking back and touching his flank with his nofc,
his ears were of a cold damp fweat, his pulfe rather quick and foft. I imme-
diately took two quarts of blood from his neck, and gave him one of my bottles
of Antifpafmodic Balfam, which I have often found fuccefsful ; cloathed him up
warm, and left him about an hour, when I paid him a fecond vifit, and found
him quite compofed ; but with fome remaining fymptoras of gripes, or flight
pains in the inteftines. I gave him a gliflcr of warm gruel (previoufly raking
him w^ell), in which I difiblved a handful of common fait ; I flood by him
half an hour, during that time there appeared to be a return of increafed fen-
fibili(y, he threw himfelf down, and exprefl'ed figns of greater pain than
before. I gave him another botde of the Balfam as above, in a pint of warm
gruel, in which halfadramof purified opium had been diffolved. I alfo re-
peated

97

peated the gllfter with two drams of opium, which appeared to compofe him
for another hour or two, when the fymptoms again recurred, with flight fliiver-
ing and alternate heat, cold extremities, ears damp and cold ; and having had
only fmali evacuations, and thofe chiefly forced by the glider, I began to
fufpe(5l there was fome obftruclion in the inteftines, which had occafioned
inflammation, and thought it fafer to difcontinue the Antifpafmodic plan of
cure; and repeat the bleeding, which I did, to two quarts more ; and caufed
the whole of the body to be fomented with blankets, wrung out of hot water,
and applied as hot as they could be, by three or four men, for feveral hours
together, and gave him a pint and a half of Caftor Oil, in a pint of warm water.
During the application of the fomentation, the horfc appeared to be perfe6tly
at eafe, but as foon as it was difcontinucd, he exprefled as much pain as ever,
confequently I caufed the fomentation to be repeated, during moft of the night,
and the next morning the fymptoms appeared to be much more alarming than
ever. I then repeated the dofe of Caftor Oil, caufed the hair to be clipped off
the belly, as broad as a fmall pocket handkerchief on each fide, and a ftrong
blifter rubbed in by two men for an hour ; and by way of increafing the
ftimulus of the blifter, and to excite immediate inflammation in the parts, I
fcorched them with a hot falamander, the whole time the men were rubbing
in the ointment. The iirft application of blifter fecmed to have but little
effect, confequently I repeated it about four hours afterwards, and gave him
another pint and a half of Caftor Oil, from which I obtained a paffage of fmall
lumps of hard ill-digefled foeces. The fccond blifter raifed fome degs'ce of
inflammation, but not fufticlent to counteract the inflammation of the inteftines ;
therefore I repeated it, at the expiration of three hours, which excited a won-
derful degree of inflammation, nearly all over the whole abdomen ; the fwel-
ling of the mufcles and fkin were increafed at leaft two inches and a half in

thick-

98

tlilckncfs, which appeared to the fpeftators much more alarmuig than the
internal inflammation, which it was intended to counteract ; from that time
every fymptom of pain ceafed ; but the paflage, not being fo open as I could
have wifhed, I gave him another pint of Caflor Oil, in a pint of moderately hot
gruel, and fucceeded in obtaining a free difcharge by ftool ; the ufual tem-
perature was foon reftored to his extremities, with the help of hard hand rub-
bing ; and as corn, and his ufual food were improper to be given him in a ftate
of convalefcence, T ordered him good thick gruel, in which one ounce of
Gum Arabic was diffolved in every four quarts, the next day he ate a mafh of
well fcalded oats and bran ; and was reftored to perfedl health in ten days from
the firft attack of the djfeafe.

Case 3.

ABOUT a month afterwards I was fent for to attend a horfe of Thomas
Lee, Efq. of Woodhoufe-Lane, when I found every fymptom correfponding
with thofe in the laft cafe. The treatment was cxa6lly the fame, the fymp-
toms gradually incrcafed, and became equally as dangerous; Caftor Oil was given,
and the blilters repeatedly applied, and I am proud to fay, with equal fuccefs,
Mr. Lee particularly requefted this cafe might be inferted in the prefent work.

Another cafe of inflammation in the inteftlnes, occured in my praft ice
about eight months afterwards, in a horfe belonging to Henry Entvvlftle, Efq.
of Leeds. I was called in about feven o'clock in the morning, and found the

fymp-

99

fymptoms to be much more alarming than either of the former, and notvvith-
ftandlng the fame treatment was purfued as above, not being able to excite ex-
ternal inflammation, the horfe died about three o'clock in the afternoon of the
fame day. I afterwards opened him, and found about a yard of jejunum, or
fecond inteftine from the flomach, in a ftatc of mortilicatiou ; this horfe was
feen on the preceding evening, in the tield, apparently in perfe6l health.

It may not be improper to remark, that mofl of the cafes of colic, and
inflammation in the bowels, happen to thofe horfes that are high fed with
Oates and Beans, and that are only exerclfed occafionally, inltead of being
ufed daily, in proportion to the quantity of rich food they confume. Dry
meat, and confinement in the ftable, render the bowels coflive ; and I would
recommend to gentlemen who have not conflant employment for their horfes,
to allow them two large maflies of coarfe bran, at leaft twice a week, with corn,
at intervals ; this will keep the bowels moderately open, and the horfe in pro-
per condition for exercife on the road. For horfes that are hunted hard three
times a week, the bran may be Icfs neccffary.

LAMK-
B b

LAMENESS IN THE FEET.

From accidental caufes, fuch as picking up nails, &c. on the roads, pricking
in (hoeing, and cafual cuts upon the coronet.

Symptoms of a Horse being pricked in Shoeing.

IF a horfe be pricked in one or both his fore feet, and the nail which
pricks him be placed towards the toe, he will ftand with his foot as far pointed
forwards as he can, for this pofition throws the weight upon the heel and re-
lieves the toe. If he be pricked near the heel, he will endeavour to bring his
leg as much under him as pofsible, in order to throw his weight upon the toe :
He is very reftlefs, and feldom flands ftill long together. If he has been fliod
any length of time (i.e.) fix or eight hours, inflammation will point out the
part injured. I have feen many inilances of the blood following the nail, when
withdrawn. If a horfe be pricked in tlie hind foot, except the nail has injured
the part very much, you will fcarcely perceive him lame while he is {landing
in the ftall, unlefs you turn him about in it, and that upon the bare ftones, but
when he is taken out, he is as lame as if the accident had happened to the fore-
foot.

101

foot. Accidents happening from nails, or broken glafs picked up on the road,
and pun6luring through the fole or frog, produce fymptoms quite different, in
as much as the horfe (if in the fore foot) feldom puts his foot to the ground, when
ftanding in the ftable, but generally lets the toe fall gently upon the ground,
bending his knee, and hanging the point of that flioulder lower than the point
of the other ftioulder ; violent inflammation fucceeds in proportion to the pain,
the animal lofes his appetite, and a fymptomatic fever generally comes on, fee the
Cafe of Mr. Smith's coach horfe, page 105 ; there are fome few inflances of
the cofifin bone being fradtured by a pundlure of a flint ftone, or piece of glafs.
I was witnefs to one during my attendance at the Veterinary College, the horfe
was the property of Mr. Jefop, an attorney at Waltham-Abbey, and was a cafe
of mine at the College, in which I had to take away a portion of folc, fufficient
to extradl a piece of detached bone as broad as a fliilling, and the horfe reco-
vered. This being thought an excellent cure, Mr. Coleman received a letter
from Mr. Jefop, returning thanks to the College, for the recovery of fo valua-
ble an animal.

Lamencfs from being pricked in flioeing Is to be difcrimlnated by
its growing woife by reft, when moll other kinds of lamenefs grow better.
If the cure be not removed, the animal will get worfe every day ; If It be occa-
floned by fprains, or the like, reft will frequently recover him. If the nail be
driven far.into the fenfible parts of the foot, the inflammation will increafe ra-
pidly, and upon withdrawing the offending nail, and applying it, the moment
it is drawn, to the back of your hand, a temperature exceeding that of the
healthy foot will be felt. This is the moft certain criterion by which you may
be able to obtain the caufe of the lamenefs ; prcflure from the flvoe lipon the
iole, will produce lamenefs very fimilar to that arlfing from being pricked, but

is

102

readily diftinguiflied, as but little inflammation attends the foot; and on with-
drawing the nails, there will be found no preternatural heat in them ; if the
flioe has been put on a few days, and the preflTure be great, the fhoe will be
worn bright upon the part where it prefled upon the fole, and by removing
the preffure, the horfe will be immediately found, unlefs it has-been fo long
continued, as to have produced general inflammation in the foot, or that the
inflammation has terminated in fome other difeafe, fuch as abfcefs, which it
frequently docs if negled;ed. Preffure on the feat of corns produces the fame
fymptoms, and the inflammation frequently terminates in the fame manner ;
the treatment of one holds good in refpeil to the other. Cafes of this kind,
which have come under my care, are very numerous, probably exceeding five
hundred. In the incipient ftate, the treatment neceflary is fimple and eafy,
and that which I have purfued has been always fuccefsful, and is as follows :

VVhen the lamenefs arifes from a prick in the foot, as foon as the nail is
withdrawn, or the flioe taken off, when from preflure upon the fole, let the
foot be put into warm water, as in cafes of inflammation from contra6led heels,
let the limb remain in it for an hour together, feveral times a day; a horfe al-
moft invariably recovers, from lamenefs proceeding from preflure of the ihoe
upon the fole, in two days, and frequently in one hour; fimply removing
the flioe, and leaving the fole free from preffure, the effe(5t will ceafe,
and the horfe be found immediately. Cafes of lamenefs from being pricked in
flioeing, generally require the fomentation to be continued much longer than
in the before-mentioned cafe ; and that great care thould be taken not to place
another nail in or near the fame hole, from whence the nail was withdrawn
that caufed the injury. Lamenefs occafioned by punfture of flint ftones and
broken glafs is generally of very ferious confequence, it makes great imprefsion
on the fenlible contents of the hoof, fuch as the blood veflels, fenfible fole, and

the

103

tlie tendon of the flexor mufcle at its infertlon into the inferior concave lurface
of the coffin bone. Cafes of this kind are of very great importance to be well
underftood, and that the common treatment amongfi: Farriers fliould be avert-
ed ; which is generally that of putting into the incifion a quantity of boiling
hot Turpentine, Tar, &c. and if the horfe fhould not recover in a few days,
Vitriolic Acid, and Spirits of Salt are frequently forced to the bottom of the
wound. Perhaps no difeafe or accident befalling the human fubjc6l is fo
immediately analogous to that of a puncture into the fole of a horfe's foot, as
the prick of a pin, or any intlrument, under the nail of the finger, and what
man would immediately fill the wound full of Spirits of Turpentine, Vitriolic
Acid, Spirit of Salt, and the like ? the Farrier who had been cruel enough to
torment the defcncelefs animal, would fliudder at the idea of a drop of any of
the above articles being introduced into his own finger; inflammation in-
creafed by fucb rafla practice, feldom terminates without the deftruflion of
fome very important parts under the fole, and as foon as the natural texture of
the parts is deflroyed, they a6l as extraneous bodies, and mufl be brought away,
or elfe the difunited parts will never adhere.

A particle of foreign matter being lodged, even half the fize of a pin's
head, in any part of the fenfible frog, would occafion lamenefs, there not be-
ing a vacuum in the whole internal hoof, large enough to contain the fmalleft
atom, without Irritating the fenfible parts ; therefore, I fay, that every particle
of inanimate or extraneous matter lodged in any part of the fenfible foot, muft
be brought away before the horfe can get found, and if the furgeon has not
fliill enough to extra6l it, nature will moll: probably perform the operation her-
felf; if not, flie mufl labour under the painful etTe6ls through life. Small gravel,
or fand, is frequently known to have worked its way from a nail hole at the

toe
c c

104

(oe to tlie coronet, detaching the fenfible from the infenfible laminae, forming
an abfcefs, called a quittor. Had the pra6litioner extrafted or prevented thefe
fmall particles from taking that courfe, that long procefs, and painful difeafe,
might have been obviated. Men entirely unacquainted with the rtru6lure,
ceconomy, and mechanifm of the foot, cannot poflefs ability to perform an
operation upon fo nice and delicate a part as the quick or fenfible portion of
a horfe's foot. The necefsity of this operation, nine times out of ten, may be
avoided by obferving the following plan, which has never failed but in one
cafe out of feventy, fince I have been in the 11th Light Dragoons, and that
was in confequence of the negleft of a fervant in not complying with my di-
redions, in which cafe the wound was filled up with Turpentine and Tar, and
fet on fire in the hole, leaving the gravel behind, until it inflamed the foot, and
made its way to the coronet, where it formed an abfcefs, deftroyed the horny
coronory ring at lead one inch and a half, and left a confiderable blemifli.

OF

OF A PRICK IN THE FOOT

td JLOjVG JV.4IL,.

Case 1.

THIS horfe was the property of J. W. Smill), Efq. eldeft fon of Sir John
Smith, Bart, near Dorchefter, in Dofetlhire, which in running loofe in a field
where a carpenter had left fome largd nails, he picked np one of a confiderable
length, which punftured the fole about a quarter of an inch from the point
of the frog, and took its direction to the heel by tlie fide of the tendon of the
flexor mufcle of the leg; it had gone in that dire(5lion more than two inches,
and was extrafted with the greatcfi: difiliculty, and pain to the animal ; finding
that notwithftanding perpetual fomentation both night and day for feveral days,
the inflammation increafed, I was obliged to have recourfe to ftrong phyfic
and bleeding ; at the fame time, the artery, which was wounded by the nail,
frequently bled copioufly. The thigh, and even to tiie middle of his belly, was
violently inflamed and fwelled, together with the perineum, and part of the

ot!)cr

lOff

other thigh, his fcrotum was at leaft five times its original fize. 1 caufed all
the fwellcd parts to be fomented, and gentle iVidion to be applied to the
fcrotum and flank, and gave two dofcs of a gentle diuretic, the firft day of their
fvvelling. The next morning a great part of the fwelling in the flank and
fcrotum was abated ; but the horfe exprefled much more pain than he ever had
done before, the foot and leg were confidcrably more inflamed than ever, and
fymptoms of violent fpafms frequently attacked his hind leg, with alternate pro-
fufe hot and cold fvveats ; fymptoms of approaching locked jaw appeared,
which frequently follows accidents of this kind. I immediately gave him two
ounces of Spirit of Hartfliorn, in a pint of warm water, in which two Drams of
purified Opium had been diffolved. I waited lix hours, when flight fymptoms
of the Ihivering fit appeared, I repeated the above, and gave fifty grains of
James' Powder, and fifty grains of Camphire in a pill, and in about an hourafter,
drenched with a few pints of water gruel made warm; no return of the fhiver-
ing or fpafmodic affe6\ion appeared ; I continued the fomentation of the foot
tin night, then had a large poultice put upon it. I vifited him again the next
morning, and found no fymptoms of fliivering or fpafm, although the horfe was
fo extremely irritable, that he could fcarcely bear me to put my hand upon his
leg. The growth of frog in the difeafed foot far furpafled all the cafes I ever
faw, although reduced only two or three days before as low as it could be with-
out touching the fcnfible frog, and projeded far beyond the level of the heel,
attended by the mofl: violent inflammation I ever beheld. I immediately
reduced the fupcrfluous frog, in doing which, as foon as I had taken oft' the
thicknefs of a fliilling, the blood from the whole furface flew out from the very
fmall blood veflcls with great impetuofity. I confefs I was very much afl:onifli-
cd to fee fo prominent a frog bleed from fimply cutting away the outfide fur-
face.

107

face, and, after a moment, I found it to be all fenfible frog, the infenfible ap-
parently floughed off from being in warm water.

The local and violent inflammation indicated a necefslty of takhig away
fome blood from the part, which induced me to fuffcr it to bleed to about a
quart, when, by way of flopping the blood, I waflied the furface with fome
ftrong fait and water. The blood ilopt, and after an hour or two I fomented
as before, and applied a poultice at night. I vifited him again next morning,
and found the frog full as large as 1 had done the morning before, and turned
black, and what was before very fenfible, had become almoft infenfible, the
fkin of the heel changing to a dirty yellow; the horfe being apparently free
from pain, and had began to feed ; I thereupon entertained a fear that he had
nearly fed his laft, as the above are the mofb^ alarming figns of mortification ;
in faft, mortification had adlually taken place in the external part of the frog.
I immediately diffecled away all that part Which was black, upon which the
effufion of blood was as great as it had been before, and it was with much
difficulty I llopped it; at the fame time dreading an unfavourable termination of
the mortification, I immediately had recourfe to the Bark, of which I gave eight
ounces that day, and twelve ounces the two following days, accompanied by
two drams of Opium every twenty four hours, when the inflammation and
gangrene of the frog, and whole foot, were very much abated, and a thin white
matter appeared. I continued giving the Bark two or three days longer, the
matter at the fame time becoming thicker, and more healthy ; and by frequently
pafsinga tent wetted with Tinfturc of Aloes, into the ulcer, healthy granulations
Avere promoted in the part, and, in one month, the horfe was found.

Case

Dd

108

Case 2.

THIS Horfe was a charger, and the property of Colonel Lyon, of the
1 1th Light Dragoons, who was pricked in fhoeing; violent inflammation fud-
denly came on, the horfe was not able to put his foot upon the ground. As
foon as I was called in, I caufed the flioe to be taken off, and found the offend-
ing nail very warm, which led me to determine the treatment neceflary to re-
move it. I dirc6lcd his foot to be put into warm water, for half an hour, of
fuch a heat as I could eafily bear to keep my hand in, and repeated it two or
three times that day ; the next morning, had him taken out of the flable, and
found him much better than he was the day before. I notwithflanding
defired the water might be repeated, till further orders, which being complied
with, the third day he was found, and could bear his flioe ; he was pricked on
the 6th of February, 1798, and on the 20th of March he was again lamed
from fhoeing, was not pricked, but the toe being pared too near to the fenfible
fole, and the fhoe laid flat upon it, he became lame. Colonel Lyon fuppofed
the horfe was again pricked, but upon examination, I found he was lame from
the preffure of the fiioe upon the fole. I had It taken off as before, and to pre-
vent inflammation, I caufed his foot to be put into a pail of warm water, re-
peating it two or three times that day, and the next morning had his iTioe level-
led well out from the part which prefled upon the fole, and put on again, and
the horfe remained found.

SYMP-

.>^

SYMPTOMS OF LAMENESS.

A HORSE having liis toes cut too flioit, if it be on the fore feet, he will
endeavour to fland as much as pofslble upon his heels, bringing his toes almoft
perpendicular with his nofe. This pofition takes off a great portion of the
weight of the fore quarters from the toes, and throws it upon the heels. If the
toes of the hind feet are cut too Ihort, then the horfe ftands with his hind feet
advanced forwards, and his fore feet drawn back, which altitude brings the
weight of the body upon the fore feet, and heels of the hind feet; the above
attitudes are fure criterions of lamenefs in the toes, let the caufe be what it may.

In walking or trotting, if he be lame in the fore feet, he will throw his
fore feet farther forward than ufual, in order to bring his heels in contact with
the ground, and limp when he brings his hind feet after him. If his lame-
nefs be in the hind feet, he will make long flops with them, and very fliort
ones with his fore feet, in order to throw the weight upon the fore feet, and
bring the frogs of the hind feet in contact with the ground, to take off the
weight from the injured toe.

Ciii-i

110

Case 3.

OF a horfe pricked in the foot with a nail, (picked up by accident)
fimilar to that of Mr. Smith's horfe. TJiis horfe was the properly of Mr. Read,
Merchant in Leeds, Yorklhire. Upon my being called in I found the horfe
io lame, that when I requetled the Farrier who attended him, and who
was prefent at the time, to lead him out of the ftable, he told me that it was
Impofsible to get him out. I inquired of him if he had any knowledge of the
caufe of the lamenefs, he replied, he had exerted every nerve to difcover it, but
was unable. I immediately put my hand upon the hind foot, and without
hefitation pronounced the lamenefs to be there ; he declared it was not in the
foot, for he had fhod him fmce he was lame, and had examined his foot, and
thought it might be in the fetlock joint. He was (hod with a bar (hoe upon
the lame foot, which I ordered to be taken off, which being done, I examine^
the frog and found it had been pun6lurcd by feme (harp inftrument, into
which I introduced a probe, and dilating the hole, and applying a little
prefllire with my finger upon the frog, as much as a table fpoonful of matter
efcaped, which convinced the Farrier of his error. Finding there (till remained
very high inflammation, I ordered his foot to be kept in warm water, as in cafe
2, for three days, by which time I thouglit I (hoiild have an opportunity of
paying him another vifit, when I found him able to put his foot to the ground
with the whole weight of his quarter. I again examined the (late of the
abfcefs, and obferved the matter which was formed, was of a very healthy
quality, and that little inflammation remained in the foot. 1 difcontinued the
warm water, vvalhcd tlic wound well, and dropt a few drops of Goulard's Ex-
trad,

Ill

traft, by way of drying, into the aperture, and filled it up with tow, to keep
out the dirt ; this being done for a few days, the horfe was perfectly found.
It may not be improper to remind my readers, that warm water becomes in-
jurious to parts divided by cutting inflruments, or by abfcefs, after the violence
of inflammation has fubfided, in as much as it prevents and checks the pro-
grefs of Granulation, which is the bond of union in all divided animal folids.
Therefore a proportion of inflammation, in the oflSce of granulation, fliould
be encouraged, and if deficient, flimulated by Tin(5lures; but in fome
few inflances Spirituous Tindlures are not powerful enough to perform that
office, and particularly in cafes of broken knees, and openings into joints
fubjedl to motion, which prevents union of parts. In cafes of this kind we
are obliged to fear the lips of the divided parts with a hot iron, in order to
aroufe the circulation in the torpid vefl'els, and induce them to depofite their
lymph, and thereby promote the union and formation of new parts, and
fill up the vacuity occafioned by the difeafe, or accident.

Case 4,

OF a horfe pricked by a nail, by accidentally pulling off the flioe in hunt-
ing, when one of the nails entered the fenfible folc, near the edge of the cruth
This horfe was the property of Colonel Lloyd, near Leeds, Yorkflfire. As
foon as the horfe returned home after this unfortunate accident, the groom
immediately wafhed the wound very properly, and with a drawing knife pared
the furrounding fole away, where the nail had gone in ; filled the hole full

of

E e

112

of Turpentine, fet on fire, which being burnt out, he filled it a fecond time, and
burnt it as before. I was fent for about three days after the accident hap-
pened, when I found tiie foot confiderably inflamed ; and entertaining a doubt
that fome hiiall gravel or fand had worked into the wound, I dilated it, in
order to be able to extract it, or give it liberty to come away when the horfe
flood in warm water, which I ordered he fliould do for two or three days, at
which time I vifited him, and found the inflammation had completely fubfided,
and that a thin ichorous matter was difcharged, and fymptoms of debility ap-
peared in the veffels of the part, which I Simulated by applying a few drops
ofTindure of Myrrh and Aloes, twice a day; I was informed in about four
days after, that frefli matter had efcaped from one fide of the opening, which
induced the groom to dilate the hole ftill more, fuppofing there might be fand
or gravel remaining between the fenfible and infenfible fole. I continued the
application of Tindlure as before — I viflted the horfe in about a week, when I
found the granulations had been too luxuriant, forming fenfible fole in form of
fungus, parallel with the infenfible fole. A cauflic not being a very fafe ap-
plication to be intrufted in the hands of people unacquainted with its powers,
and as I could not vifit the horfe again, being about to leave the country, I
advifcd fome dry lint or fine tow to be applied to it, with flight preflure ; being
the moft likely application to produce a dry furface, for infenfible fole to form
upon. If the granulation or fungus had projecfted above the level with the
fole, I fliould have ordered a weak folution of blue Vitriol to wafli it with,
once or twice a day, until the fuperfluous granulations had been defl:royed,
and then applied the dry liut or tow as above ; but gentle preflure is much
preferable to cauilic, in thefe cafes, as the latter is apt to a6l too violently
upon the very delicate blood vefl'els, while the former will leave the granula-
tions more compact and dry. I query whether the warm water might not

have

113

have been continued too long in this cafe, producing debility in tlie blood
vefiels, and diminution of parts, rendering Tindlure necelTary to ftimulate frefli
or new parts. As fomentation and Tinctures have diametrically oppofite
effeds, they fliould be employed vvilli great caution, as too liberal an ufe of one
may render the other neccflary ; and fo alternately, as to prevent union ever
taking place between the fenfible and infcnfible fole, between divided ikin at
the knee, or any other mufcular part of the body.

Inflammation in the feet is called, by moft people, fever In the feet;
but I confefs that I am not acquainted with any difeafe incident to the feet of
horfes which I feel myfelf juflified in calling by that appellation. If there
were perceptible paroxyfms of heat and cold, or any variation, I might be led
to believe the term proper ; but as I know no inftance of fuch changes of
temperature in the feet when the caufe has been removed, I am induced to
difcredit the exiflence of a fever In that part at all, unlefs a fympathetic affedlion
of general inflammation be termed fever, and which will probably remain
a few days after every fymptom of fever, or general inflammation, has fubfided,
as may be feen in the following cafe.

Case

This horfe was the property of Colonel Chllders of the 11th Light Dra-
goons. The firft fymptoms were, lofs of appetite, hot dry mouth, pulfe frequent
and fmall, univerfal tenfion and heat on his fkln and extremities ; I immediately

added

lU

added to his ufual cloathing a cloth and hood, and gave hun the followhig pills,
compoied of James's Powder and Camphlre, each 50 grains : Soap, a fufficient
quantity to form them into a pill ; to be repeated every four hours, till four dofcs
were given ; allowing him plenty of warm gruel every hour or two. The horfe
was much better next day and night ; but finding, on the third morning, a little
increafe of heat, I rci>catcd the pills as before, and injeded a glider of fait and
water. The next morning no fymptoms of fever or inflammation could be
perceived ; but he was fo feeble that he could fcarcely ftand upon his legs ;
had general lafitude and cold extremities, and no pulfe, or adlion of the heart
and arteries could be perceived. I left him two hours, and called again to fee
if any change had taken place in the temperature of the extremities, I found
they grew much colder, and more feeble ; I immediately ordered two men to
rub his legs well for half an hour, a quarter of an hour to each leg, which
produced a very comfortable and regular heat m them ; and immediately as
they difcontinued the friclion, I bound each fetlock joint up with about two
yards of llrong tape, as tight as pofsible, and over that a flannel bandage to
each Jeg. Perhaps fome of my readers may be deflrous to know what effect
the tapes could produce, tied round the fetlock joints ? I beg leave to inform
them, that their action is upon the fuperficial veins of the joints, preventing the
blood returning to the heart, by the fame power that a fillet tied round a man's
arm, flops the circulation in the fuperficial blood vefl'els upwards, when under
the hands of a furgeon, which blood in the extremities of horfes preferves the
temperature of the foot ; every part of the body, however, retained its ufuul
heat, the mouth and extremities only were cold, the circulation became
gradually more feeble, with fymptoms of general debility and lafsitude, a delicate
appetite, with frequent fmall and feeble pulfe, which indicated the necefsity of

giving

115

giving ftlmulants, and of the moft difFufible quality ; as I then conceived It to be
necenary to roufe the fyftem to greater vigour, which I was foon enabled to do
by the following ele6luary : Caraway feeds in fine powder, Coriander, and
Sweet Fennel, of each four ounces. Compound Tincture of Cardamoms eight
ounces, Camphire diffolved in fpirits of Wine, two ounces, and Efl'ential Oil
of Cloves half an ounce. Honey fufficient to form an ele6luary ; of which I gave
four ounces, diflfolved in a quart, or three pints, of warm gruel, night and
morning. I can fcarcely find words to exprefs the wonderful change the
medicine produced in 24 hours — the mouth grew gradually warm, his pulfe
lefs frequent, and fuller, his appetite returned, and his extremities became much
warmer and ftronger ; the fecond day he took thefe medicines, he was able
to walk out of the ftable, half an hour at a time, twice a day, and daily
increafed in ftrength. The Regiment being then at Reading, in Berkfliire,
and being under orders to march into the North, and the horfe not fufiiciently
recovered to perform fo long a journey. Colonel Childers difpofed of him for
much lefs than half his value, to Mr. BuUey, furgeon, of that place, who kept
lilm but a little while, and then fold him for a very good price, perfectly found.

FEVER.

F f

FEVER;

Iriflammaiion in the Fcet,fucceeding general Inflammation, or Inflammatory Fever.

THIS was a liorfe in Captain Barton's Troop, in the 11th Light

Dragoons ; tlie difeafe did not aflfe6l the feet of the horfe till two or

three days after the inflammatory fever had left him, and in one night

rendered him unable to walk out of the liable ; and, in three days, left him

altogether, but with his extremities much more feeble than in the horfe

belonging to Colonel Childers. The fame remedies were employed in both,

the eflential Oil of Cloves and Tin(5lure of Cardamoms excepted ; he was

unable to walk for fix weeks, his frogs and the whole of his folcs came off, or

Houghed out ; fo that l^p had nothing more to fupport his weight, the few

minutes he could Hand, than the cruft of the external part of the edges of the

hoofs. As foon as there was a little fole and infenfible frog formed, he was

turned into a field where the ground was foft, in which he recovered in about

three months. I ihould have mentioned above, that during the progrefs of the

formation of the new fole and infenfible frog, I wafhed the fenfible parts every

day with Spirits of Wine, a little diluted with water, by way of a gentle

rtlmuhis to the fecretory veflels o f the foles, and to prevent ulceration and

-unhealthy fecretions in the parts.

QUIT-

QUITTOR.

A QUITTOR is an abfcefs or ulcer, formed upon the coronet between
the hair and hoof, fo well underftood as to require no defcription. A Quittor
forms upon any part of the coronet where the caufe is applied ; which is
moftly a blow, or tread, from the other foot, or the foot of another horfe.

A quittor is, however, fometimes occafioned by gravel, working up
into an aperture left by an old nail adling upon the fenfible laminated fub-
liance, Separating it from the infenfible, leaving a cavity from the aperture
quite up to the coronet, where it lodges, inflames, and produces abfcefs of
diflncult cure ; which, when it breaks, the extraneous body efcapes, and leaves
an ulcer. A quittor caufed by the latter, is the woift to remove, as cauftic is
the moll certain and fafe remedy in that cafe ; and the fublimate of Mercury
is found to be the mofl eflfc6lual, but which cannot be introduced, into an ulcer,
with propriety or fafety, between the two lamln.ne ; qulttors proceeding from
blows, or threads, are very conveniently cured by opening the abfcefs, when
in a proper ftate, and introducing a quantity of fublimaie into the ulcer, as far
as the fuius, or cavity extends, and which v\ ill make its way out in about five
or fix days, wl)en the vacuity thould be filled with tow or lint, well moiltcncd

with

118

with Tinclure of Myrrh and Aloes; or Spirit of W hie hi which Aloes have
been diilblved. This Tin6lure is fufficient to {llmulate the growth of new
granulations, to fill up the ulcer ; which is a very fpeedy and fuccefsful mode
of treatment.

A quittor occafioned by fand, or gravel, as before-mentioned, frequently
terminates in a falfe quarter, or divifion of the hoof from the coronet to the in-
ferior edge of the cruft, or hoof. If flight fymptoms indicate a quittor by the
gravel working up into a nail hole, or fplit hoof, the befl pra6tice is to foften
the hoof in warm water, and then follow the gravel with a probe, and fine
drawing knife, even if it has made its way within half ian inch of the coronet,
as nature will then perform the cure, if flie be left to herfelf ; when, if fuffered
to remain and form an abfcefs upon the coronet, perhaps not all the afsiftance
of art can prevent a falfe quarter ; and if the abfcefs has begun to form, it is
better, even in that cafe, to lay the divided laminated fubftance open, firft
getting quit of the inflammation in the coronet, and then frequently dropping
a few drops of Tinfture into the fifsure ; and putting on a flioe calculated
to afsist in bringing the edges of the divided horny fibres together ; the cure
of this kind of quittor is extremely finiple, and only requires time for a frefli
growth of hoof. Sometimes a long exifling inflammation in the heel, before
it terminate in a quittor, will completely alter the texture of the cartilages,
that they will even become ofsified ; the ofsific depofite will be fo rapid^ as
very much to enlarge the heel in a very few weeks ; the cartilages will lofe their
natural flexibility, and the contiguous integuments become ofsified, and ulti-
mately the lamenefs will be incurable. But to prevent or guard againft this
painful and unhappy termination to the animal, let the foot be inimerfed in
warm water, as is diredled in contra6led feet, four or five hours a day, till the

in-

119

inflammation fubfide ; or at leaft till the violence of the heat abate; then ap-
ply the a6lual cautery in lines not exceeding a quarter of an inch from each
other, quite round the coronet, but more particularly upon the part inflamed.
This is the only application that will excite frefli a6lion in the parts, and pro-
duce a new difeafe, more powerful than the anticedent one.

If the inflammation raifed by the iron appear to be but flight, as will
be the cafe, where the parts are become Inanimate by difeafe, repeated bliflers
will tend to roufe the circulation in the fuperficial veflels, and produce the re-
quired degree of inflammation; if the blifter be fuppoled to be too weak for
that purpofe, two drams of Sublimate of Mercury may be added to the blifter,
recommended in cafes of fpafm, and the blifter rubbed in hot, and afsisted by
holding a large red hot iron nearly in conta6l for a few minutes. This feldom
fails to raife inflammation, and never fliould be neglected in dangerous cafes
of this defcriptlon.

QUIT-

Gg

QUITTOR.

Case !•

THIS horfe was the property of Captain Horfley, of the lltli Light
Dragoons, an abfcefs was found in one quarter of the foot, attended by flight
inflammation, and had broken, two or three days before I was called in. A
cauflic had been introduced but did not remain in the part. I introduced a
fmall piece of fublimate, which remained in about four days, when it was
difcharged, and the whole furface of the ulcer looked white ; no fymptoms of
proje6t:ing granulations could be perceived. I waflied the ulcer well with a
folution of fait and water, afterwards filled it full of tow well moiflened with
Tinfture of Aloes, and repeated it two or three times a day ; the ulcer then
healed, and the horfe was completely cured.

Case 2,

THIS horfe was in the 11th Light Dragoons, rode by a man of the name
of Pope, and was the worfl: cafe of quittor 1 ever faw. The caullic had its

defircd

121

defired efFe6l, and the ulcer healed ; but I had reafon to fuppofe that the horfe
had been among the other horfes, and had been trod upon, by which part of
the heel was brought away ; the whole of the foot and the leg were attended by
violent inflammation, which I was obliged to poultice for a week, when there
happened a very great lofs of fubllance at the heel, with rather an unhealthy
furface, which I frequently wafhed with vinegar, diluted with an equal quan-
tity of water ; and afterwards with the Tin6lure, as in cafe 1, Notwithftanding
the Tincture, the granulations appeared to be indolent, on which account I
was obliged to have recourfe to the a6lual cautery, as a powerful ftimulus;
which, in about ten days, completely filled up the ulcer, and a temporary fkin
formed over it, with lofs of hair at leaft three inches in diameter; which fkin,
by the help of a ftrong folution of white Vitriol and Alum in water applied
feveral times a day, became, by degrees, perfectly found, but no hair ever
grew on that part.

In fome cafes, however, when the parts have been for a length of time
expofed to unhealthy difcharge from greafe, Sec. in the heels, and where one
fmall finus or fiftula communicates with another, in a different diredfion,
and where the large vifible fiftula is fuppofed to be deflroyed and a cure
effedjed, fmall fmufes will often run along the coronet and break out in many
different places ; in fuch inflances, the a6lual cautery is the only certain cure.
The iron fhould be a little larger than the fiftula, fo as to completely defiroy
the iinuses as foon as they are difcovered. This practice is much more effe<5tual
than the cauftic, and without it, fome cafes of quittor cannot be cured. I had
one cafe of this obftinate kind, the horfe was the property of Meffis. Wormald
and Golt, of Leeds, in which I was obliged to force a hot iron into feveral
finufes, in various diredions, repeatedly, and afterwards dreffed them with 1 inc-

turc

122

ture recommended in Cafe No. 1, which effedled a fpeedy and perfedl cure.
A fecond cafe of Meflrs. Wormald and Co. came under my care about fix
months after, which I cured with the fimple Cauftic and Tin6ture. When
tlie cauftics fail, the adlual cautery properly applied, is a certain remedy.

Case

CASE of partial feparation of infenfible from the fenfible laminated fub-
flance, from the inferior edge of the crufl near the heel, up to the horny
coronary ring, or coronet, atleaft four inches from bottom to top,feveral attempts
had been made to ftimulate a growth of frefh fenfible lamina, without effecSl;
at lail Major Cumming fent the horfe to me, at Mounflow Barracks. I imme-
diately took off the fhoe, and pared away all the detached hoof which covered
the finus, from the coronet to the bottom of the hoof, and afterwards fcraped
the inanimate furface of the fenfible laminated fubl^ance till I arrived at the
fenfible contents; by this time the horfe had loft nearly one quarter of his hoof.
I caufed a bar flioe to be put upon him, which reded upon the frog, the
whole of the finus being deftroyed, or laid open, up to the coronet, with a
Iharp inftrument, and the afsiftance of the following Ointment applied warm
twice a day, with tow well bound upon the part. — Palm Oil, Common Tur-
pentine, Common Tar, of each 4 ounces. Oil of Turpentine 2 ounces, all
melted together.

Freih

123

Frefh hoof formed from the coronet, which firmly united with the fen-
fible laminated fubftance ; and as foon as the growth of hoof was complete at
the bottom, the horfe was pcrfe<5lly found, and performed his ufual duty. If
the whole of the infenfible lioof, which was detached, had not been removed
up to the coronet, union could never have been efl"e6led. If the opening only
extends half an inch from the inferior edge of the cruft, fo that there be a
Reparation of fenfible and infenfible parts, they never can be united, (being
out of reach) without cutting away the infenfible hoof, till you come at the
fenfible parts, and not then without a fiimulusto excite the indolent vefli^ls to
a«5lion. If the above Ointment fliould not be found fufiiciently ftrong, on-yt
the Palm Oil, and double the quantity of Oil of Turpentine.

SPLINTS.
H h

SPLINTS.

SPLINTS are too well underilood to require any defcription ; the caufe
has been alledged to be owing to their being feated immediately perpendicular
to the centre of gravity of the fore quarters, on which account they are moil:
frequently formed on the infide of the large fliin bone ; they are however,
fometimes feen upon the outfide ; blows may alfo be afsigned as another caufe.
A horfe is moll fubje<Sl to fplints during tlie two firll years after he has been
domefticated, and they rarely happen after that period. In old horfes they
aregenerally removed by fpontaneous abforplion, and feldom occafion lamenefs
in young ones ; firing is the moft effe<5lual means of removing them, which
I generally ufed in the early part of my pradlicc; blifters, frequently repeated
will remove them in the incipient ftate, but when more advanced, they require
firing. I have removed fome few by friction only, but the bell mode of treat-
ment I am at prefent acquainted with, is the following mixture, applied once a
day, for about four days, which has lately removed feveral very large ones. Take
of Spirits of Wine, one ounce. Sublimate of Mercury, two drams ; mix. This
quantity will be found fufficient to take off (if well applied) two fplints ; is a
very recent difcovery of my own, and has proved very efficacious.

Cajt

125

Case 1.

THIS horfe was the property of Sir George Cooke, Bart, which had
fplints of a very extraordinary kind, but I don't know whether I am fully jus-
tified in calling thcfe excrefcences fplints, which wereformed on both fides of the
metacarpus alike, quite clofe to the joints of the knee; were (lightly inflamed,
and the horfe a little lame. I wifhed very much to fire him, to which Sir
George would not confent, as he withed to fell him as foon as pofslble. I was
very doubtful whether blillering would remove the tumors, however, I applied
a blifter about every fifth day, for three times, which eflfe6tually took them
off, and the horfe was perfectly found, and fold about fix weeks after. The
firft application of the actual cautery (if properly applied) will take off any
fplint of twelve months (landing ; btit if of longer duration, half the number
of lines, when defigned to remove the cxcrefcence by a fingle application,
Ihould only be made, and other lines drawn in the interftices, about fix or eight
days after ; this will produce the ftimulus fo neceilkry to abforption in the parts.
If the fplint do not decreafe in fize fo rapidly as you could wifti, it fliould be
afsifted with a blifter — the following is a proper one for that purpofe.

Take of Spanifli Flies, in fine powder, an ounce; Oil of Turpentine fix
ounces; oil of Thyme two ounces. A table fpoonful will be fuflicient to rub
any fplint, at one time, and may be repeated the next day if required.

BONE

BONE SPAVIN.

A BONE SPAVIN Is a preternatural enlargement of bone upon the
infide of a horfe's hough, attended by inflammation, pain and lamenefs.
The pain appears to be occafioned by too great a diftention of the periofleum ;
the lamenefs by tlie a6tion of the enlargement of bone upon the capfular liga-
ment of the joint ; and the inflammation by the primary caufe, fiich as tread-
ing upon, or flipping ofl:'from fome irregular furface, as prominent flones, &c.
contufion, fuch as kicks from other horfes, blows with a Farrier's hammer,
which too often produce lamenefs of this kind ; it alfo frequently arifes from too
violent exercife, when the horfe is young.

The fpavin requires an early application to prevent a permanent lamenefs ;
for if no attention be paid with rcfpe6l to curing it, before the capfular liga-
ment become ofslfied, the horfe will moft probably remain lame through life ;
and too fevere an application will occafion incurable lamenefs. Firing per-
formed with Judgment, is the fpecdieft and moft certain cure; but a rafh opera-
tor will certainly ruin the horfe ; if the iron be fufiiered to pais but one fifth part
of an inch through the fl\in, another difeafe will probably be produced tea
limes worfo than the flrft ; yet if the iron do not penetrate deep enough to

fiimu-

127

Simulate the abforbents to atfllon, (by wlilch procefs the bony excrefcence is
removed) the bone will continue of its former fize ; when the adlual cautery
is employed, it fliould be in perpendicular lines, and if the fpavin be in its in-
cipient ftate, once firing will, in mofi: cafes, fuffice, and the lines fhould be
drawn about half an inch apart, and an inch above and below the enlarged bone;
the following blifter fliould be applied in about a week or ten days afterwards,
or as foon as the inflammation caufed by the firing has fubfided. Take of oil
of Turpentine fix ounces, Spanifli Flies in powder one ounce, and Bees Wax
two ounces, mixed over a flow fire. The blifter may be applied, if thought
neccflary, as foon as the cuticle is formed upon the part firft deftroyed, by the
aftion of the fire, and the fiift blifter; but the application of thefe blifters too
early, or before the flcin be properly formed, and the pre-exifting inflamma-
tion has fubfided, will produce ulceration, and a lafting fore, along with a
blemilh that can never be concealed. 1 he above blifter, fimple as it may
appear, is fafe, and will remove eight bone fpavins out of ten, in the early ftate,
if applied four or five times at proper intervals. The horfe, at the fame time,
fliould be kept perfedly at reft.

I confefs I approve of firing In preference to any other praflice, as it
performs the moft permanent cure ; but fliould be very forry to fuffer any man
to fire a fpavin for me, who is unacquainted with the anatomical ftru<5lure of
the parts ; therefore I could particularly wifh to recommend the above blifter, or
the following embrocation, with which I have in general been fuccefsful, and
which never leaves any blemifli. Oil of Origanum, Spirits of Sal Ammoniac,
and Tincture of Cantharides, of each two ounces.

Let half an ounce of this embrocation be well rubbed upon the fpavin,

every
I i

128

every night, till the cuticle be excoriated, it mufl: then be dlfcontinued until
the cuticle be regenerated ; and may be applied as before, if requifite. I have
had many cafes of bone fpavlns come under my care, that have required, at
leafi:, three times firing, of the necefslty of which the praftioner ought to be
bcfl: able to judge. If a bone fpavln be often or twelve months ftanding, and
large, without producing lamenefs, but that the horfe, at length, begins to limp,
the fymptoms are much more alarming than if he had been lame at the begin-
ning of the difeafe ; and the cafe requires quite a different treatment.

Inflead of the lines being made with the iron about half an inch apart,
as in a cafe of incipient fpavin, they Ihould be made at lead an inch and a half
diftant from each other, and, as foon as the inflammation which has been ralfed
by the firft operation has fubfided, a fecond operation fliould be performed,
not in the centre between the former lines, but, by taking, with the ftri(?l;eft
precifion, one third of the fpace, which will excite the inflammation nt^arly to
its former flate. The horfe fhould then be kept at reft In an open liable, until
the Inflammation ralfed by the fecond operation, be gone off, when tlie third
operation fliould be performed immediately in the centre of the interval, be-
tween the firft and laft lines. This mode of operation will keep up a perpetual
inflammation in the part, moft probably fufficient to fllmulate the abforbents
to take up every particle of the depofite of preternatural bone, and leave the
Ikin, if well performed, without any material blemifli. This is the mode of
treatment I have generally purfued, in fpavlns of long ftanding, with fuccefs.
I have found it however, neceflary, in fome cafes of this defcrlptlon, to blifter
the parts after the effedl of the fire ceafes, which tends to flrengthen and pro-
mote the growth of hair. Spavins of more recent ftanding, will frequently
yield to twice firing, in lines, about an inch apart, repeating it at intervals, in

proper

129

proper time. Bllftering is, at all times, neceflary to be applied after the in-
flammalion ralfed by the hot iron has fubfided. Great care fliould be taken
not to fiifFer the horfe to be ftrongly exercifed till he be perfe6tly found, as
the fecond lamenefs is of greater confequence than the firft ; and feldoni to be
cured.

A Case of Incipient Spavin.

Case 1.

A HORSE the property of Mr. Woodcock, at Workfop, Nottlnghamrtilre,
was cured by the fimple operation of once firing, and the above gentle blifler.

Case 2.

A HORSE the property of Mr. Mihvood, of Mlhvood, in Lincolnlhire,
was alfo cured by the firft operation and blifters.

Case 3.

ANOTHER horfe the property of Humphry Strutt, Efq. at Clifton, in
Dorfetthire, was cured of two fpavins, by the fecond operation, and twice
blifterning; and not lefs than twenty in the 1 1th Light Dragoons, by thefame
treatment. Although I have, like other pra^tioners, failed in fome few cafes,
I am convinced, I have fucceedcd in eighteen out of twenty, and have had at
leaft three hundred cafes of this fort under my care.

RING-

I I 'I ■—

RING BONES.

A ring bone is a bony excrefcence, formed upon the lower pafternbone,
occupying partially one fide or the other, and fometimes the front, in its in-
cipient ftate ; but in its more advanced ftage it occupies the whole of the bone,
anteriorly and latterally; it is a preternatural dcpofite of ofsific matter upon that
part, impeding the a6lion of the ligaments of the joints, tendons, &c. young
horfes are moft fubje<5l to it, yet old ones are not always exempt from it ; ab-
forptlon, however, will, in fome cafes, particularly in old age, completely re-
move it, but that is by no means to be depended upon — there are too many in-
ftances of the moft powerful ftimulants, and of firing, having failed to remove it.

It is common to find, upon diflc6lion, the capfular ligament of the joint,
and all its integuments, ofsified together, forming an anchylofis, or ftiflf joint;
the caufes of a ringbone are bruifes upon the part, fprains and exercife in over
proportion to the ftrength of the animal; favoured, moft probably by a pre-
difposition in the vciTels, to fecrete fuperfluous bony matter; or an indolent ftate
of thai abforbents in not taking up the fuperabundance of ofsific particles.

A RING

CURE OF RING BONE,

RING BONE, like all other cxoftofes, or preternatural growth of bone,
is eafily removed by a very fimple ftimulus, if applied in its infant flate, and
before the important parts partake of the difeafe, after which it frequently
happens that all applications are ufelcfs. The fimple blifter recommended in
cafes of fpavin, frequently repeated, will, in general, remove the complaint;
in the more advanced fiagc, it becomes infenfible to the fimple fiimulus of a
blifiier, and cannot be removed without firing ; and it will be necefiary that
the cautery, as has been mentioned in the treatment of fpavin, Ihould be re-
peated again and again, in the intervals, between the firft lines, and afterwards
repeated bliftcrs applied, and due reft allowed for a fufficient length of time.
I have cured feveral ring bones with the embrocation recommended in cafes of
fpavin.

I had one cafe of a horfc in the 1 1th Light Dragoons, v/hich, after being
found for two months, from fome accident, i'ell lame, and 1 was obliged to give
him nine months rcll. The fecond lamenefs is always worfe to remove than
the firft; and not lefs than two months' complete reft, after firing, will be re-
quired to cfi'ect a cure.

APPETITE

Kk

APPETITE DEPRAVED.

SYMPTOMS.
Voracious Appetite ; or a total Lofs of it, with a defire to eat fand, dry Clay or Earth.

C^USE.
MOULDY Hay, bad clover, or any indijeftlble fubftances taken into the
flomach, where they are frequently found to colleft and form into large balls ;
and alfo in the inteftlnes, fo as to completely obftrudt the paflages, and the
animal dies with all the fymptoms of gripes.

TRE»A TMEJWT.

In every cafe of this fort, in which I have been employed, I have been
hitherto fuccefsful, by giving three drams of Aloes, made into a ball, with
common foap, every morning fading, till they purged ; and ftrong Mucilage
of Gum Arabic, or a pint of flrong infufion of Linfeed, night and morning,
for three or four days after the phyfic had worked off.

IN-

INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER.

STJWFTOJMS- '

COLDNESS of the extremities, cold fweats; pulfe frequent and fmall,
hind legs extended wide, and frequent attempts to ftale without the ability, or
but in very fmall quantities.

OCC^SIOJV^JL CAUSES-

CALCARIOUS fubftances pafsing through the ureters into the bladder ;
too long retention of urine.

TRE^TMJEJVT-

THE few cafes which have come under my care, have been fuccefsfully

treated, by firft bleeding to two or three quarts, according to the flrength and

condition of the horfe; and repeating it in fmall quantities every three or four

days; giving, at the fame time, the following Mucilaginous Mixture; take of

Linfeed bruifed, one pound, pour upon it t\vo gallons of boiling hot water;

when nearly cold, flrain It through a coarfe cloth ; add to it a quart of

Mucilage of Gum Arabic, and a pound of Honey or Treacle, and give a

quart or two every three or four hours, and inje<5t a large gliftcr of warm water

night and morning. In fome cafes the addition of Nitre to the mixture may

be ufeful.

CURBS.

CURBS, CAUSE AND CURE,

A CURB is an enlargement npon the hind leg, jufl below tlie hough or
hock, and has been called by ancient authors, Bony Excrefcence, formed in
that part. I never had a cafe of curb, that became ofsified, under my care ;
I have difse6led many without finding any fymptoms of ofsification, but that
the theca or fheath, through whicli the tendon, in its action, moves, has been
always very much enlarged or thickened ; confequently, the diameter of the
flieath fo much diminilhed as to impede the a6lion of the tendon, from whence
the lamenefs. The integuments furrounding the theca are alfo generally
enlarged and hard, and both the fheath nnd ikin inflamed. The horfe
exprelles much pain, and moves with reluclance and difficulty.

The mofl common caufearifes from contufion on the part, whet^ the fvvell-
ing takes place, whether from the wilful cruelty of groom?, or accidental
blows which horfes may probably receive from each other. From the very
sfreat number of curbs that have come under mv care in the retriment, I am
induced to believe they are commonly occafioncd by blows, which the horfes
meet with in leaping ; as many liorses, and particularly young ones, in the acl
of leaping, fall with the feat of cu)b upon the bar, which I have feen them do

fix

135

fix or feven times together. I have examined the part after leaping, and found
a confiderable quantity of hair ruhbed off, and have repeatedly visited them
next day, and difcovered confiderable inflammation in the part ; for which
have ordered a fomentation to be applied by way of prefervative, and which
has had the defired effe(5l; other fimilar cafes have not been treated in the
fame manner, and curbs have been the refult. The common pradice among
Farriers is, to blifter and fire immediately, as foon as they perceive the fwel-
ling, without any regard to the ftate of inflammation, exifting in the part, which
ought to be the firft confideration. The ralheft pradlice I ever faw, was at
Leeds, in December ] 802, in the cafe of a horfe that at laft became a patient
of mine. This horfe was the property of Mr. Robfon, merchant, in Albion-
fireet, which had been attended by a Farrier, who had bliftered him before I
was called in, and had ftruck a fleam, which he ufed for bleeding, into the
tumour, in feveral places ; to my great aftonifliment the horfe efcaped a lock-
ed jaw : the tumours were hard, and very large, but not then inflamed, I im-
mediately fired him in about fix or eight perpendicular lines, extending them
about an inch and half above and below the fvvelling, and ordered him to be
bliftered in about a week or ten days afterwards ; which was complied with,
and as foon as the inflammation which was railed by the blifter, had fubfided,
the horfe was found for a fev/ weeks, during the time he was at grafs, but when
taken up, became lame ; and this being a doubtful cafe, the owner parted with
him. This is the only curb I ever failed in curing by firing, which no doubt
was owing to the injury done to the tendon, by the fleam.

Ll Cafe

135

Case 2.

THIS horfe was the property of Humphry Sturt, Efq. of Clifton, in
Dorfetfliire. Being called early to this cafe, I found the horfe lame, and with
confiderable inflammation in the parts affected, which I ordered to be foment-
ed four or five times a day, for two days ; at the expiration of that time, I
brought the parts into a proper ftate for firing, which effccfted a cure, at the firfl
operation, fucceeded by a blifler.

It would be ufelefs, I conceive, to fwell this book with too many cafes of
one fort, particularly where the fymptoms, caufe, and treatment, all fo nearly cor-
refpond. I only with further to guard my readers againft the dangerous prac-
tice of firing, during the exiflence of any high inflammation in the parts : the
above has been my general practice without ever failing of fuccefs, except
in Mr. Robfon's horfe, and that was only one out of 120 or 130 cafes.

DIS-

DISTEMPER,

THIS appears to be a provincial term. Farriers in the North of England
call a catarrh, or even a common cold, or fimple cough, by this name.

SYMPTOMS-

HOT and dry mouth, quick and feeble pulfe, forenefs in the throat, thin
and white difcharge from the nollrils ; the ears cold, and fometimes damp;
the eyes inflamed, and frequently watery ; quick and ihort breathing denotes
the difeafe to have extended to the lungs; foon after which, the whole of the
extremities become cold.

C^USEu
SUDDEN variations in the temperature of the atmofphere, particularly
from warm and damp, to fevere cold weather, and vice verfa.

■ TJRE^ITMEJVT,

BEFORE the inflammation had affected the lungs, or while it remained
a common diftemper, or catarrh, I have feen very good fuccefs attend the ufe
of the following ball, given morning, noon, and night. Take of Emetic Tartar
a dram. Flour of Sulphur, three drams, and when the cough has been trouble-

fome

138

fome, I have added purified Opium half a dram, and made the whole into a
ball with Honey. I directed hot bran mafhes to be put into a coarfe bag; and
the horfe's nofe confined therein, that he might inhale the fteam, which feldom
fails to relax the veffels, and give a better conflftence to the mucous difcharge
from the noftrils.

In fome cafes, where I fufpefted inflammation had extended to the lungs^
1 immediately placed a rowel or two between the fore legs, or applied a blifter
on each fide of the chefl, about eight inches in diameter. In other cafes, where
there was little or no difcharge from the noflrils, and the inflammation of the
membrane confiderable, I have taken away two or three pints of blood, and
given the following ball, with very great fuccefs, three times a day, as before-
mentioned. — Pulv. Antimonialls, 40 grains; Camphire in fine powder, or dif-
folved in 30 drops of Spirits of Wine, 40 grains ; Opium, 20 grains ; made into a
ball, with Lenitive EleiR:uary.

It is not in my power to fay how many cafes of this defcripllon have come
under my care, within tlie lafl ten years, but I think I may aff'ert vi'ith great
truth, at lead 600, and that without lofing one horfe.

TARCY.

FARCY

THIS is a difeafe to which the horfe is very fubjccfl:, and to whicli Far-
riers are great ftrangers ; and has, perhaps, more frequently iVuftrated the en-
deavours of better informed pra6Vioners, than any other difeafe to which
this animal is liable. Some authors have defined the farcy to be a difeafe con-
fined locally to the veins ; others, that it is owing to vifcidlty of the blood ; I
beg leave to fay, that if ever the veins are affe6led in the farcy, lliey only par-
take of a general affedlion, but the lymphatics running collaterally with the
large veins of the thigh, are generally enlarged, and very much inflamed ;
which inflammation frequently terminates in fuppuration. The farcy often
makes its firft appearance in the face, and this fpecics is, although not violent
in its attack, more deftrudlive to the animal in the end, than any other fpecics
of it, and but rarely admits of a remedy. I have repeatedly bled horfes in the
moft inveterate farcy, and compared the blood with that taken from a horfe in
perfect health, without being able to perceive any difference. In the more ad-
vanced ftate of the difeafe, however, there may be perceived an increafed
quantity of ferum, upon thefurface of the blood when cold, which lndicatesdire6t
debility ; and what further proves that the farcy is a difeafe produced by the
dire(?l debilitating powers is, that the higheft itate of plethora and vigour never

pro-
lyl m

uo

produce the flighted fymptoms of farcy, independent of the caufe, which be-
ing immediately removed, the efFedls will ceafe, and that it yields to the
Simulating plan of cure. I have been informed that one horfe having the
farcy, has contaminated every horfe, in the fame flable, but this I dilbelieve ;
they might all be expofed to one and the fame caufe, at the fame time, but I
have never been witnefs to the farcy being infedlious. If the matter which
is frequently feen difcharging from a horfe in a farcy be abforbed into the
fyftem of a healthy horfe, it will induce the glanders, and not the farcy.

Cause of Farcy,

THE moft common caufe of farcy is too fudden a check of perfpiratlon ;
too violent exercife producing debility ; and a termination of other difeafes.

THE STMIPTOMS
Are fmall tubercles formed on various parts of the body, particularly in the
direftion of the large veins of the thighs, thefe flowly advance to fuppuration
and break ; they are frequently feen in great numbers upon the lips and nofe ;
when this matter is re-abforbcd, it produces lofs of appetite, univerfal forenefs,
fever, and fometimes deatli. The neck and the whole body are fometlmes
full of thefe, which may be prevented from fpreading, by cutting off the com-
munication with each other, by means of a fmiple and eafy operation with a
firing iron made in form of a carpenter's chiflel, and drefsing the part with the
embrocation directed in cafe 5.

Cafe

141

Case 1

THIS cafe will lend very much to corroborate my opinion that farcy
is the immediate effc6t of a fuddcn check being given to perfpiration ; on my
return from leave of abfence, on the 16th January, 1803, and making a vifit
to the troops at Windfor, I found a horfe in Captain Barton's troop, rode by
Serjeant Knowlcs, very bad with the farcy ; it had formed large tumours on one
cheek, one hind quarter, ihouldcr, and fore leg, all which had fuppurated,
and difcharged a confidcrable quantity of acrimonious matter, the IHmulus of
which had deftroycd the hair, and left fears on the Ikin, wherever it had run
down. Upon inquiring how this horfe was firfl attacked with the difeafe, I
was informed that Serjeant Knowles was on an efcort party with His Majefty,
and was ordered to proceed forward as faft as pofsible, to order another party
to be ready to fet out with the King as foon as he returned to Windfor; His
Majefty travelling very fafl, Serjeant Knowles was obliged to ride with all
pofsible fpeed. The horfe was, for a few minutes, left at the flable door, the
wind was briik, and blew very cold, and in a quarter of an hour after he arriv-
ed, he was found fo completely ftilf, that he could fcarcely move, fliewed every
fymptom of fever, and diredl debility, was nearly deprived of the ufe of all his
limbs, with trembling and lofs of appetite.

The Farriers attributed the fliffnefs, &c. to his being, what they term,
body ftrained ; but in a few hours after, thefe tumours began to apf>ear, which
immediately convinced them it was the farcy; but inftead ofpurfuingmy
mode of pra<^ice, which they were not ftrangers to, they bled the horfe, and

gave

gave I)im a dofe ofphylic, which in a few days, according to the Farrier's own
account, reduced him lb low, that wlien he was laid down, they never ex-
pc(Sled he could rife again ; they bliftered the tumours, and tliat on the cheek
repeatedly, kept him warm, and fed him well with hot mafhes, &c. till I re-
turned, at which time the difcharge from the tumours were partly flopt, but
tiie mufcles of the neck particularly, and many others, were extremely enlarged
and indurated, his legs very much fwelled ; a large tumour was formed upon
the Itifie, occupying at leaft eight inches in diameter; there was great weaknefs
in all his fetlock joints, with univerfal emaciation. I caufed the buds, or tu-
mours to be dreffed with the embrocation employed in cafe 5, feveral times a
day, divided the communication of the lymphatics with a hot iron, and gave
the following tonic medicines :

Take of Peruvian Bark, one pound.
Green Vitriol one ditto,
Purified Opium one ounce and a half.
Treacle fufificient to form the whole into twenty four balls — one of thefc was
given every morning, noon and night, for fix days, and notwithllanding thefe
very powerful tonics, and one of my cordial balls, twice a day, in the interval
of the other balls, the complaint put on the appearance of glanders; I think
I may fay decided glanders, and in order to prevent the dileafe contaminating
other horfes, he was ordered to be fliot. I beg leave to remark, that had the
horfe had one of my cordial balls given him as foon as he was put into the
flable, and repeated three or four times at about fix hours interval, with pro-
per care, no fymptoms of farcy would ever have appeared : I fay, had this
been done at the commencement of the firft fymptoms, inflead of letting blood
and giving phyfic, it would, in all probability, if afsifted by (Simulating embro-
cations.

143

cations, (lopped the progrefs of the difeal'e ; and as a fudden check of per-
fpiratlon is the moft common caufe of farcj% it might be conveniently prevented
by giving, in the firft attack of the cliill, the following ball ;

Take Dr. Jamcb' powder 50 grains,

Camphire in fine powder 50 ditto,

Extra6t of Opium 60 ditto, make them into a ball with Soap.
This ball may be repeated in twelve hours after, if the chill fit continue.

Case 2.

THIS was a coach horfe the property of Jofeph Humble, Efquire, Mid-
dlcton, near Leeds ; I was fent for to fee this horfe about 14th December,
1802, I found his off leg behind very much enlarged, and particularly in the
direction of the large vein, which runs up the infide of the thigh. I fent him
twelve of the following balls, one to be given two fuccefsive nights, omitting
the third, to be thus continued till they were all taken, by which time the
horfe was very much relieved ; ftill there was fome inflammation remaining
in the heel, which had before been cracked ; I ordered him a gentle dofe of
phyfic, which gave him great relief; I repeated it about twelve days after, and
ordered a dram of Egyptiacum to be rubbed into the crack of the heel, every
day, the part being previoufly waflied clean with foap and water. The horfe
-recovered in about a month, and was able to perform his ufual work.

Take of Calomel, and Purified Opium, of each three drams;
Peruvian Bark, eight ditto.
Treacle, a fufficient quantity to form the whole into twelve balls.

N n Cafe

Case 3.

THIS horfe was the property of Charles Coupland, Jun. Efq. Leeds;
at my firft vifit I found a number of fmall buds in difterent parts of his body,
neck, and thighs, the ichorous difcharge of which had completely deftroyed the
hair, in many places, about as broad as large peas ; liis appetite was delicate,
his belly very much tucked up, and the whole fyftem rather languid. I caufed
the embrocation in Cafe No. 5, to be well rubbed upon the buds every day
for ten or twelve days, and one of the following balls to be given every other
night, till he had taken fix.

Take of Calomel, and Extra6l of Opium, of each three drams ;
Soap fufficient to make fix balls.
No appearance of buds could be perceived in three weeks,after the ufe of the em-
brocation and the balls, the horfe gradually recovered his appetite and ftrength. I
afterwards recommended Mr. C. to give him one of my cordial balls frequently^
and particularly after a chace, to prevent too fudden a check of pcrfpiration,
which might probably occafion a relapfe of the difeafe— Mr. C. complied
with my wilhes, and gave a dozen of the balls when moft ncceflary, the horfe
performed his work with more than his ufual vigour and vivacity :. I nuift
however obferve, that this cafe was much more fimple in its attack and progrefs,
than I generally find the farcy ; as the difeafe appeared to affe6l only the
fuperficial lymphatics, yet, being of the chronic kind, it might probably, in
time, have terminated in the glanders, or incurable fwelled legs. About the
19th Sept. in the following year, fome flight fymptoms of the old difeafe ap-
peared on the Ikln, but confidering it to be very trivial, I font him fixteen bark
balls, one to be given every night and morning ; and he never had any return
of the fame fymptoms.

Cafe

U5

Case 4 4

THIS cafe happened to a horfe in the 1 1th Light Dragoons, In January
1803, in Captain Heigh's troop. I am not fure whether I am exa6lly correct
in calhng the difeafe the farcy, although very ftrong fymptoms indicated a
commixture of the farcy with the greafe. I had been fome little time abfent,
and on my return was informed, by the Quarter Matter, that this horfe had,
for fome days, a copious difcharge from one heel refembling the greafe ; and
and knowing of my abfence, he gave him an urine ball, and applied poultice to
the heel, and repeated it feveral times, and in about three days after gave him
another ball ; ftill the horfe grew worfe daily, till at lafl, which w^as but a few
days before I returned, he was not able to ftand up in his ftall, only now and
then an hour or two at a time, exprefsing great pain in the difeafcd leg, with
lofs of appetite, and frequently breaking out in profufe fwcats. On examina-
tion I found an opening into the upper fetlock joint at the heel, an inch and
half long, the fynovia, or joint oil, cfcaping ; an abfcefs had formed on one fide
of the fame joint, about the fize of a pigeon's egg, was very foft, and apparently
ready to break ; tlie lips of the wound, or opening of the heel, looking at the
fame time very white and unhealthy. I immediately ordered the heel to
be well waflied, and an iron made red hot, with which I flightly feared the
lips of the opening, or edges of the Ikin ; filled the whole wound full of pow-
dered bark, and applied a piece of cloth over it to keep it in. I repeated th,e
iron once a day, for five days ; the fecond day, the abfcefs, which was forniefl
on the fide of the joint, broke, and difcharged a quantity of matter, of abad

con-

14e

confiftence mixed with blood, upon examining the bottom of the ulcer, or
abfcefs, I found it communicated with the joint. As the capfular Ugament was
divided, I seared the lips of the flvin with a hot iron, as I had done the fkin of
the firft opening into tlie joint, and alfo filled it with bark, as I had done be-
fore. On the fourth day, two more fmall abfcefles formed, and on the fixth or
fcventh day, broke, along with the firft and fecond openings, into the joint ; the
capfular ligament of which was fo completely divided and difeafed, as to leave
the leg at leafi: half off at the fetlock joint. I notwithftanding perfevered with the
iron to the lips of the opening with the bark as above, which promoted healthy
granulations, and effe61:ual]y united them ; Itill leaving the joint very much
enlarged and weak ; but in about a month afterwards, the openings were all
healed. I then fired the joint quite round, and bliftered it, as foon as the in-
flammation, excited by firing, had fubfided, and repeated it in about a month ;
the horfe recovered the ufe of his leg, but was never flrong enough for regi-
mental exercife, therefore he was fold. I before mentioned the debilitated
ftate I found this horfe in, and beg leave to obferve, that the following balls
were his chief fupport for nearly three weeks.

Take of Green Vitriol two pounds.
Bark one pound,

Extra<^ of Opium one ounce — Treacle fuflicient to form
them into fifty bails.

I gave one of thefe balls every four hours for a week, and one of my
cordial balls every night ; at the expiration of the firfl; week, I ordered one of
the balls to be given night and morning, with plenty of Oatmeal gruel, feveral
times a day ; and in three weeks, the horfe was able to eat his food as ufual.

Cafe

14*7

Case 2.

THIS horfe was in the 11th regiment of Light Dragoons, in Captain
Barton's Troop, rode by a man called William Thomas, and was the worft cafe
of farcy I ever faw cured ; in fadt I recommended it to Colonel Childers to
have him ihot^as I fuppofed that the farcy had terminated, as it often does, in the
glanders ; feveral large ulcers were perceptible in the feptum nasi, or partition
which divides the two nostrils ; there was a violent inflammation and copious
difcharge of unhealthy matter, tinged with blood, from each noftril ; difficult
breathing; frequent and fmall pulfe ; lofs of appetite; fever; and general
debility ; loft to every hope, but the effeft of the moft diffufible ftimulants; he
was immediatedly feparated from all other horfes ; and one of the following
balls given him every fix hours, for ten days, with Oatmeal gruel every three or
four hours.

Take of Effentlal Oil of Cloves, one ounces

Compound 1 in6lure of Cardamoms, eight ounces,
Camphire, diffolved in Spirits of Wine, two ounces and a half,
Extra6l of Opium, two ounces and a half.

Cardamom and Sweet Fennel Seeds in fine powder, of each ten
ounces ; Honey fufficient to form the whole into forty balls.

Three ounces of Bark, mixed in a pint of ale, was given in the intervals,

between each ball, for four days. The noftrils appearing very irritable from

the violence of inflammation, and acrimony of the difcharge, I caufed

the
o o

us

the following inje^llon to be thrown, half a pint at a lime, up the noftrlls, fix
or feven times a day. Thin Mucilage of Gumarabic four quarts; Purified
Opium four drams, mixed well together, firfl injecting a fyringe full of warm
water, by way of wafliing off the mucus, &c. from the noftrils.

I omitted to mention. In the fymptoms of this cafe, tliat a vaft number of
tubercles, or little tumours, were formed in different parts of the body and
thighs of this horfe, all which I drefled feverai times a day with the following
embrocation :

Take of Oil of Turpentine fix ounces.

Vitriolic Acid, fix drams, mix by degrees in a large
iron mortar, till the effervefcence ceafe, then add of Oil of Linfeed twelve
ounces, and mix them all together in a botde for ufe. I have the pleafure to
add, although far beyond my expeftationj that the horfe recovered.

Having thus defcribed the farcy, its leading chara6lerifl:ics, caufe and ter-
mination, in as explicit a manner as the fubjeift feemed to require, with five
cafes ; I conceive it ufelefs to dwell longer on the fubje«5l, and (hall only far-
ther obferve, that, by the fame treatment, about fifty cafes, of a dangerous na-
ture, have been cured In the 1 1 th Light Dragoons ; one of the horfes was the
property of J. W. Smith, Efquire, near Dorchester; one of Stephen Atkinfon,
Efquire; and one of Mr. Simpfon, Hatfield, Yorkihire : Forty horfes were
cured in Weymouth Camp In 1796, In different regiments there, and at leaft
thirty in my private practice in various parts where I have been quartered,

with the lofs of about five or fix, which terminated in the glanders.

GLAN-

GLANDERS.

THIS is a cafe of a horfe belonging to a glazier, in Doncafter, whofe
name I do not exadlly remember. 1 was fent for about July 1802, and found
every fymptom of the mofi; inveterate glanders, a number of ulcers in the nof-
trils, &c. I recommended the horfe to be fliot, to prevent him from contami-
nating the other horfes, but Inftead of being fhot, he was given to a man near
Rotherham, who turned him out to grafs, where he remained till his noftrils
were completely dry; when it was concluded he was found and well, and it was
reported I had done an injuftice in condemning the horfe to be ihot for the
glanders, he not being glandered. This cafe is not worth mentioning to the
public, but In vindication of my own judgment and chara(?ler. I beg leave
to inform my readers, that about eight months afterwards, as I was ftanding in
the ftreets of Doncafter, converfmg with Mr. Woodcock and Mr. Rayns' of
Stone-hill, a man came riding up to us upon this horfe, and upon his approach,
Mr. W. faid to me, there is the horfe you laid was glandered, and I confefs I
was furprifed at feeing him look fo well as he did; but upon examining his
nofe, I found feveral large ulcers, and an ichor in the noftrils, with lofs of part
of the feptum nafi ; the man who rode him, faid, that feveral pieces of bone

had come away during the difeafe.

I beg

150

I beg further to remark, that the horfe might live many years with that difeafe,
and in that time, contaminate a great number of good horfes ; and notwithftand-
ing there was no difcharge, the difeafe was then exifting in the fyftem, and
perceptibly fo in the feptum nafi, or partition, which divides the two noflrils.

TV'

TUMOURS.

TUMOURS, without containing matter, are frequently formed upon
various parts of the body, neck and thighs, and are fometimcs very difficult to
remove. The moft obftinate Tumour I ever met with, was on the flank of a
horfe, the property of the Rev. Dr. Scott, at Hounflow ; it had been blillered by
a Farrier before I was confulted, without reducing it in the leafl. I confefs I
fliould have treated it in the fame way, had I been firft called in, but finding
that bhflering had not reduced it at all, I put a rowel juft imderneath the tu-
mour, which was at leafl; fix inches in diameter, and caufed it to be turned once
every day, after matter was formed ; the rowel reduced the Tumour confider-
ably, in about eight days, and I entertained great hopes it would have entirely
removed it ; but unfortunately, one night the horfe got his teeth to the rowel,
and pulled it out, and it being very inconveninent to make another flay in,
from tlie largenefs of the wound, and the tumour been very much reduced, I
prevailed on the Doctor to allow me to make 6 or 8 lines acrofs the tumour with
a firing iron, which reduced it almoft to a level with the reft of the flank ; yet,
in about a week or ten days it fwelled up as large as ever, which appeared
a very extraordinary circumftance to me, knowing that the a6lual cautery fel-
dom fails to reduce the moft obftinatc fwclling. I then applied the moit powerful

re-
pp

152

repellent applications, I am acquainted with, for feveral days, without effecl,
almofl: at a lofs what ftep to take to to remove it, being fituated in the abdo-
minal mufcles, fo immediately connedled with the peritonceum, that I durft not
attempt to do it by diiledtion. I refolved to pafs two fetons within an inch
of each other, fix inches in length, through the tumour, firft immerfing them
in Oil of Turpentine, and caufed them to be drawn backwards and forwards
once a day ; after healthy matter had formed. The fetons being kept in
about a week or ten days, and the tumours completely reduced, I took them
out, and the incifions clofed, and appeared to be doing very well for about a
week or more, when the tumour began to fwell again. The do6tor being
out of patience, and I out of heart, we fuffered it to remain without any appli-
cation for another week or fo, when it fortunately fubfided without any further
trouble, this was the mod tirefome and obllinate tumour I ever met with,
during my feven years pracflice in the army.

My general method is to place a rowel in the centre of the tumour; but
entertaining fome fufpicion of a rupture of the peritonceum, and that a por-
tion ofinteftine might have protruded, I judged it prudent to try every other
means before I attempted that pra6lice.

Rowels placed in any mufcular part of the body, a6l with fafety, but:

if tiie tumour happen to be upon, or very near the joint, it requires a double

confideration, fuch practice mod probably will give room for the fynovia to

efcape, and the fecond evil will be worfe than the firft. Firing is therefore the

moft fafe and effe6lual means of removing tumours on joints, which cannot

be reduced by repellents, fridtion, blifters, &c. the moft powerful repellents

1 am acquainted with are the following ;

Take

J53

Take of Crude Sal Ammoniac two ounces, difiblved in a quart ot"
Vinegar,
One ounce of Sugar of Lead,
Three ounces of Camphorated Spirits of Wine.

The tumours fhoiild be kept conftantly wet with this foUition, by means
of folded comprcffes of linen, well foaked in it, and renewed from time to time,
as they become dry.

QUINCY.

QUINCY,

SYMPTOMS'

THIS difeafe is analogous to the llrangles, and requires nearly the fame
treatment, it differs, however, from the ftrangles, with refped to the extent
of the fwelHng, which reaches nearly to the horfe's ears, and a confiderable
way down his neck. The fwelling and inflammation feldom failing to affedl
his throat, and impede every effort to fwallovv ; it frequently terminates in a
large abfcefs in the throat, which, when it breaks internally, the matter efcapes
from the mouth and noftrils. If the abfcefs break externally and difcharge
with freedom, the cure is mofl certain, and foonell eflfe6led. It frequently
breaks externally, and afterwards colle6ls again, and breaks internally. This
difeafe feldom fails to produce very alarming fymptoms, and requires the
greatest care and attention during the formation of matter. I have been for-
tunate in never lofing a horfe in the quincy ; but I have heard of many dying
of the fame difeafe, which is, however, owing to a want of early or proper
care and management ; it is not uncommon for the abfcefs to deftroy one of
the maxillary glands, together with one of the falival ducts which convey the
faliva from the gland into the mouth ; when this happens, the faliva drops
down upon the ground, as it is fecreted, as often alfo runs down the horfe's

neck.

155

neck. I liave had one cafe of this kind in the regiment, and am forry to fay,
it was not in my power to remedy the evil.

I have fecn two other cafes which did not come under my own im-
mediate care, but which remained open during the horfe's hfe. Nothing but
completely extirpating the gland altogether will prevent the efcape of the faliva.
In the firfi: attack of the quincy there is a confiderable degree of fever, for
which I generally give a ball of James' powder, every night, as long as the
fever continues, if the horfe be able to fwallow it ; whh plenty of gruel, feveral
times a day. I fhould have mentioned above, that there was one horfe the
property of Captain Carew, that had a quincy, for which I was confulted,
vi'hen the horfe was in a very bad ftate, I advifed him to have three or four
frefh poultices applied to the fvvelled glands every day, and his head kept
warm with a hood, as there was great difficulty of Iwallowing, and of refpira-
tion, attended by a troublefome cough, which is generally the cafe in quincy.

I ordered four drarns of purified Opium to be difTolved in four quarts of
hot water, and fweetned with a pound of honey, and directed that half a pint
of it fhould be given, with a horn, every three or four hours, which very much
abated the irritation of the throat, and cough ; and in about three or four days
after, the abfcefs broke externally, and difchargcd very copiously healthy look-
ing matter ; at this time I was fent for to Doncafter, but left directions that the
glands fhould be poulticed, and a tent of tow kept in the opening till the
fvvelling and inflammation were reduced ; however, after I was gone, I be-
lieve it was found to be too much trouble for the groom to comply w'nh my
directions, the tent was neglected, and the poultices left off, the aperture foon
clofed up, frefli fwelling fpecdily took place on the other lide of the neck, and

it
Q q

156

it appeared that a great part of the matter was re-abforbed into the fyftem; the
lungs were affeded with a kind of confumptive cough, an enlargement of the
glands appeared, and an unhealthy difcharge took place in the noftrils ; he was
for feveral weeks fufpefted to be glandered ; and I was informed, that, during
my abfence, he died apparently confumptive. When I left the horfe there
was not the fmalleft fymptom of danger, and I am fatisfied in my own mind,
he would have recovered, if my direcSlions had been complied with.

I am very well aware that the reputation of molt Veterinary Surgeons
fuffers through the prejudices, mal-pra6lice, idlenefs, and inattention of grooms, to
the directions given to them. As gentlemen have, however^ of late, made the
Veterinary Art in fome meafure their fludy, and are convinced of the ra-
tionality of the treatment, they will, it is hoped, for the fake of individual, as
well as public benefit, contribute as much as lays in their power to fupprefs all
improper interference and neglect, by lupporting the more judicious and
rational endeavours of the Veterinary pradlitioners.

Case 2.

THIS horfe was the property of Lord Charles Somerfet, the difeafe was
one of the word cafes I ever favv ; I ordered his neck and glands to be frequently
fomented with flannels wrung out of hot water ; applied poultices, and gave him
the Opium mixture mentioned in the cafe of Captain Carew's horfe ; refpiration
notwlthftandlng, grew worfe every day ; I was obliged, at laft, to difcontinue
the ufe of the fomentation and poultice, and apply Spirits of Hartfliorn, three

ounces

157

ounces at a time, feveral times a day, leaving in the intervals a flannel well
wetted with the fame, round his neck, and upon the glands. The mucus,
and dilcharge from his moutli, acquired fo tough a confiftence, that he appear-
ed every minute to be nearly fuftbcated with its abundance ; to dilute whicli
I put a quart of cold water into a bottle, and added to it two drams of Vitriolic
Acid, and gave him half a pint every two hours; a fmall quantity of which
pafled down into the ftomach, and the remainder was thrown out combined
with the mucus.

I never experienced more immediate relief from any medicine than
from this, when I thought the Iiorfe almoft in his expiring moment ; as foon
as he had recovered from the difficulty of breathing, &:c. I had again recourfe
to poultices, feveral times a day, with a view to bring on fuppuration, and the
horfe having a considerable degree of fever, I gave him the following pills
every night, for three or four evenings ;

Docftor James' Powder, 40 grains,
Camphire, - 40 ditto.

Opium, - - 20 ditto.

Made into a Pill with Soap.
About the fifth or fixth day, the abfcefs broke internally, and difcharged a vaft
quantity of matter ; and as nothing could be done in this cafe, but keeping the
parts warm with poultice, fomentation, £<.c. and that we might encourage the
difcharge from the throat, I ordered him warm bran ma*hes, to be put into a
nofe bag, from which he received the fleam into his mouth and noftrils, whicli
promoted the difcharge, and in a few days the horfe wasperfe(5tiy reflored.

Cafe

15S

Case 3.

THIS hovfe was the property of Lord Gray de Wilton : but, as it would
be ufelefs to repeat the fame praftice, that I have before-mentioned in fimilar
eafes, I fliall only fay, that he was treated in every refpe6t like that of
Lord Charles Somerfet's, the Vitriolic mixture excepted, and that he recovered,
in much lefs time.

Case 4.

THIS horfe was the property of John Parker, Efq. ofGaintbro,' in Lin-
colnfhire ; the firft attack was very fevere, with fymptoms that indicated a dan-
gerous fever, confequently I took fome blood from him, and gave hira one
of the James' powder balls, as in cafe 2, every four hours; the fecond night I
left the horfe confiderably better; however, it did not appear that my praclice
pleafed the groom. Soon after I left the town, he confultcd a farrier, or
rather a blackfmith. In Bawtry, where the horfe then ilood, and procured fome-
thing for him from an apothecary's ihop, of the nature of which I am
ignorant, but am forry to fay that when I vifited the horfe next morning, I had
not the fmalleft hopes of his life ; his pulfe had increafed to thirty flrokes in a
minute more than it had been the night before ; he had a violent cough, and
difficult breathing; his eyes were almolt clofcd and inflamed; the glands of

the

159

the throat fwelled ; and the extremities cold. From the oppofitlon I met
with, and the injuftlce which had been done me by the groom and farrier, I
was determined to acquaint Mr. P. who was at a genleman's houfe about two
or three miles from thence, with the particulars, before I could again think of
trufting my medicines into the hands of a man who was more likely to ap-
propriate them to any other purpofe than that which I had dlre6ted.

I, however, took away three quarts of blood from the horfe, and gave
him one of the James' balls, and rubbed four ounces of ftrong Volatile liniment
upon the throat, and inflamed glands, and left orders that they fhould both be
repeated every three or four hours, and that a glyfter of fall and water ihould be
injedled every five or fix hours; his legs were to be well hand rubbed ; and
maflics given in a nofe bag, with plenty of warm gruel frequently ; I vifited
him the next morning ; and had every reafon to believe that my orders of the
preceeding day had been complied with ; a dlfcharge from the noftrils fuc-
ceeded, the fever and fvvelling abated, and I entertained hopes of a fpeedy
recovery ; I vifited the horfe every day for about three or lour days, when he
completely regained his ufual health.

It may pofsibly appear a little extraordinary, that fuppuration did not take
place in this, as in fome other cafes ofquincy. — I am not able to account for
it in any other way, than by fuppofing, that the fever and general inflamma-
tion were retrained in their piogrefs by tiie early bleeding employd, and the
repeated dofes of the fever powder, which, with the low, bland diet employed,
caufed the inflammation to terminate, by what Is termed refolution, which,
when It can be accompliflied, is a very defirable circumlVance in this, as well
as various other cafts of glandular inflammation.

R r

160

Case 5.

I BEG leave to obferve, that a chefnut horfe, the property of Mr.
Caftley, a horfe dealer, in Doncafter, had a quincy, &c. the fymptoms and
treatment of which fo nearly correfponded with the cafe of Lord Charles Somer-
set's horfe, that a repetition would be unnecefsary ; the horfe was in great
danger, but recovered. Colonel Lyon of the 11th Light Dragoons had like-
wife a mare dangerously ill of the fame difeafe, which recovered by the lame
^treatment.

I have had many other cafes of a fimilar kind, both in private practice
and in the regiment, within the laft feven years. In this treatife, I have gene-
rally omitted the common cafes that have occurred in the regiment, and enu-
merated fome of thofe which, at different times, have occupied my attention
in the neighbourhood where I have been quartered ; the reafon is, that a great
number of the gentlemen who have done me the honour to confult me, are
fubfcribers, and are willing to bear teftimony refpe6ling the fafts here inferted.

• I may, I trull, be permitted farther to obferve, that the cafes introduced
were, without exception, the worft I ever met with in my pradlice, although
many of the troop horfes have been nearly as bad, but early care and attention,
in many of them, have proved that prevention is better than a cure; andthat
by ufing the poultice and fomentation to the fwelled glands, with a few of
the pills mentioned in cafe 2, and continuing the poultice as directed in cafe 1,

with

161

with bleeding and glyller, if the fever run high, there is no danger whatever
attends the difeafe. It is not one cafe in ten that requires the Hartfhorn, or the
volatile liniment, or the mixture of Vitriolic Acid and water, as I never found
any occafion for it in any other cafe except in Lord Charles Somerfet's, and
one troop horfe in the I ] th Light Dragoons.

LOCK-

LOCKED JAW,

THIS is a dlfeafe to which horfes are very fubje<5t ; the common caufes
are, a fudden check given to perfpiration ; violent bruifes on any fenfible part ;
pun6lured tendons ; lacerated nerves ; the wound of a nail in Shoeing ; or any
caufe producing preternatual irritability. The bed preventives when the
above-mentioned caufes have occurred, particularly thofc from bruifes, punc-
tures, pricks, &c. are opiates internally given, and externally applied, with
moderate warmth, in form of poultice or fomentation to the parts.

Case 1.

THIS horfe was the property of the Duke of Northumberland, and had,
a few days before, fallen into a river with a load of timber, and was very much
bruifed; when I was called in, I found feme fymptoms of flight inflammation
upon his lungs, attended with a degree of general inflammation; I caufed a
rowel to be put in between his fore legs, and made him up fiK balls, each con-
taining 60 grains of James' powder ; and as he had a troublefome faint cough

I

159

I dire6Ved that one of them fhould be wafiied down, with about a pint of warm
water, in which 20 grains of purified Opium was diflblved, fweetened with
Honey or Treacle, and repeated every four hours; but as foon as thefe medi-
cines were prepared, and in the attempt to give the firft ball, I found his jaws
locked, yet not lo clofc but that I could introduce my finger, fo as to give a
ball. I therefore immediately diflblved it in a hornful of the prepared
fluid, and put it as far into his mouth as pofsible ; I believe he then fwal-
lov/ed part of it, and I ordered him to be drenched with a hornful of the fame
mixture, every three hours, with the addition of ten grains of Opium in each
hornful, which was done that night. The next day 1 vifited him, and found his
jawsfo completely locked, as not to admit of any thing being put into his mouth.
I alfo caufed his head and noftrils to be fomented the whole of the firft night,
and the day following ; but finding no benefit from what I had done, I eleclri-
fied him, and gave him twenty four Ihocks, and repeated it, to the fame extent
in about an hour; after which I endeavoured to give him fome of the Opiate,
and was able to get an halter into his mouth ; but the fl:rugglcs and convuUions
which attended the attempt, appeared to make him much worfe, and all our fu-
ture endeavours were fruitlefs — he died the third mornins. I have no doubt but
early care would haveprevented the locked jaw in this, and many other inftances.

Ifliall jufi: mention, that two horfcs were preferved from the locked
jaw, early in the month of May 1803, by early care and management. Se-
veral young horfes which had joined the regiment, had, during their training,
undergone the operation of docking, to the regimental length required; fix or
eight of them were docked one morning; the next day, two refufed their food,
appeared very refllefs, conftantly fhaking their tails, which is an alarming
fymptom, they had a confiderable degree of fever, flupor, and infenfibility ;

and
s f

164i

and I have little doubt that hi twelve hours, from that time, they would have been
feized with a permanent locked jaw, had not the foUwing means been employ-
ed. I ordered two quarts of blood to be taken from each horfe, and their tails
to be fomented three or four limes a day; a glyfler to be given every fix hours
for two days ; and two drams of purified Opium, in a pill, night and morning.
In forty eight hours, every fymptom of pain and irritation had fubfided. I am
happy to refleft, that from the great number of caufes to which horfes are
conftantly expofed, fuch as violent kicks upon the joints ; lacerations of tendons
ligaments and nerves; pricks with nails in Ihoeing; and wounds from nails; pieces
of glafs, and fharp flints, &c. on the roads, that the above-mentioned praftice
has eventually prevented the locked jaw from ever happening in the 1 1th
Liglit Dragoons, the one cafe excepted, which arofe from violent fpafms, or
intufufception, at Swinley Camp.

CAP A-

CAPALETS,

I DON'T know whether I am exa<5lly correct in this appellation, but
both ancient and modern writers have ufed the term, by which is underftood
a puffy fwelling on the cap, or extremity of the hough behind ; and which is
almoft invariably occafioned by horfes kicking their houghs, or hocks, againft
the flail, &c. The part^ in time, forms a hard callus very difficult to reduce,
unlefs you can prevent the horfe from repeating the blows which produced it,

ThedifFiculty in reducing this tumour arlfesfrom the flownefs of the circu-
lation and abforption in the partafifedled. The treatment I recommend is, fomen-
tation on the firfl attack or inflammation, for a few hours ; and then a blifler,
which is to be repeated two or three mornings in fuccefsion. If the bliflers
fhould not remove the fwelling, firing is then the only remedy we have left.
I have, however, frequently feen fuceefs from the blifters, in the incipient
Hate ; and never found the adual cautery fail.

EMACIA-

EMACIATION.

I MUST leave my unprejudiced readers to judge whether I am right In
denominating emaciation a diieafe, but from the affinity that fubfifts between
difeafe and emaciation in horfes, the confideration of the caufes and confe-
quences, and lately, that there is almoft an infallible cure, I hope I may be
excufed if I am in an error.

The caufes of emaciation are many, and fome of them unknown. Gene-
ral emaciation is owing to one caufe, and local to another, though the general
one may arife froni a topical caufe. General emaciations, as far as 1 have
been able to difcover, have been occafioned : ift. By inceflant labour without
appropriate intervals of reft, and a deficiency of proper nourifliment : 2dly,
By excefsive evacuations, fuch as violent purging, or an immoderate dif-
charge of urine, called diabetes : 3dly, Preceding diieafe : 4thly, Bots, and
worms in the ftomach, which I have frequently difcovcred on difledfion :
5thly, Inflammation and enlargement of the mefenteric glands, or difeafed
lymphatics, as in the farcy, &c. 6thly, Deficiency of nutritious matter in the
food, as in the cafe of mouldy hay, or bad clover, which afford but little nu-
triment : 7thly, A defe6l in the digeftive and afsimilating powers of the fto-
mach : 8lhly, Standing up too long at a time, without laying down, as is the

cafe

167

cafe with greafy heeled horfes. It may llkewife arlfe from accidents happen-
ing to the legs or joints, preventing the horfe from taking his ufual reft: 9thly,
Any injury done to the tendons, or joints ; or any other part very fufceptible of
irritation : lOthly, Imperfect maftication of the food taken into the ftomach.
Thefe are the principal caufcs to which I attribute general emaciation.

LOCAL EMACIATION

Is generally the efle6l of local injury, fuch as diflocation of the flioulder, or
any joint of the fore quajter; lamenefs in the ftifie, hip, or hough. Emacia-
tion happens partially alfo in the fame quarter, but very feldom afre6ls the
other quarters. While the inflammation remains, there is no perceptible
emaciation, except what arifes from the difcharge of the blifters, &c. or from
want of the mufcularadlion bemg properly fupported, and giving due circula-
tion and tone to the mufclcs of the part.

CURE
•r t

Ipw»i^wi»wfiw-waw*»

CURE OF EMACIATION.

EMACIATION proceeding from the firft caufe, requires but a very
flmple remedy, fuch as every feeling man would prefcribe and employ, viz.
increafing the quantity of food, or giving it oftener ; fince too long abftinence
produces debility in the ftomach, gives the gaftric juice opportunity of a6l-
ing upon its fenfible coats, and thereby excites difeafe.

To remedy this malady when afcertaincd to proceed from the ift caufe,
increafe the food, and allow the animal fufficicnt reft. — 2d. Cordial opiates
and mufcilages. — 3d. Remedy according to the nature of cafe. — ^th. See treat-
ment of worms. — 5th. See treatment of farcy. — 6tli. Nutritious food of various
forts. — 7th. Bitters compofed of Aloes, Wormwood, &;c. — Sth. Remove the
antecedent caufe. — 9th. Remedies for wounded tendons, joints, &c. (fee wounds
in joints from irritability), with Opium half a dram, night and morning, for three
days. — 10th. Examme and repair the teeth, grind the corn, give mathes, &c.
Sometimes ihe lampas prevents a horfe from properly mafticating h s corn ;
and fometimes canker in the mouth. Squirrel-tail hay frequently produces
ulcers under the tongue, the adlion of which being impeded, the horfe refufes
his food for weeks together without the caufe being difcovcred ; of courfe the
mouth fliould be flridlly examined.

HIDE

HIDE BOUND.

THIS deviation from the natural economy of the fyflem cannot, I think,
with propriety, be called a difeafe, although we fufpeft one remote caufe is
worms, hots, &c. in the ftomach, producing irritation and difeafe in that organ ;
thefe infe6ls probably imbibe and receive the moft nutritious particles of the
food, which the ftomach takes in for the fupportof the whole animal, confequently
lefs blood is formed from the nutriment received, and proportionably lefs is
determined to the fkin, caufing penury of blood on the external furface. Alfo»
fudden tranfitions from the unnatural heat of ftables to a cold atmofphere, and want
of frid^ion fufficient to promote the ufual circulation; As to the cure, the caufes
being firft removed, (i. e.J the food being of a nutritious quality, and given with
more freedom than ufual for a few days, fuch as hot malhes of ground Oats,
ground malt, &c. and about half an ounce of Sulphur, and a dram of Antimo-
nial powder in each malli twice a day, employing at the fame time, confider-
ably more than the ufual quantity of friction, fcratchingthe flvin with a curry
comb and ftiff brufli, and throwing an additional cloth over the loins. This
is fo common a cafe in pra6lice, that I have not thought it necefiary to make
any particular minutes upon it, as every perfon who has the leaft knowledge of
horfes, mufl be acquainted with the fymploms, and the caufe being well afcer-

tained.

170

tained, the brief explanation I have given, will, I trull, be thought fufficient,
particularly when I add, that, at different times, at leaft 6 or 700 cafes of this
kind, have come under my care, and that the treatment above fpecified, has
(with very few inftances of failure) fucceeded.

Great care fhould at the fame time, be taken, not to expofe the horfe to
a cold atmofphere, without plenty of cloaths, during the adminiftration of thefe
medicines. To deftroy the worms, give the balls recommended for worms,
and treat the horfe in the manner there diredled.

DROPSY.

GREASE

IJ¥ THE MEEJLS OR LEGS,

IN July 1805, I was applied to by Mr. Alnfley of Leeds, to look at a cart
horfe which had been, for a long time, in a dreadful flate of greafe, in one of
his hind legs, and medicines given internally without effe<5t ; this leg was three
or four times the fize of the other, there was a conftant, very ofifenfive dif-
charge from the hoof; more than half way up the hough was completely
covered with puftules, which by Farriers, and others, are called grapes, fome
as large as a fmall Walnut; others lefs. The flighteft fri<5lion or ftroke from
the other leg, produced the mofl copious bleeding ; there was a very dif-
agreeable {linking difcharge from the heel ; the inflammation in the leg was
very violent, which! ordered to be fomented feveral times a day, for ten days;
and gave him a dofe of phyfic, and occafionally a diuretic, or urine ball. In
about a fortnight the inflammation was fiifficiently abated to admit of the pul-
tules being removed, which I drcffed every day with butter of Antimony ap-
plied

vu

172

plied with a feather, lliis powerful cauftic occafioned a confiderable floiigh of the
grapes, if I may beallovved the exprefsion ; thefepuftulesare, in fome countries,
called anbcrnes ; a dofc of phyfic was given about once in three weeks, and
the berries dreffed for about another week, with the butter of Antimony,
when a third dofe was given, and all the puflules feared away with a large firing
iron made red hot, feveral of tljem, which appeared not to occupy much fpace
at their roots and which were loofe, 1 cut off, with the edge of the hot iron,
and feared the external furface with the flat fide of it; this caufed the puftules
to flough, at leaft one eighth of an inch in thicknefs, each time of applying it.
The laft time of its application, I performed it in the fame manner, as if there
liad been no fuch difeafe exifting in the leg, as the greafe ; I drew perpendi-
cular lines from the upper part of the difeafe, down to the hoof, within about
one fourth of an inch of each other, confiderably deeper than I •do in any com-
mon mode of firing for fprains, &c. In about three weeks, found it necefTary
to repeat the firing in ftraight lines as before, in the intervals between the
former lin-es, and at the fame time, firing tranfverfe lines about one fourth of
an inch diflant from each other quite round the leg from the upper part of
the difeafe to the hoof, and completely through every remaining puftule. I
then gave him another dofe of phyfic, and turned him out.

In ^bout five weeks he was put to his ufual employment ; the leg was
not reduced to its original healthy fize, but the enlargement was very trifling,
with very little blemifh, and he was perfe6lly found.

I beg leave to obferve, that thofe who faw this horfe, whatever preten-

fioiis they might have to the knowledge of horfes in general, were of opinion,

that this could never be cured, and after he was cured, expreflfed their great

al^onifliment.

A fimilar

173

A fimilar cafe came under my care, in a horfe belonging to Charles
Brandling, Efq. at Middleton, in Yorkfhire, vvl)ich I treated in every refpect
in the fame manner, and with the iifiial fuecefs. Thefe were the two mod
inveterate cafes of grcafe I ever attempted to cure, and by far the worft I ever
faw removed by any practitioner in the Veterinary art. From tlie above mode
of treatment, any perfcn may gather fufificient information to cure his own
horfe, or inflruct a provincial Farrier how to treat the cafe.

DROPSY,

DROPSY.

SYMFTOMSs C^USE^ <AJ¥]D TRE^TMEMT-

DROPSY may be local or general, and may proceed from a variety of
caufes ; a dropfy in the cavity of the thorax is called hydrops pectoris ; vi^hen
in the abdomen it is termed an afcites ; and when in the cellular membrane
anafarca. When in the fcrotum, hydrocele, but this lad fpecies of dropfy fel-
dom happens to horfes, for I have never feen a cafe of this nature, except
where it had proceeded from fome external accident, wounding fome of the
fuperficial lymphatics, the fcrotum itfelf, or parts contiguous.

Symptoms of hydrops pefloris are, a difficulty of breathing; fmall, and
apparently obitru6led pulfe ; lofs of appetite ; urine very fmall in quantity,
weaknefs ; thirft ; and a little fever ; upon prefsing the hand upon the fide
of the breaft, the water may be felt to gufli againfl the hand, but with more

Violence

175

violence in the a(5l of expiration, than during infpiration. Dropfy in the ab-
domen, called afcites, does not vary much in fymptoms from the former, only
that the whole cavity of the abdomen, from the great collection of fluid, is
diftendcd to an extraordinary fize.

The fymptoms of anafarca, general or local, are preternatural fwellings
in the parts moft affefted ; this colleclion of watery fluid is caufed by an effufioii
into the cellular membrane, and the water pafies down to the legs or other
parts, the fkin pits, or is indented by the preflure of the finger, but the indenta-
tions fill up again in about ten minutes after the prelTure is removed. There
is another fpecies of dropfy to which horfes are generally very fubjedl, and
which Farriers have very erroneoufly called Water Farcy. It firrt appears in
hardilh knots under the fkin, about the bignefs of a horfe bean, attended by a
little inflammation and itching, caufing the horfe to rub himfelf againfi; a poft,
f!all, &c. thefe tubercles continue enlarging, fometimes, to the fize of a pigeon's
egg, and laftly, break ; and from which ifilies a living animal or hydatid of an
oval figure; when the cyfl containing this infe6l is broken, a tranfparent fluid
efcapes, and if the infect be taken out, it leaves a cavity in the horfe's flefii be-
tween the mufclesand (kin, of the original fize of the hydatid. This little infect
when taken out of the flcin, in its veficle, is peifedlly alive, but not able to move
its body ; it has a fmall dark grey head, and feveral feet ; the head appears to
be about the 500th part of the fize of the body. Of the produftion, or gene-
ration of thefe hydatids I have not hitherto been able fatisfa6lorily to inform
myfelf.

The caufes of dropfy in horfes, are many and various, as well as in the
I human

X X

176

human fubje6t ; we are well aflured that this difeafe, is nothing more than a
preternatural colle(5lion of water in the cellular membrane, in cyfts, or
the different cavities of the body, arifing fometimes from obvious, at other
limes from unknown caufes. According to Dr. Rotherham's opinion, a quan-
tity of water may be taken in, not by drinking, but by abforption from the
atmofphcre, and produce dropfy. Surely, if this may be admitted as a caufe of
dropfy, in the human fubjecl, which is conflantly prote6led againft cold,
damp air, &c. by cloaths and the like, it is natural to infer, that this may be
one unavoidable caufe in the horfe, which is fo frequently expofed to cold and
moifture, &c. It is alfo readily admitted, that a rupture of the lymphatics, or
the ]a6lealsj has occafioued a dropfy in the cavity of the abdomen.

Too copious bleeding, particularly in fevers of the hectic kind, feldom
fails of producing ferous extravafatlon in the legs, or anafarca ; fometimes lo-
cal, or encyfted dropfy. Strong and repeated blifters very frequently occalion
a dropllcal difpofition in the legs, and hocks of horfes, and more particularly
when applied at, or when jufl taken up from grafs. Pun6lures with forks,
or other fharp pointed bodies, in the joints, particularly the hock, occafion
a watery effufion in that part : punctures in the belly or fides, bring on hydro-
pic intumefcence there. Strong draftic purges afford another very common
caufe, but more particularly when horfes are phyfic'd immediately after they
arrive from grafs, when the whole fyftcm is in a weak and relaxed flate.
Inactivity Is a very common caufe of anafareous fvvelllngs in the legs, which
frequently prove very hard to remove.

Long confinement in the flable, retards the circulation in the lymphatic
veflels of the limbs, producing a3dematous fvvelllngs, and plainly indicates neg-
ieft In refpedl to fri^lion with the brufli, and proper exercife.

Cafe

177

Case 1.

A DROPSY in the whole inferior furface of the abdomen, or belly, in
the General's troop, In the 1 1th Light Dragoons, was ocCafioned by a fork being
thruft into the flank of the horfe, and though the wound was not above 3-4ths of
an inch deep, it was fuddenly fucceeded by pain, and a moft violent inflam-
mation extending about twelve inches in diameter ; in two days, the inflamma-
tion fubfided, but the fwelling increafed very fafl, the pits made by the finger,
as before-mentioned in dropfical cafes, remained for ten or twelve minutes,
the horfc became feverlfli and weak, urine fmall in quantity, and of a tranf-
parent red colour ; finding the fwelling increafing every hour, I gave him one
of the following diuretic balls, viz:.

Rofin, one pound,.

Nrtre, two ditto,

Oil of Juniper, two ounce?,

Venice Turpentine, eight ditto.
Formed into thirty balls.
This was the fecond night after the accident; the next morning the fwelling was
ilill greater, it had fpread from the flank, over the whole furface of the belly,
to the fore leg, and into the breaft; I repeated the diuretic ball, and gave one
morning and night for two days; caufed him to be walked out an hour at a time,
three times a day ; and the hardeft friction that could be employed by the hands
of two men at a time, three hours more in the courfe of the day, fo that fix
hours in the day were fpent in exercife and fri6lion ; and in the interval, four
boards, «;onneded together with leather, broad enough to cover the whole ex-
ternal

178

tcrnal furface of the abdomen, were confined to the beily by tliree furclngles
buckled round the horie's body, which acled as a very powerful comprefs
upon the abdomen. I may fafely fay, that the bottom part of the abdomen
wasdiminiilied, in three days, at leafl: eight inches. I pun6lured the abdomen
in twenty or thirty places with a lancet, every day, and continued the above
treatment till the morning of the fifth day of the difeafe, giving him one of my
cordial balls morning and evening ; when the fwelling was partly fubfided, and
the horfe in a ftate of convalefcence. I then found it expedient to difcontinue
the diuretics for a day or two, and gave one of the following balls morning,
noon, and night:

Take of Peruvian Bark, two pounds,

Opium diflblved in Spirits of Wine four ounces.
Made into fixteen balls with treacle.

I continued the friflion, exercife, and comprefs, as before ; and on the
seventh and eight morning, gave another of the diuretic balls; but which were
from this time difcontinued, and the bark balls fubftituted, every night and
morning, for five days, along with walking exercife, for half an hour at a time,
twice a day ; the fri6lion was alfo continued, and the comprefs, as before-
mentioned, constantly applied, after the friction ; and though this was one of
the moft alarming cafes of the kind I ever faw, the horfe perfedly recovered
in three weeks from the attack of the difeafe,

I never allowed the horfe to drink more than two quarts of water a day,

for

179

for the firft five days of the difeafe, and increafed it only a quart a day, as lie
recovered, and as the dropfical fymptoms abated. His food was dry Bran,
Oats, and fweet Hay.

Case 2 ,

OF anafarca, in a troop horfe in the 1 1th Light Dragoons, and which was
much more alarming than the former, as it was a cafe of general dropfy ; the
horfe's nofe, legs, ched, and abdomen were all equally fwelled, attended with
fome degree of fever, lofs of appetite, and great debility. From the fuccefs
derived from fri6lion and comprefs, in other cafes of a Hmilar nature, I was in-
duced to employ them in this, with the ufe of the fame diuretic balls, which
I gave as in cafe 1. adding Calomel 15 grains, and gave one night and morning
for four days, and in the middle of the day one of the bark, and opium balls.
From the debilitated ftate the horfe was in, I was not able to give him fo much
exercife as I did in the former cafe, inftcad of which I ordered the fri6lion to
be almoll incefiant for eight or ten hours in the day, I alfo gave him four quarts
of the following decoction daily, with a horn, namely, Oak Bark fix pounds,
put into twelve quarts of ft rong ale, letting it fimmcr two hours over a flow
fire, and flraining it for ufe. I afterwards gave him one of the ftimulating
cordial balls every night and morning for twelve days, and at the expiration
of that lime he was reftored to health.

DROPSY.

•MJ4UJ...UJL.I.I1J

DROPSY.

THE hydatids before defcribed admit of an eafy cure, by letting the
puftules come to a head, or allowing the ikin to be firfl nearly ready to break,
and then fqueezing out the hydatids ; after which, a drop or two of Spirits of
Turpentine being dropped into the apperture, will foon ftimulate the growth
of parts deflroyed by the irritation of the animal ; and where there is a rifing of
the ikin, yet where it does not appear likely to break, a few drops of Spirits of
Turpentine upon the fwelled part, will immediately deftroy the living animal ;
this, with a dram or two of Calomel, given at the interval of a day or two, has
always fufficed in this fpecies of dropfy

YEL-

YELLOWS, OR JAUNDICE.

PERHAPS few dlfcafcs incident to horfes have puzzled the praelitioner,
or thcFarrieiv more than this, though in fac^, it is one of the fimplefl difeafes in
nature to cure, unlefs it proceed from wounds in the region of the liver.

■ SYMPTOMS-

YELLOWNESS in the eyes and mouth, fometimesin the tongue, urine
yellow or high coloured, weaknefs in the eyes, pulfe quick, coflivenefs, great
debility, dung paler than ufual, lofs of appetite, fomctimes reftleffnefs.

€OMMOJ¥ C^USM-

INFLAMMATION of the liver, fpafm, biliary concretions impacted
in the gall-du6l, obflruifting the pafl'age of the bile, &c. and I liave reafon to
believe, that external injury done to the contiguous parts, is a very frequent
caufe of this difeafc, as I have obferved, that there arc more waggon and
Farmer's horfes, that have this difeafe, than any other kind of horfes, and from
the great cruelty exercifed by the managers of waggon and cart horfes, par-
ticularly when thefe poor animals are at a dead ftand with a heavy load, the
whip being unmercifully applied, and the thick end of it fomeiimes repeatedly
thruft againft the different, and moft fenfible parts of the belly ; and what tends

more

182

more to corroboiate my opinion, that external contufions, &c. may be a fre-
quent caufe of the yellows, or jaundice, is a circumftance refpecling a dog,
belonging to Captain Diggins, of the 1 1th Light Dragoons, which fighting with
another dog, received a great number of wounds and contufions about his
body, particularly in the right hypochondrium, where the liver is fituated ;
this being a favorite dog, and beuig very ill from the wounds he received.
Captain Diggins defircd me to look at him, when I found him unable to walk,
or open his mouth or eyes, and he ihevved all all the fymptoms of a moft in_
veterate jaundice ; he was a white dog m his coat, but his fkin was then turned
as yellow as ever I faw the flvin of the human body, in the woril ftage of the
jaundice.

As I have mentioned dogs, I beg leave to fay a few words more upon
the fubjeft, and as moft fporting gentlemen are as fond of their dogs as of their
horfes, it may prove equally fatisfa6lory ; and as I have ihewa one caufe of
jaundice in the dog, I ihall go on with tlve treatment ; bleeding is one of the
moft cffential parts of the cure of this difeafe in horfes, for which it might be
natural to infer, that the fame pra61ice would prove ufeful to dogs, in tlie fame
fituation ; but I am forry to add, that the cafe of this dog was fo defperate i'rom
the violence of the caufe, his neck, head, body, &c. being fo much fwelled,
that bleeding was impracticable, the inflammation was fo excefsive in thofe
parts, that I ordered him to be fomented with flannels, wrung out of hot water
feveral times a day, and gave him one of the following pills night and morn-
ing, for fix days. . ,

Calomel and Opium of each three drams.
Made into twelve pills, with cxtratl of Bark.

At

183

AT which time the dog was able to fee and walk about, the yellow
hue difappeared very fall, his loft appetite was reftored, and he very quickly
recovered. I take the liberty farther to fay, that the dog which had fought
with the one juft mentioned, and which belonged to Lieutenant Bullocks,
and had fo greatly wounded Captain Diggins'sdog, fought with another dog
in about a year afterwards, which wounded him in his head and hypochond-
rium, near the liver, and which brought on the Jaundice, as bad as in the
cafe of Captain Digging's dog, indeed I may fay fomcthlng worfe, as it was not
.in my power to fave him.

Since that time I was fent for to another dog, which had the jaundice,
from the fame caufe ; feveral holes were bitten in his right fide, by which the
liver was aflfeded, and he died, which gave me an opportunity of difcovering
the caufe of his death, by difled:ion ; wiien I found feveral ulcers in different
parts of the liver, the bile mixed with blood in the veflels of the liver, and the
biliary paflages were almoft impervious to air, as I introduced a blow pipe
without being able to obtain more than a temporary pallage, and that with diffi-
culty ; but previoufly, there had been a great quantity of bile extravafated
out of the biliary pafTages, &c. into the duodenum, or firfl inteftine from
the ftomach, but very little was regurgitated into the ftomach, which is
found very frequently to be the cafe in this difeafe in horfes. From this
demonftration, I think, it is fair to conclude, that contufions on the fides of
horfes, or of any other animal, adjacent to the liver, may occafion the jaundice ;
and when I have been called in to cafes of jaundice, I have fufpe6led this to
have been the caufe, efpecially if there were proofs of the animals having been
treated in the manner above-named, and that the difeafe had a fatal ten-
dency ; for, as I mentioned before, unlefs it proceed from wounds, &c. in the

fides,
z z

fides, or parts adjacent to the liver, it is, in general, a difeafe eafily curable ;
but when from contufion, &c. it requires quite a different treatment, which
will be mentioned hereafter under the title of remarks.

Case 1 .

A HORSEbelonging to Colonel Carnagie,^in the Uth Light Dragoons*
in 1798, had this difeafe, and it proved the moft violent cafe that had ever
come under my care.

SYMFTOJMS-

THIS horfe was remarkably yellow in his mouth and eyes, accompanied
with an uniform high degree of heat, or inflammation ; his pulfe frequently at
ninety five ; very coftive, with the greateft degree of ftupor I ever faw in any
horfe in this difeafe; lofs of appetite, his urine of a deep yellow, apparently
tinned with blood ; his dung very hard, fmall, and covered with a bloody
mucus; his being a waggon horfe, gave me reafon to fufpe6l that his difeafe
might proceed from the before-mentioned caufes, namely, wounds or contu-
fionson hisfidcs, though no appearance of either could be difcovered,.

I TOOK fix quarts of blood from him, and placed a rowel in his chefr,

and

185

and another In his belly a little to his right fide, and gave him the following
ball. — Aloes, 8 drams, made into a ball with foap ; four hours after I ordered
him plenty of water gruel, to drink, and gave him the following glyfter; viz.
warm water two quarts, purging falts, four ounces ; and, as he was very coftivc,
repeated" it three times the fame day ; next evening the above purging ball
operated plentifully, and when its operation was over, I gave him one of the
following b,alls, and repeated it night and morning for four days :

Calomel one dram.

Opium half a dram,

Powdered Bark one ounce.
Made into a ball with Mucilage of Tragacanth. Next morning I found it ne-
ceflary to take two quarts more of blood, and repeated the glyfter as on the
firft day ; at the end of the fifth day he was better, when his appetite was
fomcwhat reftored,his eyes open, and every dangerous fymptom removed ; ftill
the yellow hue in his mouth and eyes remained, which proved that the bile
had not been completely re-abforbed ; finding it necefl'ary to repeat the
Calomel, I ordered the following dofe i

Calomel, half a dram.

Opium, half a ditto,

Bark, one ounce,
made into a ball with mucilage as before ; gave one every night and morning
for four days longer, after which gave him the following purging ball. Aloes>
five drams, made into a ball with hard Soap.

The foeces brought away by this purge, a]->peared to have a part of the
coats of the inteftines and bloody veins mixed with them, at the fame time the

horfe

186

horfe was very much debilitated. In this cafe I thought proper to give him
the following drink :

Powdered Bark, one ounce

Opium in warm water, two drams.

Mucilage of Gum Arabic, four oxmces.
Mixed with two quarts of gruel, made warm, and repeated the fame next morn-
ing ; from the above treatment the horfe perfe6lly recovered ; and, alarming as
the fymptoms were from the violence of the attack, he was able to work within
a month from the day he was taken ill.

Case 2.

A MARE belonging to Captain Brown, in the 11th Light Dragoons,
taken at Hamptonwick, in 1797, this mare fliewed all the fymptoms as in
cafe 1, her urine excepted, which did not appear to be affefted, neither
was fhe very coftive-

TRE*ATMEJfT.

I BLED her to four quarts, placed a rowel in her belly, and gave her
the following ball: Aloes, fix drams, made into a ball with Soap; twenty
four hours after I gave her the following ball :

Calomel and Opium, of each one dram.
Powdered Bark, one ounce.

Made

187

made into a ball with Mucilage of Gum Arabic, and repeated it night and
morning, for three days, then left an interval of two days, and gave her four
drams of Aloes made into a ball with foap ; after this dofe of phyfic had work-
ed off, I repeated the Calomel balls as above for two days. From this treat-
ment the mare recovered; but about a year after flie went blind, which is ac-
counted for, in the remarks upon this difeafe, and its terminationst For pro-
per regimen, fee remarks. — For the Cafe fee page l&l.

Case 3.

THIS horfeWas in Captain Brown's troop, IJth Light Dragoons, which
fliewed every fymptom, as in cafe 1, but much more alarming, the fever was
more violent, with great debility, which prevented my taking away the blood
fo commonly neceflary in this difeafe ; therefore, as the conftitution could
not afford to lofe the ufual quantity, I took only two quarts from him, the firft
day, and repeated it on the third, and again on the fifth, gave him glyfters as in
cafe 1, and the following ball the firft day, viz. Aloes 6 drams, made into a
ball with foap; and the four following days I gave this ball night and morning :
Calomel two fcruples, powdered Bark one ounce. Opium half a dram, made
into a ball with Syrup of Buckthorn, at which time he was much recovered,
though ftill weak. I difcontinued the above ball for three days, and gave him
the following — Aloes, four drams, made into a ball with hard foap ; eighteen
hours after it was given, he appeared much better; the next two days I gave
him four ounces of Nitre, and four ditto of Sulphur in his maflies, at the ex-
piration

3A

188

piration of which, he was very much recovered, only the yellow hue remained
in his mouth and eyes, with great debility. The yellow tinge in the eyes
afforded an evident proof that the bile was not completely reabforbed, for
which I gave the following ball every night, for ten nights : Calomel half a
dram, Opium half a dram, made into a ball with extra6l of Bark ; nothing
could effedl a better cure than the above treatment ; yet the horfe went blind
foon afterwards, and it is accounted for in the remarks in thefe cafes.

After having laid down the general fymptoms and common caufes, and
given feveral cafes of this difeafe, I wilh to conclude the fubjed: with remark-
ing, that I have, within thefe laft ten years, had upwards of 120 more cafes
of this difeafe, and that the treatment laid down in thefe cafes is the detail of
my pra6tice in every cafe of this kind, and I have the fatisfa6lion to fay, that
I have never loft a horfe in the jaundice. I muft, however, beg leave to add,
that the treatment ought to vary according to the violence of the caufe and
fymptoms, and that a great number of cafes of this kind have come under my
care, in which I have done nothing more than take away from two to five
quarts of blood from the horfe, according to the ftrength, &c. and gave four
drams of Aloes made into a ball with foap, and repeated it three or four days
after; when the yellownefs in the mouth and eyes was confiderable, I have given a.
dram of Calomel, with three drams of Aloes made into a ball with foap, &c.
and repeated it in about three days from the firft, or as occafion required, with
the greateft fuccefs, and in two or three inftances of this difeafe, I have fuc-
ceeded, by repeated venefe6lion only.

PRAC-

PRACTICAL ADMONITIONS;

REM^ARKS,

IN a flight cafe of the yellow jaundice, the horfe's regimen may confill:
of his ufual food and drink, but when more violent, no corn Ihould be given
to him, unlefs he be very much debilitated, and refufe every thing elfe, and
in that cafe but very fparingly ; but the food fliould be warm bran mafhes,
warm water gruel, and his hay, which fliould be fmall in quantity, fprinkled
with water an hour or two before it be given to him ; and if he refufe all kinds
of food, it will be neceflary to make him fome thick water gruel, and drench
him with five or fix quarts a day ; as horfes with this difeafe are always feverifh
throughout the whole ftage, it is neceflary to let a pail of warm water gruel
Hand conflantly by him, that he may drink and wafli his mouth when he
likes.

In a'flate of violent coftivenefs in this difeafe, it is much fafer to give the
gentle purges mentioned in cafe 9 and 10, and repeat the glyflers three or four
times a day, after well raking, before Calomel is adminifl:ered, otherwife it is
likely to produce violent fpafms, and increafe the inflammation of the in-
tefl:ines, as well as bring on a falivation, or great forenefs in the mouth ; but
after a paflage is procured, the Calomel may be given with fafety, to the quan-
tity

190

tity of three or four drams a day; at the fame time great care flaould be taken
not to fufter the horfe to drink cold water, or to eat fuch bran maflies as have
lain before him till they are cold ; nor be walked out in an atmofphere many
degrees colder than the ftable in which he ftands ; therefore it becomes ne-
ceiTary to keep the ftable in as equal a temperature with the atmofphere as
possible, without rilking the horfe's taking cold by ftanding ftill.

I have great reafon to believe that the jaundice is frequently caufed by
plethora, as horfes are moft fubje6l to this difeafe, that are feeding on green
clover, vetches, or any other green vegetable food ; that this is the cafe
1 think is evident, from the great number of Farmers' horfes that have
this difeafe more than any others ; and it happens at the time of the year
when green vegetable food is mod plentiful ; that is, from July to the
latter end of September. I have repeatedly obferved, that in Farmers*
ftables, this difeafe has gone through the whole of his horfes, except
one; and, upon inquiry, I have found, that, perhaps, eight or ten, and
fometimes more of thefe horfes have gone conflantly to grafs, clover, or
vetches, after their work was done ; but the Farmer having a riding horfe, kept
him in the ftable feeding on old oats and beans, when every horfe that fed
upon green vegetable food had this difeafe, and that the riding Iiorfe efcaped.
As the difeafe is fo frequently fatal among horfes, and from the fame caufe,
viz. Plethora, I prefume that a preventive will be acceptable, and if the follow-
ing is llri^lly attended to, will moft likely anfwer the purpofe, however fimple
it may appear to thofe who have been in the habit of giving compofitions of me-
dicines, to my certain knowledge, of a dire6l contrary quality, which nothing but
the powerful efforts of nature could have prevented from proving detri-
mental, or even a caufe, inftead of a preventive ; the following has been found
effectual in every cafe of that nature that has come under my care, and fre-
quently

qucntly fufficed when fymptoms have appeared ; therefore I iftuft caution my
readers againft the repeated prafticc of giving hot fpiccs, feeds, &c. under the
appellation of comfortable halls and drinks, which may mofily be difcovercd
by the tafte. I do not mean to fay that this is invariably the cafe, but it too
frequently happens in lliis country, that the pretenders to the knowledge ot
farriery are miflakcn in the caufe and confequcnccs of this, as well as moft
difeafcs incident to horfes ; and this obfcurity, and cruel violation ot the true
medical laws, and animal oeconomy, fubfifts too commonly among the pub-
lishers of books upon tliis fubjecl; as a certain author, of the name of Taplin,
in page '266, in his eleventh edition, has the following words ;

♦' The more fmiple and leafl dangerous complaints pafsing under this
" denomination,' arife folely from an obftruffion in the biliary duds, or in the
" gall bladder, fituated between the two lobes of the liver, whofe immediate pur-
" pofe it is to afsifl in fecreting the bile from the blood."

Now the firfl part of this fentence I agree to, that the moft fmiplc and

lead dangerous complaints pafsing under this denomination, arife from an

obfi:ru<?lion in the biliary du6^3; but then, that folely depends upon the caufe

of that obftru(5lion. But the pofsibility of its arifing from any obftrudfion in

the gall bladder, I deny, upon the authority that a horfe has no gall bladder.

nor have I any fatisfadtory reafon to believe that the gall bladder of any animal

has any thing to do with the fecretion of bile ; but that the gall bladder, in my

opinion, is purely a receptacle of bile. Mr. Wood fays, that he cannot afsign

a reafon why a horfe has not a gall bladder, as all other animals are furnifhed

with
3 B

192

\\ itii it ; Mr, Coleman, profellbr at the Veterinary college, has given a very fa-
tisfadlory reafon why, too long to mention in this work.

Turmeric, mentioned m the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia, as being of fingular
efficacy in llie jaundice of the human body, does not anfvver any fuch purpofe
in horfes, though prefcribed by moft authors, and given by farriers. I have
adminiftered eight ounces a day, for feveral days together without any per-
ceptible effect.

Saffron, alfo prefcribed by authors of farriery, has been clebrated
as a leading ingredient in the cure of the jaundice in horfes ; but in every
experiment I have been able to make, when given, in different cafes, in
large quantities, it has been without producing any fenfible effe6l.

Rhubarb alfo, fo frequently prefcribed by authors of farriery, docs not
acl as a purgative in horfes.

No one need wonder that the jaundice in horfes is fo fatal, fince the
leading articles in the recipes in general have actually little or no effecl on
them ; the medicines proper for the removal of the difeafc are omitted, or not
known. Farriers in general do this through ignorance; and moft furgeons
wlio are authors, write from analogical ideas.

The jaundice proceeding from wounds and contufions in the body, &c.
requires double the quantity of blood to be taken away, to prevent local in-
flammation

193

flammation In the liver and contiguous parts ; and a high degree of external
inflammation to be raifed by bliflers, rowel, or fetons, to countera6l the excited
inflammation of the liver, as I have great reafon to believe that this mode of
raifing external inflammation in the contiguous parts, has frequently prevented
the inflammation in the liver from terminating in fuppuration or abfcefs; and
I alfo find, that when this difeafe proceeds from wounds, &c, and does not prove
fatal, it frequently terminates in a fcirrhous liver, as I have feveral times ex-
perienced; andjhat, months after the horfe has recovered of the jaundice, the
whole fyftem has watted gradually, and from a caufc unknown to thofe who
could not diffedl for it ; fo by way of a blind, they termed the horfe rotten.

In the above flate of difeafed liver, the horfe is generally coftivc through
life ; the yellow hue in his eyes never completely difappears, unlcfs permanent
blindncfs be the confequence ; he is always feeble, or languid, his eyes either
almoft clofed, without inflammation, or but very little open ; or he flares very
mucli, keeping his eyes fixed, apparently on fome particular objccl, with the
pupil wonderfully dilated, looking of a pale-blue colour ; that part of the eye
which generally appears white, puts on a ycllowilh hue ; laftly, a complete
cataract, and permanent blindncfs fuddenly fuccecd.

The ftaiing, or expanded pupil, is one furc criterion of an enfuing
blindncfs, and though a temporary light be alTordcd him, it will not be of
any long continuance. I have great reafon to believe, that bile abforb-
ed into the mafs of blood, has a fpecific ed'c&i on the eyes of horfcs, as I find,
thatatleafi: one third ofthefe which are cured of jaundice, go blind within a

year

194.

year or two after, which is my reafon for giving the large repeated dofes of
Calomel.

Sometimes the jaundice will be attended by violent purgings, in that
cafe I have found great fuccefs from giving three drams of Opium, in a pill,
night and morning, till it flop.

IN-

INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS.

SYMPTOMS-
COLD extremities, cars damp and cold, debility, lofs of appetite, dry
fhort cough, tongue fometimes hot and dry, increafed aftion of the heart,
pulfe increafed from its ufual number of pulfations, which are in health from
forty to fifty, in proportion to the violence of the inflammation, fometimes to
eighty or ninety, and in a very advanced flage of the inflammation, to a hun-
dred, and a hundred and ten ; and all thefe fymptoms increafe in proportion to
the degree of inflammation, that of the tongue excepted, which fometimes
turns cold.

C^USE.

Sudden tranfition from cold to heat, or iieat to cold ; violent cough ; ter-
mination of general inflammation, or inflammatory fever; walhing horfes in
rivers, ponds, &c. when in a Hate of perfpiration ; letting them Hand in gate-
ways or pafliigcs to cool ; extraneous fubftances forced down the windpipe, &:c.

3 c Cafe

196

Case 1 ,

OF a ftalllon the property of Colonel Cliilders, of the 11th Light
Dragoons ; the fymptoms correfponded with the above in a most violent degree,
pulfe eighty ; he was in very high condition, and not much debilitated. I
took five quarts of blood from his neck, and gave him two ounces of Nitre,
made into a ball with honey ; then placed a rowel in the centre between tiie
two fore legs, and another on each fide of his chest, about fixteen inches, In
an oblique direction, behind the firft, towards his belly, fo that the three rowels
occupied a triangular fpace in the cheft, of about fixteen inches. The opera-
tion of putting in three rowels, threw the horfe into the moft profufe fweat I
ever faw in any horfe.

The rowels prevloufly to their being inferted, were dipped in Spirits of
Turpentine, the ftlmulus of which, with the rowels, excited a mofl violent degree
of inflammation, at leafl twenty inches in diameter, in eight hours. As the
external inflammation increafed, the fymptoms above-mentioned decreafed,
the ball was repeated night and morning, for five days. Two yards of ftrong
tape were tied round each fetlock, very tight, in order to determine as
much blood to the extremities as pofsible. Every fymptom of inflam-
mation of the lungs was removed in forty-eight hours. The inflammation ex-
cited by the rowels was kept up three days, when one of them was taken out;
and on the fifth day, both the others were alfo removed, and the balls difcon-
tlnued ; and about half an ounce of Nitre was given every day in a math ; his
food was warm maflies of bran, and his drink warm gruel, both rather fmall in

quan-

197

quantity ; his legs were well hand-rubbed feveral hours every day, and the
liable kept moderately warm.

REMARKS.

When the parts rowelled inflame and fwell, in the fpace of Hx or eight
hours, it is almofl a fure criterion of fuccefs ; but if not within the firft twenty-
four, then bliflering on the fide, and even firing, is the only probable mode of
treatment that can give the leafl: hopes of a cure ; where rowelling, bliftering,
and firing fail in roufing inflammation, I never faw one inftance of a horfe's
recovering. In a cafe of a horfe belonging to Mifs Stewart, on a visit at Mr.
Pickard's, near Dorchefter, in Dorfetfliire, I employed the above treatment,
(firing excepted) three rowels in the chest, and bliftered with the ftrongeft
bliftering ointment I could make ; none of the rowels nor the blifter, had the
leafteftedt, the horfe died on the third day; when opening the cheft, (Mr. Pick-
ard being prefent) we found the lungs almoft in a ftate of mortification. This
horfe fhewed every fymptom ofCafe I. of which Mr. Pickard will bear teftimony.

Case 2.

THIS horfe was the property of the Right Honourable Lord Charles
Somerfet, and was taken ill at Lord Digby's, Sherborne Caftle, Odlober 28tb,
1798, with all the fymptoms of the laft cafe, but which were not fo violent. I
placed three rowels in his cheft, as in Cafe J, took away about four or five

quarts

198

quarts of blood, and gave him one of the following balls night and morning
for three days;

Nitre two ounces.
Purging Salts half an ounce.
Made into a ball with Syrup of Buckthorn :
At which time the inflammatory fymptoms in the lungs were chiefly re-
moved^his legs and ears became much warmer, his mouth cooler and moifter, his
pulfe, which before was 95, lowered to 48. I kept the rowels in eight days,
then ordered them to be taken out, and one of the following balls given to him
every night and morning for fix days :

Nitre, an ounce and a half.
Sulphur, half an ounce.
Made into a ball with Honey.

On the 12th of November, this horfe appeared very dull and heavy,
but fliewed no fymptoms of his late difeafe, nor ficknefs of any kind, but his
pulfe was very flow, languid, and fmall ; I rather fufpe6led, from thefe fymp-
toms, and a little cough, which I found by the Servant, that he generally
l)ad, little or much, to be fometliing of a conftitutional weaknefs, and con-
cluded that fomething ftimulaling might be of fervlce to him, I made him up
twelve of the following balls, and gave one every night :

Caraway Seed, in fine powder, 3 ounces,
Cafcarllla, Ditto, 2 Do.

Fenugreek, Ditto, 6 Do.

Bcfl: powdered Bark, 6 Do.

Extract of Opium, 2 Do.

Honey, a fuflicicnt quantity to form the uholc into tu'clve balls.

After

199

After taking fix of thefe balls he was much better, and fit to perform his
journey to London, which he did in five days, with much more than his
ufual vivacity. As Lord Charles was in the habit of driving his horfe fixty miles
a day, for feveral days together, I need not fay any thing further about the
caufe. See common caufes in Cafe 1.

^niin ?f.-

Case 4.

COL. LYON's mare, 11th Light Dragoons, 0<5:\ober 30th, 1798.

symftojws-

A SHORT dry cough, tongue hot and covered with mucus, extremities
cold, ears cold and damp, her pulfe about 65, but no alarming fymptoms to
indicate the leaft danger, therefore, as the difeafe was «ot violent, there was
no occafion for very powerful remedies.

I BLED her to about three quarts, put a rowel in between her fore
legs, and gave her one of the following balls every night for four nights, and
employed the tapes round the fetlock joints, as in Cafe 1, taking them oft' twice
a day, and caufing her legs to be well hand-rubbed. This difeafe required uo
farther treatment.

Nitre, one ounce.

Purging Salts, half an ounce,

Common Soap fufficient to form a ball.

In-
3D

INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS

SORE THROAT,

THIS horfe belonged to the Bifliop of Durham. On the first attack of
the difeafe, the horfe had a cough and fever, or general inflammation, his head,
ears, body, and extremities, became all at once excefsively hot, his pulfe 70,
and very full. I took four quarts of blood from him that day ; and as his
body was quite open, I gave him the following diaphoretic ball every night
and morning for four days :

Tartar emetic, one dram,
Camphire, one dram and a half.
Extract of Opium, one dram.
Flower of Sulpliur, half an ounce,^
Made into a ball with honey.

After he had taken eight dofes his cough was better, and he appeared
quite well for a day or two, when the difeafe changed fuddenly, and he be-
came affected with very alarming fymptoms of local inflammation of the lungs
and throat.

201

I BLED him again, and blistered him on each fide of his chest, as
broad as a common plate ; alfo under his jaws, and upon his windpipe, half
way down his neck, and kept up the stimulus of the blister for three days by
applying fome fresh blistering ointment to the parts ; the third day, he was
much better, every fymptom of inflammation being removed to the great fatis-
facticn of the Biftiop, who, from his being a favorite horfe, vifited him almost
every hour. In about fix days the horfe began to eat bran malhes, with fome
corn, and was led about the park, and ate grafs plentifully.

PR AC-

PRACTICAL ADMONITIONS.

BE careful of bleeding horfes on the fiiTt attack of fever, as it is generally
called, though not generally found to be fuch ; for fometimes the fever or in-
flammation comes on with a shivering fit, the horfe's flanks are drawn up, his
ears and extremities cold, with an univerfal cold fweat, his eyes dull and heavy,
his joints in a fl;ate of vibration, which fymptoms indicate dire6l debility. By
bleeding, under thefe circumftances, I believe that nine horfes are killed out
often; particularly as Farriers are as fond of copious bleeding in direct, as
they are in indirect debility, or plethora. I muft beg to be brief in this part,
as my time will not permit me to fay much more upon the fubje6l in this
book, and have only to add, that bleeding, even in a ftate of plethora, unlefs
performed with judgment, may be productive of much injury; bleeding un-
der the dire6l debility, will bring on such irrecoverable weaknefs, that perhaps
all the ftimulants that can be given, will not be able to remove ; therefore
much confideratlon, in any ftage of fever or inflammation, is requifUe.

Case 5.

A HORSE In Captain Sleigh's troop, fliewing the following

SYMP-

203

SYMPTOMS,
Slight cough, lofs of appetite, extremities, and ears cold.

TME^ATMEJfT,
I only put two rowels into his chcft, took away three quarts of blood,
and gave him three drams of Aloes, made into a ball with foap; bran maflies
to eat, and warm water to drink, and kept him moderately warm ; this horfe
was perfectly well in eight days.

Case 6,

Capt. Sleigh's troop — the Trumpeter's Grey Mare.

THIS is one of the dcfperate cafes mentioned in my remarks, cafe 1. lob-
ferved, that when inflammation cannot be excited by rowels, blistering, &c.
all hopes are then at an end ; two rowels, and twice bliflerlng had been em-
ployed without any appearance of external Inflammation ; alfo copious bleed-
ing and purging, all without the leaft fuccefs ; the cough continued, with
difficulty of breathing, and appearance of a broken wind, lofs of appetite, and
fymptoms of approaching diflblution ; ftill I had recourfe to firing, five deep
lines, twelve inches long, were made on each fide of the chefl, about an inch
apart; rowels, and repeated blifters had failed, the firing excited a very violent
inflammation in the parts, which almoft immediately relieved the laborious
breathing, and the fymptoms of violent inflammation in the lungs ; the cough
was very troublefome. I gave her a pint of the following mixture three times
a day, for three days :

Opium, one ounce, diflolved in three quarts of hot water ; to which was
added, Vitriolic Acid, one ounce ; every fymptom of cough and irritation in

3 E the

204

the throat was removed in fix days ; and the mare perfe6lly well in ten days
from the attack of inflammation.

■ REMidRKS.

I would recommend all pradltloners of the art of Farriery, never to de-
lay firing, as above, if the rowels and bliflers fliould not operate within twelve
hours after their having been applied ; at the fame time never to forget to tie
the tape or cord, as is mentioned in cafe 1, round the fetlock joints, as tight as
pofsible, taking them off about twice a day, and rubbing the legs well with
the hands, and putting them on again.

The following I have given to a number of horfes with inflammation
of the lungs, when the cough has been very troublefome : —

Anifeeds, one pound, fimmered over the fire in a gallon of water for
three hours; then add Nitre, two pounds; Opium, previoufly diflblved in a quart
of hot water, two ounces ; give the horfe half a pint every three or four hours.
I have found this fimple compofition to anfwer every purpofe in Hopping a
violent cough. I have fometimes added half a dram of Oil of Pepper-mint,
to the fingle half pint, with great advantage.

Case 7,

A HORSE belonging to Serjeant Cordiroy, fiiewcd all the fymptoms of
the laft cafe, but not fo violent. I bled him to four quarts, and placed, two
rowels in his chefl ; bliftered on each fide of his cheft twice ; as the cough was
not fevere, I did not find it necefiary to give him any thing more than Nitre

finely

205

finely powdered, two ounces ; Sulphur ditto, two ounces, mixed and made
into a ball with treacle, to be given morning noon, and night, for five or six days ;
along with warm water, and warm bran mafhes. This horfe was very much
reduced in fle/li, by the bleeding, the bllfters, rowels, &c. and being left
with a delicate appetite, probably owing to the digeftive powers of the ftomach
being impaired by the difeafe ; and knowing that ftrong bitters arc the bcfl
ftomachics, or reltoratives for horfesin cafes of loft'appetite, I gave him three
drams of Aloes, made into a ball with foap, and repeated It four days after.
From the above fimple treatment, though a formidable difeafe, it was perfectly
removed in three weeks.

Case 8,

Crab's horfe, in Captain Barton's Troop, 1 1th Light Dragoons.

THIS being a cafe fimple in its nature, required little more than bleed-
ing to about two quarts, and a rowel in the chefi:, repeating the bleeding in
about four days from the firft, and giving the following gentle purging ball :
Aloes, three drams, made into a ball with foap ; the horfe was allowed bran
maflies, with an ounce of Nitre, and half an ounce of Sulphur, in each, night
and morning for a week. I found, by giving the Aloes, that his appetite was
reilored, which had been loft for feveral days, his pulfe became more regular,
and the horfe perfedly well, a little cough excepted ; for which I gave him the
following for four fuccefsive nights :

An-

200

An'ifeed Powder, and
Nitre, of each half an ounce,
Camphire, two drams,
Extra6l of Opium, one dram.
Made into a ball with treacle.
The cough being cured, the horfe returned to his duty in three weeks.

Case 9,

A HORSE in Major Thomas's troop, 1 Ith Light Dragoons.

THIS cafe, 1, 6, and 7 excepted, was the worft I ever faw to recover.

SYMPTOMS-
SEVERE cough, great relllefsnefs, laborious breathing, much debility,
and every fymptom of cafe 1, with his extremities excefsively cold, which is
a fure prefage of a violent inflammation of fome internal part or other, except-
ing it be accompanied by a general cold fit, as frequently happens to horfes
hot off a journey, futTcred to (land in the draught of a cold pafllige, or gateway
to dry, before they are cleaned, or which have been taken to a river or pond,
to wash off the dirt, and then allowed to fland till they are dry. In ihefe cafes
the extremities will be equally as cold as in cafes of local inflammation of fome
internal part ; and I find from accurate obfervation, that cold extremities afford
one of the moft alarming fymptoms attending any internal inflammation ; but
which may be remedied by ligatures, or a yard or two of ftrong tape bound
as tight as pofsible round each fetlock joint. This treatment, by what is term-
ed

207

ed revulfion in the blood, &c. will, by comprefsing the veins, retard the free
return of the blood to the heart.

TRE^TMEJVT-
I BLED him to five quarts, placed two rowels in his cheft, bliflered him
on each fide, having the hair firfl cut off eighteen inches in diameter; the blifter
was well rubbed in for half an hour, afsisted by holding a broad hot iron cloie
to the part, tied the ligature round the fetlock joints, as in cafe 1, &c. and gave
him the following gentle purging ball : — Aloes, three drams, made into a ball
with foap. I repeated the bleeding two days after, and as his cough was
troublefome, gave him one of the following balls night and morning, tor three
days : —

Camphire, and Extradl: of Opium, of each one dram.

Nitre, one ounce.

Formed into a ball with Treacle.

During which time the horfe had ate nothing, and was remarkably
weak ; but the inflammation being removed, and the cough but very trifling,
he very foon recovered his flrength.

]REM-»ARKS,
THIS difeafe is often prevalent, and frequently fatal ; I have had a great
number that required nothing more than bleeding, and rowelling, repeated as
occaflon required, and which fhould always be the firft indication of cure of
an inflammation of the lungs ; as without bleeding, no medicines whatever
will be of any fervice ; but the bliftering and firing depend on the violence of
the attack, or the progrefs of the difeafe ; as in flight inflammation of the lungs

3 F in

208

in the human body, bleeding and a gentle blifler on the fide, breaft, &c. will
perform a cure ; but in a dangerous one, fetons, cupping, &c. become ne-
cefsary.

The above treatment is not only fimple and eafy, but I think the most
rational, as well as oeconomical : and I truft, that the fuccefs attending it, will
induce my readers to adopt early meafures, a ihort delay being dangerous,
and the cure depending on the application of a fpeedy remedy.

The extremities becoming fuddenly cold after the difeafe has been of
fome days Handing, is a very alarming fymptom ; and if firing has not been
employed, as before-mentioned, in the cheft, there are no hopes of fuccefs left ;
nor even then, if it has not had the defired Simulating cffe«5l. A cold fweat
breaking out about the flanks, and a voracious appetite, are fure criterions of
mortification having taken place, and death appoaching.

Sometimes a violent difcharge from the noftrils comes on fuddenly, and
the difficuly of breathing, and other fymptoms of inflammation of the lungs
are removed. At this period Farriers often conclude that the horfe is recover-
ing, faying the cold is broken ; but in all thefe cafes, I would recommend
the horfe to be removed from otlier horfes, as the glanders are frequently the
confequence of an inflammation of the lungs.

Having given the fymptoms, cafes, and treatment, of nine cafes of in-
flammation of the lungs, I conceive thai a greater number would be fuper-
fluous ; therefore I fhall conclude the fubjecl of this very dangerous difeafe,
in afliiring my readers, that in the early part of my pracllce, I did not pur-

fue

209

fue the fame mode of treatment, i. e. by exciting external inflammation by-
rowels, blifters, firing, &c. confequently I loft fome valuable horles ; but
fince I have adopted the above treatment, I have been very fuccefstul in fav-
ing, at leaft eighteen out of twenty.

IN-

INFLAMMATION OF THE SYSTEM ;

General Inflammation^ or Inflammatory Fever,

AS it is evident, that this inflammation, or fever, is produced by all the
caufes of a local inflammation of the lungs, and is attended with fymptoms of
debility, languor, lofs of appetite, high coloured urine, fmall in quantity ; the
alvine difcharges much the fame as in the recent flate of any fever or inflamma-
tion of this nature ; therefore to follow the pra6lice of cleanfuig the firft paffages
is quite immaterial, any further than to give warm bran mafhes, &c. fufificient
to keep the body open. It is very eafy to difcriminate between general in-
flammatory fever, and local inflammation in the lungs, inteflines, flomach, hic.

(See fymptoms of inflamed lungs.)

In an inflammatory fever, or general inflammation, the extremities retain
the fame temperature as that of the body, with a fenfe of general heat and de-
bihty, mouth hot and clammy, pulfe foft, frequent and fmall ; the eyes in-
flamed and watery, fometimcs quite clofed ; the horfe feldom refufes all kinds
of food, but will always cat grafs, (if offered him) clover, vetches, &c. till

nearly

211

nearly the approach of death, he drinks frequently, but fparuigly. The firft
attack is generally flight, and yields to bleeding, and a gentle dofe of aloetic
phyfic, and a few ounces of Nitre, given in bran mafhes. If the attack fhould
be violent, it may be neceflary to bleed to the quantity of three or four quarts,
according to the ftrength of the horfe, and to give fix or eight drams of Aloes,
made into a ball with foap ; and to repeat the bleeding according to the
violence of the inflammation.

Sometimes the horfe is quickly deflroycd by the Increafcd a(5lIon of the
blood veflels afte6ling the brain, attended by convulflons and delirium,
producing fymptoms of that alarming difeafe, called the daggers; If the horfe
furvive four days, under fymptoms of inflammation of the brain, from the
above caufe, and a free paflage be procured by laxatives, &c. no great
danger Is to be feared. If he remain cofl:Ive till the 4th or 5th day of the in-
flammation of the brain, without any paflTage, little hopes are to be expc6led of
his recovery, though he may live 12 or 16 days apparently in the fame fl:ate ;
therefore a paflage fliould be procured, even at the rifquc of the horfe's life ;
if the purges given to him Ihould a6l with great violence, and threaten the life
of the animal, as they fometimes do, three grains of Opium given twice a[day
will flop their adtlon ; at the fame time blifters fliould be applied to the fore-
head and temples; glyfl:ers fliould alfo be repeatedly adminifl:ered.

I have feen a great number of cafes of fever where the firfl: attack com-
menced with a cold fliivering fit, attended by great deblfity, trembling limbs,
coldnefs and ftiffnefs of the joints, lofs of appetite, and a flow and languid pulfe.
I have known feveral inftances of this cold fliivering fit, with all the above
fymptoms, continuing for 12 or 16 hours together, without change, previoufly

to my arrival at the place where the horfe was quartered.

3 G to

212

Under the above circumftances, I confidered retaxants to be the mod:
proper medicines in the early ftage of the fever; and gave the following ball,
and repeated it every 4, 5, or 6 hours, according to the effect of the inH or
fecond, viz :

Tartar Emetic, one dram and a ha!£

Camphire, one dram,.

Nitre, half an ounce,

Made into a ball with Trcaclev^

Thefe medicines have the effedl of relaxing the fyftcm ; and if the horfb
be kept well cloathed in a flable of moderate temperature, will produce gentle
perfpiratlon on the fl<in ; which is the cflfedt defired from them. The
perfpiration may be afsifted by warm bran maflies given to him in a bag, into
which the horfcs's nofc is to be put, ihal he may receive the fteam..

IN-

INFLUENZA.

IN addition to my treatment of general inflammation, and of Inflam-
matory fever, I muft beg leave to refer back to the year 1798, to that very
fatal difeafe fo univerfal among horfes of all ages and defcriptions, termed an
epidemic inflammation. This difeafe was much more prevalent among
Farmer's and Pofl horfes, than any others, which might be the neceflary con-
sequence of high feeding ; poft horfes being in the habit of eating a great deal
of corn, and Farmer's horfes a vaft quantity of grafs and clover, in the two
months of July and Auguft, producing plethora. The fymptoms and pro-
grefs varied much from the troop horfes in the 1 1th Regiment of Light Dra-
goons. I was called in to a great iiumber of horfes belonging to people in
Reading, and its vicinity^I believe to more than one hundred cafes ; the chief
fymptoms were as follow, viz : Stupor, and heavinefs, eyes inflamed and watery,
mouth hot and clammy, breath hot, refpiration quick and irregular, lofs of
appetite, body, head, and extremities, all in one uniform excefsive heat; in
many horfes the pulfe as frequent as 70 or 80 in a minute.

In mod of thefc cafes I found it lyeceffary to bleed largely, (L e.) from
three to five quarts, according to the age and conftitution, and to give the fol-
lowing ball, viz :

An-

«

Antimonlal Powder, one dram and a half,

Camphire, one dram,

Treacle fufficient to form it into a ball.

This fufficed in moft of the inflammatory cafes ; but when the fyrap-
toms remained forfeveral days, and the above treatment had failed to reduce
the inflammation, I gave one of the following balls every night and morning,
for three or four days, viz :

Tartar Emetic, and Camphire, of each one dram and a half,
flowers of Sulphur, and Nitre, of each half an ounce.
Treacle fufficient to make them into a ball.

In moft cafes thefe balls had a very good effecl; but when I had re-
comfe to them in the firft ftage, they fucceeded ftill better, which I frequently
had, when there was no coftivenefs, and when the pulfc did not indicate any
extraordinary degree of plethora : but if any tendency to coftivenefs be dif-
covered, and the pulfe run high, /. e. up to 65 or 70, bleeding/purging, and
rowels, muft be employed, and more particularly if the plethora or inflamma-
tion proceed from eating too much grafs, clover, or vetches, and which has been
the leading caufe of moft of thefe cafes ; for it is evident that horfes are more
fubje(5l to plethora from eating food of this kind.

The termination of this inflammation among Farmer's horfes, was as
various as the fymptoms ; but if it were not brought to a crifis in two days
from the attack, chances ran very much againft the recovery of the horfe; as
it generally terminated about the third or fourth day in a local inflammation

of

215

of the lungs, trachea, or cefophagus, which generally proved fatal. To guard
againft fuch confequences, I bled plentifully on the firft attack of the inflam-
mation, and repeated it according to the impetus of the blood and the fucceed-
ing fymptoms ; with caution at the fame time not to bleed too freely, where
there was only a general inflammation, for fuch pra6lice has frequently brought
on hc6lic fever, which is but feldom removed in horfes. On the other hand,
where there was a certainty of the general inflammation having partly, or
altogether terminated in a local inflammation in the trachea, or lungs, copious
bleeding, with rowels in the chefl:, and blifters, and even firing the fides, were
neceflary, in the employment of which I have had great fuccefs, as may be
feen under that head.

The fymptoms attending the troop horfes in the 11th Regiment of
Light Dragoons, in which I have had the honour to ferve as Veterinary Sur-
geon, varied much from thofe kept upon grafs, clover, vetches, &c. as out of
24-9 horfes taken ill in the month of July, 1798, and 112 in the month of Aug.
as may be feen in my returns to the Veterinary College, not above ten cafes
appeared to me to require bleeding, the fymptoms being in general, as fol-
lows, viz. cold with fliiverings, lofs of appetite, and great debility, pulfe quick
and very fmall, violent coughing, great difcharge of mucus from the noltrils,
attended with fore throat. In fome few cafes 1 found fymptoms of general
inflammation, and in others fliivering, with cold fweats, trembling of the limbs,
and vveaknefs in the whole fyflem, pulfe very fmall and flow, even down to
25 pulfations in a minute, urine small in quantity, and high coloured. Both
thefe Itages of fever have been termed by Farriers, and fome others, dijianper.

I mufl: however beg leave to obferve, that the treatment of the cafe at-

tended
3 H

215

tended by cold ihiverlngs, anfwered, with little addition, for thofe cafes attend-
ed with cold fweat, in which the pulfe was fmall and flow ; as well as in the
cafes of quick and fmall piilfe, alfo attended with fhiverings. The following
was almoft invariably my practice on the firft attack of the fever, if I may fo
call it, or epidemic inflammation ; I gave one of the following balls night and
morning for two days, viz.

Tartar Emetic, two drams,

Camphire, one dram.

Flowers of Sulphur, four drams.

Extract of Opium, two drams,

Tin6lureof Cardamon Seed, half an ounce.

Made into a ball with Treacle or Honey ;

Allowing the horfcs plenty of warm water, hot bran maihes, and water-
gruel ; and keeping them warm with cloathes. I had repeated occaflon to con-
tinue the above ball till the 5th or 6th day; when I found any diflSculty of
fvvallowing, or fore throat, I put a rowel under the jaw, or bliftered the throat
and glands.

The Bifhop of Durham did me the honour to call me in to fix or eight
of his horfes, every one of which fliewed fymptoms of general inflammation.
Mr. Gerrard, brewer, in Reading, had one of his dray horfes taken fuddenly
with the above iymproras; Mr. Smith, Mr. May, and feveral other Gentlemen
in the neighbourhood of Reading, had eight or ten horfes feized within a
Jew days of each oilier, all of which, when I found the inflammatory fymp-
toms run higb, I treated as before-mentioned ; and when I thought there was

no

217

no immediate prefage of danger, but only a flight degree of inflammation, as
was common in the firft attack, I gave them the following ball, viz.

Tartar Emetic, two drams,

Camphire, three drams.

Honey or Treacle fufiicient to make it into a ball ;

To be given every night, or night and morning, for 3, 4-, or 5 days to-
gether ; in fome flight cafes 2 or 3 of the above balls fufiiced ; when in fome
more violent, I was necefsitated to give 10 or 12 before I could remove the
inflammatory fyniptoms; in which inftances I was alfo obliged to take away
Imali quanties of blood, and repeat the bleeding as the fyroptoms indicated.

FEVER.

FEVER,

The cafes of fever are almoft innumerable, which have come under my
care and fuperintendance within the laft ten years, and although my mode of
treatment was, in the general, fuccefsful in the early part of my pra<?lice; I
have altered it materially of late. I feldom bleed, unlefs the animal be very
plethoric and fat, and his pulfe as high as 70 or 80. The general fuccefs de-
rived from the following ball, renders it, in general, unneceiiary to bleed :

Dr. James's Powder, forty grains,

Camphire in Powder, thirty grains,

Conferve of Hip, or Honey, fufficient to form them into a ball.

When the inflammatory fymptoms ran high, I have given fifty grains of
James's powder, with forty grains of Camphire ; and in fome other cafes
where the conftitution was delicate, thirty grains of James's powder, with
twenty of Camphire; and in all the various degrees of llrcnglh of the ball, if
there was any cough attending, I ad4ed 10, 20, or 30 grains of Opium to each
ball, according to the ftrength of it. This well known facl, that thefe balls
never fail, (if given at the commencement of a fever) is well eftablifhed in all
parts where I have pradifed, fince I never lofl a horfe in a fever, or general
inflammation, if called in before it had terminated, as it frequently does, in
local inflammation of the lungs.

At

219

At the commencement of the fever, I generally gave one of thefe balls
every four hours, till they excited perfpiration, or the Ikin felt foft and damp
to the hand ; three or four are, in common, fufficient to effedt this defign ;
plenty of gruel fliould be given warm, after each ball ; if the horfe will not
drink it, he fliould be drenched with a horn.

S I ON

m^MmgKiji^Wta^WM— ^nm lUJ^ g^WB^TI— — B— wawiBtMaucw^— !#■

ON THE EYE,

THE external appearance of the eye is familiar to the commonest ca-
pacity ; but the internal ftru6lure, fundions, and difcafes, are ftill but imper-
fedly underftood by the commonality of practitioners in the Veterinary Art.
A prominent and large eye is, for the moftpart, chofen by all buyers of horfes,
without any attention being paid to its internal form or health; fome horfes
have fmall depreffed eyes, and which are very healthy ; others very fine pro-
minent eyes, unfound ; by the fame rule there are prominent fine eyes, very
good and healthy, and fome unfound, which, vi'ithout a knowledge of ana-
tomy, and the ceconomy of the internal eye, people cannot be judges whe-
ther they are found or otherwife. A contracfted eye brow is a criterion of a
termination of long ftanding inflammation of the whole globe of the eye; an
opaque cornea is a fymptom of a termination of inflammation in the anterior
part of the eye, is generally the cfte6l of local caufe, fuch as blows, bites, dufl,
Infedts, and other extraneous bodies, to be remedied by topical applications.
It is frequently obferved, that the whole anterior part of the globe of the eye,
is contracted and diminiflied, that the diameter of the cornea is reduced to
two-thirds of its original dimenfion : The aqueous humour, in this cafe, with
the other parts being removed, proves the exiftence of the abforbent fyftem ex-
tending to the eye, as well as other parts. A difeafe in the optic nerve, called

Gutta

221

Gutta Serena, is very common to horfes, as well as men, and is generally fup-
pofed to be the effe6t of the lofs of fufceptibllily of its natural ftimulus, i. e.
the light ; therefore an over-proportion of light fuddenly thrown upon the
part, in form of a lamp, in order to roufe the organs of vifion into new a<5lion,
may be ufeful.

Each important part of the eye has its peculiar difeafe, and each difeafe
its peculiar caufe, which the fymptoms feldom fail to point out.

CR

CA-

CATARACT.

CATARACT is well known to be an opacity In the chryftallne lens ;
the caufes afsigned are various ; fome of the moft learned of the faculty fay it
is adepofite of lymph upon the lens ; others, that it is fxmply inflammation. I
am inclined to believe that inflammation is the proximate caufe.

Moon Blindnefs, as It Is commonly called, is that periodical inflammation
in one or both eyes, which recurs once every month or five weeks, leaving the
eyes worfe every time, till at lad they are loft, and there is then no return of the
inflammation afterwards. This Inflammation I conceive to be inherent in the
fyftem, and hereditary, and it feldom fails (in fpitc of the beft remedies) to
terminate in a Cataract, irremovable, except by couching, which never has the
defired effedl in horfes, in confequence of the difficulty of adapting glafles to
the eyes ; It generally leaves the cornea apparently opaque, which Is in fa6l no
more than a thickening of that exquifitely fine membrane, called conjun6liva,
which puts on a pale blue opaque appearance. Thefe are the moft common
difeafes Incident to the eyes of horfes. The external film, or opaque coat
covering the cornea above-mentioned, is conveniently removed by blowing
into the eyes as much Calomel as will He upon a filver penny twice a day ;
fine Sugar, burnt Salt, calcined Alum, blue Vitriol In powder, levigated glafs,
and the like, have been generally ufcd for this purpofe ; but I prefer the Calomel.

MOON

MOON BLINDNESS.

SYMPTOMS.
REDNESS in the eye-lids, fulnefs in the blood-veffels, tears perpe-
tually falling from the eyes, which are lometimes clofed, with fwelled eye-lids
and general inflammation ; frequently flight fever.

TRE^TMEJVT-

Case 1.

A BROWN MARE, the property of Mr. Pafmore, of Doncafter, fhewed
every fymptom above-mentioned, but in a mild degree, compared with fome
cafes which have come under my care ; I pafled a feton through the flcin,
about an inch and a half below each eye, occupying about one inch of flcin ;
I wetted the threads of the fetons with Spirit of Tupentine, and caufed them
to be drawn backward and forward night and morning, and waflied the eye
with the following eye water, two or three times a day :

3 K Rofe

224

Rofe Water, half a pint.
White Vitriol, twenty grains,
Tindlure of Opium, one dram.

The mare recovered in about three weeks. I purchafed the fame mare
about two years after, and had her in my poflefsion about one year, and fold
her perfectly found, without any return of the inflammation. Where the in-
flammation has been confined locally to the external part of the eye and eye-
lids, no other treatment is neceflary ; where the difcharge of water from the
eyes has been copious and acrimonious, I have given fix or eight ounces of
Nitre a day, for feveral days together, with great fuccefs.

But if the iiVflammation extend to the anterior chamber, or internal part
of the eye^ as it frequently does, and laflly, terminate in what Is termed by
oculifls, Hypofphagma, or extravafation of blood in the anterior chamber of
the eye. It may be inferred that it is not moon blindnefs, and admits of an eafier
cure, unlefs the injury has been fo great as to have ruptured the cornea. Bleed-
ing, to the quantity of two or three quarts, according to the degree of inflamma-
tion and ftrength of the horfe, and a dofe of purging phyfic, are generally
found fufficlent, with a poultice of bread and milk, which is mofi conveniently
applied to the eye, by putting it into a bag made of foft linen cloth, and few-
ing it into the eye-hole of a hood. This may be renewed conveniently, by
taking it off the eye, and pouring feme frefli hot milk upon it, and when cold
enough, applying it to the eye again, continuing the poultice till the inflam-
mation fubfide.

HYPOPIUM has been termed a difeafe independent of the former, but
it does not appear to me to be any thing more than the termination of in-
flammation Into pus, or matter in the anterior chamber of the eye, and is rather
an effed than a caufe. If

225

If matter be formed, bleeding Ihould be avoided ; blifters on each tem-
ple, fetons onder the eyes, and half a dram of Calomel made into a ball with
foap, or mixed in a math of bran, fix or feven fuccefsive days, and after that
a dofe of phyfic, feldom fail to remove or promote abforption of all the matter
in the anterior chamber ; but in cafes where the matter has not been all ab-
forbed, I have repeated the courfe of Calomel and the phyfic with great fuc-
cefs. The chill fliould be taken off the water during the adminiflration of all
thefe medicines ; the flable iliould be kept free from wet litter and dung, of a
moderate degree of temperature, and as dark aspofsible, lam forry to ob-
ferve, that through the oppofition of people who ought to be interefted in thefe
inftru6lions, but who have frequently and perverfely a6ted diametrically op-
pofite to them, the practice recommended has often failed, and the poor
animal has thereby been reduced to a ftate of perpetual darknefs.

PLEU-

PLEURISY.

PERHAPS my readers may be furprlfed at my not having given fome
cafes of pleurify in this work, but I conceive it to be too nice a difcrimination
between this difeafe and an inflammation in the lungs, for men who are not
in a conftant habit of the praftice of phyfic, and that the moft perceptible
difference worth attending to, is, that the horfe is more frequently lying down,
and rifing up fuddenly, the infpirations are much fhorter than in a local in-
flammation of the lungs ; the horfe is very frequently turning his head back,
and putting his nofe to the parts apparently moft in pain, which to my know-
ledge has frequently given rife to Farriers and others to miftake an inflamma-
tion in the pluera and lungs for a fpafm in the inteftines, commonly called the
gripes ; and great quantities of hot fpices, gin, and other inflammatory fub-
ftances have been eiven.

£»•

I have often found, In cafes of this nature, after horfes have died with what
is termed the gripes, that there was a violent inflammation in the pleura ; fome-
tlmes with but flight inflammation of the lungs, and other parts; and that
probably might have proceeded from that kind of fympathy which is fuppofed
to fubfift between contiguous parts, or the inflamed pleura might have con-
taminated the lungs and neigiibouring parts. But thig difcrimination is of no

con-

227

confequence, for the treatment neceflhry in one cafe, is required in the other ;
and the only diflference I ever make is in the diet, and that chiefly in not
giving the horfe above half his ufual quantity of water ; not that water has any
particular efFe6l upon the lungs, but that the ftomach being filled with water,
which being fpecifically heavier than any other fubftance of its magnitude
voluntarily taken into the ftomach, a6ls by comprefsing the lungs, and
forcing forward the diaphragm, or that partition which feparates the heart,
lungs, &c. from the ftomach, inteftines, &c. &c. and this is the only way in
which I am able to account for the ihort refpiration, particularly upon a full
ftomach ; for the lefs air the horfe takes into his lungs, the greater muft the
fpace be between the lobes of the lungs and the pleura, which in a flate of
inflammation would be irritated by their coming fo frequently in contaft ; by
the fame rule, the more empty the flomach is kept, the more the diaphragm
■will recede from the lungs, and leave a greater fpace for them to perform their
fundlions in, without offending the pleura.

3 L DIA-

DIABETES

■ ■ SYMPTOMS,

GREAT thirfl; the extremities fometimes, but not always, cold ; fudden
chills, and a frequent and copious difcharge of urine.

€^USE,
A Sudden check of perfpiration, but generally too liberal an ufe of diure-
tics, or from their being of an improper kind.

TRE^TMEAT.

Case 1.

MY readers may probably be furprifed when I inform them, that In all
tny pra6lice, only three cafes of diabetes have come under my notice, and
thefe were all troop-horfes in the 1 1th Light Dragoons. The firft was in Colonel
Carnegie's troop, in 1196; I caufed a flieep's fkin to be conflantly confined
upon his back and loins, and gave him the following ball night and morning :

Green Vitriol, in fine powder, two drams,

Peruvian

229

Peruvian Bark in fine powder, fix drams.
Purified Opium, half a dram.
Formed into a ball with Treacle.
At the expiration of fix days, every fymptom was removed.

Case 2^3,

TWO troop horfes, while the regiment lay in camp, in 1798. The
fymptoms corrediy correfponded with thofe mentioned in cafe 1, to which I
referred for the treatment, and after giving 14- balls to the cafe 2, and 17 to
cafe 3, no more of them were found neceflary ; but both the horfes being a
little coftive from the effe6l of the Opium, I gave each of them four drams of
Aloes, made into a ball with foap. The horfes were taken into a barn, and the
flieep's fkin put upon their backs ; during the adminifl;ration of thefe medicines,
half the ufual quantity of water only was allowed them. They both returned
to their duty in three weeks from the time they were taken in.

DI-

DIARRHOEA, OR LOOSENESS.

THIS dlfeafe requires no defcription. Cold fw^ats, attended with cold-
nefs in the extremities, are dangerous fymptoms.

Sudden check of perfpiration, or violent cold from any caufe, too quick
a fuccefsion offlrong phyfic, which, without immediate relief, terminates in
death, or leaves the conflitution and dijeflive powers feeble for life.

TRE^ITMEJVT,

From 3 to 400 cafes of diarrhoea, have come under my care. In cafes
■where the difeafe appeared to be the refult of a fimple check of perfpiration, or
indigeftion, the following ball has proved fufficient to flop it :

Barbadoes Aloes, five drams.

Opium, one dram and a half.

Grains of Paradife, in fine powder, one dram.

Treacle fufilicient to form a ball.

In cafes where the fymptoms were extremely dangerous, I
have had recourfe to the following treatment, viz. frequent glyfters of

flarch.

231

(larch, in the quantity of a pound, in three quarts of boiling water, in which
four ounces of Gum Arabic had previoufly been difolved, repeating It every
four hours, and giving the following ball every fix hours:

Take Gum Arabic, in fine powder, four drams.
Purified Opium, forty grains.
Fine Ginger, or Grains of Paradife, two drams,
Confervc of hips, fufficicnt to form the whole into a ball,

I HAVE never lofl; but one horfe in a "diarrhoea, in all my practice, and
although I gave, in that instance, one of the above ballsevery four hoars, and^the
laft day, one every two hours, with double the quantity of Opium, they had
not the leafi; eft'e<ft, the whole length of the inteftines were excoriated and
turned black ; and the horfe died in the mofl excruciating fpafm.

This was a troop horfe in the 1 1th Light Dragoons, the caufe of the
difeafe was inattention, in a Farrier, to the quantity of Calomel ordered by me
to deftroy worms ; and the Dragoon giving the horfe copioufly of cold water
from a pump, during its operation.

aiAL-

3 M

MALLENDERS

ARE too well known to require any defcription, farther than that It is a
difeafe in the bend of the knee.

SALENDERS.

THIS difeafe Is analagous to the former, affe(?llngthe bend of the hough.
The general caufe is want of cleanllnefs, and the reverfe generally performs
a cure. If that fail.

Take Mercurial Ointment, two ounces,

Spanilh Flies, in fine powder, one dram.
Sublimate, ditto, half a dram ;

Mix them together in a mortar, and diligently rub in, with a warm hand, the
fize of a large horfe-bean, on the part affected, every night and morning. The
part ftiould be perfectly cleaned before the ointment be applied.

MANGE.

MANGE,

i--n r.THIS difeafe is fo generally known, as to render a defcfiption ufelefs.
In the year 1796, foon after the 11th Dragoons difembarked, I difcovered
eight of the horfes to have the mange. The firft indication of cure was to
get their (kins perfedly clean, and afterwards to walh them well all over with
a ftrong folution of fait in water, and when dry to apply the following Oint-
ment :

Palm Oil, fix pounds,

Sulphur Vivum, two pounds.

Oil of Turpentine half a pound,
to be formed into an Ointment in a large mortar ; all the parts affedled were
well rubbed with a fufficient quantity, with the hand, three fuccefsive days ;
and after an interval of four days, the Ointment was waihed off with warm
water and foap, and every horfe was perfedly cured.

WIND-

WINDGALLS.

WINDGALLS are puffy tumors in the legs, arifing from too
flrong exerclfe; eaufing an enlargement or diflention of the burfae
niucofie ; and, in the more advanced ftage, communicate with the joints, are
troublefome and hard to repel ; in the incipient ftate the following is the befl:
application I am at prefent acquainted with :

Take of the befl Vinegar a quart,

Crude Sal Ammoniac, two ounces.

Sugar of Lead,, one ounce.

Camphorated Spirits of Wine, four ounces..

Flrft wet the parts well with the folutlon, and then apply a bandage,
moistened with the fame, moderately tight round the joint ; taking care that
there be no partial prefl'ure from the bandage ; the part iliould be kept con-
flantly wet with the folutlon, by means of a fpongc.

In the more advanced ftage of this difeafe, the adtual cautery is the only
remedy that can be depended upon, with repeated gentle blifters, and reft. The
above treatment fuffices in all fprains, in and about the tendons and joints. The
folutlon has repelled very obftinate thorough-pins, and bog-fpavins ; but the
actual, cautery is much more effectual, with repeated blifters and reft.

WOUNDS FROM THORNS.

THORNS in the feet, fetlocks, coronets, tendons, knees, points of the
fhoulders, bend of the houghs, &c. received in hunting, are accidents fo com-
mon, that a defcription would be ufelef-.

A Thorn in a tendon, whether the flexor, or extenfor, i. e. in the front
or bend of the knee, produces nearly the fame fymptoms, which are an ina-
bility to move the leg forward, attended with forenefs and irritability in the
part pun6lured. If in the bend of the hough, the horfe will be able to bring
his leg perfe6lly under his belly, but is afraid to throw any weight upon it,
when required by moving the contrary leg. If in the heel, or back part of the
frog, the fymptoms vary but little from the lafl. If in the coronet, the moft
excruciating pain, and irritability, with inflammation, will eafily be perceived.

To avoid tedioufness I fliall only mention a few cafes of punfture by
thorns, although many have occurred to me,

Firft, a horfe the property of Edward Armltage, Efq. young and very
valuable. He was hunted on the 22d February, 180i, byMr. Smith, Mr.
Armitage's friend ; the next day the horfe was lame, and I was fent for; the

fcr-

3N

236

fervant fuppofed him to be flrained In the fetlock ; however, I found it to be
a thorn that had pierced the coronet, with the appearance of a pun6lure only.
The inflammation ran very high, and I ordered a poultice to be applied, not
being able to difcover the thorn. Next morning 1 pared away as much of
the hoof as allowed me to come at the head of the thorn, which 1 extraded
with the point of my fcalpel, 3-4ths of an inch long. I then ordered the part
to be fomented, and a poultice applied twice a day, and a few drops of the fol-
lowing anodyne to be dropped into the aperture twice a day, viz. Purified
Opium two drams, hot Water one ounce; fhis being continued two days, the
horfe was able to walk, and he became perfedly found in eight days.

-OBSERr^TIOJVB- ■' - .-• ..
The thorn punflured the coronet in the dire6lion between the fenfible
and infenfible lamina?, inclining towards the fenfible part of the footv Ills
worth remarking, that a thorn running in the above-mentioi>ed direction (wher\
improperly treated) five times out of ten terminates in a quittor, and requires
a much nicer treatment than Farriers are accuflomedto ufe, to prevent- a falfe
quarter ; and more efpecially as they are invariably in the habit of cutting the
hoof from the coronet to what they term the bottom of the wound, which can-
not fail of producing a falfe quarter, or an ugly feam down the hoof, refem-
bling a falfe quarter; and this is unavoidably the cafe, if too free an ufe be
made of the knife, in dividing the coronary ring, which from its peculiar
texture, has the difpofitlon to unite without an interpofition of horny matter.
Hot Oils, Tinftures, Balfams, Acids, and all hot applications are to be avoided ;
and fomentations and poultices to be employed before, and after the thorn is
extraded, during the flightcst degree of inflammation ; but when the inflam-
mation

237

matlon has fubfided, and where there appears an indolence In the fkhi about
the punctured part, and Httle difpofition to heal, I have applied the adlual
cautery to great advantage, and which is, at all times, a better application, par-
ticularly in cafes of pundlures into joints, than any Balfam, Tin<?lure, or the
like ; as the former may be depended upon, while the latter is uncertain. The
aelual cautery fhould be applied only to the external furface of the white and
indolent fkin about the wound, which ought not to be feared deeper than the
thicknefs of the fined writing paper at a time ; and repeated once in 24 or 36
hours, till the union of the flvin be complete. Out of 50 or 60 cafes of this
kind, when it has been neceflary to flop the difcharge, I have been able to
accomplifli it, without difficulty, in 3 days. If the opening be into a joint, and
of any confiderable fize, whether from thorns, nails, or any other inflrument,
the fooner the hot iron is applied to the lips of the divided fkin, the better to
prevent a difcharge of fynovia, &c.

INDEX.

Page.

/\nASARCA, ..„ ..„ .... ITS

Appetite, depraved, .... • .... ..., 132

Arteries, .... .... .... 14, 24

B.

Bars, .... .... ;~. 2S

Bladder, Inflammation of, .... .... .... 133

Cause of, .... .... i.b

— Symptoms, „. .... ib

. Treatment of .... .... ib

Bleeding, Observations on „» .... .... 202

Blindness, Moon, .... .-.. .... 223

Bone Spavin, .... .... .... 126

C.

Canker of the Foot described, .... .... ..„ 49

■ I Cause, .... .... .... &5

. Remarks on, .... .... .... S3

Symptoms of, .... •■•• •— ^^

. Treatment of, ..„ ••■• •- 49, 5 1, 56

Capalets, .... •••• •••■ '^5

Cataract, .... — • ••- 222

Coffin Bone, .... ••■• ■••• ^^

Coleman's Observations on the Foot,^ .■■. — • ^^

Colic, or Gripes, .... .... •••• ^2, 9S

. Inflammator)', , „.. •••• •••• ^^

Contracted Feet, ..„ .... •— ^0

Heels, .... .... ••" 69

Corns, .... .... •••• 29

Curbs, .... .... -. 154

Cutting .... .... •••• S*

JNDEX. ^n

D.

Dedication, .... .,.. .... iii

Diabetes „., ,.,. .... 225

Diarrheea, .,.. .,.. .... 230

Distemper, .... .... .... ]37

Symptoms, .... mm ,.,. ib

' Cause, .... »,. .... ib

Treatment, .... .... .... ib

Dogs, subject to Jaundice, .... .... .... 182

Dropsy, .... .... .... 174,

■ Symptoms, ... .... .... ib.

' v^cLUSCj •••• •■•• •■•• lu

Treatment, .... .... .... ib

Cases of, .... .... .... 177

' ■ Remari<s on, .... .... .... 173

From Hydatids, .... .... „.. 180

Emaciation, .... .... .... igg

Local, ^ .... .... .... 167

— — — Cure of, ' i .... .... .... 168

Eye, structure of, •• .... .... .... 220

Diseases of, ' .... .... .... 222

• F.

Farcy, "'.... .... .... 139

Cause, .... _ .... .... 140

Symptoms of, .... .... .... jb

Causes of, .... .... .... jb

Fever, .... .... .... ue

•— .... .... 318

^—— Inflammatory, .... .... „.. 2IO

Foot, perfect described .... „.. .... j i

. Bars of, .... .... .... 28

Canker of, .... .... .... 29

. Contracted, .... .... .... go

Corns of, ... .... .... 29

Frog of, .... .... .... 20, 27

Heels contracted, .... .... .... gg

. Hoof, .... .... .... 25

Fever of, .... .... .... ng

Inflammation of, .... .... .... jb

Ligaments of, .... .... .... 23

Nerves of, .... .... .... 21

INDEX,

III

Foot, Observations on Warm Water, to

Sandcrack of,

Sole of, ...,

' Thrush in,

Treatment of,

Warm Water applied to.

Glanders,

Grease,

Gripes,

I Cases of,

with Inflammation,

G.

H.

Heels contracted,

-Cases of.

Hide bound,
Hoof described

Upright,

Cases of,

Hough, swelled, see Capalets,

Hydatids,

Hydrops Pectoris,

75
43

26
40
31

13

149
171

90
92
96

69

69, &c.

169

25

65

ib

165

180

174

Jaundice,
— — — - Cause of,
I I ' Remarks on,
Treatment of,

■ ■ In Dogs, ..
Jaw, Locked,

Inflammation of the Bladder,
■■■ — Bowels,

I Feet,

Lungs, ..

Inflammatory Fever,
Influenza,
Introduction,
Intususception,

Lameness in the Feet,

■ — How to distinguish,
I ..- Symptoms of,

L.

181

184

189

ib

182

162

133

96

116

195

210

213

ix

95

101

109

ib

ir.

INDEX.

Lameness from Nails, Tlioni?, kc.

— Shoeing,

Laminse of tlie Foot,
— — — Sensible
■ Insensible,

Leanness, see Emaciation,

Locked Jaw,

I Cases of.

Ligaments, ..,,

Looseness, ....'

Lungs, Inflammation of,

■ Inflamed* with Sore Throat,

Mallenders,

Mange,

Moon Blindness,

Nails, proper sorts for Shoeing,

Navicular Bone,

Nerves,

Observations on Bleeding,
^— — Warm Water,

M.

N.

O.

P.

Pastern Bone,

Preface, ....

Peripneumony,

Pleurisy, ~ ....

Practical Admonitions respecting bleeding.

Pricked in Shoeing,

■ Ditto, with a Long Nail,

Quincy,

■ Treatment of.
Quitter,

■ - Cases of.

Ring Bone,

■ " '-- — Cases of,

— ■ Cure of.

Q.

R.

101

ib

13

ib

ib

165

162

' ib

14, 23

230

195

200

232
233
223

63
16
21

202
15

15

V

195
226
202
100

105

154

155, 200

117

120

130

131

ib

INDEX
S.

Salenders,

Sandcrack described,

— ^— — How prevented,

. Treatment of.

Sensible Laminae of the Foot, ....

Shoeing, Observations on,

i— »^ — Nails proper for

■ Lameness from.
Sole of the Foot,

Sore Throat,
Spavin,

■ Cases of

I Treatment of.

Splints,

Sprains, see Windgalls,

Staggers, see Inflammatory Fever,

Tabes, see Emaciation, ..«

Tendons,

Thrush, Running,

See Contracted Feet,

"— Treatment of

Thorns, wounds from.

Tumours,

Treatment of.

Upright Hoof,
Urine, Suppression of

Veins, .."

Water Warm, effects of to the Feet,

Windgalls,

Wounds from Thorns, &c

U.
V.

w.

....

232

>••■

43

■<»

4*

>..•

45

'■••

18

!*»•

59

!•••

63

«••■

100

«a*a

26

-..

200

•■••

126

■ •••

129

• »•«

125

••■•

124

• •••

234

....

210

166

MM

14, 22

••••

40

••••

80

«■••

41

.■■•

235

•«••

151

••••

152

65

• ■•■

133

14

^5

234
235

Yellows, or Jaundice,

_ • — Symptoms of,

■ — Cause,

■ — Treatment,

181
ib
ib

184

Etlwari Baines, Printer, Leah;

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