,_^'^-^, 399 Method of administering Medicines to Horses, 400 Soundness, as opposed to Lameness, 401 Lymphatitis, 412 On the Gadfly, 414 Medicinal Preparations used in Veterinary Practice, 418 Posological Table, 428 Abstract of Sercnth Census, 431 Table of Bones 432 9 ILLUSTRATIONS. PAfll BxfLBTOIf, •.•..... Btomaoh and Bowbls, 34 Vafob Bath, 53 Male Oboans of Geitekation, 109 Female Oboans of Oenebation 120 Stomach, 126 BoTS 126 FcETUs, 204 Method of Slinoing a Hobsb, 233 Spavins 266, 267 Ringbone, <.,. 267 AfPA&ATUS FOK FsAonrKB, Jtck, ,........, »..■ . 288 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. ON THE QUALIFICATIONS NECESSARY FOR THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. The subject to which the author is about directing the reader'* attention is one of great importance to Americans, both as regards their individual and national interests; for while it contributes to the honor and greatness of the one, it advances the interests of the other ; and no man, class of men, nor a nation, can feel satis- fied that they have done their duty to their flocks and herds, the cattle on a thousand hills, the noble war-horse, — the right arm of a nation's power on hard-contested battle fields, — unless there are means provided for their restoration when sick, a reme- dy against deterioration, and a preventive against empiricism and barbarity. The means, remedy, and preventive are com- prehended in the veterinary science. This science is to the brute just what human medicine is to his master ; and if we estimate the value of the former in exact ratio to that of those noble animals which we are so often permitted to behold, it must be apparent, to every thinking mind, that a ecience which contemplates so much that is really useful and beneficial to the lower orders of creation may be worthy the sup- port of the American people. In allusion to the veterinary science, the author has no refer- ence to the haphazard method which is now practised by many, who, without any medical training, or even attending medical lectures on the sister art, when there are such favorable oppor- tunities, vainly attempt to prescribe for the sick and dying, sup- posing that they have inherited medical skill from their ances- tors. This is not legitimate science. Our art is not acquired in 16 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. thiri way ; it is the property of the industrious and devoted stu* dent, and from all others it is withheld. Facts in medicine are, like the hidden treasures of the earth, only to be discovered by patience and industry. In order to obtain the necessary knowledge for successful prao tice, some often have devoted a lifetime to it, yet, after all, ac- knowledged themselves but feeble children, in regard to the mag- nitude of their professional responsibilities. It follows, then, that there is no hereditary road to medical truth ; that the necessary knowledge which our art requires aa an element for its correct practice, can only be attained by un- remitting and methodical observation, by years of careful study and practice. But we refer to a rational system of medication h-unded upon the physiological laws of life ; a correct system of therapeutics, pathology, and chemistry, without a knowledge of which no man can ever practise this science with any degree of credit or success Reader, let us reason together. Every qualified human prac- titioner enters upon the duties of his profession with an under- standing of anatomy, physiology, pathology, and chemistry, and has other scientific qualifications, all of which, combined, enable their possessor, under the direction of a trained intellect, to under- stand the laws of nature ; to comprehend her ways and means of sustaining the vital forces, promoting their harmony, and pre- venting discord. Such an individual possesses a knowledge of what is already known, or believed to be so, of the theory and practice of medicine in all its details ; his own daily experience confirms the facts or points out errors. He treasures up the one and rejects the other, and in the investigation of a medical case, the human suigeon finds a useful guide to correct diagnosis in conference with hia patient. The responses of the latter throw considerable light on the nature, locality, and intensity of the malady. These advan- tages have no parallel in veterinary medicine ; we cannot ques- tion our patients, and can only judge of the state of their health by physical examination — by the signs revealed. Hence the greater need of preliminary education and tact on the part oT those who undertake to pi escribe for brutes. THE MODERN HORSK DOCTOR. l\ It may be urged, that much of the information reciuirc'. for the practice ol' our art is acquired by the senses. Then we answer that they require cultivation ; the mind must be educated, so as to be ablj to digest the phenomena which constantly occur, in every variety of feature and form, throughout the whole range of medical diversitv. Surely, if the vqualiiications here so briefly alluded to, and others not enumer.jted, are requisite for the successful j.ractice of human surgery, how can they be dispensed with in the vete- rinary department ? Surely, they cannot ; for they are an es- wential element not to be dispensed with. The intelligent and thinking husbandman, who, as a matter of necessity, hiis been compelled to prescribe for the ailments of his flocks and herds, without the privileges of medical tuition, has probably often felt that every new gleam of light which flits across his path, only serves to bewilder, and make him better ac- quainted with his own want of knowledge and the comparative darkness that now exists, where all should be bright and radiant. Such, as well as those engaged exclusively in the management of horses, prescribe to the best of their ability ; but death has the advantage of them, for they know not his mode of warfare, nor the means necessary for a successful combat. There are a few veterinary surgeons, located in this country, endeavoring to light up the dark spots referred to, and serve the cause of humanity ; yet, however diligent, when we compare their labors with the magnitude of the cause, they bear the same relation to it that a grain of mustard seed does to a mountain. In evei'y city, town, and village, throughout this great republic^ there is need of veterinary practitioners. We must have them ; there are great interests at stake. Some of the interested have heard, read of, ,">r their animals have experienced the benefits of, a coriect system of practice, and now they desire t<) see vsuch sys- tem extend, so that all may receive benefit therefrom. The masses, howover, have not had an opportunity of judging of the merits of this science, in consequence of a 1 History informs us that most of the ancient and modern prac- titioners who have distinguished themselves in their profession and gained tlie confidence of mankind, have always paid more oi less attention to the dissection of brutes. Thus, in the languagfl of Mr. Vines, '•''they have traiisplunted to the medical profession tlie honor of discoveries that were made in trenching on the terri- tory of the veterinary science." " And," continues the same author, ** it is not to the study, the treatment, and cure of animal disease alone, that this science is strictly confined. Second only to human medicine in actual importance, it possesses considerable advantage over it, and ofifers opportunities for the cultivation of general path- ological and physiological knowledge, and more particularly for that" important branch termed comparative anatomy, that are far superior to any thing that medical practitioners can boast of." In the early period of the history of medicine, it has been recorded that dissections of the human body were held in strict abhorrence ; and when we contemplate what we observe in our own enlightened day and generation — how medical teachers have often been compelled to resort to illegal means in order to pro- cure the necessary material for demonstrating to their pupils the science of life, and that the authority of the law, and the more formidable one, public opinion, has been arrayed against the gen- eral practice of dissecting the bodies of men — then we are pre- pai-ed to realize how much odium the ancients must have attached to the practice. From the quotation above, the reader will perceive that Galen attached great importance to the dissection of brutes, and his followers, up to the present day, have, to some extent, carried out his suggestions. Reading on through the pages of the history of the past, we .eaiii that those small lacteals, termed absorbents, which are so numrr- uualy distributed over the internal surface of the alimentary CKnal, by the aid of which the blood is furnished with the neces. dary material for supplying the waste, developing and preserving the animal organization, were first discovered in kids. Those wonderful pieces of divine mechanism placed within the heart, nnd known to anatomists as its valves, were first discovered in animals by Erasistratus, who also discovered the oesophagua 24 ' THE, MODKKN HOUSK DOCTOR. The fallopian tubes, a portion of the female organs of genera tion, were also discovered in a ewe. Galen demonstrated ic Rome, on living animals, the organs of sound and respiration. He also showed on them the effect produced by ligature on the nerves. Vosalius proved, by experiments on animals, that it waa possible to restoie suspended animation by artificial inflation of the lungs. This discovery is one of the most important, and has nssulted in as gieai good to the human famdy as any like dis- covery made before or, since. See the fond and anxious mother bendmg over the cold and apparently lifeless form of her darling boy, who has just been recovered from the watery element ! Witness her agony as sne contemj)lates what appears to her aa a bereavement ; and now, hope — the anchor of her soul — is Aroused, as she watches, with a mother's anxiety and love, the efforts made by the medical attendant, who is now repeating the experiments of Vesalius. His labors are rewarded. Nature resumes her empire ; and anon signs of returning animation ai o perceived, and the mother shouts with frantic joy, " He breathes ! He lives ! " Are there not thousands of fond parents and anxious friends that have been benefited in a similar manner ? Those organs termed the salivary glands, which secrete a por- tion of the fluids necessary for the digestion of food, were first discovered in an ox, by Eushichius, who subsequently discovered in a horse the thoracic duct. Dr. "Wren made sevei-al experiments on living animals, to be assured of the effect of different substances on the blood and sclid parts. This truly valuable discovery has been one of great im- portance to the whole world, for it was then made known that, through the medium of the lacteals, (absorbents,) lacteal veins, and thoracic duct, inorganic materials reached the blood, and finally became deposited in the cellular and solid structures. This discovery has enabled us to explain in what manner the elements of nutrimental matter reach their ultimate destination, It further enables us to explain the why and wherefore of the alteration in the color of the cow's milk when fed on beets or saffron, and also the cause of that offensive taste in pork when t*E MOOKKN HOKSK DOCTOK. 2S fed on the rotten recrements of cities. In short, lai:teal absorp- tion gives us the modus operandi of many medicines on the systems of man and animals. ()l)servations on taste and feeling were first made on brutes, ftnd afterwards verified on man. The lachrymal ducts wero first discovered in the eye of a sheep, and the excretory duct of the pancreas was discovered in a turkey. Iji.rnard and Spallanzani discovered the antiseptic properties of the gastiic fluid in the following manner : they obtained some of that fluid from a stomach, mixed it with an equal quantity of putrid blood, and then allowed them to stand together for eighteen hours ; the mixture was then injected into the jugular vein of a dog. The mixture produced no inconvenience ; and being aware, before making the experiment, that any putrid matter, on being injected into the blood of a living animal, was sure and certain death, the conclusion they arrived at was, that the gastric fluid was endowed with the power of neutralizing the deleterious action (>( the putrid ferment, thus depriving the morbid matter of its poison- ous properties ; and this conclusion has been frequently verified. This discovery was also of great value in more ways than one ; but it enabled us to explain why animal matters in a state of putrefaction, when introduced into the stomach, do not always prove destructive. The reader, probably, knows that the dog, wolf, and many other carnivorous animals are fond of putrid flesh, and that some men, even, have a craving for game in a partial i.tate of decomposition, and they all seem to digest such filth with very little inconvenience. Another equally important experiment was made by Magen- die on a dog. He injected fifteen grains of blood into the juguiai vein of the animal. The effect was, great disturbance of tht fiiDCtions of the brain and circulation, and the animal died in twelve hours. Another experiment was performed. The same physician introduced two drachms of putrid water, in whicih fish had l>een kept, just underneath the skin, and the animal died almost im- mediately. Such experiments speak to us in a warning voice , they teach us to be careful how we trifle with putrid matter. We may introduce it into the stomach, provided that organ be in 3 2t) THE MODERN HORSK DOCTOK. a healthy state ; but the moraent it comes in contact with the vital current by other means, that very moraent Ufe is endangered. It was from experiments on animals, made by Drs. Wren and Boyd, that led to the transfusion of blood ; for shortly after those experiments, a Frenchman transfused the blood of a human subject into the veins of another, and it is recorded that several lives have in this way been saved. [n the course of transfusing the blood of one animal into that cjf another, it was discovered that what are termed the glohdei oj the blood were uniform in all animals of the same species, and yet presented different forms in animals of different tribes. In man, the particles of blood presented flat disks, resembling pieces of money, having a slight depression. In birds, reptiles, and fishes the disks were oval, instead of being round, and instead of being depressed in the centre, they were elevated on each side. From this experiment it was argued that the fitness of the blood cf one animal to the uses of another of a diflferent species de- pended on the formation of its globules. Experiments have frequently been made to test the truth of this theory, and it has been found to be correct. An eminent physiologist has remarked that, " in order to arrive at an explanation of what is obscure in man, we must look to the lowest and simplest forms of creation. For though in man is combined, in a wonderful and unequalled ILanner, all the functions which separately exhibit themselves in various other animals, he is not the most favorable subject for observing their action ; hence we are obliged to refer to a num- ber of other tribes for the assistance we gain in the study of their comparative structures. There is not a single species of animal that does not present us with a set of facts which we should never learn but by observing them in such species, and many of the fiicts ascertained by the observation of the simplest and most common animals." Yet in view of all these discoveries, and the consequent uwrease of knowledge, there is yet much to learn. Instead of being at tin? summit of the temple of science, we have only jusl surmounted some of the obstacles that surround its base , and er« long, phenomena of the most surprising nature yet remain to b«j liflOTivCTed, and fresh laurels are to be won by the industrious THK MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 27 and devoted ])hysiologist. At the moment of writing this article, intelligence has reached us, that inoculation for the mitigation of plearu-pneuraonia is being practised in France, Holland, and Prussia, and the respective governments of these countries have appointed commissions of scientitic men to inquire into the success and Talue of the practice. The inoculations are made undfr the conviction that pleuro-pneuraonia is highly contagious, and spieads itself from this cause, as well as fiom the special causep of the extension of epizootic diseases. What takes place ii the system of cattle after inoculation is identical with that observed in man when inoculated with virus. The operation in each case engenders a peculiar state of the system, which, without impart- ing the disease itself to the subject, gives immunity against the several causes that produce it. If the experiments shall ulti- mately prove successful, we may safely say that no discovery of equal importance to the husbandman has ever dawned upon the veterinary science. In the United States, however, this fearful disease is not so prevalent as in various other countries. This arises in consequence of our cattle and horses being scattered over a much larger territory, and our cities being compara- tively exempt from the causes which are said to produce it ; yel enough losses occur here to arouse us to a sense of the danger. It may be proper, however, to inform the reader, that the reports of the commission to the several governments are some- what contradictory, and the novel enterprise has met with some opposition ; but this is the history of many improvements of the past ; therefore, we must not be hasty in forming our con- clusions. Tht advocates of inoculation declare that it is of equal im- portance to vaccination in the human subject. Who knows bul in a short time that dreadful scourge in this country, known aa milk sickness, or trembles, may be disarmed of its terrors by the same process ? Not only milk sickness, but many other con tagious diseases, may, perhaps, be made to assume a mild and innoxious form. As the subject is a new one to the husbandmen of this country, the author may be pardoned for introducing an illustration of the benefits derived from inoculation. " The town of liasselt, in 'it TIIR MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. which are kept two thousand cows and oxen, is a town full of dis tilleries, and these animals are fed on slops and grains. From the situation, want of drainage, and accumulation of filth, adde' to the imperfect system of ventilation, management, &c., the location may be considered as the very centre and focus of a dis- ease like pleuro-pneumonia." Since the year 1836 the town has nsver been free from the malady, and many hundreds of animals, luring the past sixteen years, have fallen victims to it, and the town is now said to be tree from the pest! Finally, the 'few distinguished men here named, and others, too numerous to mention, animated with a desire for knowledge, have availed themselves of the opportunities afforded for reading the book of life as it is written by the hand of Omnipotence in the series of animated creation, and the benefits which all have derived are incalculable. BRIEF HISTORY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE. The veterinary science, like that practised on man, was first called into existence by necessity; the many diseases to which domestic animals were subject, and to which they, too frequently fell victims for want of proper professional knowledge, and tl 6 great loss which agriculturists experienced in consequence, led tL jm to seek for a remedy. In the year 1761, the first veterinary school was established at Lyons, under the patronage of government, whose fostering care the infant school for a time received. At the commencement of this embryotic enterprise, the populace looked on with imliBer ence ; but many of the liberal and scientific men of that day saw in the enterprise a boundless field for research, a broad road to usefulness and distinction, and many eagerly embarked in it with jnflinching perseverance, overcoming every obstacle, with a view of making known those laws regulating the vital forces of domes< ^ic animals. The fruits of their labors are bequeathed as a legacy tc the THK MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. ^U profession, and the names of the first cultivators of veterinary science are inscribed on the tablets of their country's history an public benefactors. Four years after the endowment of this, the first school in France, a similar one was established at Alfort. A regular sys- tem of veterinary medicine was there taught, under which studenta IV (juired an acquaintance with the various forms of disease, and the modus operandi of therapeutic agents on domestic animals. The novel enterprise was regarded by other nations of Europe with a watchful eye, and they were not slow in coming to the rescue ; schools rapidly sprang up in Holland, Berlin, Copen- hagen, Stutgard, and in various other places, which proved equally successful and beneficial as the French schools. We shall now pass over a period of twenty-seven years, during which time the science had gradually enlisted in its ranks men of influence, talent, and research. And now an individual of French descent, named St. Bel, lands on the shores of England, Saving letters of introduction from the first men in France to Sir Joseph Banks and other influential individuals, to whom he made known his mission ; which was, that of establishing the veterinary science, then unknown, and of course unappreciated, in the British dominions. He was encouraged, with very flattering assurances of success, to commence operations, and shortly after his arrival in London he published proposals for establishing a veterinary school ; there seemed, however, to be a sort of indifference manifested among the masses, and consequently very little, beyond making known hi(3 object, was effected during the first year. In the following, he published proposals to read lectures on the science, and thug give the English nation an opportunity to judge of the value of the new project; but, alas! he was doomed to disj.ppointment ; his second proposal met with no better success than at first. The apparent failure of his primary labors has been attributed, by an eminent writer, to various causes, and it may be well for us tc notice them, for the very same causes have been, and are now, in active operation, diverting American skill and intelligence fronj embarking in a cause so worthy the attention and support of a freo and enlightened nation It was in consequence of the 8 * 30 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. character of those who presumed, witliout the necessary qualifi" cations, to practise the art, that the English husbandmen refused to put tlieir shoulders to the wheel, and receive the offered boon That country had been visited by diseases of a pestilential type, which had made sad havoc among the stock, and had swept theiu from the green hills and verdant valleys, as by the blast of a tor- nado. Their horses, too, did not escape the arm of the destroyer ; they were constantly suffering and dying from insidious forma of disease, the history and characters of which were almoal unknown. This state of things, together with the unfortunate occurrence that there were no legitimate practitioners, had opened a wide field for adventurers and quacks, whose barbarous sys- tem of medication, probably, was the cause of many deaths. These practitioners, in lieu of better, were taken as standards, and the people had, to a great extent, formed an estimate of the value of this art in exact ratio to the talents of the village farrier, and in proportion to the success that attended his labors. This is precisely tlie state of affairs in America. St. Bel gives us another reason for his failure, but it amounts to nearly the same thing. He says, " The opulence of England offered a wide field for impostors of foreign origin, by whom the nation was daily imposed on, and repeated experience of such impositions naturally excited distrust towards foreigners in gen- eral ; and because honesty of views was not written on his face, patience and perseverance became his only resources." At this stage of affairs St. Bel was fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of a gentleman who had a decided taste for the art, and who eagerly responded to the views of the professor, and bade him not despair of ultimate success; assuring him that by Slitting the matter in its right light before the people he would soon obtain all he desired. This assurance inspired St. Bel with new hopes, and he immediately issued a pamphlet of some twenty- eight pages, entitled. Plan for establishing an Institution to cultivate and teach the Veterinary Art. This pamphlet v/ae well received, and several agricultural societies paid the writer handsome compliments, and conferred on him honorary distinctioiL During the year 1790, several meetings took place between the udembors of agricultural societies and gentlemen favorable to thfl THE MOUERN HORSE DOCTOR. SI cause ; till, at length, active measures were adopted for promoting the object. A resolution to this purport was now passed, which read as follows : " That the parties had observed the good effecta produced on the public mind by the exertions of the friends to the art, for its improvement, and approved of St. Bel's plan for establishing a public institution for that purpose." The result was, that an institution was soon endowed, which was named **The Veterinary College of London," to which St. Bel was appointed professor. But unfortunately, that distinguished indi- ridual had scarcely occupied the chair one year, when a sudden and brief illness terminated his mortal career, and he was con- signed to the silent tomb ere the laurels had scarcely encircled his brow. - Being thus cut off at such an early period, yet in the midst of his usefulness, the prospects of the infant institution became greatly affected — only for a short season, however. The college WHS considered to be in a flourishing condition ; the Duke of Northumberland had already contributed a sum equal in our cur- rency to twenty-five hundred dollars, and the enterprise num- bered among its stanch supporters such men as the Earl of Grosvenor, Mr. Penn, Earl Morton, Drs. John Hunter and Craw- ford, and subsequently that great surgeon and mtdical hero, Sir Astley Cooper. Medical men hailed the new enterprise as one not only calcu- lated to ameliorate the condition of suffering domestic animals, but, what was of still greater importance to them and mankind, they perceived in it a fruitful field for the cultivation of comparative anatomy and physiology. With this object in view, Dr. J Hun- ter assisted the friends of the new school both by his professional influence and from his private purse. Although the college had been in existence but a brief period, its pupils had gained sufficient knowledge of theory and practice to distinguish themselves; thus fully realizing the anticipations of its founders. Among the first pupils who sought to qualify themselves as efficient veterinary practitioners, we find recorded the names of Laurence, Blain, and Clark. Each of these philan- thropists has since left to the world a record of their labors, which, even in this enlightened age, serve as useful guides to the young ■isoiranl for veterinary fame. 82 THB' MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. The professorship made vacant by the death of the father ol this science, St. Bel, was conferred on Mr. Coleman, who had previously devoted himself to physiological research ; he, too Boon distinguished himself, and the college again assumed its fora"er flourishing condition. A medical committee was now appointed, consisting- of some of the most eminent practitioners that the country could boast of, by whom the pupils were exam- iued, and when found to have acquired sufficient knowledge of the art, certificates were granted accordingly. We are informed that this medical examining committee were lecturers of human medi- cine, and with a liberality that reflected great credit on them, j»ermitted the veterinary pupils to attend their lectures on human anatomy free of charge. Thus did a band of really great and good men unite their efforts and interests, for the study of the science of life in all its diversity and forms. By this wise asso- ciation of the sister sciences, its advocates aimed a death blow at the ignorance, quackery, and superstition of the times, and they were successful to some extent; for a new order of practitioners took the field ; they soon demolished the old landmarks set up by the ignorant farriers, and erected in their stead beacons of light : thus spread the illuminating rays of science broadcast, and the public, as well as their domestic animals, were benefited thereby. Professor Coleman had now succeeded in securing the patron- age of government — the strings of the public purse were loos- ened, and the parliament voted a sum of money, a)'t is once established, the bowel? should be kept soluble 40 THK MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. with green feed or scaliled shorts. Superpurgation may be im mediately ( becked by a few doses of charcoal, or a small »]!iai»ti ty of bayberry bark and ginger ; but if our subject be plethoric no fears need be entertained of over purging from an ordinary dose of medicine. See Cathartic Medicine, or Physic Mass. Should stomach staggers attack an over-driven or over-ridden horse, he never having manifested any cerebral or digestive de- rang'iraent, nothing more is needed than rest, kind nursing, and A light diet. If he recover at all, he will be more likely to do so Dnder the judicious promptings of a humane man than by any allnr course. On the other hand, a debilitated, broken-doum subject must be put on a course of tonic medicine, alterative also in its character. The following serves as an example : — Powdered gentian, 1 " eolden seal, I » , , i, ■ r J- ? 01 each 1 ounce. " grams of paradise, | wii * uu ivc. " sulphur, J Oatmeal, 1 pound. Mix. Divide the mass in twelve parts, and mix one with the fodder, night and morning. The next form of this kind of disease has received the appel- lation of SLEEPY STAGGERS. This disease is named sleepy from the fact that its most charac- teristic symptom is that of coma or somnolency. The subject may be surrounded by all the noise and confusion of a city stabU;, yet, in the midst of this, and at any time, day or night, w^ill fall fast asleep with his mouth full of fodder. On arousing him, he evinces some alarm; yet almost immediately, and while •tanding by his side, he is otf into what appears to be a sound nap. There are other features in the case that enable the observer to make out a diagnosis, such as stertorous breathing ; slowness of respiration ; slow, soft pulse ; amaurotic eyes, (generally closed ;) the head either drooping or pressed forward into tho crib. In most cases the excr'^tient is hard and knobby ; f.hf irine scanty. THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOH 41 The disease probably originates in derangement of the stem ach and its associate digestive organs. It is very apt to terrai oate fatally, either i'rona effusion or extravasation. Treatment. — Here we are at fault, not having been very suc- cessful in bringing such cases to a favorable termination. W( remember one case, however, that was considered hopeless and by way of experiment we administered the unwarrantable lose of half a pound of lobelia, expecting at the same time that it would cause his death ; but, contrary to our expectations, ho re- covered. The remedy was followed up by stimulating injections and cold water bandages around the head. The lobelia seemed to have no other effect than to produce profuse perspiration, and this suggested the idea of placing sucl patients in a vapor barii — an idea that we have not yet been abh? to carry out. There is no doubt, however, that nauseating medi- cines, in conjunction with the warm bath, will do as much to relieve congestion in the horse as they have accomplished in human medicine. If we had nothing but simple congestion to contend with m the treatment of this malady, our success would be more certain ; but cases now and then occur when some morbid change takes place in the structure of the brain, so that our treatment avails nothing. The treatment most likely to succeed in a curable case consists in the administration of nauseating medicines. One drachm of lobelia, with half the quantity of bloodroot, may be given in warm water every hour. A dose of cathartic medicine should be administered in the early stage of the disease, fol- lowed by injections of salt and water. Counter irritation ma} also be of service when applied to the extremities. Cathartics and nauseants must be our sheet anchor, and should be repeated until a free evacuation has taken place ; for they have a tendency to lessen the force of the circulation, and conse quently relieve the brain. The author is well aware of the difiiculty encountered in administering medicine to horses labor- jig under disease of the brain and its investing m( mbranes ; the danger too, both as regards the person of the physician and the life of the f atieut, must be taken into con.-ideration ; for there are jues when the patient is uuable to swallow, and if we should 42 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. then insist on forcing down a drench, a portion of it might enter the air passages and clioke him. The attendant is at times Ui danger of personal injury from the animal's suddenly falling but these suggestions apply more to those forms of diseaso known as INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN. — (PAmuVw.) This form of disease corresponds to that recognized by human f laetitioners as brain fever. In the horse, the disease, frequently, in its last stages, assumes so violent a form that veterinary prac- titioners have denominated it mad staggers. The animal is not rabid, however, but frantic ; now rearing on his hind legs, the fore ones are plunged into the crib; he extends the head as high as possible towards the ceiling, and then, as quick as thought, furiously dashes himself against the stall, or on the floor, where he lies panting for breath, in a perfect state of delirium. At other times, convulsions will follow each other in quick succes- eion ; the animal pants, perspires, and foams at the mouth, as if he were about to breathe his last breath ; and a happy release from his sufferings would it be, if at this stage the vital spark were to vacate its tenement ; but, unfortunately, he is often doomed to suffer for hours, and sometimes days, ere death takes place. Treatment. — The treatment of mad staggers must be con- ducted on the same principles as in the preceding disease. We must embrace the most favorable opportunity ; and perhaps while the animal is down will be the best time to administer the following drench : — Pulverized aloes, 7 drachms, " assafoctida, 2 " Hot water, 1 pint. Tilis medicine should be followed up, at intervals, with doses of ealt and water ; two ounces of salt to one pint of water, grad- cnlly diminishing the quantity of salt until purgation sets in, when it should be discontinued. Injections should be rhrowB into the rectum every four hours, composed of Powdered lobelia, } . ^ , „, . ' » i-oi each 1 ounce, Dloodroot, S Hot wat«r. two or three quarts. THE MODERN HOKSE DOCTOR. 49 A counter irritant, consisting of mustard, cayenne, and vinegar may be applied to the chest. The head mudt be kept cool with water. If the bowels do not respond to the aloetic drench, after wait- ing a reasonable time, it will be advisable to give three or four drachms more. There need be no fears of superpurgation ; and if that should be the result, it could not do much harm. " Pur* gation in mad staggers has ever stood in such high repute among farriers, that a common saying among them is ' Purge a horse with staggers, and you cure him ; ' and this, like many other old veterinary adages, appears to have been founded in sound obser- vation. In fact, it is a practice pursued by every surgeon in cephalitic cases, with the twofold view of removing any source of irritation or cause for the head aifection that may exist within the bowels, and of indirectly abstracting blood by derivation and discharge." — Hippopathology, p. 20. APOPLEXY. The immediate causes of apoplexy are, compression of the brain from congestion of its blood vessels ; or by an effusion of blood, or serum, (water,) into some portion of the cranial cavity ; or from tumors, which compress some portion of the medullary substance of the brain. Congestion, and subsequently effu- sion, may be brought on in subjects predisposed to the disease, by any thing that determines the affiux of blood to the head ; or, in other words, by any thing that disturbs the equilibrium of thf circulation, and prevents the free return of blood from the brain. There are various exciting causes which tend to produce san- ^ineous apoplexy •, for although the immediate cause seems to be an excess of blood in the vessels of the brain, this may be brought about by an overloaded state of the primae viae.* In »uch cases the symptoms somewhat resemble those of stomach staggers ; the animal appears drowsy, feeble, and is constantly '.anging or resting his head in the crib. When apoplexy proceeds from fluid within the ventricles of thfl * The stomach and intestinal tube are so railed 44 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. brain, besides other symptoms, there is a disposition to lear up or fall backwards, when any one attempts to handle the head. Should apoplexy proceed from tumor within the cranium, it seldom, if ever, admits of perfect recovery. Symptoms of Sanguineous Apoplexy. — The horse general!} falls down suddenly, and remains in a state of insensibility ; thd breathing is laborious, the eyes are fixed, glassy, and amaurotic 5 the membranes of the eyes, nose, and mouth are highly injected, oftlimes of a purple color; the veins of the neck are distended, tlie pulse is strong, full, and slow ; the whole muscular system is occasionally affected spasmodically, and the limbs are icy cold. Treatment. — Our first business is to endeavor to arouse the patient out of his lethargy Some strong spirits of hartshorn should be held to the nostrds, while one or two persons are engaged in rubbing the external surface with stimulants ; mus- tard and vinegar must be used pretty freely to the limbs, followed with hard rubbing and stimulating injections. If through these means we should be successful in bringing the patient to a state of consciousness, the next object should be to evacuate the bow- els : our usual drench in such cases is. Powdered aloes, . 6 drachms " assafoetida, 2 " " lobelia, 3 " To be mixed in warm water, sufficient. Before this drench is administered, the practitioner must sat- isfy himself that the patient has so far recovered as to be able to swallow, or the medicine may prove a death warrant. If the apoplectic fit be only the effect of plethora from high feeding arid want of proper exercise, this treatment will generally succeed We have had oo-casion, however, in a few oases, to follow up tht (fre7i<:a with salts, dissolved in a bucket of water, which our patients generally drank. The after treatment consists in feed- ing the animal with great care ; and the best means to prevent a rrcurrence is tc let the animal run to pasture. Dr. White refers to a case of apoplexy " that was considered hopeless, and not worth any further attention ; yet as it was sup- posed that blood had been effused on the brain, tht. horse was trepanned, (a portion of the skull removed,) and an opening THE MOD'iRN HORSE DOCTOK. 4C (Dude in the dura mater, ur outer membrane of the brain, which wa« immediately followed by a considerable effusion of blood In about ten minutes after the operation, the horse got up, and being led to his stall, began to feed immediately. He continued apparently well for several days, but died a fortnight after the operation." * Tiucheotomy, which consists in making an incision into tb& trachoia, and then introducing a hollow tube for the animal to t)reathe through, has received the advocacy of some. On p. 2^, Hippopatholugy, the following paragraph occurs: '■* Fra^he otomy. On no animal is this operation practised with more facility than on the horse; neither are the consequences of it such — though it may, now and then, leave the animal a roarer — as to deter us from practising it in any case in which important benefit is likely to accrue from it. Dr. Physic, of Philadelphia, first suggested its performance in hydrophobia ; and Dr. Marshall Hall has recently advised a trial of it in cases of apoplexy. His words are, ' In apoplexy from congestion, I am persuaded that the fatal event might be averted by the timely adoption of this measure ; the patient dies of asphyxia, — (ces.- ill glanders. The principal features of influenza are, that it appears \l cer-~ • These terms are used by horsemen in New Englan'l to denote a kind of catarrh or influenza, that often breaks out among young horses at particulai seasons of the year, and seems to rage more in some stables than others. It is the genrral opinion that all horses must \\-\\e an attack of this sort once in their lives. There fore a horse that has once had it is considered acclimated, and bis owner linds a more ready sale for him than for one that has not had '-.his afTettion. THE MODERN HORSE I>OCTOR. 55 tain seasons of the year, in stables, at remote points, prevailing more in some than in others. When once it breaks out in a stable, it is sure to effect all the susceptible subj<'cts ; sometimea it creeps from stall to stall in a slow and gradual manner ; at others, three or four horses will be attacked all at once, and in the course of a few days all the new comers are on the sick list. Yet if the stable be well ventilated, and the horses properly niaa- a^^ed, both as regards diet and exercise, the evil day may be put off in some, and others may have so light an attack as not to occasion any alarm. Many thus managed are known to run clear for years, and then, on coming in contact with the infection, become its victims. Symptoms. — There is no disease that assumes so greai a variety of symptoms at its commencing as this ; still there are some features always present that convince us of the nature of the disease we have to treat. The first symptom the stabler notices is, that the horse is diimpish, as he calls it, which signifies debility. This is a remarkable feature, and one that seldom, if ever, presents itself in any other form of disease so early. To a casual observer the horse looks as if he had been sick for months. If you urge him to move, he does so after the fashion of an over- grown elephant. The eye is indicative also of the disease ; its vessels are turgid, have an arterial red appearance, (this has perhaps led to the term pink eye,) the lids become swollen, and the animal shrinks from the light as if its rays caused pain ; the tears ti'ickle over, and now and then a particle of purulent or lyraphy matter can be seen in the angles of the eye. The animal seems 'inable to support the weight of his head ; it either remains in a drooping position, or he rests it in the crib. First one hind iimb and then the other swell, become infiltrated with fluid, which constitutes anasarca; or they may both commence to swell at wee; in fact, other parts of the body become dropsical, so that the patient sometimes more resembles an elephant than a horse. This swelling of the legs, let it be mof e or less, is considered, in connection with the other features, the diagnostic symptoms. It is very different from that tumefaction which we observe in the limbs of many horses, occasioned by want of exercise, &;c. It eomes i>n suddenly, affects the whole limb, groin, and shenth* 86 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. the latter to such an extent as to cause the penis to protrude The hair from the first has an unheahhj aspect and rough feel the ears, nose, and limbs are cold or not, according to the stage of the disease. The appetite is poor from the first, and any attempt to awallow tells us that the throat is excessively sore ; inspect the fauces, and they will be found inflamed ; the tongue il foul, thickly coated, and saliva runs freely, although not a.^way8, for in many cases the mouth is dry and feverish ; the excrements are voided in small quantities ; the excretory as well as tha secretory functions are as torpid as the animal himself. In tne course of a few days a nasal discharge sets up, and this is con- sidered a favorable crisis. In some subjects, however, the disease terminates in submaxillary abscess ; the animal sometimes has a troublesome cough. These are the main features of this form of influenza. They vary in different subjects, both in the mode of attack, intensity, and termination; and in the progress of the disease, although self-limited, it depends much on treatment, and still more on the management of the horse during his sickness. Treatment. — Our first business is to place the patient in a situation where he may have the benefit of a pure atmos])here, (this is the best medicine for the lungs ;) for the blood, being loaded with carbon, owing to its languid circulation, requires pure air to decarbonize it. The body is to be clothed according to the temperature of the stable. If the limbs are cold, they should be well rubbed, and if any difficulty is experienced in in- creasing their temperature, some stimulating liniment should be rubbed on, and flannel bandages applied if necessary. These. however, must be omitted when the limbs become anasarcous ; for they only keep the parts hot and feverish. The same apply to body clothing; the natural clothing of the body is all tlit animal needs in the febrile stage, provided the atmosphere be comfortable. The following dose should be given early, as it helps to deaf out the digestive cavity of all morbid mate 'ial : — Sulphur, 5 drachms, Cream of tartar, 2 " Salt, ... I ounce. Mix, with flaxseed tea, for a drench. THR MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 57 We find from experience that salt has a good effect on this disease, and therefore generally allow the patient all he will eat. The best drink for the patient is flaxseed tea, acidulated with cream of tartar, and thickened with powdered licorice. Yet if he eat much salt, which is often the case, a corresponding thirst way be expected : in this event, we see no good reason in with- holding water, provided it be given a quart or two at a time, with the chill off", although warm water generally excites disgust on the part of our patient, and he will often go thirsty rather than drink the nauseous stuff, which would at almost any time sicken a dog. As regards the diet : a plethoric horse should be half starved, both in view of reducing his fat and lessening the fever, which, as a matter of course, will accompany the malady. In fact, sloppy drinks and scalded shorts are all that are needed in any case, until the disease turns for the better. Should the throat be sore, let it be rubbed occasionally with warm vinegar and salt. The discharge from the nostrils must be encouraged by steaming. The rectum may be empti(3d occa- sionally with warm soapsuds. In view of guarding against sub sequent cough and debility, we give the following: — Powdered elecampane, " pleurisy root, " licorice, Slippery elm, . . . Salt, Gentian equal parts. Dose, 1 ounce daily. The swollen limbs are to be rubbed frequently, and the patient must have walking exercise as soon as the state of his health permits. It is a notorious fact that there is no disease to which horses in this country are subject that has opened so wide a field &)r empiricism as this. Every man has his favorite remedy, and often applies it to his own loss, because he thinks it beneath his dignity to employ a physician to treat what horse dealers con- eider a simple disease, which, however, frequently becomes com plicated from want of knowing when to do nothing, or applying luitable means at the proper time. M THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. SPASM OF THE LARYNX. The larynx I?, an irregular cartilaginou? tube forming the up|iei extremity of the win'lpipe, and is the organ which produces thai peculiar sound called neighing ; it aiFords free passage, in its normal state, for respiration, and also attachment for numeioiM muscles. Its internal cavity is protected by the commcm mem btane termed mucous, which, at times, becomes the seat of a 'Jis* ease known as laryngitis. -Our own opinion is, that the spasm may arise from other caus€8 than those acting directly on the laryngeal apparatus. From the symptoms detaiiled by Surgeon Haycock, which we shall here introduce, it seems to bear some analogy to laryngismus stridulus, ("croup" of the human family,) and that which is here termed spasm may result from a nervous affection induced by indigestion ; in that case spasm of the larynx is a symptom of another disease. Wljat some might term spasm of the larynx may result from some morbid productions within the larynx, an cedematous swelling occurring in the submucous membrane of the larynx, as in cases of violent laryngitis, may give rise to many symptoms noticed by the individual just named ; yet a morbid production of this char- acter could not with propriety be called spasm. The history of laryngismus stridulus — croup — is as follows : the attack comes on during sleep ; the child starts suddenly ; struggles for breath ; face flushed, and swollen, and purple ; and after repeated efforts, we have long inspiration, accompanied with B whooping or crowing noise, arising from obstruction, not spasm. It makts very little difference, however, whether the difficulty of T'sepiration occur from spasm or obstruction, since the treatment of either does not materially differ, that is, as regards present rt lief. The three principal means of cure are — nauseants, counter irritations, and lastly, tracheotomy. J^et it be understood that this treatment applies to those case? which occur from internal obstruction; the treatment, of course, must vary according to the nature of the case. For our prin cipal object is not so much to treat spasm of the 1 irynx, as it should be to discover its cause — that removed, syasir will cease. That THE MODKRN HORSE DOCTOR. 5H it is not always a primary disease we have ample testimony from Mr. Haycock's own pen: see Veterltiary Humoeopathy, p. 167 " 7%e causes are numerous" &c. " It may arise from laryngitis^ &c. If it does arise from laryngitis and other affections, it is cnly a secondary disease, or, as Mr. Percivall says, "symptomatic of some distinct and acknowledged genus or species of disease." Symptoms of Spasm of the Larynx. — "The symptoms of spasm ^f the larynx are of so evident a nature as to warrant me in say- ng tl at they declare themselves, and that too in the most decisive manner. Sometimes the disease manifests itself in a moment, as it were, with a most terrible severity ; the animal begins to gasp fcr breath ; the eyeballs protrude, and present a wild, haggard appearance ; the nostrils are dilated to their utmost extent ; the nose is protruded, and the neck Is carried in a line with the back ; the flanks heave with most excessive violence, and every time the poor beast inspires air, a sound is emitted, which will vary in its character and intensity according to the vigor of the spasm. Sometimes it will be loud and shrill, sometimes a kind of scream, at other times like the loud twang from a trumpet — or it may be rasping, snoring, or like that elicited when sawing wood. Aa the disease proceeds, the general symptoms become more violent — the mucous membrane of the mouth assumes a purple color, the animal becomes partially unconscious ; he rushes wildly from place to place, as though seeking in vain for aid; the body becomes suffused with a streaming perspiration ; at last, the spasm is either suddenly relieved, which is very rarely the case^ or he falls heavily to the ground, struggling for a few moments, and then dies completely asphyxiated. If the disease supervene upon an inflammatory attack of the organ, the symptoms in such oases, for a short period at least, will most probably be of a mildei charac ter. A partial spasm of the muscles will manifest itself, which ma; exhibit just such a degree of violence as to excite alarm, and nothing more, when the whole will gradually subside, and leave the patient in a very tranquil state ; in a short time, however, may be in two or three hours, or more or less according to circumstances, it again commences, and continues for a longer period, or it goes on increasing in violence until either relief it afforded surgically or the patient dies." 60 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOH. We must not therefore, as already observed, consider spasm of the larynx in all cases a primary affection, for we know ;hal in the human family croup is often associated with impaired nutrition, and vvell-marked derangements of the digestive organs, and all attempts to cure by local means fail, unless aided with pure air and a well-regulated system of hygiene. So that if impaired nutrition leads to spasmodic diseases, and, reasoning from analogy, we may safely conclude that it does, our object in the treatment should be to restore the digestive organs to their normal state. We have lately read a paper written by Dr. Fer- guson, of Dublin, which goes to show that spasm of the larynx can be produced at will : he states, he administered some hydro* cyanic acid to several frogs ; after death he examined them, and found the larynx of each one spasmodically closed. A dose was also given to a rabbit, and after death the blood vessels of the larynx and trachea were intensely congested. A similar state of things might be brought about in the horse, by the use of similar poisonous agents ; but as medical treatment would, in cases of this kind, fail, it is unnecessary to write any thing more on that subject. Treatment. — It has been hinted, at the commencement of this article, that nauseants, counter irritants, and tracheotomy are the principal agents in view of immediate relief; unfortunately, how- ever, the former are of little avail unless administered early — before alarming symptoms set in, as in partial spasm. When the patient is attacked suddenly, and shows all th-e worst features of the disease, he can only be relieved by a surgical operation called tracheotomy. The operation is not considered a dangerous one, yet the services of a qualified |)erson are indispensable ; as also in cases which result from the presence of morbid growths in the vicinity of the larynx, surgical skill must be sought. It is proper, in all cases of either spasm or obstruction existing ii or al)out the larynx, to let the patient inhale the vapor of hoi witer, Or else that arising from medicated water. A small por- tion of nitrous ether, dropped on a large sponge previously satu- rated with hot water, and held up to the patient's nostrils, may give relief; we have tried this article, as well as chloric ether, in cases of obstructed i-espirati'jn, and think benefit has been derived ()uly a small quantity of these articles, however, can be used, foi THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOK, 61 iu excess they are apt, instead of relaxing, to produce rigid spasms of what are known as the vocal cords. In administerin continued any length of time unless they give immediate relief: THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOn. 53 for let it be remembered that the animal may suddenly cxjiire from suffocation, in his efforts to breathe. In ca.ses of an .'alarm- ing character, such, for example, as when the mucous membrane^ are infiltrated, or tumefied, or the laryngeal cavity occupied bj morbid secretion, recourse must be had to bronchotomy, or trarhe- otomy, either of which terms serves to designate the nature of the aperation. It consists in making an opening into the windpipe, and intrddueing through it a tube, so that the lungs are inflated, without the air having to pass through the laryngeal channel. The operation is both safe and practicable, for it is seldom, if ever, attended with bad results. This operation, however, should only be resorted to when the danger of suffocation is imminent ; and then the breathing tube ought to be removed, the wound closed, and the integuments brought together by stitches, just so soon as the horse shows signs that the danger is past. We have found water, cold or warm, as the season permitted, very good for relieving acute laryngitis, applied by means of sponges to the throat. In chronic cases, when the glandular organs around the throat are swollen, a stimulating liniment will be indicated, which should be rubbed in night and morning, the animal to have a nutritious diet, and to be drenched as follows : — Balsam of fir, 1 ounce, Sweet spirits of nitre, ... 2 ounces. Sirup of garlic 4 ounces. Mix. Dose. — One sixth part to be given every night in a pini of thin grueL INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS. PNEUMONIA. Mr. Percivall uses the word " pneumony," instead of />n«i- monia, "to express either a state of congestion or of inflammation in the lungs." The disease may be in the congestive or mflam- matory stages, simple or complicated, involving the bronchia, or pleural membranes, either the one or the other ; acute and suh- 54 THE* MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. acute are also terms applied to this disease, but these terms hav« merely reference to the stage or intensity. Syniptoms of Congestive Pneumonia. — " In the worst cases v»f tliis kind, the animal is all over in a tremor ; a cold sweat be- dews his body ; there is no pulse to be felt ; his extreme parts betray the coldness of death ; his eye is frightfully wild ; and, together with the boring of head and stupidity evinced by him, clearly denote the poor sufferer to be labor'rg under a spe- cies of delirium. Should this state of congestion come on in tht. stable, gradually, and some time after the cause is applied, the horse will show it by appearing dull, listless, heavy headed, and off his appetite ; his respiration will gradually become more dis- turbed and oppressed, indicating much more of labor than of pain. The pulse will be full and quick, but probably so feeble as hardly to be perceptible. The ear, applied to the chest, de- tects no sound; the usual respiratory murmur is lost. The ex- tremities — the legs and ears — have a cold, death-like feel ; and in extreme cases, the mouth is cold also, and the pupils more or less dilated. Cold sweats supervene; no pulse is to be felt ; the animal gradually sinks, and in convulsions and delirium dies." Symptoms of Inflammatory Pneumony. — " The symptoms will be such as are observed at the beginning of common fever and other inflammatory diseases, such as staring, or erection of the Lair, and cold extremities, followed, perhaps, by actual rigor ; the horse ' hangs his head ' either in or under the manger, and haa not eaten his last meal ; has had for some days a short, dry cough, which comes on when he is exercised, or after drinking 5 and is dull and dejected in countenance, and moves with g-eat disincHnation. To this succeed fever, quickness of pulse, and teat of mouth, and injection of the membranes of the nosti und eyes ; and now, in the second stage, the breathing becomes disturbed, and the case quickly develops itself. The nostrils will be seen opening and shutting their wings ; the flanks labori- ously working up and down ; for the disturbed breathing will be of a kind to indicate emb«irrassment or oppression, rather than sickness or pain ; whereas m subacute cases, the flanks can hard- ly be seen to move at all ; then it is that the nostrils become an important guide to us. The pulse, at the beginning, is ac* THE MODERN UORSE DOCTOR. 65 celeratcd, and commonly distinct; bat, as the d.sorder proceeds, it is very apt to grow indistinct from fulness and oppression from which, however, it recovers by loss of blood, and then again becomes perceptible, and often, compared to what it was before, possessed of strength ; the ears and legs are colder than ever ; Ihe membrane of the nose is moist and reddened, and there ia often to be perceived a sparing yellow, slimy issue from one or both nostrils. The horse stands constantly in the satne plac< end posture, often with his fore legs stretched out, and prefers having his head directed either to the door, or to any open win- dow there may be. He never offers to lie down ; but from time to time casts a look backwards at his heaving flank, of a peculiar desponding character, which the experienced practitioner does not fail to recognize. The third and last stage is characterized by the respiration becoming quicker and more oppressed ; the pulse also quicker, but less distinct ; the coldness of the extremi- ties continuing unrelieved ; the membrane of the nose changing from red to a leaden hue ; convulsive twitchings of the muscles of the surface ; extreme uneasiness ; lying down and rising again ; reeling in his gait ; haggard countenance; delirium ; convulsions; ieath." — Hippopathology, vol. ii. p. 79-81. The causes of this derangement are various : any thing which suppresses the natural evacuations of the system will produce it. Among the chief causes are want of pure air, insufficient exer cise, exposure to cold, plethora, and uncleanliness. The derange- ment may, however, be excited by causes varying in their general character. A horse may be driven a long distance after having stood for several days in the stable without proper exer- cise. The lungs are suddenly brought into active operation — a part they are not well calculated to perform after long rest They, like the muscular or nervous systems, require constant, yet judicious exercise, in order that they shall maintain their piiysiological relations ; and this explains the reason why so many horses are attacked shortly after a smart drive. Mr. Percivall says, '" He that has clean and cool stables wiU hare a healthy stud, and the converse of this will never fail to engender disease. Above all other considerations, then, in taking the coll from his natural state, it behooves us to guard him froa 6* 66 THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. the vicissitudes of cold and heat, and to keep him in au acmeA- phere as pure as that of which we have just deprived hitn. . Horses of any age, but above all young horses, should never be exposed to a heated air ; thsy may be warmly clothed, and even with advantage be kept in moderately warm stables, but they ought never to respire a hot and stimulating atmosphere. ' " The next circumstance to be attended to, in order to preserve Ihe health of a horse recently domesticated, is exercise. Com- pelling the animal at once to perform such exercise as cornea under the denomination of work, is merely subjecting him to the invasion of disease, and of disease most probably of the organs of respiration ; hence the old obser\ ition, ' A young horse ought uever to be sweated in his exercise.' Numberless horses, not only young ones, but of all ages, are, from want of consideration on the part of their owners, killed in this way in the course of a year. A person purchases a young horse of a dealer, who, most likely, has had him for some weeks, during which time the animal has been getting fresh, as the dealers call it; i. e., he has been pampered wiih all possible care, fed as if he were put up to be fattened for the butcher, and little or not at all exercised : suddenly, the horse, by way of trial, is made to perform by his new master what he calls, and to another would have been, but moderate work, but what in this case is excessive exertion ; and the con- sequence is, that the animal is attacked with pneumonia, and diea in the course of forty-eight liours. It is of the utmost conse- quence, therefore, to attend to this circumstance; if the horse be young, we cannot be too gentle with him in regard to his exer- case, for at this period he is totally unfit for work. * . . . Though a horse newly purchased of a dealer \a >ue wliose age indicates that he is able to work, still, in conse- quence of his having, probably, been kept in a state of inactivi- ty, a proper regimen will be required to put him even in actual condition for hard work. Hunting a horse with others, under Buch circumstances, is like matching a man nursed in the lap of indolence, to contend with a pugilist in hard and continual training." Inflammalion of the lungs is generally ushered in with a shiv Kring tit, succeeded by superficial heat of the body and cold ex ' THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 67 rremities. These symptoms are accompanied by a quick pulse; respiration short, quick, and laborious. The movement at the flanks, termed abdominal respiration, is marked, generally, by a degree of regularity indicative of the oppressive state of the organs of respiration. As the disease progresses, the ears, nose, and legs have an icy coldness ; the animal assumes a por-ition that will expand the thorax; the head and neck are extended; nostrils dilated ; the fore legs are stiffened and stretched out, •nd the disease frequently terminates in engorgement of the lungs, and, more frequently in this country than in any other, effusion into the thorax. Mr. Percivall (Lect. xxxviii. p. 323) makes some very inter- esting remarks in connection with pneumonia, which, although intended for the meridian of London, are applicable to this country. He says, " Pulmonary disease runs its course now and then with surprising rapidity. I have known a horse to be at- tacked with acute pneumonia, and to die from it in the space of seventeen hours ; and it is by no means uncommon for it to prove fatal on the second or tliird day from its onset. Ignorance of this fact has led to the institution of many lawsuits, and to some Dppressive judicial arbitrations for horse dealers ; e. g., a gentle- man purchases a young iiorse, warranted sound, and the next day, or the day after, rides or drives the animal, unprepared for fatigue, and consequently unable to bear it, by way of trial ; the day following this trial, or rather ordeal, the horse refuses his food, blows a little, and soon after manifests a severe attack of pneumonia, of which, within a few days or weeks from his pur- chase, he dies. An action is immediately brought against th« dealer. Some blundering, Ignorant farrier, on the part of the plnintiff, swears that the animal, when opened, was found ' at roiteti as a pear,' and that he must ccnsequently have been di$* eased long before he was bought. The result is, that the dealer is cast, and the gentleman recovers his money. Now, in the gen- erality of these cases, the very reverse of this is the absolute truth ; the animal was perfectly sound at the time of purchase, and was made otherwise solely by the exertion his purchaser put him to ; and so far from the rottenness of the lungs, or agglutina- tion of them to the sides of the chest, being proofs of the contra' 68 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. ry, 1 have seen the one produced in seventeen hours, and know from extensive observation, that the other, viz., blackness and en- gorgement of them with blood, or something like an appr'^ach to mortification, (for rottenness is an expression that has here no definite meaning whatever,) may take place in the crmrse of four and twenty hours. Indeed, when pneumonia proves fatal, it most commonly does so in the course of the first three, or four, oi 5^ e days ; if it continue beyond this, or there be any remission, it is always a favorable indication. In these cases, the lungi themselves, as I have just stated, are found nearly black, of the color of the darkest venous blood, with which they aie pro- digiously glutted ; the pleura also displays a surface highly vas- cular, and adhesions are occasionally discovered upon it." The hot, moist atmosphere, which is to be found in the majority of unventilated stables, prevents the insensible perspiration from being evaporated with that rapidity so necessary for the purifica- tion of the system. The atmosphere may be said to be saturated with moisture, so that the excrementitious materials thrown out from the external surface, instead of finding a ready outlet in space, where they would be soon decomposed and again made fit for respiratory uses, are condensed on the surface, and reab- sorbed in their defiling state. It has been discovered by a number of experiments, that when warm-blooded animals are placed in a hot atmosphere, saturated with moisture, the temperature of their bodies is gradually raised 12° or 13° above the natural standard, and that the consequence is then inevitably fataL Let it be under- stood, then, that no evaporation from the skin can take place when the stable atmosphere is saturated with vapor, and also that if this be the case, the heat of the body increases, rather than decreases — t condition which places our patient beyond the reach of the veter innry art. A peculiar feature in the treatment of inflammalorj pneumony is, to withdraw heat fi"om the body by eva|)oration. Il is well known that a profuse exhalation from the surface fulfil? all the indications that are contemplated in the use of tUe tleam, and the practice is more rational and less prostrating. A large quan- tity of solid animal matter, besides other secretions, is carried out of the system by the skin, and the patient is thus relieved. " That which is called the hydropathic system proceeds upon the plan of increasing the cutaneous exhalation to a very larsp THK MODKRN H01SK DOCTOR. 69 amount ; and there seems ranch evidence that certain deleterioas matters, the presence of which in the hlood gives rise to various diseases, are drawn off from it more speedily and certainly in this way than in any other." Il has been a universal custom to resort to the lancet, in the cure of this disease. From time immemorial, the most talented \j{ the profession have invariably resorted to the Jleam. as their iv iet anchor, in the treatment of this, one of the most destructive ir the catalogue of veterinary diseases. We object to the dcple- 1,'ry system, for we have no idea of bleeding a horse to death with a view of saving life. If, as it frequently happens, in this disease the lungs are congested, and the abstraction of blood will promote the free and full circulation of that which remains, then there might be some excuse for bloodletting. It will be urged that horses do get well after being bled ; but this is no proof of its utility. . On the contrary, it goes to show, as in the case where a horse receives a violent blow on the head, by which the skull is fractured, and he recovers, that his healtli is restored in spite of the violence done. Blood is the fuel that keeps the lamp of life burning ; it is the sum of the powers that resist disease. " With- out blood there is no heat, no motion in the body ;" its abstraction leaves the various organs less capable of self-defence. But there are other reasons why we object to the use of the^lancet ; and the first is, the disease can, if curable, be cured without abstracting blood. Secondly. In every disease wherein bleeding has been re- sorted to, complete recovery has been protracted, and the animal manifests the debility by swollen legs, and other unmistakable evidences of derangement of the normal condition. Thirdly. Because the letting of blood impoverishes that n-'hich remains in the system, and leads to other equally danger- ous diseases as the one it was intended to cure. We are aware that our uncompromising opposition to the u^e of the lancet, in the treatment of pneumonia, will subject us to the sneers of its advocates, who, by the by, are, generally speak ing, a hundred years behind the age ; their dogmas are to thena what the laws were to the Medes and Persians. But some con- eolation is afforded us in tlie fact that there never was a iict? science but was i)ii|)o>ed by s( me. The science that Harvey 70 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. laliored lo discover was bitterly opposed, even by profesuiona) men. Galileo, Newton, Franklin, and Fulton — indeed, a h.jsl of men of kindred genius — have been assailed and pronounced th<; humbugs of their day. But what care we for censure wlien ei .gaged in this glorious work of reform ? If \te can only aiTOSl the stream ol" blood that is now, in consequence of an evil syslein of medication, flowing from the veins of our domestic animals, we uhall have done a good work ; and persecution, from whatever ■ource, only stimulates us to greater exertion. We have but to thank God that we are in enlightened America — among a nati .n of scholars, where men delight to honor even a Spurzheim, one whom the nations of the old world denominated a fool. The American people have testified their approbation of his worth by erecting in Mount Auburn Cemetery a monument to his memory. Hence our lot is cast " in pleasant places," and our work is a comparatively light one, to what it would have been in any other country. Treatment of Injlammation of the Lunys. — Before commen- cing the treatment of this malady, the horse should be placed by himself in a shed or bai'n, where he can breathe an uncontami- nated atmosphere ; for the author considers it a matter of impossibility to carry a case of inflammatory pneamony to a successful termination in an atmosphere such as we find pervad- ing some of our city stables. In this disease the venous blood is of a black, pitchy character, loaded with carbon, a defiling mass, which requires pure oxygen foi' its decarbonization, and any thing short ol' purity is not admissible. No dej)endence can be placed in remedial agents, or the most consunnnate skill, unless sec( odeeniet 's Physiology. THE BIODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 7'.' Ipecac, . p Lobelia, ■>( each, powdered, 1 ounce. Bloodroot, ) Mix. Divide in six parts, and give one in warm water twic t a diiy Then take vinegar, .1 pint, " mustard, 4 ounces, " tincture of capsicum, . . 2 ounces. Bub this briskly over tlie region of the chest, and over all apply flannels wrung out in warna vinegar. Keep the flannel in closo contact with the parts by passing a cotton roller several timc,^ round the body, which, together with the ai)plication, may be dis- continued so soon as sufficient counter irritation or soreness is insured. We have found it necessary in some cases to apply the same counter irritant to the fetlocks ; it may create great uneasi- ness, but it is benehcial at times, for we know that every muscu- lar effort of the animal tends to favor the passage of the blood through its capillary floodgates, and tends to the more equal distribution of that fluid. At the same time, we must remember that the foot of a horse, in consequence of its highly-organized arterial and venous structures, is apt to take on a specific form of inflammation, termed laininitis, on the application of an exciting irritant. And the pleural difficulty, in some cases, may gravi- tate, by a process termed metastasis, — which implies the shifting of a disease from one part to another, — to the feet, and thus produce a disease almost as difficult to treat as the one now un- der consideration. Therefore due caution must be observed in local a[)plications of this character. To allay pain and calm the nervous irritation, we use Powdered assafoetida, . ) c u i j i " pleurisy root, \ "^ ^"""^ ^ ^'^''^'^- Sirup of garlic, 2 ounces. I'hin gruel, 1 pint. Two or three doses of this given at intervals of twelve hoard will probably suffice. L. cases where the lungs are involved in the disease — which may be known by the presence of a troublesome cough — th« tbllowing drench has been found of great value: — Sweet spirits of nitre, ... 3 drachms. Balsam copaiba i an ounce. Mucilage of gum Arabic, . * -ounces. To be repeated at discretion 80 THE MODERN HORSE UOCTOR. The stat*^ of the bowels must be attended to ; and, although it might not be proper to excite peristaltic action by drastic cathar- tics, yet if the case needs it, we may venture on a mild aperient, Buch, for example, as the following : — Glauber salts 6 ounces, Powdered gentian, 3 drachms. Warm water sufficient. Provided the bowels do not respond at the end of twelve or sixteen hours^ the dose may be repeated. In the mean tin..), however, it will be proper to administer injections of Bal. and water. During the whole stage of the disease, the food must be light, composed of slops, gruel, scalded shorts, or linseed tea. During a practice of nine years in the city of Boston, we have had but few cases of pure pleurisy ; there are cast s enough, no doubt, but still other diseases of the respiratory apparatus are more common among the horses of New England. The infre- quency of such cases may be accounted for from the fact, we be- lieve, that it often presents itself in a chronic form, and as the sub- ject is not actually incapacitated for work, he goes on, from day to day, until the owner becomes convinced that all is not right, and not until then does he seek advice ; the case has then assumed a complicated form. The following is a case in point. In the month of May, 1853, a dark roan gelding, the property of a gentleman residing at Cambridgeport, was put up at a stable in Roxbury, for sale ; the horse remained there about a week ; nothing was observed about him that looked like disease, except that he breathed " a little short at the Jianks." On the 2d day of June, the horse was loaned to a gentleman to drive, with nn understan ling that if the animal suited, the party would pur- chaie him. He was driven but a short distance when it waj dis- co" erod that something ailed the horse ; the driver noticed that his charge panted hard at the flanks, and required urging to get Vim beyond a walk. He was put up at the nearest stable, and Vhe next day our attention was called to him. We found th*' patient with a quick, wiry pulse ; skin hot ; breath fetid ; the flanks heaving ; slight cough ; and a discharge of thick, yellow ■natter, str^^akeJ with a dark-colored fluid. He evinced great THE MODKKN HOUSE DOCTOK. 81 pain when pi-essure was made on the intercostal spaces. We had him backed out of the stall, but found he moved with great difficulty, and showed evident sio;ns of pain. He grew i*apidly worse, and at the end of four days died. The medical treat- ment was little else than palliative, but it had no sort of effi ct on him ; effusion had already taken place ; two days before he died, tiie breath became so offensive that it was impossible to en dure it. We find, on reference to Percivalfs Hippopathology, the fol- lowing passage referring to the forms of pleurisy : " The kindb or forms of pleurisy are two — acute and chronic : one may follow the other ; or the chronic kind, as well as the acute, may exist by itself. Although consisting, as far as we know, both in inflammation, they appear quite opposite diseases ; one" is full of activity and expression of pain and irritation ; the other compara- tively painless, tardy in its progress, and apt to continue many weeks before it will come to any issue." CONSUMPTION. — (PA^AwM.) Horses and the human subject are alike liable to this awful malady ; in fact, it may be said to spare neither age, sex, pro- fession, nor species ; yet there are certain periods in the life of both man and animals when the disease is more likely to make itu appearance. A colt may be the offspring of a mare classed aa one of the consumptive diathesis ; the germs of tubercles may ex- ist in the system of the former at birth, yet may not develop such a di3ease as phthisis, nor unfit the animal for the ordinary busi- Qess of a working horse for many years. Such an animal, if osed at work in the country, where he has the advantage of purn IXM, and simple, yet nutritious diet, and being the property of aa individual who practises a judicious system of management, may live to the average age of such description of property. Thero arc locations, however, that may be said to be favorable for the development of consumption, such as low, wet lands, where the humid atmosphere * prevents a full and free evaporation of th* * " It hsF been ascertained by experiment that when a wann atmoBphere, e2 THK MOOKRN HORSK DOCTOK. insensible perspiration ; such an atmosphere is no less iniurioup than tiiat of a crowded, unventilated stable. A horse may hi Uttacked with pneumonia, which may run through its various stages, and finally end in tubercles, or pulmonary consumption. Perverted nutrition, in a constitution predisposed to the develcp- tnent of this malady, may be equally proliHc with the former; Tor if the librine of the blood be imperfectly elaborated, it is lesj it to undergo organization ; and, consecpiently, instead of being MMivertsd into living tissue, part of it is deposited as an unorgan- ized mass, resulting in tubercle. In the predisposed, such de- posits take place more freipiently in the lungs than any otiier part, and besides impeding the cii'culation and respiration, they produce irritation and inflammation, in the same manner that other foreign bodies would when imbedded in any of the tissues ; eo that tlie issue, althougii often postponed for several years, is most generally fatal. Most medical writers agree in the opinion that, when tuberculous matter is once deposited in the lungs, there ip no getting rid of it. Microscopic examinations of tubercular matter show that it consists of half-formed cells, fibres, &c., together with a granular substance, which seems to be little else than coagiihited albumen. As regards the existence of tubercles at birth, Mr. Percivall loaded with daiiipncss, is breathed, there is rather an absorption than an exha- lation of aqueous vapor; and the same may, probably, take phice, in a less de E;i"ee, in an ordinary atmosphere, when the body has been drained of its fluid - In this manner, perliaps, we are partly to account for the extraordinary ic- i-rease in weiglit which the body undergoes by absorption from the atmosphere, nuder peculiar circumstances. " Tha*. absorption may take place through tlie lungs is evident also, from lie efTo-; s upon the system of certain gases, which act as virulent persons, (.■ven when respired in small proportion. Thus a bird is speedily killed by breathing air which contains no more than 1- 1500th part of sulphuretted hy- drojcen; and a dog will not live long in an atmosphere containing l-800th part of this gas. " The effects of carburettod hydrogen are similar ; but a larger proportion is required to destroy life. Both these gases are given off by decomposing ani. mal and vegetable matter, the neighborhood of which is very injurious to health. It is chiefly by preventing the accumulation of such substances tha im efficient drai*Mt/e becomes so important a means of preserving health and uromotiug life." - l)r CarjtfUer on St^i'viion. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 8? ueieois to have some doubts ; for, says that writer, " we seero to lat'k proof of this being tiie case ; whereas we have hail demon stratioii enough of horses 'breeding the disease' in their con- stitutions." The history of pulmonary consumption in the human family <.ibj tantiates this opinion ; for men of broad chest and iron consti- tutijii have been known to fall victims to pulmonary disease of tliiF tl.i\ra.;ter, wiien we know that the man predisposed, as it is termed le iLe one of narrow chest, spare muscles, tall frame, and slender UiJibs. On the same principles we characterize the colt with tairow chest, tlat sides, long legs, and spare muscles, to be the one most subject to phthisis. Our own opinion is, tiiat the evils of domestication have as much, if not more, to do with the development of this form oi pulmonary disease than predisposition. We will introduce to the reader's notice a single illustration of the evils of domestica- tion : — " When I came to the farm which I now hold by purchase, I found the stables built under large trees, and near a spring of water, with a northern aspect. My horses were soon in poor condition, with long and rough coats, and almost always lax in their bowels, nor could I g(!t them up by extra food or lighter work ; but my cows suffered most, for they were always siik. Their milk fell otf, and their butter was poor, and of a bad color and taste, and tour of them slipped their calves before their time. When the spring came, they left their winter quarters in a worse state than I had ever seen them, and two of them died from the scours on going to pasture. On inquiry, I found that the tenant ^^ho had left had always been what the neighbors termed unfor* tiuate in his horses and cattle; and from that cause, more thaii tmy othor, he had not been able to make both ends meet. The trvith flashed upon me in an instant, and in a very little timo longer than it has taken me to tell you my story, I had com- menced pulling down the stable, the unhealthiness of which had been, I was convinced, the cause of all the evil and all the loss : imd il was not more than two days before there was not left on(. ctone upon another of the whole fabric. J nr w set to work anrl 84 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. erect/)d another on higher ground, removed from water, and cleai from the shade of trees, with a south-east aspect, and dry, capa< clous }aid ; and from that day I have had neither sickness noi sorrow in my out-door household." — Boston Cultivator. This i? only one among the many evils of domesticated life, and he who would prevent sickness, and thus save himself fron loss and vexation, must know something of the laws of life, and be able to understand how, and by what means, disease and death stride through his flocks and herds. SYMPTOMS OF PHTHISIS. In the early stage of the disease, the hide appears tight about the ribs, and cannot be so easily raised from its subcellular attachments — horsemen often express their idea of this feature in the case by the appellation hidebound. The owner of such an animal may have observed that he sweats under the least exer- tion, and sometimes coughs, though the cough may be so slight as not to attract notice. This may also apply to his condition, which has in so insidious a manner been falling off that the owner, who may have had the patient continually under his inspection, yet does not actually realize that there has been a gradual wast- ing of the solids and fluids of the body, which to the man of ex- perience would be very apparent. As the disease progresses, the respiration becomes somewhat disturbed, and a glance at the flanks shows what is generally termed slight abdominal respiration. The cough, which is gen- erally a short, dry one, has increased. Pressing on the intercostal spaces — between the ribs — gives the animal pain. The pulse is quick and small, and the spirits are occasionally depressed Sometimes the appetite is good, and the patient eats with con- siderable relish ; at others he seems indifferent to food, but will generally partake of grass if offered to him. Jn the latter stages, all the symptoms are aggravated, followed by fetid breath and discharge of bad-looking matter from the Dostrils. Dropsical swellings, diarrhoea, and great emaciation terminate the scene. THK MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 8S We have given the reader merely an outline of the symptoms nf this scourge of animated creation ; much might be written in detail concerning it, very interesting and instructive to the student of veterinary medicine, yet unprofitable to the practical man, — the man of toil and care, — v\ hose occupation does not admit of so thorough a course of training as that required by the former. It will be noticed, however, in addition to the foregoing symptoms, that the horse scarcely, if ever, during the latter — and indeed it may happen so during the early stage — never lies down ; and that the nostrils are always distended, and appear *hin around their margins. Treatment of Consumption. — The main feature in the treat- ment of the malady contemplates the invigoration of the system, by good, nutritious diet, — including, if possible, green food, — gentle exercise, pure air, and if the weather be cold, warm cloth- ing: by the due employment of these means in the early stage, perhaps, many valuable horses might be saved. As the tubercles seem to be formed at the expense of albumen, such articles should be given as are known to be rich in that material : milk, for example, should be allowed to the amount of a quart per day. It is a well-known and exceedingly interesting fact, that milk affords us the only instance in which nature has provided a single article of food for the support of the animal body ; and as it contains so large a proportion of albumen, besides oil and sugar, it must be a valuable agent in the treatment of consumption. We know of no better way of strengthening the faith of our readers in this simple, yet sanative agent, than to remark, that all the tissues, organized, and if — there are any — unorganized, are formed from the albumen and fibrine of the blood ; gelatine may be detected in them, however, yet that alsc is foimed from albumen and fibrine. Gelatine taken ir the fonn of jelly, soup or broth, although very useful in the treatment of prostrating diseases, cannot be applied to the nutrition of the albuminous tissues. " Some experiments have recently been made in Paris on this subject, with a view of determining how far the soup made from crushed bones, which constituted a principal article of cliet in tho bospitals ol Pjiris, wa^i adequate for the support of the patienta 8 6ii THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. The result of these has been quite confirmatoiy of prewous conclusions, namely, that gelatine may be advantageously mixed with albuin(>n, fibrine, gluten, &c., and those other ingredients which exist in meat, soup, and bread, but that when taken alon3, it has little more power of sustaining life than sugar or starch possesses." "We know that an animal may be effectually starved to death ou sugar or starch ; and many articles of diet hitherto con- sidered highly nutritious have failed to support life. — See Lie hig's Chemistry. From these and other considerations, which we might urge; milk is superior to every other agent in the treatment of pulmo- nary consumption. The principal drawback in cases of great prostration, however, is, that the digestive apparatus may be in- volved in the deterioration of the system, and be unable to digest the fatty constituent, (butter ;) hence, in the exhibition of a daily allowance of milk, attention must be paid to the nutritive func- tion, or such a simple article as milk may prove a barrier to our efforts at cure. In a recent case of pulmonary consumption in a horse that came under the author's care, one pint of milk, mixed with two ounces of lime water, was given twice a day, with decided benefit ; on omitting it for a few days, the horse rapidly grew worse, but seemed to rally in a most surprising manner on resuming the milk treatment. The case was not seen by us until it had become confirmed, or it might, perhaps, have terminated favorably. This, however, may be considered as assuming too much ; but we have great confidence in the milk and lime water treatment, aided by whatever medicinal agents the nature of the case seems to require, and therefore recommend OJr readers to give it a fair trial. We use lime water in conjunction with milk with the same view that human physicians have in prescribing phosphate of lime for a " breaking up of the constitution," and lime water is considered very useful for irritable stomach and other maladiea of the digestive apparatus. Proceeding on the dietary principle, with a view of supplying materials to repair the waste of the body, we recommend green vegetables^ >^ith the addition of oat-meal, pea-meal, linseed-meal THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. 8? avd wheaten flour. A liberal quantity of salt* ramt be mixed with this description of food, for it not only aid;? digestion, but Hbstraf;ts fluids from the body, and thus creates a desire for other Quids. Now, the abstraction of the morbid fluids of the body, and the substitution of water to supply the loss, must be beneficial ; for, literally speaking, it cleanses the body by infiltration, the whole body being considered cellular. Aqueous drinks, which Lnclude water and hay tea, are rapidly absorbed without under- going digestion, and are therefore indicated in all cases of diseased lungs, whether salt be used or not. For the medicinal treatment of this disease we recommend Phosphate of lime, Powdered bloodroot, '\ :; pleurisy root, Lf each 2 ounces, ' " Indian tiirnip, [ ' " goldenseal, J " slippery elm, 1 pound. Mix ; and divide the mass into twenty -four powders ; one to be given in the food every night. This compound is best adapted to the disease after it has made some progress ; but in the incipient or early stage, and pro- vided the patient be not the subject of debility, the following will be best adapted to the case : — Powdered bloodroot, ^ " ipecacuanha, > of each 1 ounce. '* lobelia, ) Mix : divide the mass into twelve parts, and sprinkle one in the food night and morning. These powders may be continued as long as the horse shows signs of strength and spirits ; they are calculated to nauseate and debilitate, and no fear need be enter- tained from the horse showing but slight symptoms ol" debility or eliortness of breath, which may follow their use. During the various stages of the disease, the horse should be occasionally drenched with an infusion of one of the following i:rticles : liverwort, skunk cabbage, hoarhound, Solomon's sealf or tansy. Warmth and moisture, in the form of a steam bath, and the Salt consists of muriatic acid and soda; the former is the essential mgr»- JiCKt in thf ga-Jt'-'c juice whili-t the latter performs a very important pait in Iht' pioduct'on of oile. 88 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOK. Bpoiiging of tlie body with warm saloratus water, if the weather is not too cold ; in either case, dry frictions afterwards will exerj A favorable action on the cutaneous exhalants. Injections of soap and water are to be given should the exeat? ment be voided with difficulty, or appear knotty. STRANGLES. Strangles may set in from the same causes that induce other cftT^rrhal diseases. It is most prevalent in young horses : fn>m ^ aolthood" * up to the eighth year; after which the disease is somewhat rare. We have seen several well-marked cases occur- ring in Pennsylvania, and in Vermont breeds shortly after their arrival in this city; their ages varying from five to eight years As far as our own experience goes, we have nothing to say as to the extent of its prevalence in colthood, for we do not remember ever having been called to treat such a case ; yet there may be a great number of colts attacked in the course of a year, and get over it; of this we have no means of knowing. We hear, now and then, that such a colt has just recovered from the *' horse ail ;" but the ambiguousness of the term throws a pall over the nature of the disease, which may, perhaps, be strangles. The disease is, with- out doubt, one of the evils of domestication, and results from errors in diet, and in the general management, which, if we except a few isolated cases, will bear improvement. If it be a disease resembling '* small-pox, measles, or an eruptive fever occurring but once in the animal's lifetime," — as some writers contend, — then the sooner every horse has it the better, and we need not trouble ourselves about its causes, for those who have attempted to penetrate the hidden secrets of nature, and bring to light the mysterious cause of a definite disease, have failed, and thus hud their labor for their pains. But Mr. Percivall sets the matter lU rest, for in answer to the question, Do strangles, in any form^ occur in all horses? he answers, "No! Many, in my opinion, escape it." Hence, if many escape, it is very natural for these • Mr. Percivall, in his Hippopathology, records a case of strangles occuirmg in a colt six months old, and also states that Mr. Coward had cbserved the diw oa8« at three months after birth. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 88 who know the value of pure air, natural food, and exercise, to conclude that the colt while enjoying these great luxuries by the Bide of its mother, guided by her superior mind, (instinct, if you please,) is not liable to be attacked with a disease which, at already stated, we believe to result from depriving animals of those blessings which nature has in store for them in their unre- strained state. But it often happens that young colts, after ranning a season with their mother, partaking of the invigorating country air, grew up to be strong and robust ; and th(;n the period arrives for weaning them. How changed the scene ! Instead of being permitted to gambol in their native element, they are confined to a small space, not large enough to swing a cat round, Hnd perhaps as dark as the grave ; and the animal, after fretting for a season, and making unsuccessful efforts to escape from its prison house, tamely submits to the discipline, not, however, until he has cut, and bruised, and otherwise injured himself. We were called, a short time ago, to visit a young colt that had lacerated his head, breast, and fore legs in a most shocking manner, in making an attempt to escape through a window from the horrors of con- finement. His companions were about a dozen cows, more calcu- lated to alarm and render his position a perilous one than other- wise ; and the impure atmosphere, rendered so by the emanations from the excrements, and from the lungs of his companions, was a source of great mischief. Then who can blame such a one for attempting to escape and regain liberty ? If strangles should appear in such a subject, it would not be surprising. Then, again, take a colt from its mother, whose milk contain? all the elements for sustaining life and developing the organizatioi of the young subject, and })lace it upon a diet of hay or like innu tritious trash, a whole truss of which would not afford one hah the quantity of nutriment contained in a quart of its mother's milk . However profitable and well adapted hay may be for st(K:k ol mature growth and powerful digestive organs, it is a sad mistake to suppose that it will do ior the young. A case of this kind name under our observation last year. The subject, aged two •ind a half vears, died in a state of marasmus.* Post mortem • A gradual wasting of the sj stem without any apparent disease. 8* ^ THF, MOnERN HOKSK DOCTOR. examination failed to detect any disease other than genera] emaciation. On making inquiries concerning the food, the owner replied, " The colt has been fed on good sweet hay and cornstalkt ever since it was weaned." This was cajiital food for the poor thing, provided, however, its stomach had a grist mill within it; otherwise, it was hard fare, and must derange the digestive func- tion, atid ere the colt has attained maturity, dyspepsia, in either a mild or aggravated form, has secured a victim. The reader will perceive that there is a great difference between a young animal enjoying the privileges of a natural hfe, partaking of nutriioental agents adapted to its condition and weltare, and another that shall be shut up in a dark, filthy prison house, ^ pei'haps, however, he may be permitted the range of the barn yard, vi hich is as bad, if not a worse place, than the barn itself — and while living in this artificial condition, partaking of food ill adapteJ to its constitution. KnoA'ing, then, as we do, that in the difference between a natural and artificial life exist the chief causes of disease, in ita diversified forms, then we certainly have just grounds to believe that many young colts reared and fed at a distance have many diseaies which the residents of large cities know nothing of, neith.^r as regards the disease nor the means used to get rid of it. They may have had strangles, yet the owner assures his friends it wsis only "/iorse ail" — something which horse dealers sup- pose every animal is attacked with at some period of life. Under the above abuses, colts are as liable to strangles as a/ull-grown liortie. I'he disease is set down by authorities as «on-contagious — not "catching." We have no desire to discuss this question, but leave it for those who, from more extensive experience, are betlei qualified to judge of the matter. We always take the precautior to separate the patient from healthy animals, and would recom- mend this as a general rule in all catarrhal affections. We now ccme to the symptoms and treatment of strangles, which the fol- lowing case will illustrate: — The subject was a gray gelding, aged seven years, the property yf Mr. B., of Boston, which was suffering with an attack of (so «lled) /nrse ail. The animal had b'^en off its feed for two oi THE MODKRN IIOHSR DOOTOR. 91 three days previous, and appeared dull and unwilling to work*, uonsoqiiently the owner ordered him to be laid up, and procured vinother to do the work. At this stage our attention was called to him On applying the finger to the submaxillary artery, (at the angle of the jaw,) found the pulse fifty per minute, and strong in character. The respirations were not attended with any pecu- liarity, being about seventeen ; yet we noticed slight abdominal respiration, — commonly denominated heaving-flanks — heaves. The coat looked rough ; skin tight ; and a hollowness of the flanks, just sufficient to denote debility. On exploring the throat, a knotty tumor, occupying the space between the jaws, was found, which appeared hot and tender; the throat also was sore ; for the animal was very unwilling t^al 94 THE MODEEN HORSE DOCTOR. form. Even the foal has been known to suck tLe diseaso froin its dam. " Moreover, experiment has been had recourse to, to inoculate for strangles. "M. Damalix smeared with a sponge impregnated with mat- ter taken from the abscess of strangles, twice daily, both sides of the pituitary memlirane and the internal surfaces of the linings of the eyelids, in a sound horse, about to be cast for spavin. Tliitj was continued for seven days. On the eighth, he remarked, tht horse had lost his appetite, had commenced running from Dctli nostrils, coughed softly and loosely, had swelling under the jaw, which ended in resolution ; all the symptoms terminating eight days from their commencement. " It has been remarked that strangles is more surely communi- cated at an early tlian a late stage, and in a certain form more readily than in others. Strangles will assume the herpetic char- acter, will simulate farcy and glanders, will settle in the mesen- tenc glands, or may follow castration. In regard to contagion may be mentioned, as most readily communicable, this form of strangles, wliich assumes the character of eruptions on the lips, nose, and pituitary membrane." BRONCHITIS. Veterinarians recognize this disease under three aspects, viz. 1. Acute, as when the horse is suddenly attacked with an irrita- ble cough and sore throat, with the usual febrile symptoms, such as quick, wiry pulse ; membranes of the nose and mouth redder than usual ; accelerated respiration ; great anxiety of counte- nance, &c., &c. 2. Chronic bronchitis, which sets in after the acute has sub- sided ; this stage is marked by a discharge of watery and some- times mucous fluid from the nose; the act of respiration is performed with a sort of wheezing noise, which is caused by ob- struction within the bronchial vessels, either from contraction, by which their calibre is lessened, or else from a thickening of the 'jning membrane, or, lastly, from the accumulation of seio nur cons I'uid within their cavities, oi which they are somewl. i re- lieved in the act of coughing. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 9t 3. The third variety has been named epidemic bronchitis, be- "-uuse like other epizootics, it retains its character in every part rfthe globe, and appears to maintain its influence in certain la cations, to the exclusion of other forms of disease. There may, however, be some difference in the severity oi the disease at the rommei ;ement, height, or decline of the morbid period. " TIk epidemic variety," says Percivall, "is remarkable for the amission of copious discharges or fluxes from the nose, at jne Ume turning yellow, at another green, and then again white. lu this form the disorder is exceedingly apt to assume the chronic, type, and, after continuing for a length of time, to leave the ani- mal reduced in flesh, and much debilitated." There is no doubt in the mind of the author, that many of those cases of abdominal respiration noticed among horses in the New England States, and commonly termed "Aemes," is the result of bronchitis, which leaves the upper air passages in a contracted state, or else thick- ens their lining membrane. Treatment. — Bloodletting has ever been extolled as one of the main dependences in the cure of bronchitis ; but as we have no faith in the curability of such diseases by the fleam, of course tve cannoi recommend the practice to the reader. To equalize the blood so that there shall be no excess in the membranes of the air passages, seems more rational than to abstract it. In view of pro- ducing so desirable a result, we use drachm doses of powdered lobe- lia seeds twice a day. Most veterinarians, however, recommend powdered hellebore, in lialf drachm doses, twice a day, preceded by free abstractions of blood. The lobelia is to be continued, to- gether with warmth and moisture to the external surface, until, from the softness of the pulse and moisture on the surface, we are certain that the remedy has taken effect. This is not all that is to be done ; for the mucous membranes must be sheathed by lubricants, so as to protect them from the eflTects of the morbid =cci"etion continually flowing over their surfaces ; and no better oi cheaper article than slippery elm can be found. A small por- tion of the pcwdered bark is to be stirred into a given quantity of l)oiling water, until it forms a mucilage just thick enough for a drink ; to a pint of which add two ounces of sirup of garlic to be given twice daily. Counter irritants appHed in the vicinity 96 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. of the throat, trachea, and chest, do much good ; blisters and setons are highly extolled, but they only torment the patient, and in- crease the irritability of, not only the parts to which they are ap- plied, but the animal also ; and then we cannot regulate their action so well as we can that of" other agents of a more sanative character : for the pain and irritation will sometimes remain a long time atter their removal. A good effect is generally pro- duced from the occasional application of essence of white mus- tard seed, tinct'ure of capsicum, and we have witnessed favorable results attend the use of essence of cedar. When a relaxing effect is desirable — and we do not know but such is always so in bronchitis — the following can be used : — Vinegar, 1 pint, Powdered lobelia, .... 2 ounces. Let the above simmer over a slow fire for a short time, and ap- ply it to the throat two or three times a day. The throat should be encircled with a piece of soft flannek The bowels are to be kept loose ; not by purgatives, for their action on the digestive surfaces is sure to make matters worse : the patient must be kept on a sloppy kind of diet, well seasoned with common salt. Fine feed, scalded, and placed before the animal while warm, answers two purposes, viz., that of relaxing the engorged surfaces of the nose and throat from inhaling the warm vapor, and also has a relaxing effect on the bowels, which are apt to become 'torpid sometimes, from no other cause than want of exercise. If the patient be carried through the various stages of bronchial ditficulty, with an eye single to his comfort and convenience, and proper attention is paid to the wants of nature. t}i« skin kept moist, the bowels loose, the patient having the ad- vantages of a pure atmosphere, then the case, if it is a curable one, is sure to terminate favorably. So long as the patient mani • tests febrile symptoms, the drink should consist of water, acidulated with cream of tartar, and an occasional enema must be adminis- tered. In the treatment of bronchitis, whether it be acute, chronic, or epidemic, the patient must be removed from the nox- ious effluvia arising from the bodies and ext-rements of other animals, tor they are highly deleterious when reintroduced into the living body of an animal which, in consequence of disease, is THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 9'? unable to resist their infiuences. Mr. R. D. Granger has lately written some interesting rumarks on the influence of noxioua effluvia in the origin and propagation of epidemic diseases, an extract from which wc here introduce. " That the effete matter eliminated from the system is small in amount is no objection to the intensity of its action ; for to the physiologist it is well known that a minute quantity of a powerful agent — the putrid matter in- troduced on tlie point of a needle, in the dissection of the dead — or a single drop of prussic acid placed in the mouth of an animal — iii sufficient to destroy life. It is in the over-crowded bed rooms, in unventilated schools, workhouse dormitories, &c., that this efl'ete matter taints the air, and, entering the blood, pc isons the system." CATARRH. Definition. — A sero-mucous defluxion from, commonly, both nostrils, increased redness of the Schneiderian membrane, lining the nostrils ; oozing of tears from the corners of the eyes ; swell- ings underneath the jaws; snorting; cough, with or without fe- brile disorder. — Percivall. It is well known that many of the most formidable diseases td which mankind and animals are subject originate in a common cold ; hence such a common affection should always receivi our earliest attention, for its treatment is then a very simple atfair : perhaps, if proper attention were paid to the general management of catarrhal subjects, the disease would subside spontaneously ; provided, however, the subject be free from latent disease. But it often happens that catarrh is symptomatic of several other dis- eases, and then will require a special course of treatment. Afl regardi its sfontaneous cure, we may remark, that in our crowded stables such termination may be very rare, for various causes are in operation to retard rather than favor it. If a horse be in gcodjlesh, (which generally means a state of plethora,) and kepi in a hot stable, catarrh will generally be attended with a cough hnd quickness of breathing. Now, if the weather is favorable, he may be turned out in the daytime, and partake of green food ; when taken up for the niglit, a bran mash should be given. This change of air and diet will contribute much towards the cure. 9 98 THE MODEKN HOKhi!: DOCTOK. People generally suppose that cold and exposure are the sole nauses of catarrh ; yet it is a well-known fact, that many horse? take cold even though they have not, within several days, somo timej weeks, been in a situation where cold could be taken after this fashion; in short, have not left their warm, comfortable Btables. But we must remember that a high temperature is just afl likely to bring on a cold as any other cause, especially wher th ? subject has been liberally fed ; and, indeed, veterinary writers of the present day teach that catarrh, in general, oftener arisca from heat than cold. But after all, an insalubrious atmosphere may be set down as the chief cause of common colds. Treatment of common Catarrh. — If the weather be cold, lei the animal have comfortable quarters, and a good bed of clean straw. A blanket may be thrown over the body, and the legs should first be well rubbed with a wisp of straw, and then ban- daged with Hannel. It has often been remarked, that if a man's feet are cold, his whole system is chilled, and the same may be said of the horse ; for, so long as the feet of the latter are cold, we cannot expect to equalize the circulation, or restore the ex- halant function. The diet should consist of scalded shorts, and these should be given warm, for the steam arising from them aids the nasal discharge, and relaxes local strictures. We have fre- quently given, with good effect, a quart of linseed tea, sweetened with honey, night and morning. If the throat is sore, a little p^jiwdered bloodroot may be added. The soreness of the throat may be relieved by the following : — Olive oil, 8 ouiicea. Oil of cedar, 1 ounce. To be rubbed around the parts night and morning. Yet, in ulight cases, a simple flannel bandage fastened around the netk alight answer the purpose just as well. We frequently emploj the following, with a view of regulating the pecretions, and Inbri CAting the mucous surfaces : — Powdered elecampane, 2 ounces, " licorice, 4 ounces, Cream of tartar, 1 ounce, Powdered bloodroot 4 drachms, " slippery elm, 8 ounces. %Iix ; div) ie mto eight parts, and give one night and morning. THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. 9S Treatment of severe Catarrh. — The same directions as re gards clothing, diet, &c., just enumerated, apply also to this form of disease — gruel made of Indian meal, to which a few kernels of garlic may be added, and boiled with the same until they are qujte soft. A very liberal allowance of this beverage must be got into the horse ; if he is not inclined to drink, pour it down his thro^at from a bottle, remembering, however, that the parts around the throat are sore, and require you to proceed in the m^>?t gentle manner. Be kind to your patient ; let him know, by the mannei in which you handle him, that your intentions are friendly ; but, above all, do not elevate his head higher than necessary, nor pour down the liquor faster than he is able to swallow it. The principal object in the treatment of this form of catarrh is, to restore the function of the skin, which is one of exhalation ; and for this purpose we resort to nauseants. The following is the best we know of: — Powdered ipecacuanha, 2 drachms, " lobelia, 4 drachms, " bloodroot, 2 drachms, " assafoctida, 1 di-achm. Mix ; divide into four parts, and give one every four hours, in mash or gruel : if administered in gruel, add two ounces of honey, and continue the same until the whole external surface feels warm, which generally happens after the administration of from four to six powders. It is not advisable to continue them too long when the patient is in poor condition,- for the medicine is rather prostrating than otherwise. Keep the rectum empty with injections of warm water, into which a small quantity of soft soap raf.y be stirred. If the discharge from the nostrils is thick and tenacious, steam the head, as recommended in article Strangles. A very trouble* loiae cough may be relieved by adding to the gruel one drachm of fir balsam, or balsam copaiba. If the patient is unwilling to have i. draught administered, and refuses to swallow it, even though he is handled in the most gentle manner, and the coxigl is sc troublesome that something must be done, then give Balm of Gilead buds, (chopped fine,) ... 1 ounce, Powdered skunk cabbage, (ictodesfastid.,) . S drachms, " slippery elm, . . 3 ounces, ** lobelia 2 drachms. lOO THE MODERN HORSE DOClOH. Mix ; divide into three powders, and give one in the food, three times, daily. The nasal passages may be kept partially free from accumulations, by blowing into them, from a quill, a portion of the following catarrh snuff: — Powdered bayberry bark, ^ " bloodroot, ^ equal parts. *' lobelia, ) Catarrh, occurring in any description of live atock, may 1.'6 treated on the general principles here alluded to. As regards ths pi'oper doses of medicine to be given to animals differing in age, sex, or kind, very little need be said ; for the agents are san- ative, and a small quantity in addition, or less than the doses here prescribed, as the case may be, is of no material consecjuence. Aid the vital powers; use agents favorable to physiological ac- tion ; administer such in small doses, and often ; practise good uursing; and disease will, in most cases, terminate favorably. NASAL GLEET. Nasal gleet is considered a chronic affection of the Schneiderian surfaces. The discharge consists of a thick, yellow mucus, and if the animal be at grass, it assumes a green color. At times it becomes purulent, tinged with blood, and if not arrested at this stage, it may finally end in ulceration of the cartilages of the nose : we then have a case of glanders. In the early stage of this complaint, we often have enlargement of the superficial glands under the jaw, and this has led many who do not under- stand the nature of the case to pronounce the subject glandered. The discharge is neither persistent nor uniform; for in fine weather it sometimes subsides for several days at a time, and returns after a wet day, if the animal is exposed to the rain or itold ; also increasing and decreasing with the fluctuations of the weather. In cases where the discharge confines itself to the left nostril, becomes tenacious, elastic, and accumulates around the edges of the nasal cavities, and is accompanied by enlargement of the lymphatic submaxillary gland on this side, with a drooping of the ear, we may be prepared for the worst ; for ten chances to one if it does not terminate in glanders. THK MODERN HOKSE DOCTOR. lOi Treatment. — Inject the nasal passages by means of a mid- dling-sized syringe, daily, with an infusion ofbayberry bark; one ounce of bark to a pint of boiling water ; to be set aside until cool, and then strained through fine linen. The constitutionaJ remedies consist of Grains of paradise, "1 Powdered marshmallows, I " sulphur, y equal parts. " charcoal, White mustard seed, r Dose, 1 ounce, daily. Half an ounce of balsam copaiba, and two drachms of sweet spirits of nitre, should be given occasionally in thin gruel. In a case of this kind, good nutritious diet is indicated. The limbs and body must be kept warm, and all exposure avoided. ROARING. Roaring is considered as a symptom of some mechanical obstruction, or abnormal condition, in or about the upper respi- ratory passages. " The various collected reports that have been made from time to time on the state of the air passages of roarers, have shown that all of them have produced the etfect in one of three ways, viz., either by contraction of the pas- sage or its orifice ; by distortion or deformity of it ; or by ob- struction within ; and this difference of causation, together with the part or place in which it exists, will serve still further to account for the various kinds of, or rather sounds emitted in, roaring." Roaring is frequently occasioned by a thickening of the mem brane lining the respiratory passages, by which their calibre ii diminished. It often follows laryngitis, catarrh, influenza, bron- chitis, &c. It is apt to follow putrid sore throat ; at such times we may expect t(j find ulcerations of the membrane of the larynx, or they may happen to be ulcerated ; and if so, there will be a discharge of glairy fluid from one or both nostrils. The thyroid cartilages occasionally become ossified, from the absurd practice of confining a horse's head in an unnatural position, and from pressure by the throat latch, which absurd practice is also apt t« 9 * 102 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. produce distortion of the larynx cr windpipe ; the result is thet the sarai!. Roaring may also be occasioned by pressure on the throat fi-om tumors, &c., from tonic spasm, and from atrophy of the parts We have always supposed that the seat of roaring was confined to the upper respiratory passages ; but the following case, related by Mr. Percivall, goes to show that the lungs may be come its seat. " A horse was treated for violent roaring. Tbo neck was repeatedly blistered ; it was even fired ; but still no relief. So painful was it to hear the animal roar, when he was eveu gently led out of the stable, that bronchotomy was had re- course to, but without avail. At length, seeing the animal suf- fered so much pain and distress in breathing, and that the case appeared altogether insusceptible of being relieved, it was de- termined to destroy him. On examination, no thickening of the laryngeal or tracheal membrane appeared, nor, in fact, any other disease of those parts ; but the lungs were hepatized throughout their substance, and the smaller divisions of the bronchial tubes in many places so compressed that they were hardly pervious." To prove the nervous origin of roaring, Mr. Field made the following experiment : " Having ascertained that the organs of respiration of a horse used for farming purposes were sound, I cast him, and laid bare the recurrent nerve of the off side, and passed a ligature loosely around it ; he was then allowed to get up, and, after a few minutes, galloped severely without evincing the slightest defect in his breathing. The nerve was then drawn out by the ligature, and one inch and a half of it excised ; and immi;diately on only trotting the horse a short distance, such a degree of roaring was occasioned, that, had the exertion been «)ntinued, he would soon have fallen. *' I kept this horse four years, and though his breathing became amch better, he continued a sad roarer ; at the end of that time I destroyed him, for the purpose of procuring the larynx, which exhibited the usual condition of wasted muscles {atrophia) on tLa side deprived of the influence of the recurrent nerve." Treatment of Roaring. — The intelligent reader will here per jeive, that in the majority of cases very little hopes can be enter- tained of a cure, and in fact, the defect cannot be cured unless we THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 108 can remove the exciting cause ; and that, in cases of distortion, hepatization, &c., is beyond our art. If the difHculty be at all removable, we know of no better way to accomplish it than by improving the general health of the subject, in the use of proper diet, expectorants, and relaxants ; by steaming the nasal passages, &c. If it arise from atrophy of the muscles, let them be stimu- lated daily with hartshorn liniment, or some such application, ttnd frequent hand rubbing. If from tumors, let them be removed. 1/ th3 thyroid glands are enlarged, they should be rubbed daily yr:h stimulating liniment, or ointment of iodine. The horse eLould at all times have the free use of his head and neck, or the best treatment might fail. Should the cause of roaring evidently exist (below the fauces) either in the bronchii, trachea, or lungs, the operation of tracheotomy may be preferred, which consists in making an opening into the trachea, and through it inserting a tube, which may be worn for any length of time, by taking the precaution to cleanse it occasionally. See Tracheotomy. COMMON COUGH. Cough is defined as a sonorous concussion of the thorax, pro- duced by the sudden expulsion of air through the vocal organs. It is present, and often causes some annoyance to the patient, when suffering from catarrh, laryngitis, bronchitis, strangles, horse ail, &c. Cough is present also in cases of deranged digestive organs, and when a quantity of worms are present in the diges- tive cavity. We examined a horse once which was the subject of chronic cough from diseased liver. During life the mucous sur- faces were always more or less tinged with bile ; Le was subject to constipation also. The j)0st mortem revealed a tuberculous liver. A common cough, therefore, may attend various forms of disease. In many cases of a catarrhal character, when a quantity of .mucus accumulates in the respiratory passages, the act of coughing ej( ots it, and thus relieves the animal ; therefore, a cough of this kind may be salutary rather than otherwise, and in that event needs no treatment. A sympathetic cough can only be cured by directing our renae- Jies tu the seat of the malady ; that cured, the cough ceasea. 104 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. It does not interfere with the treatment of any disease, how ever, to use sinaple remedies to mitigate a cough which seems sc intense as to cause the patient some annoyance; in this view we resort to Powdered slippery elm, ") " Indian turnip, I " elecampane, > of each 4 ounces. " skunk cabbage, I " caraway seeds, J Dos«, half an ounce twice a day, in gruel. A cough may sometimes continue after the disappearance oi pulmonary disease, catarih, influenza, &c. : for tiiis we prescribe Balsam of fir, 1 ounce. Sweet spirits of nitre 2 ounces, Sirup of garlic, 4 ounces. Dissolve the balsam in the nitre, then add the garlic. Dose, one ounce, night and morning ; to be given in mucilage or thin gruel. For an old chronic cough that seems likely to wear the animal out, and also the patience of its owner, depending perhaps on some organic change, or irritable state of the -respiratory surfaces use counter irritation, and give a dose of the following, night and morning : — Powdered pleurisy root, " licorice, " lobelia, " sulphiu", " sassafras, " bloodroot. > equal parts. Dose, one ounce, night and morning, for the first two days ; then omit the morning dose. To be mixed with the food. A cough occasioned by derangements of the digestive organs, or from worms, &c., may be always relieved by the following: — Powdered worm seed. Whole mustard seed, Castile soap shavings. Powdered goldenseal, ■ , , , " poplar bark, S'"'^^^*'^^ »""*'«• " sulphur, " salt, " charcoal. Mix ; and divide the mass into eight parts, and give one eveiy night in the food. In the treatment of any kind of cough, the horse should be de^ prived of his usual amount of water, and be compelled to drink THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 10^1 some flaxseed or slippery elm tea. If the throat prove sore, bath* it every nigh" with tincture of capsicum. TRACHEOTOMY. This operation consists in making an opening into the windpipe to admit air to the lungs, when the natural passage is obstructe-d by foreign bodies, or when its calibre is lessened by tumefaction occasioned by disease. In severe eases of laryngitis, strangles, and their kindred diseases, when the patient seems almost suffo- cated, tracheotomy should be immediately performed. In per- forming the operation, we select a spot about six inches below the throat, in front of the neck, and over the region of the windpipe ; an incision is to be made with a common penknife, (in lieu of a better instrument,) to the extent of two or three inches, in a down- ward direction, so as to lay bare the trachea; having exposed space sufficient, a circular piece between two rings, corresponding to the size of the tube, is to be cut out, and a short tube inserted, which can be confined in position by means of tape passed around the neck. When the obstruction is removed, or the fauces restored to their natural state, remove the tube, bring the edgets of the integuments together, and sew them up. BLEEDING FROM THE '^OSE. — (Epistaxis.) Common hemorrhage from the nose is not of itself dangerous, for we never knew, nor do we ever remen.ber hearing, of its being fatal; it merely indicates a congestive state of the nasal, and sometimes the cerebral membranes, or blood vessels ; as a symp- tom, therefore, which it really is, of local congestion, it informs U8 that there is an unequal distribution of the circulating fluid, or else the patient is plethoric. In either case the treatment is simple : we merely cool the head, warm the limbs, give a dose or two of laxative medicine, exercise the patient, and regulate the diet according to circumstances. When the blood appears frothy and of a dirty color, issuing from one nostril only, the breith being fetid, the respirations somewhat hurried, attended by cough, the owner had better consult a veterinary surgeoa firir the horse is proably, or will be, the sulrject of slanders i06 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. HEAVES, OR BROKEN WIND. Chronic heaves is that condition of a horse which veterir.ariana designate as broken wind. In cases of this character, the act of inspiration is followed by a violent heaving motion of the ribs and flanks ; this is the source, probably from whence the term heavei aj derived. The disease bears some resemblance to asthma in the hitman sabject, for in each there is nearly the same difficulty in respi- ration, attended with dyspepsia and emaciation ; there is this ditfer- ence, however — in man there are remissions; while in the horse with confirmed heaves (broken wind) there is scarcely any cessa- tion. It is quite common, in Massachusetts, to hear horsemen define every case of abdominal respiration as heaves: such are not to be considered, however, as so many cases of broken wind In order to make out a pure case of the latter, we must have a kind of jerking double flank movement in the process of expiration. Distention of the lungs, or inspiration, must also be followed by a corresponding expansion of the chest and flanks. A slight cough is generally present, which has a wheezing sound, sometimes resembling a sort of grunt, and the subject is a confirmed dys- peptic having a voracious appetite, staring coat, large belly (tympanic), spare muscles, dull miserable look, drooping head, unwilling to travel fast, and when urged to do so, becomes soon exhausted and " used up ; " the excretions also indicate derange- ment of the digestive organs. These are the principal symptoms of broken wind, and we have generally found these present iu what is called '■'•heaves." Regarding the nature of broken wind — which, howen r, ii c very funny name for a pathological condition of this chaiacter — it originates in disease occurring either in the organs of digestion or of respiration ; the former affecting the latter, through the sympathy that is known to exist between them, or else from innutrition — the digestive organs failing to furnish the proper amount of nutrimental matter to supply the respiratory apparatus with its required fuel. The lungs, or rather its air cells, are then dilate 1, while the respiratory passages and lining membranes axr THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 10/ contracted or lesseiied in calibre, either from contraction of their tubes or tliickcning of their lining membranes ; and this state of the parts is all that we require to explain the peculiar phe- nomena of abdominal respiration. Yet there are various states and conditions of the respiratory apparatus Avhich may give rise to broken wind ; in fact, any organic change that permits dilatation of the air cells and bron- chial tubes, without a corresponding enlargement of the upper «,ir passages, they retaining their original size, may result in broken wind. In some cases the lungs are emphysematose — their substance inflated with the gases of the body, without per- ceptible rupture of parenchyma ; a state resembling that known as pneumatosis, a collection of air under the cellular tissue of the skin ; they are then specifically lighter, and larger, than their natural state. In such cases we often find the diaphragm in a state of atrophy, pale and attenuated, from over-distention and extra work. The direct causes of heaves or broken wind are over-exertion and indigestion. Treatment. — The object is to improve the patient's health ; and if we can do this successfully, an improvement in a .curable case generally follows. We must restore digestion in order to cure indigestion, and in this view we give aromatic tonics ; the following we have used with considerable success : — Tincture of aromatic sulphuric acid. Writteu for, by physicians, thus : — Tr. acid sulph. arc. Dose, one drachm in a pint of water, night and morning. Mosf animals, however, will drink it from a bucket. In the mean time we put the animal on a course of the following alterative medicine : Powdered ginger, gentian, sulphur, salt, cream of tartar, charcoal, licorice, elecampane, caraway seeds, and balm of Oilead buds (chopped fine), equal parts. Dose, one ounce every night in the food. (Jhauges in diet, exercise, and management, calculated to fulfil the indications alluded to above, are indispensable. So soon aa considerable improvement is perceptible, the aromatic tincture 108 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. should be omitted ; and, instead of giving one ounce of the alter ative as a dose, give half an ounce night and morning. A broken winded horse should always be watered from a bucket, regularly throe times a day ; and if he be a foul feeder, arm him with a muzzle, and only remove it at meal time. In addition to the above remedies, we occasionally allow a small quantity of garlic, say a couple of heads every other day, chopped fine, and mixed in ths food. EXPLANATION OF CUT. — MALE ORGANS. 1 Posterior vena cava. 2 Posterior aorta. 3 Supra renal capsules. 4 Kidneys. 5. Ureters. 6. Bladder. 7. The bladder laid open to show its mucoas coat. 8. Vesicuhe seminales, or seed receptacles. 9. Prostate glands. 10. Vasa deferentia ; these transmit the semen to its receptacles. 11. Epididymis. 12. Testicle. 13. Tunica vaginalis, or covering of the testicle. 14. Spermatic arteries and veins. 15. Corpora cavernosa, or body of the penis. 16. Urethra. 17- Glans penis, or head. 18 Orifice of the urethra. 19, External tunic of the penis. DISEASES OF THE URINARY ORGANS. INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. — {NephriHs." In the horse the kidneys are considered the great emuncturies, their office being to carry off a large amount of superfluous ex« creraentitious fluid. If any one will examine the urine of an animal that is allowed an unlimited quantity of hay and grain, he will find the urine thick, ropy, and of a bad odor. This is most THt, MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. 10& MALE ORGANS OF GENERATION. no THF MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. likely, ^owe^e^, to happen when the animal is not regularlj worked. It is very natural to suppose that urine of this kind, abounding in morbific materials, should irritate the membranea lining the urinary organs, and result in a high grade of inflamma- tory action. Yet the diseast^ may arise from other causes. We have known it produced by repeated doses of gin and saleratus, and spirits of turpentine ; but generally, these agents involve the ureters and bladder in the iniiammatory diathesis. It has gen- erally been considered that the disease is often brought about by over-exertion, either in drawing heavy loads, or in holding back {shaft horses) on going down hill ; in fact, immoderate work of any kind might result in a disease of this character. Symptoms. — A constant desire to void urine, although only passed in small quantities, high colored, and sometimes tinged with blood, though more generally quite natural. There is usu- ally a peculiar stiffness in the hind extremities, especially when the horse is made to describe a circle. Pi-essure on the loin* elicits symptoms of pain, and the pulse and respirations denote febrile symptoms. Treatment. — Apply a cold water bandage to the loins, and administer a drench composed of Linseed oil, } . . , end. Mucilage of slippery elra, ^ P Enemas of warm water should be given daily. The less luid the animal drinks, the better; and the best drink, under the cir- cumstances, is flaxseed tea. Should the horse refuse to partake of it, a sloppy mess, made of oatmeal and boiling wafer, will answer and he will probably prefer it to the former. In a few cases, which were considered of recent origin, we have presciibed a solution of muriate of iron, in doses of two fluid drachms, twi pass ere it can be properly digested. In sheep, also, we find a similarly complex form of stomach ; this admits the food as fast iifl the animal can crop it, from whence it is returned to the mouth to be masticated, at leisure. The capacity of a horse's stomach varies in proportion to the size of the animal ; thus in a small horse it is about eight quarts and in one of large proportions it sometimes exceeds thirty. It is occasionally dilated to an extraordinary size. A case camfi under our observation a short time ago, of dilated stomach the TIIK MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 1 5i 1 subject of which died from inflammation of the stomach unci bowels. The owner labored under the impression that his horse had been poisoned, and, in order to satisfy his curiosity, employed us to make a post mortem examination. The mystery was soon solved. On exposing the stomach, it appeared about as large aa two ordinary ones ; and after cutting into it, out tumbled about half a bushel of stuff resembling brown sawdust, but which turned out to be brown bread ! The animal had been regulaily fed for many months on brown bread, mouldy or not, just as it happened ; he was the constant subject of colic, in consequence of which the stomach had probably become gradually dilated by distention from gas, until acute disease terminated his existence. Mr. Garaee, in his Descriptive Anatomy of the Abdominal Viscera of the Horse, quotes from a paper written by M. Colin. Hi: found the stomach of a very small horse to contain only nine quarts, while in one of colossal dimensions the stomach held thirty-three quarts. The stomach, therefore, not only varies in size with the dimen- sions of the horse, but also as to whether it be full or empty, adapting itself generally to the amount of food taken. The horse's stomach is composed of four coats ; the first or GXternal one is a part of the membrane which covers the whole cf the abdominal contents, called peritoneum. This is termed the serous ccat of the stomach. The second coat is called the nifiscular ; it is composed of three layers — inner, outer, and middle. These run in various directions, give stn ngth, and admit of a complicated muscular motion which greatly facilitates digestion. The outer layer of muscular fibres is a continuation of the longitudinal ones of the oesophagus. The fibres of the middle layer embrace the stomach in circles , they admit a( .considerable contraction and relaxation, and arc very powerful as they approach the lower orifice of that organ. The third or inner layer of fibres runs in an oblique direction. The third coat of the stomach corresponds to the cellular tissue under the skin of man ; it serves to connect the parts together and acts aa a medium for the transmission of blood vessels ; and 'jcing soft and cushion-like, protects them from injury or pressure *ti2 THE iVIODERN HORSE DOC TOK. The fourth or internal coat of the stomach corresponds to the mucous uiembrane of other organs ; its upper or cardiac portion ts protected by a thick cuticular layer, supposed to be inscnsiblek like that found within the gizzard of the feathered tribe This membrane is a prolongation of the external covering of the body into its interior; its walls pour out or secrete a fluid which acta upon the food in such a manner as to dissolve it ; and through its walk is also absorbed a portion of the food which is destined for the support of the system. This cuticular covering of the stomach, to which we find the bots attached, terminates about midway. The other half, teimed the villous, from its glistening aspect, extends to the pyloric ori fice, where it gathers into a fold, forming a kind of valve This valve opens and shuts by the muscular relaxations and contrac- tions of the stomach and diaphragm, and permits the food, when reduced to a fluid form, to pass into the first intestine. The villous coat of the stomach, being thickly studded with blood vessels and nerves, is highly susceptible of irritation ; it is distinguished from the cuticular portion by its red, glistening appearance, and by being coated with a thick mucus. It is a fact of great practit-al importance to the farmer to know shat the pastric fluid, secreted by the glands and follicles of the villous coat of the stomach, is the real solvent of the food, and that a certain quantity can only act on a limited amount of food; iberefore if a horse, from a depraved appetite, takes more food into his stomach than the gastric fluid can dissolve, it remains there undigested, a source of irritation and mischief. The amount of gastric juice secreted at any one time is not in pro* portion to the amount of food in the stomach, but to the wante of the system ; so that if a horse be fed without any regard tc quantity, occupying twenty out of the twenty-four hours in cram ming his digestive organs, and the evil goes on increasing with every addition to their cavities, disease sooner or later must mau' ifest itself, or else the animal becomes a depraved feeder, and living, yet half dead, drags out a miserable existence. These depraved feeders — often made so by want of foresight on the part of their owners — are to be found under all circumstances luid among every variety of breed ; which fact argu**? a gcnertiJ THE MODERN HORSK DOCTOR. 13.^ want of knowledge on the part of horsemen regarding the phys- iological action of the stomach. If a man ever becomes intem- perate, it is generally from habit, and the same may be said of the horse. Those who have experienced the cravings of u depraved appetite can sympathize with the four-footed creature, who, after devouring his provender, sets to work on the bedding, and finishes his meal from the boaids which compose the stall and crib. A very extraordinary case of a depraved feeder is recorded by a French veterinary surgeon: "Neither manger, nor rack, nor the fragments of the bars escaped him ; he gnawed his halter, and licked the walls, and ate up all the earth he could get at. He was a confirmed crib-biter and roarer. For many years he hid been subject to violent colics, which became latterly more and more frequent. In one of these paroxysms, at last, he died. There were found in his stomach, after death, four pounds and a half of earth and sand. He had, as was learned after- wards, escaped from his groom on the morning of the day he died, and galloped to the riding school, where he was found eating the earth and sand composing the floor. A brass wire, about the size of a knitting needle, and eight or nine inches long, was found sticking in the intestines, through whose walls it had penetrated, and had run into the lumbar muscles." Foreign bodies are sometimes found in the stomachs of horses after death, which do not seem to occasion much inconverience during life ; thus many hundred hots have been found within that cavity without the subject being at all incommoded by them. The stomach terminates in that part known as its pyloric outlet, or inferior portion, from whence commences tbe duodenum, known as the second stomach. See cut of the stomach and intestines. INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS. — (&*<«; »>n, and even, at times, in the skin. The sur-excitation of the mucous membrane of the mouth may be regarded as sympathetic, for it increases or diminishes in the same ratio as the gastro-enteritic disorder itself does. According as the attack is sudden or pro- tracted, this membrane is dry or clammy ; the tongue rarely preserves its natural complexion and humidity ; it has a more or fos>i bright-red aspect, particularly towards its point and border; its papillae and mucous follicles are more or less develofied ; its BUI face, bla ached, white, or yellowir^h, is covered with a blackish epidermoid crust ; the organ acquires volume and firmness, and exhibits sometimes along its under surface phlycta^na, or else ulcerations more or less deep and extensive. In opening horses that have died, points of inflammation have been detected upon ihe phiirvnx and oesophagus ; sometimes even -iphtha^ are found 140 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. at the bottom of the mouth : I have seen them in many horses The large intestines are sometimes inflamed, and even on 8omf occasions the margin of tl;e anus may be observed to have grown red The hver, with its peritoneal covering and excretory ducts participate in this same excitation. Gastro-enteritis rarely ex ists in intensity for any time without reacting upon the mucous membrane of the respiratory passages, producing that sympa- thetic phlegmasia which is known by a sort of rale ; by a pain- ful state of the throat and upper part of the windpipe ; by embar- rassed respiration ; by dilatation of the nostrils ; by accelerated heavings of the flanks ; by a short, dry, hollow cough ; by shak- ings; and occasionally by a discharge from the nose of frothy mucous matter sometimes, but rarely, yellowish. Inflammation of the lungs may also be a complication ; then the expiration becomes more frequent, the respiration short and quick, the ex- pired air hot, and the pulse strong. Peritonitis and nephritis may likewise prove complications. In the first case, the horse experiences abdominal pains, and rubs his lips ; in the second, there is inflexibility of the spine about the lumbar region, and the animal evinces pain when pressed over the kidneys ; the urine is also redder and less in quantity. In fine, when gastro- enteritis is most intense, the consequent uneasiness and fatigue are often attributable to the brain ; the derangement of which is indicated by the extended neck, the heat and heaviness about the head, the drooping attitude, the resting-point that he makes of the manger, and the drowsiness he evinces. At the time, the sight and hearing become aflfected ; the conjunctiva looks red and injected, or it assumes a purplish hue, which, at the bottom, often turns yellowish, and exhibits p/dyctcena ; the eyeball is inflamed, and the eye obscured ; the muscles of the face are irregularly con- tracted ; there is grinding of the teeth ; often symptoms of vertigo, arid sometimes to that degree that some veterinarians — among others Dupuy — have regarded the gastro-enteritis of 1825 aa a form of vertiginous affection. This combination is especially fatal, and quickly so, and particularly in old horses, and such ag are oppressed with work beyond their powers, or otherwise de- bilitated. Phlegmasia, sympathetic ally developed in the urinary pjks.'iagei and organs of generation, will account for the changee THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR 14j III the urine before mentioned, for the agitation of the (ail ; tLe frequent desire to stale ; the erections of the penis of the stone- horse; the outstretching of the legs of the gelding ; the reddening of the mucous membrane of the vulva of females, and the sense uf heat in introducing the finger into the vagina. The skin will not prove exempt from becoming sur-excited, as will be evinced by its elevation of temperature, its state of dryness or sweat, the slight adherence of the hair, its dull and rough aspect , and, moreover, in some epidemics, by the buttony eruptions manifest upon it. At the last, swellings rise upon the hind legs or hocks; oedema appears upon the belly, sheath, and breast ; the scrotum becomes covered with a dried matter in place of the natural unc- tuous secretion ; or else phlegmonous tumors form upon divers parts of the body ; some we have observed upon the parotids and breast. " Autopsies. — Post mortem inspections have shown different and various diseases, according as gastro-enteritis has set in more or less suddenly, been slow or rapid in its course, and more or less complicated with the inflammation of some viseus or other part, besides the stomach and intestine ; for it is- to be remarked, that constantly one organ is especially attacked, and exhibits dis- ease violent in proportion as other organs are slightly affected. The mucous membrane lining the stomach is more or less red- dened, particularly the portion within the right sac, the entire surface of which sometimes appears so ; besides which it is in- jected, and in some places ecchymosed. The red color — proof incontestable of the existence of inflammation during life — ap- pears under a great variety of shades ; the deep-brown tint ehows gangrene, a change also indicated by the friability of the part and its speedy progress to putrefaction after death. Patches of redness are also visible in different places upon the membrane, (the mucous follicles being larger than common ;) sometimes superficial ulcerations, petechias even, and gangrenous eschars, which may be nothing more than ecchymosis. Sincilar appear ances are found in the small intestines, whose mucous membrane in many parts is reddened, injected, softened, and studded with assemblages of pointed eruptions ; a gray, thick, glairy mucus, und some petechial spots, are also visible. In some ca.ses, th? . l42 THE MC>DERN MORSE DOCTOR. matters contained in the small intestines are solid, and look ac though they had been dried, though this is an appearance mr)re common in the large guts, unless there happened to have existed diarrhoea before death ; in the caecum we almost always find tliis, and for some way also, though in a less marked degree, within the cells of the colon. More or less inflammation is observable in the mucous membrane of the fauces ; the sides of the tongue are covered with ulcerations resembling aphthae ; and the surface of the pharynx, which is more or less deeply reddened, some- times presents a cribriform or worm-eaten appearance. Its folli- cles also often acquire such considerable development that they might be mistaken for buds, with tlieir orifices wide open. Some of theee alterations are perceptible at times within the oesopha- gus. When the disease has proved complicated, we also Knd, after death, alterations in those organs which have shown a dis- position to partake of it. The liver is often tumid, its veins are gorged with blood, and its substance is pale and without firm- ness ; in some subjects ecchymosis and recent adhesions are ap- parent upon its exterior, evidently the consequences of inflam- mation. The lungs at one time are simply engorged ; at another, within the anterior appendices and extremities of the lobes they exhibit the red induration ; or they are hepatized in places, or inflamed around their periphery, and contain spumous blood. In certain subjects, the pleura is reddened and thickened, and covered with layers of albumen, a part of which forms false membranes and points of adhesion to the walls of the thorax. Effusion is rare ; notwithstanding it has been observed by me in two instances, and in one of them so considerable was the quan- tity that the case nowise differed from hydrothorax. Acc< rd- ing to M. Girard, whose observations we "^re now borrowing, the heart is the organ most and oftenest affected. The pericar- dium, commonly infiltrated in substance with yellow fluid, containn more or less serosity, sometimes bloody, and affords ev'dent marks jf acute inflammation. In many subjects the heart is twice its natural volume, its substance pale and discolored, and void of tenacity, rends with facility ; its exterior, in a state of inflamma- tion, exhibits black spots, the effects either of ecchymosis or gan- grene, (most probably of the former.) Its cavities always contaii' THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 143 block, thick blood, semi-coagulated ; and often yellow, consisting uf fibrinous, albuminous concretions. These productions, large or small, exist sometimes, says M. Girard, in the right cavities, some- times in the left, and sometimes in both right and left at once ; they always occupy the auriculo-ventricular opening, and more or less completely fill it. Such appearances would have escaped observation both in men and animals, had not M. Girard pointed them out in horses in the gastro-enteritis called the epidemic of 1825. Do they form during or aftei life ? The former director ■>f the Alfort school ent<;rtained the first hypothesis, and thought that the concretions in (juestiou might prove the cause of death, by producing that suffocation which he had observed in horses which died suddenly and in a manner asphyxiated. " Supposing it were so, adds M. Girard, we should obtain an easy explanation to the obstruction of the lungs, the engorgement of the liver, the phlogosis of the air tubes, and the presence of frothy mucus within them. According to the same authority, the internal surfaces of the cavities of the heart present vestiges of sub-acute inflammation ; the redness is most remarkable in the tricuspid and mitral valves, and extends into the arterial and venous trunks ; though it is not equally perceptible in all the cavities of the heart or within the venous and arterial trunks. " In general, little alteration is visible in the brain, though in some subjects the exterior presents marks of inflammation. M. Girard once observed inflammation in the right lobe ; and M. Rainaud speaks of the injection of the veins of the brain, of effusion into the latei'al ventricles, of slight yellowish infiltration, iind of concretions of the same hue in the choroid plexus. When the urinary apparatus participates in the inflammation, the kid- neys are redder than ordinary, and their tissue is extremely lacerable ; the bladder exhibiting red spots, and the urine being B&flion or brick-dust colored. In some instances, the whole of the sub-cutaneous, cellular, and muscular tissue is infiltrated, and Its areolce are filled with yellowish fluid — an appearance most remarkable in the breast, scrotum, and sheath, when such parts have proved cedematous during life. " Such were the principal signs of disease observed in the horses that fell victims to the gastro-enteritis of 1825 Tho 144 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. principal and most constant lesion, however, — that which oou- stituted the disease, and from which all the others were derived, ^ was inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines." — Hippopathology, p. 232. Symptoms of Gastro- Enteritis. — The symptoms vary as the disease progresses and spreads over the digestive surface, so that it is almost impossible to give, with certainty, any symptoms that CftQ correspond to a given case of this character ; for the disease may be termed, and sometimes is, one of progression, beginning in the stomach, invading tissue after tissue, until the disease becomes general ; it is then said to be complicated, and as a mat- ter of course, we meet with a variety of symptoms as the morbid phenomena develop themselves. Notwithstanding this, there are a few symptoms, which, if recognized, tend to mark the form and character of the disease. Supposing the disease first to originate in the stomach, as it no doubt d !8, we shall be assisted somewhat in our diagnosis if we are acquainted with the prominent symptoms, as they occur in the human subject, selecting those, however, which apply to animals, either directly or indirectly. The symptoms, as they occur in our species, are, a violent pain in the stomach, distention, and flatu- lency ; thirst, restlessness, anxiety ; frequent, bard, and contracted pulse ; great loss of strength ; interrupted respiration ; coldness of the extremities ; clammy sweats, terminating in suppuration, ulceration, or gangrene. On dissection, we find a highly vascu- lar and inflamed gastric surface, having a layer of coagulable lymph lining its surface, and sometimes ulceration takes place, und the walls of the stomach are thickened. The symptoms of enteritis (inflammation of the bowels) in the human subject are — it is ushered in with sharp pain, extending over the whole of the abdomen ; obstinate constipation and vom- itn g, (the latter does not apply to the horse ;) thirst, great anxiety, restlessness, quick and hard pulse. After a short time, the pain becomes more severe, the bowels seem drawn together by a kind of spasm, which extends to the bladder, so that the urine is voided with great difficulty. Dissections show inflammation of the internal coat of the in- THE BiODERN HOKSE UOOiOK. Mb testines, ulcerations and moitification. The intestines are ob- structed, twisted, and one part frequently dips into another, 9o as to entirely block up the channel. Combine the symptoms of these two diseases, and we have a case of gastro-enteritis. We must remember that in the horse the inflammation extends more rapidly, and diffuses itself to other tissues, and that, ere ulceration or gangrene have set in, the animal frequently dies. The symptoms of gastro-enteritis, in the horse, have thus been df scribed by D'Arboval : " When the disorder sets in rapidly, it is indicated by dejection, dulness, slight anxiety, head depend- ent and heavy, and hanging in the manger ; infiltration of the eyelids, which are half closed ; reddening with yellowness of the conjunctiva ; tearful eyes ; deep and jerking respiration. Soon the mucous membranes acquire the same hue as the conjunctiva, and are at times infiltrated and tumefied. To these symptoms are joined loss of appetite, often sudden ; a dry, clammy, foul tongue, red at the upper part and around the borders ; more or less thirst ; stiffness of the spine and hind legs, with difficulty in moving, and swelling of the latter ; staggering gait ; weariness ; alternate heats and~ chills about the ears ; pulse at the com- mencement full, strong, and quick ; afterwards small, hard, and thready. The belly becomes tense, but has rather a tucked-up than inflated appearance. On some occasions the attack is so sudden that the horse, saddled or harnessed, experiences all at once a remarkable heaving of the flanks, dilatation of the nostrils, dependence or incurvation of the head, griping pains, partial tre- mors of the muscles of the shoulder and stifle, staggering, some* times squatting upon the haunches, or falling down and reposing the head upon the ground. Most horses cannot lie down ; many maintain the erect position evidently with pain ; others fear '.,0 move lest they fall. The vital powers seem to concentrate them- selves inwardly; the skin becomes insensible; the coat lo&es its gloss, and turns dry and penfeathered ; prostration supervenes ; the discharges are rare and scanty ; the dungballs small, dry, bluckish, and coated ; the urine, equally scanty, is OCTOR. clotlied, as the case seems to recjuire, having previously rubbed them with a wisp of straw ; when there is great chilliness, w« find a loss of equilibrium in the circulation, and, of course, inter- nal engorgements ; and this state cannot always be altered by internal medicine alone ; therefore we resort to the use of caloric externally, and stimulants internally. The following is fre quently used by us : — Powdered gingei. 3 drachms, " charcoal, .... 2 drachms, Flour gruel, 1 pint, Oil of peppermint, 20 drops, for a drench. Another dose may be given at the end of six hours, and is only contra-indicated by a too sudden stoppage of the discharge, which we- must not be too anxious to check. A nu- tritious diet is always indicated in cases of prostration or debility. In almost all cases of chronic diarrhcea, we use a large quantity of charcoal, with the very best effect, allowing the animal also a liberal supply of flour gruel, seasoned with salt and cinnamon. If astringents are needed to chock immoderate discharges, that have continued for several days, and apparently weaken the pa- tient, we use hardback, gum catechu, or bayberry bark. Diar- rhoea occurring in a plethoric animal must not be immediately checked, but rather encouraged at first, by giving a dose of lin seed oil and lime water ; two ounces of the former to six of the latter ; it can then, at the proper period, be checked with the above remedies. If the disease depends on deranged digestive function, — the liver included, — give a few doses of the folio w iiig : — Powdered goldenseal, .... 2 ounces. " ginger, 1 ounce. Salt, 1 ouiice Dose, half an ounce twice a day. FALLING DOWN OF THE FUNDAMENT. — (,Pro/a;j»«« Anu; Falling of the fundament is generally occasioned by constipa- tion of the bowels, wherein a large quantity of fecal matter ac- cumulates in such a manner as to cause a portion of the rectum U) protrude beyond the sphincter muscle of the anus. Thic THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 157 muscle, however, at times, seems to have lost (he power of ccn- trading to its normal size, from the pressure from within out wards; hence the groat diffit-ulty of keeping the parts withit their limits, even after they have been returned. The difficulty may also be occasioned from inordinate peristal' tic action, known as purging, looseness, and diarrhoea ; it pro* ceeds then from debility, and besides using local astringents, th« patient's health must be restored by means of nutritious diet ajid alterative astringent medicines. Powerful drastic cathartics find O\tr-exertion are classed among the causes of prolapsus. Treatment. — If the case be one originating in constipation, the bowels mi*s;t be evacuated with the following drench • — Linseed oil, 12 ounces Tincture of aloes, 2 ounces, Powdered ginger, 3 drachms. It, however, the bowels can be evacuated with an} of the saline aperients, such as epsora or glauber salts, they are to be preferred. The object is to unload the bowels, and the less medicine and the more mild its operation, the better. When the bowels have re- sponded to the medicine, they must be kept soluble by scalded mashes, green food, if it can be had ; a liberal allowance of salt will be of benefit, not only in view of preventing constipa- tion, but also for the purpose of preventing the food generating the usual quantity of carbonic acid gas ; the result of which would be distention of the bowels, and great obstruction to the return of the gut. If the bowels are merely in a torpid condition, and the constipation has existed but a short time, the foUowiiig aperient will be indicated : — Flowers of sulphur, .... 1 ounce, Powdered bloodroot, .... 2 drachms, To be mixed in a bottle, with half a pint of molasses and watir, fur a drench. The rectum must be returned by the most gentle means, and kept in position by pad and bandage. Before returning the parts, tbay should be freely bathed with cold water; the water may be madi? slightly astringent by the addition of a few drops of tinc- ture of muriate of iron, or a small quantity of powdered alum. The. cold water contracts the capillary vessels, and subducA 14' 158 THE MODKRN HORSE DOCTOR. inflammatory symptoms, and of course reduces the size of thd tumor, so that some time should be spent in bathing the parts ere the reduction be attempted, A case of prohipsus ani was treated by the author a short time ago, which is here introduced as an example to illustrate the treatment. The subject was a bay gelding, nine years old, of plethoric habit ; he had been used but little during the pre'^'ioi'a three weeks, although kept on full feed; ihe groom had noticed that the animal strained hard in voiding the excrement, and that considerable protrusion of the rectum took place at such times. Tlie prolapsus was of two days' duration ere the author's atten- tion was called to it. The protrusion was large, presenting a highly-inflamed lobulai surface of thickened mucous membrane, very sensitive, and some-" what gangrenous near the anal opening ; emitted a fetid odor and discharged a sanious Huid. Treatment. — A drench was given, composed of Sulphur, 1 ounce, Cream of tartar, ^ ounce, Flaxseed tea 1 pint. After which, a clyster of salt and water, to avoid mortification, was administered. It brought away some slimy excrement, yet aggravated the prolapsus. The parts were then bathed by means of a soft sponge, with an astringent wash, (one ounce of tincture of muriate of iron to a bucket of water,) which, after a time, re- duced their size. With a view of producing an astringent effect, and thus collapsing the rectum, a small portion of the liquid was thrown into the interior, taking care to let it How from the syr- inge in a gradual manner, so as not to excite peristaltic action. Reduction of the Tumor. — A pad of linen, wetted with aJ'im welter, was placed on the tumor, and constant pressure, aided by a sort of kneading of the fingers, was kept up for some time, bjt to no purpose, when the following expedif^nt was resorted to: Having procured a middling-sized bladder, the air was pressed out of it ; on being softened with warm water, a common horse eatlieter was intivduced through its neck, and there fastened with twine ; after being smeared with olive oil, it was introduced within the rectum ; an assistant was now directed to place the THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 15S other fcnd of the catheter in his mouth, and gradually inflaie the bladder. After being sufficiently inflated to occupy consid*»rablfc space, it was gently pressed forwards, and by kneading and pres- sure on the external tumor, it was immediately reduced. On removing the finger from the open orifice of the catlieter, which had been placed there to keep the bladder inflated, the latter collapsed, and was shortly after withdrawn. Pressure, by rr^eans of pad and bandages, was kept up for several hours ; at which time the patient showing signs of a desire to dung, the bandages were loosened so as to permit elevation of tlie tail. Some faeces, accompanying the fluid which was thrown into the rectum, came away, following which a protrusion of the gut. This, by the aid of astringent lotion and manipulation, was easily returned. The animal at this stage was left in charge of its owner for the night, who was instructed not to let him lie down, and to return the rectum if it should again protrude. On inquiring next morning, the attendant informed us that the patient had voided fasces twice, and that the gut protruded each time, although much smaller than at first, and more readily reduced. Our own observation, at a later period in the day, dis- covered that the tumefaction, irritable and inflammatory state of the parts, had subsided, and also that a portion of the mucous mem- brane had sloughed off, and the muscular coat of the rectum was perceptible ; a few soft, pulpy lobules of mucous membrane, of a gangrenous aspect, remained, and they were dressed with pyroligneous acid and pulverised charcoal. The following (anti- septic and alterative) was given : — Powdered cliarcoal, ... .1 ounee, Fine salt, ;f ^^ jounce. Sulphur, ) ' -* Stirred in a mess of scalded shorts. Bathing the anus and the surrounding parts with cold wat«r every two hours, and an antiseptic injection at night, concludea tli3 second day's treatment. The patient was deprived, from tha first, of all food except a small quantity of fine feed slops, 4ha object of whi:h will be apparent to the reader. Third day, the bowels were soluble ; evacuations, however scanty; pulse and respirations, which had hitherto been disturbed, were normal : no nrolapsns since yesterday. 160 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. Gave Pyroligneous acid 3 drachms, Thin gruel, 1 pint. Cold water bathings were continued. This comprises about the whole of the treatment. The animal gradually returned to full diat, and from exercise to work. Operation for Prolapsus Ani. — In the event of failing to return the engorged gut by the means here recommended, and th" difficulty increasing, nothing remains but to operate by excision. Our first business is, to secure the patient, so as to guard the operator from personal injury: if the horse is of gentle disposition, a side line and twitch may suffice; but if'he proves restive, and seems unwilling to have the parts handled, he must be cast ; it is good policy, however, not to cast a horse unless we are con- vinced that it is our only resource. The instruments needed for the operation are, a common scalpel, tweezers, scissors, an armed needle, ligatures of saddler's silk, a bucket of water, and sponge. The tail is to be turned upwards and forwards, on the rump, and there held by an assistant. The operator then dissects the en- gorged mucous membrane from the muscular coat of the rectum, taking care not to injure the latter. In the course of the operation, some ramifications from the rectal arteries will be divided ; the sponge, and perhaps the water may now be needed, to wash off and absorb the blood, so as tc enable the operator to see and take up, with the tweezers or forceps, the bleeding arteries ; if they can be so taken up, they are to be secured by ligature ; if any difficulty is experienced in getting hold of them, pass an armed curved needle partly around the bleeding vessel, including some of the mucous tissue, and thus secure it. After excising the parts, wash with cold water, and ascertain if any bleeding vessels remain untied; being all securtd, the operation is completed. Some persons dress with some sort of traumatic, viz., tincture of myrrh, &c. ; but, in a case thai occurred lately, we used nothing but cold water, throwing, by means of a syringe, a pint into the rectum morning and evenings The patient must be kept on a light, unirritating diet, and havj walking exercise as often as convenient. If constipation super^ Veiies, give a d ise of cream of tartar and sulphur. Any uu healthy THE MOrERN HORSE DOCTOR. Iffl appearance about the interior of the fundament, or fetid dischargu from the anus, which may occasionally happen in warm weather ;iiust be m3t by antiseptics: diluted acetic acid, pyroligneoua acid, solution of chloride of soda, are among the articles best cal- culuted to arrest morbid action. SCOUKS AND CONSTIPATION IN YOUNG COLTS. A friend, residing in the Mohawk valley, informs us that manj young colts are troubled in tha^ vicinity with scours — diarrhoea^ after they become a week old ; and that others, at the same age, die of constipation. As the disease, in all probability, is not pecu- liar to that regi^.i, we propose to give the reader our opinion on that subject. In the treatment of scours, or constipation, occur- ring in animals of tender age, too much attention cannot be paid to the mother; she, having just passed through a trying ordeal, — the period of gestation, — and having brought forth her young, now requires, to say the least, what might be commonly termed a little kind nursing. It is a common element in the nature of mankind to sympathize with those in pain or distress, and our sympathies should at all times extend to domestic animals. At no time has the female greater claims on us than at the very interesting and to them trying period of parturition ; and if that care be bestowed upon them which their condition requires, and which they are entitled to at the hands of their " lord and mas- ter," many maladies which are of daily occurrence, both to them- selves and offspring, might possibly be prevented. In our esti- mation, it is not a feature of good husbandry, to say the least of it, to turn a mare out to grass, or elsewhere, to shift for herself, immediately after foaling, particularly after she has been sub- mitted to all the evils of domestication ; for she may net be able, from the scantiness of the provender, to obtain sufficient nourish- ment for herself and offspring ; for the colt must now, and, indeed, until it be able to masticate food, depend altogether on the parent's milk, and the latter cannot furnish it in sufficient quantities unless kept on generous food. It is pretty hard work for a mare that has always been pampered and fed on highly nutritious food to procure enough to supply her own and the U* 162 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOB. foal's wants, and the practice has been very appropriately termed " working for a living." We should have no hesitation provided the mare, having passed safely through the parturient process, is now doing well, in recommending that she be turned, for a few hours daily, into a good wholesome pasture ; not, however, until twenty-four hours after her delivery. When taken up for the night, a wide stall, good bedding of clean straw, and a generous supply of her usual food, should be assigned her. Mr. Youatt directs that, " As soon as the mare has foaled, she should be turned into some well-sheltered pasture, with a hovel or shed to run into when she pleases; and if the grass is scanty, she should have a couple of feeds of corn daily. The breeder may depend upon it, that nothing is gained by starving the mother and stinting the foal at this time ; it is the most important time in the life of an animal, and if from false economy his growth be now arrested, his puny form and want of endurance will ever afterwards testify the error that has been committed. The food should be given in a trough on the ground, that the foal may partake of it with the mother.' White also recommends, " that the dam should be well fed." Now, suppose that, in consequence of a want of attention tr these and other particulars, (all forming a necessary part of stabh economy,) the mother shall be the subject of temporary functional derangement; and if so, the foal will also suffer in like manner ; for the mother cannot have any derangement of the digestive function, however slight, but it will also affect the nursling.* • The milk of a woman (and we may add that of a horse, to a certain extent/ differs,— " 1. In Respect to Food. — The milk of a woman who suckles, living upon fotjeto- animal feed, never acesccs, nor coagulates spontaneously, although exposed for m;iny weeks to the heat of a furnace. But it evaporates gradually in an open vessel, and the last drop continues thin, sweet, and bland. The reason appears to be, that the caseous and cremoraceous parts cohere together Dv means of the sugar ; hence its acescence is prevented. It does acesce, if mixed or boiled with vinegar, juice of lemons, supertartrate of pc tassa, dilute sulphuric acil, or with the human stomach. It is coM/ulated by the acid of salt, or nitre, an: by an acid gastric juice of the infant; for infants often vomit up the coagulated milk of the niu'se. The milk of a suckling woman who lives uvon vegetable food only, like cow's milk, easily and of its own accord acesces, and is acted upon by all coagulating substances like the milk of animals. •* 2. n Rcofect to the Time of Digestion. — During the first hours of digeatlou THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 163 Heniji3 our first duty is to attend to the wants of the mother — establish her health if it be impaired ; then, if the foal has scours^ or constipation, we may set abou obviating the difficulty with some chance of success : even then it is not always good policy to administer medicinal agents to an animal of a few hours' growth ; but we can, with safety, provided our agents are sar.n- live, use them on the mother, and thus the foal will have the beiiffit of them through the lacteal secretion, for it is a well established fact that many medicinal agents pass into the living organism unassimilated, and can be detected in the various secre- tions : thus the color of the cow's milk is changed when that ani- the chyle is crude, and the milk less sitbacid ; but towards the twelfth houi after eating, the chyle is changed into blood, and then the milk becomes yel- Ic'Wish and nauseating, and is spit out by the infant. Hence the best time for giving suck is about the fourth or fifth hour after meals. " 3. In Respect to the Time after Delivery. — The milk secreted immediately after delivery is serous, purges the bovrels of the infant, and is called colostrum. But in the following days it becomes thicker and more pure, and the longer a nurse suckles, the thicker the milk is secreted. " 4. In Respect to Food and Medicines. — Thus, if a nurse eat garlic, the milk becomes highly impregnated with its odor, and is disagreeable. If she indulges too freely in the use of wine or beer, the infant becomes ill ; from giving a pur- ging medicine to a nurse, the child also is purged ; and, lastly, children afflicted with torpor of the bowels, arising from acids, are often cured by giving the nurse animal food. * "5. In Respect to the Affections of the Mind. — There are frequent examples of infants being seized with convulsions, from suckling mothers irritated by anger. An infant of one year old, while he sucked milk from his enraged mother, on a sudden was seized with a fatal hemorrhage, and died. Infants at the breast, in a short time, pine away if the nurse be afflicted with grievou* care ; and there are also infants who, after every coition of the mother, or oven if she menstruate, are taken ill." The use of the mother's milk is, — " 1. It affords the natural aliment to the new-bom infant, as milk differs little (rova chyle. Those children are the strongest who are nourished longest with the mother's milk, f This we doubt.'] " 2. The colostrum should not be rejected, for it relaxes the bowels, which in new-bom infants ought to be open to clear out the meconium.* "3. Lactation defends the mother from a dangerous reflux of the milk into the blood, whence lacteal metastasis and leucorrhcea are so frequent. • Meconium ; the green excrementitious substance that is found In the large intes- tine of the foetus in lying-in women, who do not give suck. The motion of the millf fclso, bein^ hastened through the breasts by the sucking of the child, prevents the very common induration wtiich arises in consequence of the milk being stagnated — Hooper, 164 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. Baal is ft thing nice; failing to find it, the subject has no objection to a little dirt, sand, plaster, or a small piece of brick which he mas- ticates with considerable relish. The deranged state of the digestive organs is generally indicated by an intolerable ftetor of breath ; the excrement, too, has the same unpleasant smell, and is very variable in color and consistence, often hard and covered with slime ; at other times soft, when the presence of intestinal parasites can be detected. The urine is scanty, and either col- ored or thickened with foreign material ; in fact, both the func- tions of excretion and secretion are impaired. The animal is generally cross and irritable, and leaves the stable, at working time, very unwillingly ; he requires considei'able urging while travelling, and, of coui-se, is incapacitated to perform his usual work. These are the main symptoms of indigestion ; they are not noticeable at first, but gradually arrive at this state, increasing in intensity, diminishing, or running into other affections, accord- ing to circumstances. Acute indigestion is apt to terminate in acute diseases of a different character, and the chronic form in diseases of a chronic type. For treatment of acute indigestion, Bee Gastritis. Causes. — The causes of indigestion are numerous : too little or too much of food, water, or work ; bad ventilation ; exposure; poisons ; damaged or highly nutritious food ; working the ani- mal on a full stomach, — are all operative in producing indiges- tion in its acute or chronic forms. Treatment. — In treating cases of disordered digestive organs, we first remove, if possible, the cause. In view of ascertaining that, we inquire into the history of the patient, and ascertain in what way the laws of his existence have been violated, and if Buccessful, we apply the remedy, or remove the cause. It is impossible to lay down rules as to the quantity of food required by a horse, because his health and life are subject to various modifications, under a variety of circumstances ; therefore it is folly to say how much this or that animal shall have, tor the quantity suitable for one may be insufficient for the other, and THR MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 1G7 vice versa. The amount of exercise, kind of work, and con- dition of the animai, are the modifying circumstances which are to be taken into account, ere we can form any idea of the amcmnt of food required. A foul feeder should, in the intervals between meals, be muzzled, or the bedding must be taken away. If the animal has been fed on dry food, let him have a mixture of boiled oats, shorts, and carrots, well seasoned with salt, to which add daily half a table-spoonful of white mustard seed. We La^e used brandy and salt, with very good effect, in several cases of this kind — one pint of pale brandy to four ounces of fine salt ; dose, a wine glass, in oatmeal gruel, night and moniing, just be- fore meals. A suUicient quantity of good hay will be needed, in order to distend the stomach to its healthy calibre, yet the ani- mal must not be permitted to spend half his time eating ; for the digestive organs require regular periods of rest, just as other parts of the system do. Attention must also be paid to the water which the animal drinks : if it be inconvenient to substitute a different kind, throw a handful of pulverized charcoal, daily, into the water trough , this will improve the very worst kind, and render it innoxious and palatable. In view of acting on the system at large, and impEOving the general health, take Sirup of garlic 2 ounces, Tincture of ginger 2 drachms, Compound tincture of aloes and myrrh, 3 drachms. Tincture of muriate of iron 1 drachm. Mix; to be given occasionally in oatmeal gruel. Or, if it b« more convenient, substitute the following : — Powdered assafoetida, 1 ounce, " ginger, 2 ounces, " sulphate of iron 5 drachms, " goldenseal, 1 ounce, " poplor bark, . . 2 ounces, " capsicum, 1 drachm, Oatmeal, 1 pound. Divide the mass into eixtsen doses ; one to be given, in C.\4 ivery night. IG8 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOB. DISEASES OF THE LIVER. JAUNDICE. —(/rfertM.) Dejinition. — A yellow discoloration of the tissues, caused ty ui interrupted excretion of" bile. On making post mortem examination of animals having been the subjects of this disease, we find the yellow tinge pervading every part of the organization. It is diffused through the whole of the muscular, fatty, cartilaginous, cellular, bony structures, and has also been detected in the brain. Mr. Percivall considers "jaundice to be an unfrequent disease fimong horses ; and one reason appears self-evident, as soon as we are put in possession of a knowledge of the causes from which it may proceed. I mentioned swelling or compression of the hepatic duct as one, in speaking of it as a symptom of he]nititis ;* and probably this is the most common one. In the human sub- jrict, it frequently arises from obstruction of the ducts, either from collected or concreted bile in them, to which the nam<' of biliary cnlculi is given ; or it may be the effect of spasm in the ducts, or m tnat part ot the auodenum t where tney terminate j but I am not aware that cases of this kind have occurred in veterinary practice ; and one reason, I re[)eat, is obvious. The horse has but a single duct, through which the bile flows as fast as it is secreted ; it has no retrograde course to take, no recepta- cle to "collect in and to concrete into gall stones ; and, as a proof that this is one reason, dogs, and such other of our domestic quadrupeds as have gall bladders, are all of them much oftener jaundiced than horses. People who lead sedentary lives, such as corpulent subjects and women, are predisposed to jaundice ; in them the bile often grows inspissated % in its ducts, and biliary calculi are now and then detected in the stools : this is a cause • Inflammation of the liver. t The first poitioji of the intestines; sometimes called ^9 second itoiOMk In cattle it ia known as l\\e fourth stomach. t TbickcnMl THE MODERN I10R3E DOCTOR. 169 uf disorder as I have said before, that we can b t rarely adduce in veterinary practice. "Jaundice, produced from whatever cause it may be, consiBts .n the absorption of unchanged bile into the circulation, whivdi bile becomes diffused and conveyed to every part, giving rise to those apjiearances tliat are so remarkably characteristic of its presence. It does not appear to originate eitiier in defective or altered secretion ; for, had not the liver done its office, how could we explain the appearance of bile in the system at all? " The yellow aspect that jaundice gives to the skin, the mouth, and the eyes, at once betrays its presence. The skin is every where dyed yellow, though the change is only visible to us in places bare of hair. The membrane of the mouth puts on the same appearar.ce. Tlie conjunctiva (the membrane lining the eyelids) has a yellowish-pink hue, the cornea is obscured, a yel- low sediment may often be perceived floating in the anterior chamber, and the iris itself is tinged in places with this yellow dye. The bowels are costive ; the excrement that is voided ia hard, huttony, and dark-colored, besmeared often with a yellow, slimy matter, like bile diffused in mucus, and consists of dryish masses of ill-digested aliment. The urine is a deep-yellow oi orange color, and is sparing in quantity. In the human subject, the absorj)tion of bile into the system often generates considera- ble disorder, operates, in fact, like so much poisonous matter, exciting an itching sensation of the skin, and depressing the strength and spirits of the patient; and the latter of these effects is often very remarkable in jaundiced horses. The eyelids are drooping or closed ; the head hangs down ; there is evident sinking both of strength and spirits ; and often there is a degree of moping stupor present, which, at times, borders on vertigo, BO that the animal walks unsteadily, or reels as he moves; Lio pulse is about 60 or 65 ; his respiration is unaffected, and bis flank untucked up. '* In the treaiment of jaundice, our sheet anchor is purging. No time should be lost in exhibiting ten or twelve drachms of uloes ; * and, if we can insure the admin-stratioa of it, tbo * The d( He is too large. 15 170 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. decoction is preferable to a bolus. If there was ir.uch st ipor oi vertigo present, I would bleed, but not largely. I would follow up the first dose of aloes with half an ounce in solution every twelve hours until purgation came on ; we need be under no ap- prehensions of super-purgation * in these cases. As soon as the bowels are freely opened, apply a blister to the right side, and repeat it every twelve hours.! It may be necessary to recur U) the venesection. " Now and then jaundice terminates fatally, and when it does so. the event is commonly sudden ; probably some time has elapsed before we are called in ; the bowels resist our first dose of medi- cine ; in the mean time the pulse rises in spite of our recurrence to the use of the lancet ; the skin and extreme parts become cold ; the animal grows senseless, and perhaps vertiginous, and in that state suddenly drops and expires. On dissection, the liver is found glutted with bile. I found the gland so prodigiously distended in one case that the right lobe of it had burst, and dis- played a considerable fissure. " Now and then we hear of cases of rupture of the liver. I have never been present but at the one mentioned above, myself, but I am told that large, heavy, draught horses are • Excessive evaci-ation. t Humanity calls upon us to dispense with blistering if it can possibly be done. Ihere is no necessity for resorting to such cruel means : when counter- irritation is really needed — and we doubt if, under the circumstances, it-couW accomplish any good — there are a number of agents that we can safely rely on to fulfil that indication, withou t putting the animal to so great ])ain. The only method of getting rid of the bile, diffused in the system, at th* same time favoring its passage into the duodenum, and palliating aU "iigert symptoms, consists in regulating the various secretions : this can only be doi>« on general prirwiiples, for the disease is not only manifest on the surfaces, hut also in the serum of the blood, in the urine and excretions generally, and in auaily all the tissues of the body. Suppose jaundice results from indigcetica; will a blister restore the integrity of the stomach ? The coloring matter, and other constituents of the bile, are known to exist originally in the blood ; and it is reasonable to suppose that it may there accu- mulate, producing a radical alteration of the latter fluid, a poisoning, as it hiw been called. Do blisters purify the blood ? Then, again, if jaundice shall originate from an engorgement of bile, in con- tt,quence of the closure of the outlets in the Uver, — or the destruction of ita secreting cells, — in either case a blister is the very last thing we shoiUd think of resorting to, mucn less reptat it every twelve hourt. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 171 more particularly liable to the accident, and that it happens in the violent efforts they are compelled to make in drawing heavy loads." Should the bowels be freely opened, we think that both blister and venesection might be dispensed with, for human practitioners have found it advisable, in treating disease of this character, to dispense with both. Cuse of Jaundice. — November 2, 1851. — Visited a dapple- gray gelding, the property of Mr. C. Found the animal standing in the stall with his head hanging below the crib ; his position that of a weak (apparently lazy) horse ; pulse 58, respirations 17 ; eyelids partly closed ; on raising which, the membranes pre- sented a yellow cast ; the same was observed in the mucous sur- faces of the mouth. We were told that the urine was of a dark-yellow color ; the excrement dark, slimy, and hard. Com- menced the treatment by giving Powdered mandrake, {podophyllum peUatum,) . 4 drachms, Castile soap, in shavings, 2 drachms, Cream of tartar, 2 drachms, Powdered ginger, 1 drachm, Extract thoroughwort 2 drachms, Water, 1 quart. Two quarts of weak soap suds were now thrown into the rectum, which brought away a moderate quantity of fetid dung. As the animal appeared to be in very fair condition, directions were given to keep him on a light diet of scalded shorts. November 3. — The horse is in much the same condition aa yesterday; the medicine, however, has operated. He has par- taken of a very small portion of the mashes ; has eaten some hay, ftud drank, at v arious times, about three gallons of water. Gave ♦kt following in one quart of warm water : — Carbonate of soda, 2 drachms. Powdered goldenseal, 3 drachms, " mandrake, 1 drachm, " poplar bark 2 drachma. ITio mash to be continued, and a few carrots to be thrown ints the crib. November 4. — The animal is apparently better ; his motion* ftre more lively ; appetite slightly improved ; boweU relaxed ; l72 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. arine more abundant, yet of a yellow cast ; the mucous surfstceA Btill tinged yellow ; the pulse and respirations have not varied much from the commencement. As the bowels appeared to be sufficiently relaxed, the mandrake and soda were omitted, and the following tonic draught administered : — Goldenseal, 2 drachms, Extract thoroughwort, 1 drachm. Diet — the shorts to be mixed with an e:|ual part of meal, ani a small quantity of hay allowed. November 5. — The animal has improved some since yester- day ; is more lively and willing to move ; the appetite is return- ing, and he has partaken of food with good relish ; the excre- ment appears more natural, yet has a glossy appearance on its surface. We had no opportunity of observing the color of the urine, but were told that " it looked well." The yellow tinge has almost disappeared from the membranes of the mouth and eye : the latter is quite bright. Ordered the following : — Powdered goldenseal, 4 drachms, " mandrake, 4 drachms, " ginger, 4 drachms. Which was divided into eight parts, one to be given in the feed twice a day ; the animal to be well groomed, and have walking exercise in the open air. Saw the horse again on the 7th. The case had now assumed a favorable aspect ; scarcely a trace of tlie yellow tint was to be seen. We gave directions to continue the powders, the horse to be regularly exercised, and return to his accustomed diet. This IS the last we saw of the animal ; but learned that he was taken out of the city the next day, and soon put to work. This disease was probably induced by over feeding on cracked corn and oats, which produced irritation of the stomach and intes- tines, and the liver became diseased purely by sympathy with those potts INFLAMMATION OF THE UTER. — {HepatUis.) The parenchyma, (cellular substance which connects the body of the liver together,) and serous surface of the liver, are occasion' oily the seat of increased vascular action ; rather unfcequent, THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 173 howL'vor, in horses : they seem to enjoy, to a certain extent, im- munity from a disease which appears to have a jrreator atfiiiity for the livers of their masters ; or else we have not heen smart enough to detect it in our patients, having noticed hut a few iso- lated cases. The most of the symptoms noticed in this affection do not differ materially from those noticed in jaundice ; other local signs are required, however, to make out a case of acute hepatitis; these are, pain in the hepatic region, extending to the right shoulder, so that the patient is lame in the off limb, unsteady in his gait, and evinces signs of pain on our pressing in the above region. The pulse is strong, skin hot and dry, slight cough, loss of appetite, and dull, sleepy look. For consecutive symptoms and treatment, see Jaundice. When the disease is located in the serous covering of the liver, it is called hepato-peritonilis. The treatment does not differ from that for the preceding disease. Softening, condensation, and tubercles are the result, in some ciises, of a chronic torm of hepatitis ; for the demonstration of these states during the subject's life our diagnosis is all at fault, and therefore it is useless to write any thing about the treatment, other than to inform the reader that the author's remedies for the cure of diseases of the liver are, mandrake,* soap, and carbonate of soda. * Medical Properties of Podophyllum, {Mandrake.) — Podophyllum, when administered to man, is an active and certain cathartic, producing copious liquid discharges, without much griping or other unpleasant effect. Its opera- tion resembles that of jalap, but is rather slower, and is thought by some to be more drastic. It is applicable to inflammatory affections, which require brisk puiging. The common names by which this plant is known are May appla> mandrake, &c. It grows in almost all parts of the United States From our own experience in the use of the article, we can safely lecommenj it as an efficient cathartic ; very permanent in its operation, generally leav- ing the bowels in a soluble condition. It seems to have a peculiar action on the liver, and when given to a horse, in repeated doses of from one to two drachms, every twelve hours, operates in the same manner as when calomel is prescribed ; though less liable to do harm, in the hands of the inexperienced, than the latter article. In this view, we term mandrake " the calomel of the physopathist." Its range of application, however, is more extensive than that of calomel. It may be usol as a substitute for aloes, whenever an activ"? cathartic is indicated, in dose* of from four to seven drachms, in the form '-f ircQch. We have frequentlj used it as at aperient, in inflammation of th« 15 ♦ 174 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. DISEASES OF THE EYE AND ITS MEMBRANES. INFLAMMATION OF THE EYE.— Ophthalmia.) Ophthalmia is a disease so familiar to every one, that a de- Ecription of it seems unnecessary. Its seit is in the membrane nhich lines the inside of the eyelids and covers the white of tha eye ; its diagnostic symptom is vascular congestion. When seen and treated in the early stage, it generally yields to very simple treatment ; if, however, it advance beyond the primary stage, structural and functional alteration takes place. A simple in- flamed eye, to some persons, does not appear of much account; yet the author would inform such, that from this primary form of disease others of a more alarming nature supervene. As prevention is much cheaper than cure, it must be obvious that it is of great importance to [)ractise that system of manage- ment, with respect to feeding, exercise, cleanliness, and ventila- tion, which is most likely to prevent ophthalmia. When horsea are put to regular daily work, their health will be best maintained by feeding them regularly three times a day with a mixed diet, composed of bruised oats, shorts, meal, crackea corn, and cut hay. These should be allowed in suflicient quantity, and no more ; for too much food must impair the digestive orga/is and derange the general health. As regards exercise, it is indispensable. No man or horse can ever enjoy good health unless habituated to daily exercise ; it tends towards their health and strength, assists and promotes a free circulation of the blood, determines morbific matter to the hings and bowels, in doses of two drachms, repeated as occasion seemed » require. With a view of preventing its local action on the mucous surfaces. iB the latter diseases, we always give it in a thin mucilage of slippery elm. If ^n alterative is indicated, we prescribe it combined with equal parts of goldtnseal, (rom one to two drachms of each, daily. We could say a great deal more in proof of its extensive therapeutic power, but refrain, in hopes that some of oui professional brethren will give it a trial. We are not aware that it has evef been used in veterinary practice until of late. The therapeutic (curative) prop erties of podophyllum are dependect on the presence of a principle called PodophyUin. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 174 various outlets, develops the muscular powers, creates a natural appetite, improves the wind, and finally invigorates the whole system. The exhaustion produced by want of rest is equally dangerous ; such horses, at certain seasons of the year, are always among the first victims, and when attacked their recovery ia grne rally protracted. As regards cleanliness, the brush and curry-comb should be used morning and evening ; the latter, however, must be dispensed with when the horse is laboring under any form of cutaneous disease, at least while in its acute stage. Good rubbing promotes the circulation of blood through the capillary vessels, acts as a counter irritant, and relieves congestions. Many of the diseases to which horses are subject, more particularly those of the ali- mentary canal, have their origin in a filthy skin. We are decid- edly opposed to the use of the curry-comb with a view of divesting tlie horse's legs of mud and filth, for the parts below the knee and hock are destitute of fleshy fibre ; from which circumstance the periosteum, enveloping the bone, is more exposed to violence from the teeth and edges of the curry-comb. If a horse comes from his work covered with mud, the better plan would be to detach it, when dry, with a wisp of straw, after which a g )od Btiff brush will put on the polish. The admission of light into stables, being a subject next in importance to the former, deserves a passing notice. Nothing is 60 detrimental to the eyes as sudden transitions from comparative darkness to a glaring light ; and probably many of our readers have, at some time, experienced the very unpleasant sensation of mingled pain and giddiness, which is not readily dismissed, after emerging from a dark room, and suddenly coming in contact with the glaring rays of the sun ; and if they have, they know how to Eyrapathize with a poor horse. Treatment. — As soon as the inflammatory symptoms make their appearance, the patient should be placed in a situation where he shall be free from annoyance of every kind. A cool shed, rather darkened, will be the most desirable place ; a very light diet of scalded shorts, or gruel, will be all the patient needs, untU the inflammatory symptoms somewhat abate. "We commence the treatment by administering an active or 176 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. mild cathartic, as the case may seem to require : thus, if the oowels are soluble, a mild dose is indicated, consisting of Powdered Socotrine aloes, .... 3 drachms. •' gentian 2 drachms, " cream of tartar, .... 1 drachm. Mix with honey for a ball, or with warm water for a drench. Should the dung appear hard, covered with slime, or even iark -colored, the following must be given : — Aloes, 5 drachms, Gentian, 2 drachm* Mix as above. We do not wish the reader to suppose that in all cases of this complaint a cathartic is absolutely necessary; for in some instances a foreign body may have lodged on the sclerotica, tho removal of which, and the after application of cold water, may be all that are required for the patient's relief. Whereas, to purge a horse, under the circumstances, would be both absurd and injuri- ous. A careful examination, therefore, of the eye must be made, and the inspector having satisfied himself that there is no local cause of irritation, and that the nature of the case demands active treatment, then a cathartic will be indispensable. Local means, for the purpose of allaying irritation, must now be resorted to. Authors recommend various articles ; our favorite one is, — Tincture of arnica, 1 ounce. Water, 1 pint. In bathing the eye, a piece of soft sponge should be used ; M the same time bearing in mind that the eye is highly sensitive, and that any unnecessary handling of the part is liable to giv« the patient great pain, and increase inflammation. The head should be sponged two or three times a day with cold water; nothing tends so much to allay superficial inflam- mation as the application of cold water — " It puts out the fire of inflammation." It has been customary, and the practice has received the sanctiou of eminent surgeons, to abstract blood in this case from the jugu lar vein ; but as the author has no sort of confidence in such pro- cedure, he cannot recommend it. Bleed the horse through the THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 177 allmeniary canal, is pur motto, by means of purgatives;* thus the superabundant fluids of the body can be drawn off, and the system as certainly prostrated as in the use of the fleam ; not tc the same extent, however, unless purgation be continued beyond the limits of reason and experience. Why should not a system, comparatively speaking, of starvation, be superior to the comn on mode of prostrating, viz., by bloodletting? for in withholding food we put a stop to the nutritive processes, and the animal, as it were, lives upon himself, thus reducing the fluids and solids of the body : this is just precisely what the practice of phlebotomy contemplates. At the same time we seriously protest against unnecessary use of physic. Cathartics may now and then be indicated, but bloodletting never. This is our honest conviction ; yet at the same time we have no ill feelings towards those who conscientiously practise the latter. During the active stage of this disease, cooling drinks are use- ful, because they lessen the febrile symptoms, and at the same time prove refreshing to our patient ; and, if composed of suitable agents, they tend to aid the exit, by appropriate channels, of all excrementitious matter. In this view we use cream of tartar or epsom salts. One ounce of either article, dissolved in a common bucket of water, answers the purpose. This drink may be allowed, at discretion, during the time and after the medicine shall have operated ; provided, however, the animal be not griped from the effects of the physic, nor the evac- • " Of the direct effects of a full dose of cathartic medicine on the system, we have pretty satisfactory evidence. Not only does it influence the genera) distribution of blood by causing a preternataral determination to the abdominal viscera, but its operation is attended with a greater consumption of that fliiid, in consequence of there being an augmentation of the intestir.* , ind probably other secretions. And v/hen we calculate the extent of the secreting surface of the alimentary canal, and take into our consideration that there may be an augmented afflux of other secretions to it, in addition to its own, we shall br able to form some idea of the loss of vital fluid the system may sustain in this way ; nothing indeed, can evince to us the debilitating effects of cathartics more Btrikingly than the quick depression of condition, and with it strength ar.d Bpirits, which supervene upon excessive purgation. Even as a depletive, therefore, next to bloodletting, catharsis is the most potent remedy we pes. •ess ; and it is chiefly with the intention of determining blood to the bowela, and of drawing it off in the form of secretion, that we employ purgation in moel iaflammatory diseases." —Percivall's Lectures I7S THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. uations profuse ; in either case a small portion of ginger niaj be adicd. If the constitutional and local treatment have not had the ef- fect of changing the morbid action of the part, and it remains in an irritable state, a mucilaginous fomentation of slippery elm ol marshmallow roots will be of benefit. If a profuse fluid secretion takes place, the application must possess astringent properties. The following is a good example : — Powdered slippery elm, ... 2 drachms, " bayberry bark, ... 1 drachm. Hot water, 1 pint. Set it aside until cool ; then strain, and it is fit for use. Cold applications generally agree best with an inflamed eye ; yet, in the cold months, it may be advisable to apply them with the chill off. If what is commonly denominated a " speck " should appear, then take Tincture of bloodroot, ... 1 ounce, "Water 1 pint. Bathe the eye three times a day with this mixture, taking care to introduce some of it within the eyelids. If the " speck " be large and persistent, the tincture alone must be applied by means of a camel's-hair pencil. Let it be understood, however, that the term speck is merely applied to that opacity which is confined (o the external tunic of the organ of vision, and must not, therefore, be confounded with cataract, which consists of an opaci- ty of the crystalline lens or its capsule, preventing the rays of light passing to the optic nerve. CATARACT. In the early stage of this disease, a small white speck appears in the centre of the lens ; sometimes, however, it is first observed •t the upper or lower margin of the pupil ; it gradually increases in size until the sight is wholly obliterated. Human practition- ers have been successful in the cure of cataract by operation, and we think the process of depressing or extracting the dis- eased lenf in the horse's eye might safely be practised, provided it bo done before tht retinn (which is an expansion of the optig THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 179 uerve) is diseased. Some authors urge as a reason for not per* Forming s ich operation on the horse that, the retractor muscle draws the eye back so powerfully and so deeply into the socket m to render an operation almost impossible. But this diflSculty — thanks to the discoverers of chloroform — can now he obviated ; still we have doubts of such an operation as couching (extract- ing) being of any benefit to quadrupeds, unless we can form Bome sort of a convex lens to place before their eyes. We know of no remedy that can be depended on for the cure of this malady other than such as comes under the denomination of " alterative," calculated to improve the general condition of the patient ; and perhaps such would be of little avail in the cure of what is generally considered an incurable disease. There are kinds of cataract, however, of a spurious nature, that can be absorbed. — For further information on this subject, the reader is referred to Percivall's Veterinarian and Hippopathology AMAUROSIS, OR GUTTA SERENA. This disease (commonly called glass eye) is attended with a diminution or total loss of sight. In most ca.ses the pupil is dilated to its utmost extent, and incapable of contraction when a light is held near it. The eye has so bright and glassy an appearance as not to be mistaken. The disease may be either symptomatic or sympathetic. In the first case, it arises from some injury to the brain produced by concussion, or from pressure on some portion of the cerebral mass. In the latter case, it arises from derangement of the organs of digestion. Symptomatic gutta serena can only be made to disappear by the removal of the existing cause ; if this be impracticable, then the trouble is incurable. But if it depend on acute or chronic indigestion, we may entertain some hopes of recovery. If tho disease be of recent origin, and the patient in fair condition, we may entertain some hopes of a cure ; yet, after all, that will de- pend on the nature of the case. Youatt and some others con- sider amaurosis an " incurable disease." These writers probably tefer to that form which originates in disease of the retina, optic 180 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. nerve, or from tumor within the ventricles of the cerebral mass But the most common form of amaurosis in the horse is that de- nominated sympathetic. We have seen horses that have sud- denly become amaurotic from overfeeding, the subjects at the same time leading a lazy life in an air-tight stable, by which errors the digestive, as well as other functions, become impaired, and reveal their pathological condition by external sign — arr^^iu rosis. We remember the case of a young colt which died of chronic indigestion — debility. For several weeks previous to death, the animal was amaurotic in both eyes : he would stand with his nose protruded, ears erect, and head raised to an unnatu- ral position, and the owner informed us that if he attempted to move the patient, he would raise his limbs after the fashion of a dancing master. Such, together with the dilated pupils, are the symptoms to be considered in diagnosing this malady. Sympathetic amaurosis, therefore, may admit of cure ; and that cure consists in the restoration of whatever function may be de- ranged ; the mere application of local remedies to the eye alone will be of no sort of use ; we must go beyond — seek for first causes, and apply suitable remedies in the region of the actual disease ; for, in nine cases out of ten, amaurosis is but a symp- tom indicating disease of an alarming nature, located, perhaps, in the digestive canal. The causes assigned for amaurosis in the human subject are, compression of the optic nerves ; from debility ; from spasm ; and from poisons ; and probably the same causes may produce similar results in the horse. TTie treatment of amaurosis must depend on the nature of the case; if the subject be in a state of plethora — fat and sleek — administer the following cathartic drench : — Powdered aloes, 4 drachms, " gentian 2 drachms, Common salt, 1 ounce, Warm water, 1 pint. K;ep the animal on a light 'diet of scalded shorts ; sponge the head with cold water ; give an occasional injection of salt and water ; and let the patient have regular exercise. If th"? patient be in a state of ancemia — debility — we must have recourse to tonics and alteratives, with a view of invigor- THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 181 ating the system. The medicine bes.t calculated to i>roduoti this result is Powdered goldenseal, "j " gentian, " sulphur, > of each 1 ounce. " ginger, ♦• salt, J Oatmeal, 1 pound. Mix divile the mass into twelve parts, and give one in the food^ night and morning. The eye may be bathed twice a day with the following astringent lotion : — Powdered bayberry bark, . . 1 ounce. Boiling water 1 pint. When cool, strain, and add a table-spoonful of tincture of blood- root ; it is then fit for use. A good nutritious diet is indis- pensable. Should amaurosis be the sequel of cerebral disease, little hope can be entertained of recovery. Should the reader, however, desire to treat such case, he must have recourse to counter irri- tation as well as internal medication. As counter irritants, some recommend a seton under the jaws ; but probably a mustard poultice applied behind the ears would have the same effect. SPECIFIC OR PERIODIC OPHTHALMIA. The specific or periodic form of ophthalmia differs from com- mon ophthalmia. 1st. The inflammation is deep-seated, and on examining the eye, after death, we find the choroid coat highly inflamed, pre- senting a scarlet appearance. The vitreous humor appears of a light yellow tint ; all the internal structures, and especially the lens and its capsule, are highly injected, presenting a network of blood vessels ; whereas, in simple ophthalmia the tunica con- junctiva alone is commonly affected. 2dly. Specific ophthalmia, unlike simple, is considered consti- tutional, and is subject to regular paroxysms, lasting for two or three days at a time. The intermission is noticed by a disap- pearance of the acute symptoms, and a restoration of the sight The intermissions are sometimes of several months' duration, fmd we are often led to suppose that the. disease has entirely 16 189 THE MODF.RN HORSE DOCTOR subsided ; but a relapse manifesting itself in one or b( ith eye* ooon undeceives us. Causes of Periodic Ophthalmia. — The disease may be in- duced by a variety of exciting causes ; hereditary influence ig supposed to be one among the many causes prolific of the malady yet veterinarians are undecided in their opinions as to whether the disease itself, or only the predisposition, is transmitted. Mr. Percivall considers hereditary influence as " predisposent only — not excitant; nor sufficient of itself to produce ophthalmia." Professor Coleman teaches, in his Lectures, that " the disease ia never seen prior to the domestication of the animal ; never ocf ura on a common or in the open air, but is the product of the poison generated from the effluvia of the breath, dung, and urine of horses standing together ; in proof of which the disease is found to be more or less prevalent, according as the stables in which horses stand are ventilated. In stables that have the most cases of inflamed lungs, grease, and glanders, there we find the most blindness ; and where these diseases are rarest, ophthalmia is least known. Coincident with the opinion of Coleman, and we may add Percivall and many other writers, is the experience of the author, and many intelligent horse dealers of the United States also ; for the disease, in the first place, is not so prevalent here as in the crowded cities and barrack stables of the old world ; and, secondly, we do not find so many blind horses here. Whenever a case of simple or specific ophthalmia occurs, we generally find the subject located in a filthy stable, or on low, marshy ground, or else he has been shut up for many hours in a raih-oad car, there respiring over and over again the foul products of combustion and excretion. The disease, as a matter of cc.urse, may be induced by mechanical means, — through injuries sus- tained, — or by violating, in the stable management of the animal, ?ome pliysiological law. The disease induced in this way may ai times, assume in its primary stage, the form of simple ophthal- mia, and afterwards degenerate into the disease now under con- sideration. The use of blinders, which are now fast going out of fashion, must tend to irritate the eyes of horses ; and the sooner they are entirely dispensed with, the better will it be for both horse and owner. THE MODERN HORSK DOCTOR. , 183 Treatment yf Periodic Ophthalmia. — The first thing to be done, is to place the patient in a situation where h<, shall be as free as possible from exciting causes ; the treatment may then be conducted with a ray of hope. Even should the animal be the recipient of hereditary predisposition, his removal from a crowded ?table to the country reduces him, as it were, to a state of nature, wd tells wonderfully in view of both palliation and cure. Antiphlogistic measures, such as topical and general blood ifHing, purgatives, &c., are usually resorted to in the treatment ol common ophthalmia, and sometimes with remarkable success ; but in a disease of this character, they are worse than useless. And lest this our opinion should appear singular, we quote from Hippopatholoyy., p. 97 : " Blood has been drawn from the jugular vein of the same side as the affected eye, until the animal has quite staggered under the evacuation ; the carotid artery of that side has been stopped by ligature ; nay, the vessels carrying on the inflammation, themselves, as they ran upon the cornea, have been severed by scarification and by cauterization, and all to no other purpose than that of cliecking, or, to appearance, subduing an inflammatory action, which has been, after a time, sure to return with equal or even with redoubled force. A common inflamma- tion, once fairly conquered, has no power to revive again ; at least not in its original activity ; but as for the inflammation of periodic ophthalmia, it will return again and again, after having oeen, to appearances, overpowered ; and, in opposition to our most strenuous endeavors, will march slowly or rapidly on, accord- ing as the case happens to be acute or chronic, to the ultimate destruction of the eye." Purgative medicine, also, which has been so highly extolled for the cure of conjunctival ophthalmia, has generally failed to ben efit the patient: from these facts alone the reader may forn; some idea of the disadvantages under which a medical man lni)02-5 while treating so formidable a malady. Hence we place very httle reliance in the antiphlogistic treatment, but have great confidence in the means which God and Nature have provided for the maintenance of health, and for its restoration when absent We therefore recommend the reader to study that branch of medicine — hygiene — which treats of the preset vatior. of health iy4 TIIK -MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. for without a knowledge ot its fundamental pr'nciples we canDOt cure disease. Having tlien removed the patient to a healthy lo<;ation, we make some sort of change in the diet, calculated to have an alterative effect. All green fodder may be considered altera- tive; aiwl after a horse has been kept up for some time, and fed on stable provender, any description of green succulent herbage may be given, with the assurance that it will have a sanatory effect. The medicine best calculated to cooperate with hygienic means, is, — Powdered sassafras, / " skunk cabbage, r ... of each 3 ounces, " gentian, ^ " sulphur, ... 2 ounces, " elm bark, 8 ounces, " ginger 2 ounces, " salt, 3 ounces. Mix ; divide into twelve powders, and give one every night ift the food. The following antispasmodic preparation must be applied bo the eye two or three times a day : — Tincture of Indian hemp, (canabis sativus Indictts,) . . 1 ounce. Rain water, 1 pint. DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. PALSY. — {Paralysis.) There are three varieties of paralysis to which horses are sub- ject. — Variety 1. Hemiplegia, — affecting one half of the body, longitudinally, that is to say, the limbs and body of one side only. Should the animal have a sudden attack, and, without warning, in an instant fall down, and remain there on the alfected side, deprived of the power to raise himself, hemiplegia is then considered "complete;" whereas,. in "incomplete" hemiplegia, the horse remains standing, although, if urged to move, the ex- tensors of the limbs seem to have lost their power, and the latteJ ire merely dragged along. We remember treating a case of THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 185 incomplete hemiplegia, occurring in a six year old gelding, sup- posed to have been brought on by overfeeding, followed by a hard drive. The off side, which was affected, was insensible to the prick of a pin, and felt several degrees colder than the other ; the head was drawn into an unnatural position partly round to the affected side, and the patient seemed unable to straighten the neck ; the eye on this side inclined backward, and the lower lip and right ear hung pendulous. This horse was left one evening in an empty barn, as usual, and next morning the owner called uiid informed us that the patient had fallen during the night, and broke his neck ; that the head was doubled completely round on the side of the neck, and lay underneath him. We did not see the patient after the accident, but from the man's description of the position of the horse, concluded that he must have stumbled against something during the night, and in the fall dislocated the first cervical vertebra at its occipital articulation. Variety 2. Paraplegia. — This affects the ' posterior half of the body, and the subject is found squatting on his haunches, at the same time making incessant efforts with his fore extremities to raise the body ; but his efforts all prove of no avail ; and after the primary excitement has subsided, he will be found sitting dog fashion, merely making an occasional effort to get up. In this condition the urine and excrement often pass involuntarily. Paraplegia generally results from some injury to the spinal cord, received in slipping down on the pavements, or otherwise, or else through violent efforts at heavy draught ; thus injuring the spinal marrow, either by laceration, or effusion into its canal. Such cases generally terminate fatally. Variety 3. Paralysis partialis. — This is identical with /ja- ralysis facialis of the human family, and consists in distortion of the parts about the head and face : ordinarily the muscles of the fnce are drawn upwards — one side only ; but in some parts of the Western States such subjects have a most unearthly appear- ance about the face ; it seems to affect them on both sides of the head, so that the upper lip is doubled completely upwards, and both eyelids are raised, so as to expose the greater portion of the upper part of the eye : there is, however, in the latter case, tremulous agitation of the head and limbs, and sometimes of the 16* 186 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. whole body, which does not take place in simple paralytit facialis. Paralysis partialis is generally the sequel of indigestion ; therefore the cure consists in restoring the digestive function to itfi normal state. A change of diet, laxative medicines, tonics, ex- ternal frictions, light work, and pure air, are the means best cal- culated to restore the patient. The external irritant we gener tilly make use of, in all cases of paralysis, is composed of Oil of cedar, 1 ounce. Tincture of capsicum, 6 ounces. Linseed oil, 1 pint. To be applied daily over the region of the spinal column, and in the vicinity of the paralyzed parts. Whatever may be the cause of this disorder, we cannot err in combining antispasmodics * with whatever medicines are admin- istered. There are three kinds which we are much in favor of, viz., assafcetida, garlic, and Indian hemp. The dose of the former is, one drachm of the powder ; garlic we use in the form of sirup — from one to three ounces ; and the latter in the form of tincture — from one to tliree drachms. Should the patient, in consequence of overfeeding and want of sufficient exercise, be in a state of plethora, which may bo known by a sleepy, unwilling gait, redness of the membranes of the eye, constipated bowels, and thick, sometimes high-colored urine, the antispasmodic may then be combined with six or seven drachms of aloes, and a pint of warm gruel, with which the horse may be drenched. The diet should be fine feed, scalded, and well seasoned with salt. Paralysis is very frequently a symptom of cerebral disease, and must be treated accordingly. See Staggers, &c. • Antispasmodics have been defined as " agents which overcome inoidinnlo muscular action ; " therefore all nauseants — and among them we include warm water and lobelia — are antispasmodic. The reader has probably experienced the relaxing and beneficial effects of a warm bath, or a warm cup of tea ; and tc reason from analogy, he may conclude that warm fluid, applied either inter- Dally or externally, has the same effect on a horse. Under the head of Anti Bpasmodics, Professor Morton enumerates alcohol, ether, oil of turpentine, tpium, spirit of nitric et^er. Professor Curtis considers all the essential oilf .uitispasmodic. THE MODERN HOESE DOCTOR. 187 LOCKED-JAW. — ( Trismus, Tetanus.*) Tetanus is a disease of nervous origin, affecting (I e muscles of external relation, through the agency of perverted nervoi:^ force ; it consists in a permanent spasm of some, and in the latter stages all, of the voluntary muscles ; it is subject occasionally to ftlight remissions, but no relaxation. In the human subject, we recognize three peculiar features — 1. The body is bent forwards — anticus. 2. Body bent backwards — posticus. 3. Body bent sidewise — lateralis. The horse, however, is most subject to that form of disease known as trismus, which means painful, fixed, and rigid con- traction of the jaws, mouth firmly closed ; and one or more of the above features are generally blended with trismus. Yet, at the onset, the locked-jaw may be the first symptom that arrests our attention, and so long as this symptom remains unconnected with spasm, or stretching of muscles of the trunk, (it seldom affects those of the limbs,) the case is one of pure trismus — locked-jaw. That form of the disorder which is most prevalent in this country is termed traumatic, resulting fi'om wounds — docking, pricking, &c. ; from injury to sensitive tissues ; arising also * S. G. Wilmot, member of the Roj'al College of Surgeons, who has great experience in the treatment of tetanus, communicates for the DubUn Medica) Journal the following : — " 1. Tetanus depends on irritation, directly or indirectly, of the excito- motory system, or true spinal cord, by which it becomes surcharge! with motor influence ; and that inflammation in or about the cord, or any appreciable lesion^ IB not an essential condition for the development of the disease. " 2. That our grand object, in the treatment of tetanus, should be to sup- port the patient's strength, by the administration of stimulants and strong nourishment, with a view, as it were, to compensate the vital powers for their great exhaustion, consequent upon the expenditure of force, by the violent muscular contractions, which in some cases are excessive. " 3. That, as the removal of the exciting cause — when once the first evidence that irritation has been propagated to the spinal cord becomes manifest — does not in the least degree check the progress of tetanus, or abate the violence of Its symptoms, all operations in traumatic cases are generally net only unne- cv88ar>', but injurious." 1 88 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. from driving a nail (wlien shoeing) in the wrong direction, and from puncturing the foot, by picking up a nail. It is generally supposed that when locked-jaw follows an accident of this kind, u nerve must have been injured : it may happen so in some cases, but we have known a horse to die of this malady, when the brum of the exciting disease was expended on the coffin bone and navicular joint, which were extensively ulcerated ; there were no signs of any injury to the nervous filameAs, ai-d, if a nerve had been injured, would not its abnormal action have merged into the more formidable one progressing in the cartilaginous and bony structures ? For it is generally supposed that two distinct diseases, one of the nerves and another of the osseous structure, could not coexist : hence the locked-jaw must have yielded, if it had existed in consequence of injury to a nerve. The locked- jaw was, no doubt, sympathetic, and probably a great propor- tion of those cases termed punctured nerve, are of sympathetic origin. That locked-jaw frequently occurs as a sympathetic affection, we have abundant evidence. Many horses, whose digesti^e organs have acquired a morbid habit, and have gradually arrived at a certain state of intensity, ai-e finally attacked with trismus, and die with their jaws set as tight as if held in a vice. That locked-jaw is generally a sympathetic affection should be known to every man, for a great deal of useless medication and unnecessary pain is inflicted on animals, when, if the exciting cause was understood, the poor brute might oftener be relieved than he now is. The very absurd idea promulgated by many, that locked-jaw of the traumatic species always results from injury to a nerve, and from no other cause, should now be exploded; the idea receives no advocacy from modern veterinarians, and only exists in works of doubtful origin. On consulting Hippopathology, p. 48 we learn that traumatic tetanus may arise from various causes. One case originated from a wound under the eye inflicted by the lash of a whip. " The late Mr. John Field mentions one case in which all that he could find to account for it was a saddle gall; and in another there existed only a wound in the neck. * * • On one occasion it succeeded cauterization of the jugular voiu. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 180 Two cases are related also, occurring after strangles ; in one of them, however, there existed some gastro-intestinal irritation. " D'Arboval informs us, that at a remount, depot for cavalrj established at Bee, (department de L'Eure,) twenty-four horsea were castrated on the same day, and afterwards were four timea a day made to take a cold bath in water derived from an ex- ceedingly cold spring ; the consequences were, that sixteen out of the twenty-four died of tetanus between the tenth and fifteenth days." Sympathetic Tetanus. — This is supposed to arise from irrita- tion, or some derangement of the digestive organs ; we have seen and treated several cases of this character with success ; the chief remedies were, assafcetida combined with mineral tonics, (car- bonate of iron ;) stimulants ; frictions, with liniment, to the jaws and spine ; injections and fomentations. The worst case of sym- pathetic tetanus we ever treated was that of a ten year old geld- ing. It occurred in the stable of Mr. J. Gilson, West Cambridge Centre, during the latter part of 1852. The animal had, previous to the attack, been noticed as a ravenous feeder ; and although he ate enough to support two common horses, his condition was not benefited by it, for he lost considerable flesh; his coat looked bad, and he was the subject of constipation and occasional slimy discharges. This state of things had continued for some time ; when the owner, on going into his stall one morning, to feed, found the animal's jaws locked. We saw him a few hours aftei wai'ds, and found the jaws unnaturally fixed, yet not closed with that vice-like tetanic spasm that is seen in some cases of acute tetanus ; the jaws could be opened so as to admit a body the size of a man's finger between the nippers. The eye had the usual appearance, being drawn backwards, and partly covered by the membrane nictitans {haw.) The ears were erected, nostrils ex paiided, and the neck was rigidly extended forwards ; the coun- tenance presented that anxious arid distressing look so easily recognized by those who have once seen a case of this character; the muscles of the back and the recti of the abdomen were the seat of tonic spasm ; the hind limbs were widely separated^ and 'he fore were slightly advanced, being in the most favorable position for affording support to the inflexible body ; the jaw- 190 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. remained in the state just alluded to for the sp£ce of sixteen daya there was no lateral motion to the jaws, but the patient could readily imbibe thin oatmeal and flour gruel, and also the thera- peutic agents, which consisted of the articles just named, and an occasional laxative to keep the bowels soluble. The animal, however, came near losing his life oa the very night after the jaws relaxed. He had been fed, watered, secured for the night, and was left doing as well as any poor horse in his circum- Btances might be expected to do. Next morning he was found down, his eyes tumefied, skin knocked off in various parts of the head and body, belly enormously swollen, &c., all going to show that he had, during the night, and was now, suffering from flatu- lent colic. A barrel of beans scattered on the floor, one side of the stall lying flat, and every thing about the barn presenting the utmost confusion, went to show, that during the night our patient got loose and went on a voyage of discovery within the limits of the barn ; in the course of his travels he came across a barrel of beans, a savory meal for a half-starved horse, and no doubt he tried the strength of his masseter muscles, which had of late been quite useless. The sudden change from gruel to hard beans was too much for our patient's digestive organs ; hence the colic. By the exhibition of diffusible stimulants, carminatives, steaming, rubbing, &c., he got over the trouble, but was a long while before all his external injuries healed; he is at the present time owned in Roxbury, apparently as well as ever. If we take into consideration the animal's previous protracted illness, it seems remarkable that he should have recovered. We should therefore never despair. Another case of sympathetic tetanus occuned in the same town, which was brought to a favorable termination : the jaws relaxed on the fifth day, when the patient, in consequence of being fed immediately with too bountiful a hand, died a few days after of gastro-enteritis. We have lately viewed with favor the theory of our veterinary luminaries, that tetanus in most cases is of sympathetic origin. Some very interesting remarks occur in Hippopathology bearing on this point, which we shall bere introduce as valuable acquisitions to our poveivg-struck vet- ! rinary literature. " Th sympathetic disorder," writes Mr. Percivall, " as I shall THE AlODEItN HORSE DOCTOK. 19l call the other form of centripetal tetanus, (having Jiscussv^d fhg traumatic variety,) is that which, from the absence of all wound or injury, we have got into the habit of considering as i liopathic V though, in point of fact, while some cases so considerad are, no doubt, central, i. e., originate within the spinal marrow, otherSj there seems good reason for believing, must be dependent upon some irritation, either within the alimentary canal, or in sonie other part of the body. Should this turn out to be the case, our pathology of tetanus will have undergone essential improvement 5 and we shall be able to account, in a measure, for our therapeu- tic agents succeeding in one case and failing in another — a fact that has hitherto led us either to regard the asserted remedy as useless, or to attribute its failure or success to an erroneous source. In a word, by endeavoring to discover the real seat and nature of two kinds or forms of disease which have hitherto been confounded under the epithet idiopathic, it is manifest we are in the road to a very considerable amendment of our method of treatment." Mr. Percivall quotes also the opinions of Messrs. Karkeek and Henderson in support of his own opinion as to the sympa- thetic origin of tetanus ; and he introduces, with a view of substan- tiating this theory, the opinion bf that distinguished surgeon, Mr. Abernethy, who, he says, "was of opinion that the injury, what- ever it might be, leading to tetanus, first produced disorder of the digestive organs; and that disorder occasioned derangement of the functions of the spinal marrow, and, through it, of those of the Bystem at large, which latter derangement constituted tetanus." On page 51 of Hippopathology, a passage occurs, so full of inter- est to the American reader, that we take the liberty to transfer it to our pages. " Mr. A. Henderson, V. S., London, who presented the Yeter mary Medical Society with a good practical paper on tetanus h) 1832, * doubts if the horse has ever the disease except from sym- pathy ;' and in confirmation of this opinion stat?s, that although during life the symptoms have proved insufficient to direct hia attention to the seat of the source of irritation, examination aftei: death has manifested appearances which left no doubt on tha mind of Mr. H. about the nature of a case which he had at first J 92 THE MODERN HoftSE DOCTOR. considered to be idiopathic, i. e., central. And in tne positior which Mr. H. has taken, I am very much disposed to think, that (although I do not believe his theory complete) he stands very strong. "I feel no doubt myself, that a very large proportion of our cases of tetanus originate either from wound, discovered or not discovered, or from some other cause of local irritation ; and that cause Mr. H. has found frequently to be ' an unusually vascular appearance of the large sympathetic nerves, through their various ramifications in the chest and abdomen.* In one case, in combi- nation with this appearance, he found distention and redness of the stomach, with crimson spots upon its pyloric portion ; in a second case, with the same, an enormous quantity of hots, several of which had eaten through the coats of the stomach ; in a third, with the same, an immense number of worms, called terites, in the stomach and small intestines, and in some parts of the duode- num and jejunum, sufficient to block up the passages. The ves- sels of the pia mater were also unusually distended, the brain in this case being examined ; and there was more water than usual »n the ventricles. To this it may be right to add, that Mr. H. found the sympathetic nerves similarly affected in a case of tetanus apparently caused by broken knees. Mr. Karkeek, V. S., has since made the same observation on idiopathic tetanus ; and in regard to it, coupled with the consideration of other facts, eagaciously remarks, that ' tetanus depends, if any disease does, Qpon sympathy.' And in another place, says, ' I am of opinion that a diseased state of the digestive organs is invariably llie primary cause, as, on dissection, I have ever discovered it to exist Thus confirming Mr. Abernetliy's opinion." The reader must bear in mind that the nervous system of or f^^inic life and the sympathetic nerves, — originating from the t.pinal marrow, — form a network of ganglia and fibrils, which are distributed to the various parts of the nutritive and secretory apparatus, the fibrils forming a plexus upon the walls of blood vessels, and with them running to the various parts of the body They possess the power of exciting muscular contractions in the various parts to which they are distributed, by reflex action on Mieir spinal origin, from whence they derive motive power. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 198 Elence it will readily be perceived by what means a diseased condition of a certain organ produces sympathetic disease. Again let it be understood that all vital manifestations in the animal economy, are entirely dependent on the nutritive function ; that the properties of all tissues and organs are dependent for their integrity on a supply of perfectly elaborated blood ; that respira- tion, circulation, and secretion cannot go on unless the nervous forces are well balanced ; and that the harmony of that vast and coraplicated apparatus, known as the nervous system, is in turn dependent for the performance of its legitimate function on nu- trition. Then we can perceive that many diseases, including tetanus, may readily arise from perverted nutrition, and inde- pendently of any external causes. External causes, however, produce the same result, but not so often as people suppose. The reason why we thus labor to change the current of opinion in favor of the sympathetic origin of this malady is, that a more rational system of medication will then follow, and instead of blistering, bleeding, and cauterizing, as recommended by Yo2iatt and others, — tormenting a poor, dumb brute to no purpose, — we may be led to look beyond the imaginary limit, find the real seat of the difficulty, and treat it accordingly. Treatment of Tetanus. — The author does not wish the reader to suppose that all cases of tetanus are curable, or that his treat- ment is always successful ; there are cases now and then occur- ring which, with the very best veterinary skill, must terminate fatally. Tetanic symptoms sometimes develop themselves in horses of a peculiar diathesis, which opposes rather than contributes to the harmony of the vital forces ; the subjects are not able to bear up against the encroachments, which are continually going on during the long siege of sickness, nor to improve their other- vsrise unhealthy condition, and, consequently, they sink in spite of our best efforts. Then, again, cases have come under our t>b- seivation, in some of which the subject's jaws had been locked for wo, and even three, days, ere any thing had been done for the animal; some of the owners supposing that the horse had lost his appetite, others that the throat was sore, &c. ; so that, under such and other circumstances, too numerous to name, yet under- stood by medi ;al men, we cannot expect to be always successful, 17 194 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOB. The treatment, in order to be any thing h'ke successful, must be conducted with enlarged views of the animal economy as a whole — we must realize how much one part is dependent on, and contributes to, the support, perpetuity, and identity of func- tion, 1 another, and that all parts are united by a common bond of sympathetic continuity, as well as cellular structure, and are destined, in certain stages of disease, to suffer in common from a common exciting or predisposing cause. We must also take into account, that the debility pr( sent, or which may ensue during the progress of tedious or prostrating disease, mu3t be met by prompt agents favorable to health, for debility (functional or general) may with certainty be consid- ered as the principal cause of premature death. With a viewi then, of promoting the living integrity, and producing an equilib- rium of function throughout the whole economy, we must, in- stead of prostrating the system by bloodletting and purging, — so strenuously urged by most writers, and, indeed, practitioners — administer tonics, antispasmodics, stimulants, and laxatives ; foi there is nothing that we know of so prostrating to the system of man or horse as acute pain. Long-continued pain, such as a tetanic subject is known to suffer, changes the very elements of the blood : so that the fluid on which our very existence depends for — using a homely expression — its bread and butter (car- bon) is deficient, and the patient may die for want of fuel to support pulmonary combustion. There is really no necessity for the abstraction of blood in tetanus. For it has been shown by Dr. Radcliffe (see Half-yearly Abstract of the Medical Sciences, vol. xvi. p. 312, and also No. 17, p. 222, January to June, 1853) ftnd by other eminent surgeons, that convulsive, spasmodic, and tremulous diseases depend on a decided and unequivocal de- ficiency in the due amount of that stimulus which is supplied to the muscles from the blood, nerves, and other sources, and not upon an increased afflux of such stimulus. Dr. Radcliffe clearly demonstrates, in the papers alluded to, that these, as well as other muscular disorders, depend upon the same want, and are manifest- ed in a state of general or local debility, and not in one of health and vigor. Hence the plan of treatment here recommended, and by which we have saved several valuable horses, is superior to THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 190 ihat which contemplates prostration of the vital forces. It would De exceedingly interesting to follow Dr. Radclitfe in his argu- ments sustaining the proposition just broached, (the state of thf circulation in convulsive and spasmodic disorders ;) but our limits will not allow us to do so. With a view, however, of sustaininjf our own opinion, we quote the following : — ** The state of the circulation in tetanus may be illustrate;! by two recent cases. One of these was sent to TTie Lancet by Mr Salter, of Dorset. It was that of an old man, upwards of seventy- three years of age, whose foot had been partly destroyed by a threshing machine. The spasms set in after a prolonged employ- ment (for three or four days) of strong purgative mixtures of salts, senna, and tartar emetic, along with morphia and aperient pilh During the spasms the injured foot was pale and numb, the skin moist, and the countenance cadaverous. The state of the pulse is not specified ; but what this was is to be inferred from the foregoing particulars, as well as from the adoption of vigorous stimulation with brandy and ammonia when the spasms occurred. Indeed, in a man so old, so injured, so antimonialized and purged, only one conclusion is possible, namely, that the circulation must have been very greatly depressed. This appears also from the sequel, which was this, under the new mode of treatment the system rallied, and the tetanized parts relaxed ; and this rally- ing and relaxation lasted for several days, at the end of which the symptoms relapsed. This was after an exhausting and agi- tating interview with some friends. Again stimulants were had recourse to, and again the spasms disappeared, not to return. In the relapse, the pulse is stated to have been extremely feeble, ani of a typhoid character. In the second patient, the state of bis system is stated to have been such as to contra-indicate the use of an/ lowering medicines, the spirits being faint ani low, the countenance anxious, the pulse 98 and weak, and so on. Quinine, ammonia, and turpentine were had recourse to ; and the result of the treatment was, that the system rallied, and the epasms subsided. These instances illustrate the large body of cases of tetanus, for certainly the majority are in no way com- plicated with any kind or degree of vascular activity ; but dr th«y illustrate the rule? Are there no exceptions in which it'O THE MODERN BOKSE DOCTOU. th(;re are plethoric or other active symptoms? Tlie answer, as t seems to us, is clearly in the negative. It is stated by all au- thorities, and must be evident to all who have had any experience m the disease, that there is no fever in tetanus ; and this of itself is almost sufficient to prove our position ; for so anxious have med- ical men been to find some fever in maladies of this class, that lo admit its absence is almost equivalent to admitting the oppo- (gile. Undoubtedly the vascular state in tetanus assumes many aspects, and some of these are such as to deceive an unpractised eye or an impatient finger. There can be no mistake in such cases as have been described, but they may very readily be in irritable subjects. In such persons, owing to the excitement of examination, or some unusually severe pangs at the moment, the pulse, when first felt, may beat with considerable force and fulness, and so give rise to an impression of fever or plethora ; but this rapidly passes off, and the color fades ; the pulse flags and falters. The pulse, indeed, is eminently changeable, and any excitement which may be manifested in it is quite momenta- ry, in comparison with the almost constant state of depression. It must also be borne in mind, as confirming the same view, that in fatal cases the spasms of tetanus continue, and often increase, in spite of the progressive failure of the circulatory powers — a fact that is only explicable on the supposition that the spasms are dependent upon the very reverse of vascular activity. The same conclusions arise also out of the cadaveric rigidity ; for in this case we have a state of tetanoid, or, rather, cataleptoid con- traction, which subsists with stagnation and death of the blood, and which endures untiringly until the muscles are broken up by incipient decay. In spasms, therefore, as in tremulousneso and convulsion, there is abundant evidence of a decided lack cf circulatory power. It would seem, also, as if that lack were greater in convulsion than in tremulousness, and in spasm than in convulsion. * * * Tetanus, we learn from many surgeons, 18 most apt to occur when soldiers are dispirited, exhausted, ill fed, and exposed to cold. Cadaveric rigidity is the work of death. In short, the causes of tremor, convulsion, and spasm ire sach as go to confirm the deductions arising out of the con- lition of the vascular, nervous, and muscular systems ; and the THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 197 condition of these systems reacts in confirming the idea that these causes are, as tliey seem to be, of an anti-vital character." Taking into consideral ion, then, that tetanus is a disease of a depressing character, we must support the vital powers; and if the case is one supposed to originate from the introduction of a foreign body within the hoof, or from any other injury evolving paiti, the sooner we commence to give stimulants and nutritive food the better. Flour or oatmeal gruel, made thin enough for the animal to suck up, and seasoned with salt, should be kept before him ; and whatever medicine seems requisite may be administered in this way. As a standing daily medicine, we use the following, and we can conceive of no case that would contra- indicate its use. Take Powdered assafcetida, ... 12 drachms, " carbonate of iron, . 6 drachms, " capsicum, ... 3 drachms, Salt 1 ounce, Cream of tartar 2 ounces. Mix ; divide the mass into twelve parts, and give one every night. The jaws and spine are to be rubbed for at least two hours, daily, with a portion of the following : — Tincture of capsicum, ~| Essence of Sdir?'. f ' "^ each i a pint Beefs gall, ... J The parts are also to be occasionally lubricated with olive oil ; the jaws to be encircled with flannel. Should the horse have been pricked in the foot, take off the shoe, and having found the orifice where the nail entered, examine it, and see if there be any foreign body within it ; if so, remove it ; enlarge the outer orifice with the point of a knife ; then^ baving cleansed the part, apply the follow- ing poultice : — Powdered hemlock bark,^ " lobelia, >■ equal parts. " slippery elm. j Moisten with boiling water, then add a handful of soft soap. When sufficiently cool, apply it to the foot in the usual manneri renewing it daily. If at the end of three or four days no dig- charge appears, it may be discontinued, and a common dressing of tincture of aloes applisd 17* 1;^^ THF MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. Injections. — In view of evacuating the lower bowels and rec lum, wie give clysters of soap suds, and in view of supporting thfl Btrengtb, (after evacuating the former,) we resort to meat broth and flour gruel, to be used as occasion may require. If the patient be of plethoric diathesis, we need not be iu too great hurry to administer nutriment,* but should simply keep the bowels in a snluble state, by a dose of cream of tartar and sulphur ; four drachms of the former to about six of the latter, being about the right proportion. If any exciting cause exists, we, of course, pay attention to this, and to the relaxation of the jaws. If they are rigidly set, and the external application fails to give relief, we may try warmth and moisture. A lobelia poultice applied around the jaws, and kept moist with warm water, will generally do good, even in the very worst cases. Some patients, at the commencement, show unmistakable symp- toms of debility ; to all such we give, with a liberal hand, strong eage tea, or infusion of gentian, sweetened with honey. The cases that have terminated favorably, have been treated some- what after this simple fashion. We have tried chloroform, and cold water, and feel satisfied that they did more harm than good, and thus hastened the death of several patients. The disease frequently sets in after docking and nicking. In Buch cases the books tell us to prick, or nick deeper, and dock a little higher up. This looks very well on paper, but fails in ap- plication. We never saw any benefit derived from the barba- rism ; wc think, however, that a good poultice of bayberry bark and lobelia, applied to the tail, might answer a better purpose. But the trouble is not in the tail ; yet it might be gangrenous ; then, in view of removing exciting causes, it must be amputated : at such stage, however, we have doubts of its efficiency, for the disease is beyond the reach of the knife. Very little improvement has taken place in the treatment of tetanus. Veterinary surgeons have generally followed somewhat • Nutritive Enemata. — A horse may, for a long time, be supported on nu- tritive enemata, composed of flour, or fine oatmeal gruel, mixed occasionally »ritn a little salt. There is a case recorded in the Foreign Quarterly Retro ^pect, of a man unable to swallow, who was supported thirty-nine days on nutri a>ent cidiH'nistered per recmm. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 19S in the footsteps of human practitioners, whose aim and view of Bure, Hooper tells us, is, — ** 1. To remove the local cause or irritation, which may appear to have excited the disease. " 2. To lessen tlie general irritability and spasmodic tendency. " 3. To restore the tone of the system. ** If a thorn or other extraneous substance be lodged in any part, it must be extracted ; any spicula of bone, which may have brought on the disease after amputation, should be removed; a punctured wound ought to be dilated, &c. Some have proposed dividing the nerve going to the part, or even amputating this, to cut off the irri- tation ; others paralyzing the nerves by powerful sedatives, or de- stroying them by caustics ; others, again, exciting a new action in the parts by active stimulants ; but the efficacy, and even propriety of such measures are doubtfuL To fullil the second indication, various means have been proposed. The abstraction of blood, recommended by Dr. Rush, might perhaps appear advisable in a vigorous plethoric habit, in the beginning of the disease ; but it has generally proved of little utility, or even hurtful, and is rather contra-indicated by the state of the blood. [Mark that, ye who advocate bloodletting.] Purging is a less questionable measure, as costiveness generally attends the disease ; and in many cases it has appeared very beneficial, especially when calomel waa employed. It has been found, also, that a salivation, induced by mercury, has sometimes greatly relieved the disorder, but in other instances it has failed altogether. " The remedy which has been oftenest employed, and with the most decided advantage, is opium ; and sometimes prodigious quantities of it have been exhibited : indeed, small doses of it are useless, and even large ones have only a temporary effect, so that they must be repeated as the violence of the »; mptoms is removed ; and where the patient cannot swallow, it may be tried in clyster, or rubbed freely into the skin. Other sedative and antispasmodic remedies have been occasionally resorted to, as hemlock, tobacco, musk, camphor, &;c., but, for the most part, with less satisfactory results. The warm bath has sometimes proved a useful auxiliary in cold climates ; but the cold bath is much more relied on in the West Indies, usually in conjunction 200 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. with opium. In Germany, alkaline baths, and the inlernal usf of the same remedies, are stated to have been decidedly service- able. Others have advised the large use of bark and wine^ which seems, however, rather calculated to be preventives, or to fullil the third indication ; yet wine may be employed rather as nourishment, since in severe cases little else can be taktn. Electricity seems too hazardous a remedy to be tried in a general affsction, especially in the muscles of respiration ; but if oontined to the jaw it may be useful in a mild form." — Hooper's Dic- tionary. SPRINGHALT. This peculiar spasmodic affection of muscles in the hind ex- tremities is not so common among American horses as it ig among the French and German breeds. It is an affection over which the vetei-inary surgeon, armed with the whole materin medica, has very little power ; for, in the nervous system first originates the cause, which subsequently gives rise to the peculiar gait termed springhalt ; and the practitioners of all creeds have acknowledged their inability to direct medicine to the nervous structure, even after they have secured its digestion in the Btoraach. To introduce medicinal agents into the latter is an easy matter, but to make them reach that wonderful and delicate organized substance, the brain, and its nervous filaments, is another affair. These remarks, however, apply to cases of springhalt depending on some lesion of nervous filament, pressure, or atro- phy of the nerves of nutrition. Minor derangements, resulting in spasmodic action, may be relieved, by removing the cause or the morbid habit which induces them. To do this, our treatment must be general ; that is, we must restore healthy action to iho whole animal structure, and remove obstructions wherever they exist. Before alluding to the treatment, we shall introduce to the leader's attention a selection from Mr. Fercivall's lectures, de- livered some thirty-five years ago ; and, if the reader will com- pare that author's views with those of the surgeons of the present Uay, he will find that they have nothing new to otFer. The distinguished lecturer on veterinary science reiiiai'k& THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 201 * We need give no description of the action or peculiar gait of a horse said to have springhalt : the greatest novice easily detects 't, and seldom fails to make objections to purchase an animal thus affected. Mr. Feron, one of the few writers who have no- ticed springhalt, says, ' I am convinced, however, by long experi ence and observation, that springhalt, as it is called, is no disease^ therefore can require no remedy.' And in another place, ' In- deed, in Spain, France, and Germany, it is esteemed extremely graceful in their riding schools, or manege, particularly when there is a springhalt ir. both hind legs.' This writer has, however, admitted it to be a disease, to the full scope of the word, in the very outset of his description, by defining it to be ' an involuntary convulsive motion of the muscles, which extend or bend the hock.' In some particulars, springhalt bears some affinity to what in human medicine is called chorea. We do not mean, however, to assert that they are essentially the same disease ; much less do we imagine that a similar mode of treatment could have any good efiect ; all we wish to infer by such an analogy is, that they are both spasmodic or convulsive diseases, in which the will has lost more or less of its control over certain voluntary muscles. Not unfrequently, when the animal has lifted his hind leg from the ground, which is always done with a convulsive twitch, the fetlock nearly approaches the belly, and, by some other remarkable irregularities in its action, before the foot can be replaced upon the ground, (which it seldom is in the most advantageous position,) displays such unnatural movements as to convince us that volition has but little power over it during its suspension. Sometimes this irregular action is confined to one ?eg, but we believe that it is more commonly seen in both. It ia seldom or never removed. " Such writers as ofier any opinion of its nature suppose it to be a muscular affection, mistaking, we conceive, the effev.i for the cause. We choose rather to refer its seat to the spinal marrow, or to the nervous trunks passing between it and the affected muscles ; an opinion we were first led to adopt, from having ob- served a broken-backed horse exhibit all the characteristic signs of springhalt, which in this case was clearly only an accompany- ing symptom of the former disease. It was stated in the fore 204 THE MODERN HORSR DOCTOR. going pait of this lecture, that section or compression of tht spinal marrow paralyzed muscles, and that irritation of it con vulsed them. Now, we know that many cases of broken back terminate in palsy ; and, if this be true, why should not oth«!ra be productive of springhalt— since the one arises from compres- sion, while the other is merely the result of irritation ? It is m t, however, necessary that a broken back be present ; for any other cause of irritation, we apprehend, would induce this disease. Horses are very subject to injuries of the loins — much more sc than we seem to be aware of — from being suddenly stopped o' turned, or from being overweighted about those parts ; accidents that are but too seldom detected, since they may not be severe enough to constitute broken back, though they may so far disturb the nervous functions as to cause springhalt. Should the injury, or the consequences of it, be confined to one side, then only one column of the marrow will be affected, and but one leg con- vulsed : the nature and extent of disease in it will perhaps de- termine the degree of springhalt. " Such is our theory of a disease whose nature, we believe, has up to this time remained unexplained ; whether we have taken a correct view of it, experiment and special attention to these cases in future can alone decide. We have long had it in con- templation to attempt to induce springhalt by artificial means ; and we intend, as soon as an opportunity presents itself, to insti- tute some experiments for this purpose. " We so seldom know any thing of the origin and progress oi these cases, and, even if we did, they have generally endured 30 long, that it would be labor lost to treat them. Should, however, a r»!cent case present itself, in a horse of value enough to rer.der his recovery an object of consideration, we may pursue such m:;ans as have been recommended in the equally hopeless one of broken back." Regarding the Treatment. — It will be proper, when the attack is sudden, to let the horse rest ; foi; in a sudden attack, we might naturally suspect that some injury, sither by blow or strain, had been done to the nerves of voluntary motion : in that case, cold water bandages, (around the body,) rest, light diet, nauseating uietlicines, with an occasional light dose of cathartic medicine, to THE MJDERN HORSE DOCTOR. 205 clear out the bowels, will be indicated. Fomentations, ligli, frictions with antispasmodic liniment, and the vapor bath, may assist materially in the recovery of the patient. In chronic cases of long standing, all hopes of recovery musi be abandoned : should the subject, however, be ir a state of de- bility, the general health may be improved, and the ipine should be daily rubbed with embrocations calculated to restore nervous energy ; in this view, we recommend the following embrocation for springhalt • — Linseed oil, . . 1 pint, Spirits of hartshorn, 2 ounces, Fine mustard, i ounce. The medicine to consist of Powdered goldenseal, "j " genuan, I of each I ounce, Cream of tartar, j ' Charcoal, J Assafuetida, ^ ounce. Mix ; divide into eight parts ; one to be given morning and evening, in the food. HYSTERIA IN MARES. Hysteria is derived from a Greek noun, signifying the womb : the disease is of a nervous and spasmodic character, and is sup- posed to arise from derangement in the organs of generation. In the human subject, plethora and suppression of :he menses are assigned as the chief causes of this affection ; yet these conditions, probably, had another antecedent, which is quite common among various species, viz., dyspepsia ; for we know that there is a lia< bility of two or several organs to be affected in succession by a disease commencing in one of them : the stomach therefore, end uterus, which are conjoined in the performance of special functions, — nutrition and reproduction, — although having no direct ana- tomical connection, are very apt to display morbid sympathies, commencing in one and ending in the other: this is accomplished Uirough the nervous connections between distant parts. From what the author has been able to observe and glean, it ia his opinion that hysteria occurs most frequently among virgin nr.ares, after the age of puberty ; and in such as have had a foal ^04 THE MODERN HORSE POCTOB. FCETTIS THE MODERN HOIISE DOCTOR. 203 and afterwards deprived of sexuaj intercourse. The disoase ia more apt to make its appearance about the menstrual period • than any other ; at such times the mare should be fed light, and excused from every sort of active work ; perhaps a valine aperient * The following communication on menstnation in maret has been received by (he author, from Dr. C. H. Cleaveland : — " Piobably all know that mares of the proper age, and at certain seasoiu of the year, menstnuUe, or, in other words, have uneasy turn^s, get 'J'oolhh, us they say in Illinois ; and that, at such times, they seem unwilling to perfom. tneir usual task, either as travellers or as draught horses; that they se«m fret ful, and often ill tempered, vicious, spiteful, and trequently get a most thorough shipping, because their masters also get ' foolish.' '•Now, the simple fact is, that the mare knows more than her master in regard to her then condition, and she is trying to drive into his foolish noddle that, on such days, she should be left quiet, and be subject to no labor beyond the most gentle exercise. " If the reason why this course should be pursued, in preference to the hard work and the whipping which your mare has had bestowed upon her at such times, is not now plain and satisfactory to you, mosi sapient reader, just inquirij of any old matron within the circle of your acquaintance, and she will tell yoo that I am correct, but perhaps 'without a why or wherefore.' " The reproductive organs, in all animals, are intimately connected with the nervous system, and of course exert a vast influence over not only the nerves, but also the entire body, mind, and disposition ; and when those organs art deranged or diseased, the entire animal economy must suffer, and be rendered in a greater or less degree unfitted to perform its usual labors. In the female, these organs exercise a still more powerful influence upon the other parts of the system than in the male; and as they are liable to pe)'iodical derangements or excitements, it becomes obviously necessary to be strictly cautious not to tax the animal's powers of endurance at those periods. " Mares that have been ridden under the saddle, or driven in harness, during their periods of heat, and have performed no more than their usual amount ol labor, are frequently discovered to be covered with perspiration across the loins, while all other parts of the surface are cool and dry ; and the hostlers will say that tliey have been unable to rub those moist spots dry, even after the lapse ol many hours; and the next day the mare is observed to drag her hind legfi after her, almost as though her back were broken. Indeed, her back is lame-, weak, and painful. She urinates with difficulty, and there is evident inflain- tnation of the kidneys, the ovaries, and the uterus. " From slight injuries of this class mares wU readily recover ; but if they arc of too frequent repetition, or the injury be of too grave a character, the chances are, that the animal will be unable ever after to perform well, and will soon become nervous, irritable, and weak, and will be passed from jockey to jockej until she dies ; a martyr not to her o^vn 'fooUshiiess,' — for her waywardness a1 those times are icise admonitions to her master, — but to the folly of those wiac K%U 7iot learn to understand nature, because ' they know all abeu their horaes, lind do not wish to be instructed by any book doctor." 18 206 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. . may be of some use in correcting any existing morbid habit of body. When the disease occurs in mares that have once foaled, it may be confounded with hysteritis, (inflammation of the womb.) In order, therefore, that the reader shall be able to draw a distinct line between the two diseases, we inform him that hysteritis gen- erally occurs a few days after delivery, or abortion ; and on examining the vagina, it appears augmented in bulk; its lining membrane redder than usual, and the anus free from those vio- lent twitchings and loss of motor power which are present in hysteria. Symptoms of Hysteria. — A mare during the menstrual period, or perhaps a few days subsequent, will be seized with a paroxysm resembling a fit ; although there is no cerebral apoplexy nor stertorous breathing, (symptoms of cerebral disease,) and lies or falls down, and while the paroxysm lasts is unable to get up again : during this brief period tlie pulse is accelerated ; respirations rapid; the flanks are bedewed with moisture; there is a peculiar rigidity of the muscles of locomotion, attended with paralysis of the hind limbs : as the paroxysm declines, the use of the limbs is gradually restored ; the animal becomes more calm ; the pulse lessens in volume and lieats ; the respirations become more nat- ural. At this stage, the owner of the mare may observe that she is not herself, (as the saying is,) being excessively nervous and irritable, and is excited by the least noise : the mare, however gradually becomes calm, and then is suddenly seized with another paroxysm ; or they may follow each other in rapid succession, in which case death often puts an end to the scene, or it results in ceiebral disease. Veterinary Surgeon Haycock remarks, that out of three mares attacked with hysteria, two of them every now and then strained violently, and ejected, per vaginam, excessive quantities of coffee-colored urine, which consisted principally of blood : this, as far as the author's observation goes, has not been confiimed. Our observations, however, have only extended over a few cases ; in which we noticed that the animals passed neither dung nor urine until they arose, and then the urine was but slightly colored. Treatment. — It is useless to give medicine while the patient ig in a paroxysm ; all that can be done is to give the animal, whilo IHE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 207 dowi), an injection of warm water and salt, to which add an ounce or two of tincture of assafoetida ; let the external surface be well rubbed with wisps of coarse straw ; as soon as the fit is over, giv< a drench of Powdered assafoetida, .... 2 drachms, Tincture of valerian, .... 1 ounce. Sirup of garlic, . .... 2 ounces, Thin gruel 1 pint. > If the animal be not relieved in the course of six hours, repeal tLa dose, and clear out the bowels with a dose of glauber salts, to which add a small quantity of ginger. HYSTERITIS. — {Inflammation of the Womh.) The causes of inflammation in the womb are, difficult and prr- ti acted labor, abortion, and retention of placenta or foetal envelopes. Mares most subject to this disease, as well as prema- ture expulsion of the foetus, are the plethoric ; it generally comes on a few days after labor, and, unless early arrested, will terminate fatally. The objects in treating this disease are, to contract the womb, (encircle the loins with cold water bandages,) and palliate urgent symptoms ; keep the animal on gruel, and give a pint of bethwort tea every four hours ; attend to the state of the bowels ; if they are torpid, give a pint of olive oil, and follow it up with flaxseed tea. Should the disease be connected with vaginitis^ (inflammation of the vagina,) the treatment is the oame, with the tuldition of cold water to the pudendum. FEVER IN HORSES. Fever should not always be treated as disease; for, in a groat majority of cases it is only symptomatic of some local or general derangement. Fever is the same in its essential character under all circum- stances and forms which it exhibits. The different '^grades," as they are termed, are but varieties of the same condition, produced 208 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. by variations in the prevailing cause, or regulated by the amount of vital power in each given case, and are therefore an index pointing to the progress of the disease, operating to ward off the malady and restore health. An eminent physician has said, " Our indications of cure and modes of treatment are to be learned from those manifestations of the vital operations uniformly wit- nessed in the febrile state. If fever niju'ks the action of the healing power of nature, which we must imitate to be successful, why should we not consult the febrile phenomena for our rule 3f action ? Now, what are the indications of cure which we derive from this source ? In other words, what are the results which nature designs to accomplish through the instrumentality of fevsr? They are an equilibrium of the circulation, a properly-propor- tioned action of all the organs, and an increased depuration of the system, principally by the excrementitious outlets." Suppose a horse shall be suffering from a form of disease known as gastro-intestinal, occasioned by an accumulation of partly- digested food within the stomach; the mass acts as an irritant, — an exciting cause, — and the result is inflammation, (local fever;) then general excitement, or sympathetic action, which is manifest- ed by increase in number and volume of pulse, hurried respira- tion, superficial heat, &c. Now, it is evident that the inflam- mation — local fever — is not confined to the stomach alone, but becomes general, as we have just said, through the sympathetic relations. The effect of this general abnormal condition is to mitigate the force of the disease on the primary tissue, or tissues, to shift the weight of the burden, and so apportion it to the sev- eral parts of the system, as to lessen its intensity. The heat at the external surface shows that the circulation is active. '' Without heat there is no vitality in the system," and without blood there is no heat. Then the blood must be sent to the surface for the purpose of relieving the internal organ, and theiefore fever must, under some circumstances, be considered favorable to the cure of disease. Hence the reader will perceive that the practitioner whose creed is, "The more fever the nnore bloodletting," is one of the greatest opponents nature has to deal with, and it is no wonder that so many animals are said to die of fever: it i? moRt probable, however, that many die from the THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR 20i treatment. The practice of indiscriminate drenching, under the circumstances, with salts and aloes, may sometimes prove just sm destructive as the injudicious use of the lancet; for purgatives of this character act on the alimentary surfaces as mechanical irri tanta, and then and there set up a pathological action, to counter- act which nature recalls her forces from the external surface, arid employs them in the vicinity of parts where they were not wanted, until man's unwise interference conflicted with the well-planned arrangement ; in short, made nature turn a somerset. When the increased action and heat are manifested on the surface, does it not prove that the different organs are acting harmoniously in self-defence ? Is not this same action manifested through the same channels in a state of health ? And if morbific materials are present in the system, and are the cause of fever, will the mode of evacuation be different from that of health? Certainly not. Hence the marked tendency of fever to evacuation by the skin in profuse perspiration, from the nostrils in the form of catarrh, by the bowels as in diarrhoea, and lastly, by abscess. Therefore the great secret of curing diseases consists in accurately observing by what critical evacuations nature casts off" whatever may be the cause of her infirmities, and in following and assisting her agreeably to her indications, for she acts with great regularity. When an animal has taken cold, and there is power in the sys- tem to keep up a continual warfare against encroachments, the disturbance of vital action being unbroken, the fever is called piire or persistent. Emanations from animal or vegetable sub- stances in a state of decomposition or putrefaction, or the noxious miasmata from marshy lands, if concentrated, and not sufficiently diluted with atmospheric air, enter into the system, and produce a specific effect. In order to dethrone the intruder, who keeps up a system of aggression from one tissue to another, the vital power arrays her artillery, in good earnest, to resist the invading fo^ ; and if furnished with the munitions of war in the form of sanative agents, she generally conquers the enemy, and di( tatea her own terms. While the forces are equally balanced, which may be known by a high grade of vital action, it is also called unlyroken ov pure fever. The powers of the system may beconio exhausted by efforts at relief, and the fever will be periodically 18* dlO THE MOUKRN llOliSli DOCIOR. reduced; this form of fever is called remittent. By remitteni f^ver is to be understood that modification of vital action whicli rests or abates, but does not go entirely off before a fresh attack ensues. It is evident in this case, also, that nature is busily en gaged in the work of establishing her empire ; but being more exhausted, she occasionally rests from her labors. It would bo (IS absurd to expect that the most accurate definition of fever in one animal would correspond in all its details with another case, as lo expect all animals to be alike. There are many names given to fevers ; for example, we have milk or puerperal fever, symptomatic, typhus, inflammatory, &c. Veterinary Surgeon Percivall, in an article on fever, says, " We have no more reason — not near so much — to give fever a habitation in the abdomen, than we have to enthrone it in the head ; but it would appear from the full range of observation, that no part of the body can be said to be unsusceptible of inflammation, (local fever,) though, at the same time, no organ is invariably or exclusively affected." From this we learn that disease always attacks the weakes' organs. The same author continues, " All I wish to contend for is, that both idiopathic and symptomatic fevers exhibit the same form, character, species, and require the same general means of cure ; and that, were it not for the local affection, it would be ditficult or impossible to distinguish between the one or the other." . Di'. "White, V. S., says, " Some practitioners do not admit the existence of fever in the horse as a primary disorder, [they are sensible men,] but consider it as a symptom dependent 'on inter- nal disease. Then why not attend to the internal disease, instead of attempting to cure the fever ? It would be a very difficult task for us to convince mankind genei'ally that fever does not requii-e to be treated as the real enemy ; for fever's ai-e very fashionable dis- e&ses, and it is a very easy matter to convince a man that his hoi'se has ^ got a fever,' and he is always willing to pay for its treatment." Mr. Blaine, V. S., refers only to three different kinds of fever — the common or simple fever, symptomatic fever, and malignant epidemic fever. INIr. White, V. S., thus refers to fever : " The fevers of horses (for it is of little importance whether we cali tfaem fevers or inflammation) are gener-ally connected with THE MOUEKN HUK6E 1>0C10R. 211 inflammation either of the mucous or serous membranes, or both in other words, fever may be of the catarrlial kind, as in th'^ epidemic catarrh, or the violent influenzas which sometimes pre- vail in the spring or beginning of summer. Fever may affect the mucous surface of the stomach and bowels, when it causes great languor and debility." The day is not far distant, when a practitioner will as soon tl'ink of confining his treatment to scraping off a patient's coated tongue, when suffering from a bilious attack, as to think of treating tl.c febrile manifestations of a local disease in the horse, in view f-f ouriiig the latter. Our own definition of fever is, that it is a symptom of disease arising in consequence of sympathy of the system with disease in some particular part. Pleurisy, for example, consists in inflam- mation of the serous membranes within the thorax ; and at the commencement, and indeed during the various phases of the malady, fever may be present, manifesting itself in the usual manner ; bat are we to treat the fever, the mere manifestation of the disease — pleurisy ? or shall we not find it more in accord- ance with the principles of reason to endeavor to cure the . latter? Fever is present in all cases of an inflammatory charac- ter ; therefore we would warn our readers not to let fever in the horse so engross their attention as to overlook the real malady. Next to inflammation, fever is the great scarecrow of the em- pyric, when, in fact, there is nothing very alarming about the fever itself; yet it leads us into the by-paths of ignorance; for if there were not previous disease, there could be no fever, so that he who merely treats fevei is playing the part of mountebank tc the disease then present. A few illustrations will serve to ex- plain : A man, for example, manifests paroxysms of ^old, hot, and sweating stages ; these phenomena may prevail m different G.^grees, and their mode of succession vary ; but if the three differ- ri t stages are evident, the case is called intermittent fever. Now " dissections of those who have died of intermittent fever show a morbid state of many of the viscera of the thorax and abdo- men ; but the liver, and organs concerned in the formation of bile, as likewise the mesentery, are those which are usually mosl 'iffeeted." — Hooper. Why, then, should men trifle with the livofe 2\2 THE MODEUX HORSE DOCTOR. of their patients in curing fevers of this tyi)e, when such impor tant organs as the above are the primary ones involved ? The^i again, in cases of typhoid fever, post mortem examinations re- veal inflammation of. the brain and viscera, and more particu- larly of the stomach, intestines, and Peyers glands. Is it not reasonable, then, for us to suppose that fevers — the febrile symptoms — appear subsequently to the above diseases? that they develope them in so slow and insidious a manner as not iO be noticed until what men are pleased to denominate fovct tets in ; this being, at that stage of the disease, the most marked symptom ; and not having the privilege of inspecting the patient's internal organization, and of course being in the dark as to what is going on there, we jump at the conclusion that the patient has some sort of a fever, and name it according to its type and in- tensity. It is then treated secundum artem. A horse may all at once show signs of febrile phenomena ; but who is so wise as to be able to demonstrate that an error in j;«'n- eral management had not previously deranged the equilibrium jf the vital forces ere the first symptom of fever appeared ? So in the case of a cow, the subject of puerperal fever : she may have been for months in a state of plethora, (an abnormal con- dition,) which is generally the case with such animals; the dis- ease perhaps has been in a state of incubation for some time, but at length it arrives at a stage when the vital forces succumb — a general febrile state speedily follows — hence the fever is not the real malady. Our limits will not admit of further discussion under this head, other than to remark, that this as the age of reason, — " godlike reason," — and the world should be dotted over with medical investigators, who are willing to solve thf problems of disease and health according to the principles of reason, disregarding the stereotyped conclusions of by-gone days Three forms of fever occurring in the horse are alluded to by the author of Hippopathology. 1st. Common fever; 2d. Idio- pathic ; and, 3d. Symptomatic. The first is but a general dif- fuse inflammation. The second arises without any apparent local injury; and the third from some local cause or irritation. The above distinguished author, however, is evidently aiming .st perfection, for he has classed these three under the significatiou THE MODEKN HORSE DOCTOR. 213 of "one common kind;" and he also alludes to two of a kind that are uncommon, which he names specific, arising from some special, mysterious, or unknown cause. — See Hippopathology^ vol. i. p. 149. Treatment of Fever. — Under the iron heel of medical despot- inm, we are bound to " arrest its progress, and to mitigate its uiolence." But suppose we do. Are our patients any better uff? The records of the past will show. A rational system of veterinary medicine contemplates, in the treatment of febrile symptoms, notliing more than a kind of expectancy. If the patien* b^ in the cold stage, administer warm diffusible stimulants and diaphoretics, aided by warmth and moisture externally ; friction on the extremities, and, if necessary, stimulating applications to the chest and extremities. In the hot stage, and when the super- ficial heat of the body is great, cooling drinks are indicated water, acidulated with cream of tartar, makes a good febrifuge. The patient may be occasionally sponged with weak saleratua water. The alkali has a beneficial effect on the cutaneous vessels, while the water lessens the temperature of the body. No treat- ment, however, can be of any rational use, unless it contemplates a restoration of the healthy equilibrium of the whole system. Let the doctor treat the disease, and a good, attentive groom can manage the fever. SIMPLE SCARLET Y'ETER. — {Scarlatina.) Mr. Percivall, in referring to scarlatina, says, the first ac- count of it was published by himself in the Veterinarian for 1834. "This since has received such confirmation from other quarters as to leave no doubt in my mind that, rare as the malady ivcknowledgedly is, and hitherto undescribed as it has remained, it ftill one day find a place in our established veterinary nosology." It is difficult to say to what extent scarlatina prevails in thia country, for there are very few persons qualified to define such a disease ; in fact, the majority of men do not know that such an affection ever manifests itself in horses. From the fact however, that we have seen two cases within the past four years occurring in this city, we are led to suppose that it may, £,t certain eeasons; prevail to some extent. 214 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. The symptcms are very minutely defined in the following arti rle by Surgeon Haycock : — " Simple Scarlatina. — This form of the disease usually ap- pears in association with epidemic catarrh : it seldom, or, perhaps, never manifests itself simultaneously with epidemic catarrh, but usually on the third or fourth, and even as late as the sixth day from the commencement of the former. The animal affected with ciitarrh will, perhaps, be fed and left at night in what may be con- eidersd a fair way of recovery ; but when the attendant enters the etjible on the morning following, the patient may be found affected in a very peculiar manner ; the hair about the neck, the fore and hind limbs, will be elevated in blotches, while the limbs themselves will be found in a swollen condition. The blotchy elevations, generally speaking, are not large, but they are exceedingly char- acteristic of the malady. If the hand be pressed lightly over them, scarcely any corresponding elevations can be found upon the skin beneath. The mucous membrane of the nose will have upon it a few scarlet spots of variable size ; the pulse, in some mstances, will be increased in action considerably, while in oth- ers, even when the disease appears most severe, not so much. If the epidemic catarrh, or the disease under which the patient labors, be attended with soreness of throat, that soreness may be- come greatly increased, or it may not. Sometimes the blotchy elevations are confined to the hind limbs, and the scarle.t spots to the membrane of one nostril, while in other cases all these symptoms are present, but in such a very mild degree as not to excite the attention of any one but a closely observing prac- titioner. If, at this stage of the disease, the animal be judicious- ly treated, and the stable be dry and comfortable, the whole may pass off in a few days without any further mischief ensuing ; but if the treatment be improper, the stable cold and damp, and \he animal otherwise unfavorably circumstanced, it is probable that the disease will become more virulent, and either assume the malignant form, or pass into what is called ' purpura ha9' morrhagica,' and the life of the animal, in either state, become greatly endangered." Treatment. — This is one among the manj diseases w hich are ocnsider^d self-limited ; that is, they will run a regular course, THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. 213 ap to a certain intensity, and then, all things being favorable a? regards the patient's previous health, management, &c., the un- favorable symptoms subside gradually, and the subject conva- lesces into a normal condition. Some medical treatment, advice at least, may be needed. A veterinary surgeon should be con- sulted if possible ; he may do nothing by way of medical treat- ment, but his advice will prove invaluable, and, in the end, of gi-eat pecuniary advantage to the patient's master. The treat m^nt of small-pox or scarlet fever occurring in human subjects in the London hospitals is a very simple affair to what it was n few years ago, and, in consequence, those maladies are less fatal So with reference to scarlatina in the horse — the medicines, if any are indicated, must be few and simple. The owner of tlie horse cannot err in carrying out a proper system of hygiene, so strictly observed in well-conducted hospitals. As a febrifuge, water acidulated with cream of tartar is the best: this may be given at discretion ; it allays inflammatory symptoms, cools the thirst, promotes the secretions and excretions; in short, is just the drink for a fever patient. A kind of sloppy diet may at first be used, composed of Bcalded fine feed, &,c. ; a small quantity of sweet hay will be required, to keep the stomach employed, and to distend it to a healthy capacity ; yet, in the early stages of this disease, we need not be very solicitous about the quantity of food necessary ; for if we should half starve the patient just at this time, it is of littlr importance, provided he has an abundance of good water and sloppy gruel to drink. When the disease has so far advanc ud as to exhaust the patient's strength, then it is time for us to loosen the string of the meal bag. If the bowels become constipated, at any stage during thft progress of this affection, a dose of sulphur and cream of tailar (one ounce of the former, and half an ounce of the latter) may with perfect safety be given, and also repeated, if necessary. U IS best to give the medicine in the form of drench. The after treatment depends altogether on circumstances ; if the patient has had a careful nurse during bis sickness, he may not require mj medicine. 8i(J THF MODERN HORSE DOCTOB. MALIGNANT SCARLET FEVER. Malignant scarlet fever is a sequel to the preceding disease, and may be said to commence where the other terminates : it ia difiicult, however, to determine the exact line of demarcation where one ends and the other commences ; yet, when the patient has passed through the usual probation of simple scarlatina, and, instead of appearing better, grows worse, we may reasonably suspect that the disease will terminate in the above form. The author's experience is so limited as regards the symptoms of this malady, that he prefers to give those detailed by Surgeon Hay- cock, who is considered good authority. Symptoms of Malignant Scarlet Fever. — " The patient for some days may have manifested what is usually considered to bo influenza, or epidemic catarrh, the symptoms of which will, for the most part, consist of sore throat of an obstinate nature, with fever more or less severe, with cough, loss of appetite, dis- charge of purulent matter from the nostrils, and general debility : when, suddenly, the whole changes ; the limbs begin to swell, which swelling presents either an uneven surface, (occupying the wliole of the limbs,) or it appears in lumps, or masses, which are both large and numerous, also hot, hard, and painful, while those portions of the skin which are free from such svvelling present the blotchy elevations so common to the simple form of scarlatina. The membrane of the nose becomes, also, covered with large-sized spots of an intense scarlet color, while from the nostrils is dis- charged a mixture of blood, purulent matter, and serum. At this stage, the soreness of the throat becomes excessive, accom- panied, of course, with a corresponding degree of diffi- ulty in swallowing ; the cough also becomes worse, and of a suffocating character. The pulse increases in number, reaching, at times, 90, or e73n 100, beats per minute, and is always of a weak or feeble character. The swollen limbs are excessively tender, and if the patient be left alone, he will stand for hours nailed, as it were, to one place and in one position ; it is only with the great- est difficulty that he can be made to move at all. As the disease proceeds, or assumes more intensity, large blisters or vesicle* THE mohern horse doctor. 217 appear upon the limbs, particularly around the joints , these vehicles burst, and discharge a bright amber-colored fluid, which is very corrosive in its effects on the adjoining skin. In other cases again, some extreme portion of the organism, such as the ears, for example, will suddenly present a blanched appearance, the skin of these organs will shrink, and become hard and dry, as though frozen, and in the course of a day or two these blanched portions snap off, leaving a raw surface, which speedily suppurates. The appetite entirely disappears, and the secretion from the bowels becomes checked, and what is denominated c(n\- stipation ensues ; the urine is scanty, and of a thick, yellow, or brown color. In the course of twenty or twenty-four hours from the commencement, (and in many cases even less,) the scarlet spots on the membrane of the nose enlarge and pass into the purple-colored patches, and these patches slough, and leave a raw surface, from which is seci'eted an abundance of purulent matter ; at the same time, a similar sloughing goes on around the joints, where the blisters or vesicles first appeared. If the animal does well, the fever will generally abate (in the milder slates at least) about the fourth or fifth day from the commence- ment of the more acute stage, while in the more malignant kinds it is seldom that a change for the better occurs before the seventh or eighth day." Treatment. — The medicines must be of a stimulating, auti- sfptic, and laxative character — stimulants, of a permanent char- acter, to arouse vital action, and carry on the various functions of the body ; antiseptics, to arrest decomposition, and ward off the typhoid state ; laxatives, to carry off the morbid products, as fast as they accumulate within the dige.^ive surface, The dLease is now supposed to have invaded all the tissues to a greater or less extent, and requires to be promptly met with medicines of this description, aided by a nutritious diet easily digested, such as coarse oatmeal, dry, or in the form of thick gruel ', equal parts of flour and fine feed may also be used in this view, with an allowance of boiled roots — carrots, potatoes, parsnips, or beets- Every means that the urgency of the case demands must be put in force to make the animal as comfortable as possible. The rectum must be occasionally emptied, bv means 19 :^18 THE MODERN HORSE DOCT >R. of injections ; and if the throat be sore, or, from any othei cause, the patient cannot swallow sullicient food to jnipport the vital forces, his strength may be kept up by nourishing enema — b'ief tea, flour gruel, &c. ; at all events, a supply of hay tea, thickened with some farinaceous substance, ought to be kept in (he (rib ; it is a tempting delicacy to sick horses, and they often give it the preference to all other kinds. The following compound is considered the best, in view ol fulfilUng the indications just alluded to : — Powdered capsicum, 1 drachm, " charcoal, ^ ounce, " cubebs, 2 drachms, Sulphur, 6 drachms. To be given at a dose. How this shall be given is not for the author to say ; that will depend on circumstances. The throat may be sore ; in that case it will not be prudent to drench the patient ; hence it must be introduced into the stomach along with the food. The patient may have no disposition to eat ; if 60, we must give him medicines of less bulk, which, through patience and care, we may at last succeed in getting down the throat. Our remedy then is brandy and salt, in wine-glasa doses, ; Tincture of capsicum, .... 1 ounce, Linseed oil, 4 ounces, Fir balsam, 1 ounce. In the event of the patient not swallowing the whole of this, it will have the effect of lessening the pain within the throat, even should it only come in contact with the mucous surfaces. Let the medicines be given in broken doses, at intervals of a few minutes ; in this way we may succeed, even should the throat bo sore. The blotches over the body should be sponged daily with alkaline wash — weak ley of wood ashes, or saloratus water. So soon as abscesses appear, they are Ui be moistened with Pyroligneous acid, .... 4 ounces, Water, 1 p^nt. The case will very soon be decided ; the patient will either grow worse, or show symptoms of amendment ; if he should, however, appear better, the above treatment, with the addition THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 213 jf some tonic medicine, such as gentian or goldenseal, may grsidually complete the cure. TYPHUS FEVER. Disease of the above type is more frequent in the Western than in the Eastern States, and more commonly occurs among cattle than horses : the main features of it consist in a tendency to rapid putrescence of the solids and fluids, and great prostra- tion : it is generally complicated with disease of the lungs or intestines. Its diagnostic symptoms are, pulse quick, soft, and feeble ; tongue coated with a yellow-brown fur on its centre ; its margins are of a light-red color, and cracks or fissures are occa- sionally observed. The teeth have lost their natural, and are now of a dark brown color ; the gums are red, and discharge an ichorous fluid ; the breath is very offensive ; the color of the nasal membranes almost resembles that of the tongue ; yet they more frequently present symptoms of pulmonary congestion, hav- ing, however, a dry appearance, with dark, reddened patches. The eyes are suffused, and the countenance has an expression :)f turgidity. If typhus is complicated with pulmonary disease, the respirations are hurried and the bowels sluggish. When connected with intestinal disease, the dung is sHmy, black, and fetid ; pressure in the abdominal region elicits signs of pain. There is also great thirst and loss of appetite. On carefully passing the hand over the patient's body, we discover a morbid heat, and perhaps some elevations or eruptions. These are the diagnostic symptoms ; others, common to various diseases of a low febrile type, are present, varying in duration and intensityj according to the nature of the case. Post mortem examinations show no other constant pathological changes that can be depended on ; so that the external signs appear of more value to the sur- geon than the internal. Its last stages are marked by a putrid type ; mortification puts an end to the patient's sufferings. We consider the disease, at a certain stage, both contagious and in« foctious. (For treatment, see Malignant Scarlet Fever.) Tha prophylactic means are, ventilation, cleanliness, nutritious diet and fumigation. 220 THE MODERN HOBSE DOCTOB. PUTRID FEVER This disease is somewhat rare in this section of the United States, but sometimes prevails to an alarming extent in the South- western. The following communication was lately received by the author fi'om a veterinary surgeon of Pennsylvania • — " Buckingham, November "26, 1853. " Respected Friend : Agreeable to promise, I will now e!»deavor to give you some of the causes, symptoms, diagnoses, piognoses, and treatment of the disease that has recently been prevailing, not only with your horses, but with many others, in different sections of Bucks, Montgomery, and New Jersey — with horses differently fed, exercised, stabled, and groomed, as is common to arise from the different avocations and peculiar views of their different owners. I have never attributed the disease to any kind of feed, exercise, stabling, or grooming, particularly ; but I attribute the remote cause of the disease to atmospheric influence, and the proximate cause to dehility, however induced. This theory of the cause of the disease I will endeavor to give you some reasons for. First, the disease has always prevailed to a much greater extent in the fall of the year than at any other time, when the weather is frequently changing from heat to cold, and from cold to heat. " A change from cold to heat has a relaxing and debilitating effect upon the whole system ; the perspiration flows freely on the least exertion, showing great relaxation of the skin ; and when the horse is in this relaxed condition, perhaps the weather changes suddenly to a cold, damp, north-east wind. This change makes a great demand upon the caloric of the system, ci, in other words, extracts a great proportion of animal heat, closea the pores of the skin, thereby throwing the perspiration back upoa the internal vital organs, which impedes their free, full, and healthy functions — particularly so in the fall of the year, when the horse is changing his summer for his winter coat, or what is called the moulting. As the moulting is a process extending over the whole of the skin, requiring a very considerable ex pen* THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 221 diture of vital power, which, taken in conjunction with the othei causes hinted at above, renders the horse more susceptible or predisposed to diseases of a low grade, such as I am now consid* ering, that energy and nervous and vital influence, which should support the whole frame, are in the moulting season to a great degree determined to the skin, and the horse is languid, and un- able to bear as much hard work as at other seasons of the year ; dnd if he is pressed beyond his strength, he will be liable to be- come seriously ill, and that illness will be, in a great majority of cases, of a low, malignant, or typhoid type, in which the systr .^i io never able to react, so as to produce a disease of an inflaTi- matory order. Hence the frequency, at this season of the year, of the disease in question, which consists essentially in a great 'prostration of the living principle. In some attacks of this dis- ease, it is so severe that it destroys life in the space of from six to twelve hours, and on examination of the cadaver after death, there will scarce be the slightest trace of the disease left behind ,• because the force of the cause of the disease was so powerful that it took life at once, as if it had been taken by a blow on the head, or as if a large dose of arsenic had been given, whith immediately destroys the power of the system to produce heat and nervous energy, and death takes place without any reaction, or without leaving any perceptible effects of the poison behind. Precisely so is it with this disease when it takes hfe without re- action. But if the attack is not severe enough to destroy life under three or four days, there will be some reaction, and traces of gangrenous imflammation may be discovered, on dissection, to have taken place on the mucous membrane of the windpipe, lungs, &c. And again, in a still milder attack, where the horse will linger along from a week to two or threfe weeks, his wholf body becomes one mass of putrefaction, and wholly unfit to b€ even cast to the dogs. Such, then, is the malignant nature of the disease produced by poisonous agents in the air, acting on horses predisposed to receive it. It not unfrequently, when it prevails as an epidemic, destroys two thirds of those attacked. Bidding defiance to every remedial means, it boldly marches on its course, until its work of destruction is complete, and then if Beems as if occupying the desolated spot in triumph. 19* 222 THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. " Symptoms. — The first or premonitory symptoms of putnd fever are a peculiar wrangling of the body and striding of th« liicbs, as if the horse was conscious of his inability to walk. At the same time, there will be some difficulty of swallowing, and some thirst ; the horse will appear as if drinking a great deal, and will delight to continue at the water a long while, when in fact ho s getting little or none down. These symptoms are soon followed by extreme muscular debility — -a weak and intermitting pulse. The horse gets down, is totally unable to rise, or to swallow either food or drink ; not from any swelling or obstruc- tion in the throat, but from want of strength in the muscles of deglutition to perform their functions. He lies on his side, pawG with his fore feet, struggles, and seems in great distress ; now commences breathing short, rattles in the windpipe, (which is full of a substance like lively soap suds, which exudes from the mucous surface of the windpipe and bronchial tubes,) coughs so as to shake the entire frame, although it is a peculiarly weak, ineffectual cough, brings nothing up, nor does it afford any relieC From the weakness of the circulation, there will be, at every round thereof, more or less of blood deposited in the lungs, till they become congested, or filled with blood. This congestion of the lungs is often mistaken by inexperienced persons, as well as those poor in diagnosis, for primary inflammation of them, and the lancet is resorted to, (although the pulse would forbid its use if they knew how to consult it,) which hurries on, at a rapid rate, the very congestion which they were expecting to relieve, by producing still greater debility in the system,. which is the sole cause of the congested condition which the lungs are frequently found in after death. In some cases a great discharge of saliva takes place from the mouth ; breath very offensive ; bowels coS' tive, and when a discharge does take place from them, it is gen- erally covered with a white, slime-like substance, though in some instances a purging takes place, but by no means a common occurrence ; legs and ears cold ; the heat of the skin is generally too low, although in some rare instances it rises to a high degree, an-i is acrid and burning to the touch. The countenance ex- presses some anxiety. His eyes preserve their healthy look ti'J oear death, wher te.ars nay be seen rolling around in them. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 22^1 LHatffiosis. — It may be distinguished from inflammatoiy 3or6 Bli jat hy the sudden and great prostration of strength -, by the putrid tendency in the system ; by the typhoid type of the fever, and low, intermittent pulse, and putrid smell of the breath. Thert is no soreness evinced when the throat and windpipe are pressed betv r.en the fingers, nor is there any pain manifested in making an eflbrt to swallow, as there is in inflammatory sore throat. " Prognosis. — Favorable : The countenance preserving it;e natural state ; the look firm and clear ; respiration not disturbed ; pulse but little altered; but slight difiiculty in swallowing; the prostration of strength not great, the horse continuing to feed without an increased secretion of saliva. " Unfavorable : Extreme anxiety of countenance ; difficult res- piration ; great prostration of strength, without the power to swallow either food or drink, although they will continue to try almost constantly ; copious flow of saliva, of a tenacious, white appearance ; increased arterial action, with diminished muscular power ; unable to stand but fo-r a short time, and almost constantly struggling whilst down, and if turned on his breast, the nose will rest on the ground ; he has not strength sufficient to hold it up. " Treatment. — In attacks where the prostration of strength ig not great, give a drachm of camphor and half an ounce of nitre, both finely pulverized and dissolved in half a pint of warm water and give as a drench every six hours, till you give two doses ;" then omit one dose, and give one ounce of powdered aloes, and half an ounce of capsicum, dissolved in a pint of warm water ; drench with it, but never raise the head higher when drenching than is unavoidable, taking especial care not to strangle him. In six hours after giving the physic, commence with the camphor and nitre as before, and give it every six hours, till it has con- siderable of a diuretic effect, or till the horse shows symptoms of returning health, when three doses in twenty-four hours will be sufficient. But if the horse should be losing strength, the nitre must be left out, and from *wo to four drachms of capsicum added to the camphor in its place, and given every four or six hours. Should the physic not operate in twenty-four hours, half the abov6 quantity must be given ; it is not proper that severe purging should be produced, but sufficiently so to warrant the belief that the alimentary canal has beeu thoroughly cleansed. 224 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. " But should he still be losing strength, in taking the capsicun and camphor he must have added to them, night and morning, from three to four drachms of finely-powdered cascarilla. Injec- tions must be used twice a day whilst the bowels are costive, composed of half an ounce of castile soap to a quart of warm water, and four ounces of epsonj salts dissolved in a quart of warm water, alternately. The throat must be gargled every two hours, v.ith a tea made by pouring half a gallon of boiling water on six drachms of capsicum, and when cool add a pint of good vinegar. The throat externally must be well rubbed with the following mixture three or four times a day : half a pint spirits of harts- horn, ditto of turpentine, ditto of camphor, all mixed and kept well corked. If the horse is down and unable to get up> he must be helped whenever he struggles to get up. " I have now given you a short outline of the causes, symp- toms, treatment, &c., as you desired me to do. I have not car- ried out in detail the different heads alluded to as I could have desi] ed, but I trust the hints which I have thrown out will dispel some of the doubts and darkness that hang over this disease ; and if the prescriptions here given are timely and judiciously applied, they will arrest the disease in a number of cases, and stay the astonishing waste of property that we so frequently hear of. " With respect, I remain your friend, " Isaiah Michener, V. S." DISEASES OF THE MOUTH SLAVERING. — {Auffmenied Salivary Secre(um.*) Slavering horses are frequently met with in farming districts, where clover is used as an article cf fodder. There seems to be Bome peculiar property about the flowers of clover which renders * Showmg the almndmwe of the Salivary Secretion. — Mr. Charles Dickens, a veterinary surgeon of Kimbolton, has taken the trouble to ascertain the amouiil n1 saliva secreted b)' a parotid gland ; he was enabled to make the experimenl THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 225 them a source of great irritation to the mucous surfaces and sali- vary apparatus of the horse. Some horses, however, will partake of clover without the least inconvenience ; in fact, they "get used to it," as the saying is, and, with the addition of other grain, glow fat and sleek. Lobelia and tobacco have about the same effect on some green horses as clover, always inducing an increased flow of sali\a. These articles may induce an increased secretion of this fluid in two ways : — 1. By irritation ; the article coming in direct contact with highly sensitive secretory surfaces, which always pour out their fluids on the application of an irritant, so long as it remains an irritant, and provided the parts retain their normal sensibility. 2. Through the medium of absorbents: thus calomel affects the salivary glands, and causes them to secrete and pour forth an amount of fluid at times almost incredible. Any irritating body placed within the horse's mouth may produce an increased flow of saliva. It is the custom among horsemen in Hungary, to place on the horse's bit a small piece of corrosive sublimate, or arsenic, and very soon he begins to foam at the mouth, which is considered a mark of high temper ; and, strange to write, his general ap- pearance improves — he gains flesh; the coat lies smooth and sleek ; he is all life and ambition. But the day of reckoning comes ; the poison accumulates in the system, and the high- mettled plethoric steed loses all his artificial qualities, so much admired ; his mettle and ambition desert him, his muscles shrink, and he soon becomes food for the ravens and other beasts of prey. The sharp edges of a worn-down tooth, or a tooth in a state of ulceration, may give rise to profuse salivation ; then again, a rough bit, and a hard master may be set down among the direct causes of this complaint. on a horse which was the subject of fistulous parotid duct. He found that, while the animal masticated hay, from eight to ten drachms of saliva per minute flowed; but if the jaws were quiet, from six to eight drachms only. Now, if wo take the medium at one ounce per minute, and suppose an equal secretion from the opposite gland, it will fall little short of a gallon jm- hoiir, in a compara- tively small animal. Adding to this, therefore, the submaxillary, subl'uguai &c., secretions, the amount secreted m a given tune must be very great 226 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. Lastly. Indifferent fodder of any kind, and impaired diges tive organs, are apt to produce augmented salivary secretion. Treatment. — The causes must be diligently sought for, and il practicable, ought to be removed : this important step may, of itself, procure relief. If the trouble can be traced to a cari> ous tooth, let it be extracted, or should the edges of a tooth irritate the inside of the cheek, apply the tooth rasp, and make till smooth. If any irritation exists about the glands of the throat and mouth, apply a stimulating application to them, composed of hartshorn and olive oil. When the malady is supposed to originate in consequence of the presence of some obnoxious article in the fodder, change the diet, and give the following: — Powdered bayberry bark, "| " gum myrrh, 1 " goldenseal, > of each ounce. " ginger, " sulphur, J Mix; divide the mass into eight parts, and mix one va. fine feed night and morning. In some cases we have used gargles, composed of decoction of witch hazel, bayberry bark, tincture gum catechu, and a solution of alum, either of which is good when an astringent is indicated. There are cases, however, that often baffle our utmost skill, such, for example, as are supposed to depend on some lesion of the nervous structure, known by a partial paralysis of one side of tbe face. Mr. Cox relates, in the Veterinarian, the case of a cow, " which was said to be constantly slavering, and more so when she was nirainating. The symptoms were, one eye half closed, caused by inability to raise the eyelid ; the ear, on the same side, hang- oig down ; and likewise the upper lip on the same side. It was evidently an attack of paralysis which was the cause of these appearances. The treatment was, blisters applied round the base of the ear, &c.,'and laxative medicines given. In a month she appeared well. "Another, having the same symptoms, was cured by a like treatment. " Another case yet, of like symptoms and treatment, with thfl THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 22/ addition of the insertion of setons, never recovered ; her ejelidj and ear, and side of lier lip, remained down, and slie continually kept slavering, until, at last, I lost sight of her. *' I knew a mare in which the saliva ran out of the mouth in a most astonishing manner. The cause I found to be a slight attack of paralysis on one side of the upper lip. " My attention was once directed to a cow that had been slaver« ing foi :ipwards of nine months previous. Gallons of saliva DiigLt be caught in the course of twenty-four hours. I examined thi? cow over and over again, but never could find any apparent cause for the morbid secretion. She had milked well the greater part of the time, and had never failed in her appetite. Although she had become very poor, she was sold to a slink butcher. I had not an opportunity of making a post mortem examination. The person that opened her could discover ' nothing the matter.' " In another case of a cow, which presented the symptoms of the case last described, and which had been amiss about a month, we treated thus : a gentle purge was first given ; afterwards, an occasional stimulant and tonic were administered ; and the region of the parotid and submaxillary glands well blistered ; and this was repeated. She ultimately recovered." INFLAMMATION OF THE TONGUE — (G/owtiw.) This is generally supposed to arise from injury to the tongue ; but cases frequently occur that cannot be traced to this source. We treated a case of this kind occurring in a horse, the property of Mr. Thomas Bancroft. The animal had performed his usual labor, when, on putting him up at night, the tongue was observed to be swollen, and the tip protruding on one side. On careful rxaraination, no lesion nor injury of any kind could be found. I^ext day, the tongue was enormously swollen, so that the pa- tient was unable to close the nippers ; he had also inflammato- ry sore throat, and considerable fever. The treatment consisted in applying stimulating liniment to the throat ; the mouth waa kept constantly moist with salt and water, occasionally cram- ming a handful of salt between the jaws ; he subtisted on thin oatmeal gruel, acidulated with cream of tartar, and got well is 228 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. BIX days, without any medicine. Another case was treated in the same manner, which ended in abscess under the jcvv, and the subject quickly recovered. At times, inflammatory action runs high, when it will be necessary to give a dose of glauber salts ; dose, ten ounces. WOUNDS OF THE TONGUE. Il is very fortunate for horses that wounds occurring in this useful appendage to the mouth generally heal very rapidly: all (hat is necessary is, to let the animal rest, keep him on a sloppy diet, and apply tincture of arnica to the parts. LAMPAS. So long as horse owners believe " lampas " to be a discA^e, and men can be found to " burn it out," as it is sometimes termed, just so long will the error exist, and the barbarism continue. Lampas is a terra used to signify a state of tumefaction exist- ing in the palate, about that part known as the bars, situated in the vicinity of the upper nippers. The tumefaction arises, — 1. From local emphysema, — windy swelling, — rendering tho palate elastic and augmented. 2. From induration, — abnormal increase in the consistence of the palate, — owing to an accumulation of dense particles of blood, which resist a free circulation of that fluid through the parts. 3. From congestion, either passive or active. In passive congestion, there is an excess of blood, in conso- qu3nce either of weakness in the propelling force, or of an obsta- cle to the exit of blood from the congested membrane : this state gives rise to swelling of the veins in horses' legs also Active congestion is a determination of blood to the part, in conse- quence of local irritation, teething, &c. In aged horses we fre- quently find the bars of the palate in a state of hypertrophy; but as this is only an exaggeration of a natural state, we take no notice of it ; in fact, arising from whatever cause it may, (except teeth* iny,^ lampas does not cause the animal any inconvenience THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOii. 229 This opinion, we are aware, will conflict with that of a groai many horsemen, who make a practice of searching a horae'a mouth whenevei he shows the least signs of illness, to see if the " lampas are down ; " but let it be understood that the bars or ridges of a horse's mouth correspond to the hard palate in man, which every one knows is not very sensitive, and therefore can- not be the cause of ill health, nor prevent the animal from raaa* ticating his food. Hence the practice of burning the bars is an unnecessary barbarity, which should never be countenanced. The most that we ever do in cases of lampas is to wash the mouth with a weak solution of alum, or infusion of bayberry bark ; but it often happens that subjects with lampas are brought to us fof examination, and in a great majority of cases we find them la- boring under some derangement of the digestive function, the restoration of which allays the owners' apprehensions about lam- pas. The reader, if he still considers that " something must be done for lampas," may, possibly, change his opinion on perusing the following from the pen of Mr. Percivall : — " Lampas is a name given by writers on farriery to a swell- ing, or unnatural prominence, of some of the lowest ridges or bars of the palate. I should not have thought it worth while to have taken up time with this supposed malady, but that it has called forth the infliction of great torture on the animal by way of remedy, and that it has been a cloak for the practice of much imposition on those who have been in the habit of consulting farriers on the diseases of their horses. I allude to the cruelly and barbarity of burning the palates of horses so affected : equal- ly consistent would it be, and were it consistent, more requisite, to cauterize the palates of children who are teething ; ^or the truth is, the palate has no more to do with the existing disease. (if disease it can be called) than the tail has. Lampas is neither more nor less than a turgidity of the vessels of the palate, con- sequent upon that inflammatory condition of the gums which now and then attends the teething process ; but notwithstanding this plain and simple truth, the horse continues to be perse nited for it, eren by some professional men, as well as farriers. Tua practice is a' stigma upon our national character, and a disgrace to the professors of veterinary science. 20 230 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. " Teething in children is now and then a season attended witi restlessness and pain, and was one, before surgeons were in the habit of using the gum lancet, of anxiety and danger ; but it ia not so with horses ; they never have any feverish irritation created in the system, though they may have some tenderness of the gums and palate, and though some few, in consequence of this terderness, cud their food, or refuse to eat any but what is soft and vinirritating. In such a case, if any thing requires to be done, wu ought to lance the gums, not the palate ; but I do not remember ever to have had to do this but once ; and this hap- pened in the case of a horse, then in his fifth year, which had fed BO sparingly for the last fortnight, and so rapidly declined in condition in consequence of it, that his owner, a veterinary sur- geon, was under no slight apprehensions about his life. He had himself repeatedly examined the horse's mouth, without having discovered any defect or disease ; but another veterinary sur- jjeon, to whom he had shown the animal, was of opinion that the averseness or inability manifested in masticating food, and the consequent cudding of most of that taken in, arose from a pre- ternatural bluntness of the faces of the grinders : these teeth, therefore, were filed, but no benefit -esulted. It was after this that I saw the horse, and must confess that I was just as much at a loss, in my first examination, to offer any thing satisfactory on the case as many others who were then present ; for his teeth and mouth appeared to us all to be perfect and healthy. As I was ruminating, however, after my inspection, on the apparently extraordinary nature of the case, it struck me that I had not seen the tusks. I immediately betook myself to a reexamina- tion, and then discovered two little tumors, red and hard, in the Biluations of the posterior tusks, which, when pressed, appeared to give the animal insufferable pain. I instantly took a pocket knife, and made crucial incisions through these prominences down to the teeth, from which time the horse recovered hii ap- petite, and was restored." Tumefaction of the mouth, arising from whatever cause it may, indicates cooling and astringent washes : a weak solution of alum will probably answer every purpose, with which the mouth may be sponged two or three times daily ; an infusion of witch-hazel or bayberry bark will answer the same purpose. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 23j A hot, tender, or inflamed mouth, unattended with disease may be relieved in the same manner. APHTHA, OR THRUSH. This disease of the mouth is very common among young horses. It consists of small red patches and vesicles on the in- Bide of the cheeks, also on the tongue. The mouth is hot and feverish, and the animal will frequently allow the food to fall out of it, from inability to masticate. The principal means to be em- ployed are, a paste made of equal parts of honey and powdered bayberry bark or borax ; the parts to be anointed every night. To promote healthy action and purify the blood, give Flowers of sulphur, 1 ounce, Powdered goldenseal , .... 2 ounces, " sassafras, 1 ounce. Mix ; divide into four parts, and give one every night in scalded shorts. This treatment applies to all classes of live stock. DENTITION. — {Teething.) There is no doubt that a colt sometimes suffers considerable pain from teething, in consequence of the resistance which the teeth encounter from unyielding gums. The pain does not arise, as some suppose, from the point of the tooth pressing upward against the gum, but from the downward pressure, — the roots of the tooth compressing the dental nerve, — consisting in local irri- tation, which, if not relieved, deranges a part or the whole of the nervous system. The remedy is a sharp gum lancet. Make an incision right down to the point of the tusk, or tooth, and the animal generally experiences relief. If he labor under sympa- thetic fever, appears irritable and nervous, give him a drachm of assafoetida in thin gruel, keep the bowels soluble, and let the diet be light. SHARP AND PROJECTING TEETH. Owing to the unequal wear of some horses' teeth, their edgof project and become sharp ; they are then apt to irritate and 232 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. wound the mucous membrane on the inside oi the cheek. In suftF cases we notice an increased flow of saliva, imperfect mastica tion, and loss of flesh. The remedy is a mouth rasp. lilSHOPING. Bishoping consists in making artificial marks on horses' teeth, to give them the appearance of youth. It is a species of im- position so reprehensible that all honest horse dealers have set their faces against it, and we are not aware that it is to any ex- tent practised here. Mr. Youatt says, " It is called bishoping from the name of the scoundrel who invented it. The horse of eight or nine years old is cast, and, with an engraver's tool, a hole is dug in the now almost smooth surface of the corner teeth, and in shape and depth resembling the mark in a seven-year old horse. The hole is then burnt with a heated iron, and a perma- nent black stain is left ; the next pair of nippers are sometimes lightly touched, to imitate the brown color of the natui'al mark." However dexterously the operation may be performed, the fraud i^i easily discovered by those who are in the habit of examining teeth. If the horse is aged, it may be known by the general appearance ; such as gray hairs, sunken eyes, deep hollows above them. The bones are prominent ; lips flabby ; and the nippers of the lower jaw, instead of appearing angular, approach, as the animal advances in years, to the horizontal. LMENESS FROM STRAIN AND OTHER CAUSES. OBSERVATIONS ON LAMENESS. The principal difl[iculty surgeons meet with in the treatment of lameness is, that their services are not called into requisition in the first instance, — so soon as the trouble is discovered, — • gome owners thinking that the lameness is too slight to lay the animal up, and therefore they work him, hoping it will pass off THE MODERN HCRSE DOCTOR. 28a 234 THE MODERN HOR3E DOCTOR. or lliey argue, should he grow worse, it is then time enough tn talk about doctoring him. This puts us in mind of the story told about the sailor, who, having just left port, was one day overha'jl- ing his kit, when out tumbled three or four pairs of stockings, having small holes in each heel. His shipmates, knowing him to be a married man, let off a few jokes at his wife's expense, for not mending them. In order to excuse the wife's seeming neg- ligence, he stated that she informed him just before he sailed that " the holes ivere too small to require darning, and not large enough for a patch ; and that next voyage she would see to .'.hem." She did not believe in the doctrine that " a stitch in time savea nine ; " nor does the horseman who waits until the horse becomes lamer. And in the event of increased lameness, it is not always that science is consulted, even at this stage ; for there are always enough men to be found, who^ consider 'Uhat anybody can doctor a horse," more especially a lame one ; and who are ever ready to offer an opinion as to the seat of the lameness, (very fre- quently an erroneous one,) for we often see their prescriptions applied to the whirl bone, as they call it, when the lameness is evidently in the hock. The same mistake occurs when a part of the forward limb is affected. It would be quite amusing to notice some of the remedies, from new rum and wormwood down to a hot sJiovel, that are in such repute among these amateur savans ; but the cause of science would not be benefited by it. We feel thankful, however, that this practice of doing worse than nothing is fast dying out, and that more sensible horse owners begin to realize that it requires just the same skill to manage the diseases of a horse as it does for those occurring on the owner. The very moment a horse becomes lame, he should be excused from duty, because, if it should be of a trivial nature, rest may perform a cure. Indeed, rest, in the early stage of any sort of lamenesS; ia beneficial, because it lessens whatever inflammation may I e about the part, which, if it should exist, work would only aggra- ''ate. If, on examination, the owner cannot discover the cause and seat of lameness, he had better not trust to his neighbor's opinion, but consult some one skilled in the anatomy of the horse ; and although it may cost him a dollar or two, it will be the cheap est in the end. Prompt aid in the primary stage of any lame THE MODEUN HORSE DOCTOR. 235 ness, apparently trivial, might prevent much of the chronic lameness that we now see, and perha[)S prevent many a spavir, and ringbone, and other deformities known to criginats in liga« mentary lameness. Lameness may arise from a great variety of causes. A horse \f\ihjlat soles may be shod so that the sole rests on the shoe, and while travelling on soft ground he may go vritbout the least sign of lameness ; but the moment he comes on to the pavements, he all at once becomes dead lame irom bruise of the sole, or he may get a small pebble between the sole and shoe, and thus produce the same result. A horse may, in travelling, pick up a nail, or insinuate some foreign body into tne sensitive part of the foot ; if so, he soon shows it by limping : he may not, however, limp in a slow walk, but shows it more when urged to a trot. Knowing how apt horses are to pick up for- eign bodies in the road, should an animal become lame all at once, the driver ought to dismount and see if he can discover the lame limb. If there is sufficient pain present to arrest the ani- mal's attention, he will generally endeavor to shoiv it by some peculiar motion, such as pointing the lame foot before its fellow catching it up, or flexing it. Having discovered in which limb the lameness exists, the foot must be carefully examined. By scraping out the parts, any foreign body between the shoe and Bole can be easily got rid of, and thus the cause is removed ; hat if a nail should be discovered, it is not so easy to remove it, for it often requires some tact, and strong pincers. We remember being called once to draw a nail wliich had previously resisted the efforts of a strong man. The horse had to be cast, and it waa found necessary to cut round the nail, so as to enlarge tlie exter- nal orifice. On withdrawing it, the point was found to have been bent, probably by coming in contact with the coffin bone ; it had thus formed a sort of hook, which explained the reason why it could not be got out until the external wound was dilated. The horse was a long while ere he recovered, for a fungous growth was continually sprouting through the orifice of the sole, which made the cure very tedious. The nail being removed, we gen- erally dress with fir balsam, or mixed soap and sugar, — which- ever happens to be at hand, — and bind some oakum on the part, to ke«p out the dirt. The subsequent treatment will depend upon X36 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. circumstances. For every other kind of lameness on the road, except that arising from the introduction of a foreign body, and provided the animal is not actually incapacitated for travel, the driver has no remedy but to get the horse to his quarters, letting bim go at his own gait. We now come to the consideration of the various kinds of lameness, which are to be discovered either by the motions of the animal, or through manipulation ; and we set out with the understanding that it is no easy matter, at all times, to discover the real seat of lameness ; even those who are best qualified often disagree both as to its seat and nature. We shall endeavor, however, in a very brief manner, to give some diag- nostic symptoms by which an intelligent man, having some knowledge of normal action, may detect abnormal. We com- mence with HIP JOINT LAMENESS. This is a very rare lameness, although we constantly hear complaints that such a horse is "lame in the whirl bone." Over- exertion and immoderate work, which are considered the chief causes of lameness, are more apt to produce it in the lumbar region, and from the stide downwards, than at the hip joint. This form of lameness is quite common in man, and frequently results in a7ichyIosis ; but we must recollect that the limbs of a horse, in consequence of the complexity of their bony and carti- laginous structures, are better calculated to sustain concussion than the former. There is no joint in the horse that is so well protected from blows and every external injury as the thigh- joint : the enormous muscles that surround it act as cushions, and successfully guard it from injury of this kind. If a borae falls on his side, and brings the hind quarters to the ground first, he is more likely to injure that part of the hip known as its a»- terior superior spinous process ; in short, he knocks the hip down, as it is termed, or fractures the pelvis, instead of injui'ing the hip-joint, as some would suppose ; and even should he slip down on the haunches, and force a limb outwards, the abductor muscles, which limit the action of it in that direction, are more apt to be torn from their attachments, than that the joint should THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 23'i Dfe injured Mr Percivall has remarked that "the advances madt UD vet^innary science have satisfactorily shown that the farriers opiruon wh^ toi the most part founded m error ; the halting action, which ihey considered as denoting hip lameness, more critical observation, combined with post mortem results, ha£ demonstrated u have ite ongiii in disease of the hock, for the most pirt: indeed in spavin this disease is a fruitful source of Iwneness behind, frequently insidious in its rise and progress, Bometimes difficult of detection, occasionally incapable of demon- stration ; no wonder, therefore, thai it should n* often lead the unwary and inexperienced into error " Sympathetic lameness of the femoral region, however, m ooi anuommon ; for we find that long-continued pain m the toot will produce, through the sympathetic relations existing betwc-en remote parts, tenderness, heat, and sometimes corded elands in the groin. We shall not contend that lameness never occurs in this joint, but that it is rare ; for we know that, like other joints, it is sometimes the seat of synovial inflammation, ulceration, and suppuration. The diagnostic symptom of hip joint lameness is a halting, or kind of hopping gait, and difficulty in turning. Treatment. — Rest, refrigerating lotions, and light diet are in- dicated in the inflammatory stage ; and stimulating liniments in the chronic form. See Liniments. LAMENESS OF THE STIFLE JOINT. The bones composing the stifle-joint consist of the patella, lower part of the femur, and upper part of the tibia ; they are retained in position by capsular and connecting ligaments, and are liable to sprain and injury. The diagnostic symptoms ol Sprain are heat and tenderness, and the limb is advanced with difficr.lty : rest, fomentations with infusion of poppy heads, cold water, and sometimes physic will be the most proper means of cure. For chronic stifle lameness, originating in adhesions, or infiltrations of the surrounding tissues, a few applications of the acetate of cantharides will probably effect a cure. Horses frequently injure the parts around the stifle joint by eaping fences and stone walls : the treatment is the same as fo: 238 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. bruise of any other part, when it is not convenient to ioraent — « a diluted tincture of arnica (one ounce of arnica to a pint of water) may be used ; or perhaps a weak solution of acetic acid may answer the purpose. Should the part be wounded, as il often is, it may be necessary to employ sutures ; but if the acci- dent is not discovered early, sutures are of no use. The com- pound tincture of aloes and myrrh will expedite the healing process; and when suppuration commences, use pyroligneoia acid. We saw a horse a short time ago, which, in jumping a wall or scrambling over it, inflicted a wound about two inches below the patella ; considerable tumefaction followed, with a profuse discharge: the former yielded to fomentation and physic; ib order to stop the latter and heal the wound, it was thought ad- visable to introduce a seton below it, and there set up an arti- ficial discharge, by which means a cure was effected. A horse may be punctured in this region. A case occurred in a ship yard at Medford, which may be proper to notice : A sliver had en- tered on the inside of the patella, and passed several inchea backward ; it was extracted and dressed ; next day the limb from the hock upward became dropsical, hot, and tender: refiiger- ating lotions, cathartics, and diuretics were used the swelling gradually subsided, and the wound healed ; but a large absces? formed just above the hock, which was opened, and the horse finally got well.- Another horse, standing in a stable in this city, was punctured with a hay fork, on the outside, yet close to the patella; synovial inflammation and discharge of synovia took place; .'he case was protracted, but finally yielded to astringent injections ; the horse was lame for some time after, owing to adhesions that had taken place. Punctures of this character must be treated the same as open joint. See Dislocation of the Patella. lamen:ess of the hock. Lameness of the hock is generally ligamentary, except when originating in spavin ; and some contend that even spavin first commences in ligamentary tissue ; however, we have nothing to say about spavin just now, except to refer the reader to thiil (xriicle. Lameness in the hock, from strain, ove' -work, or blow, is evident from the heat, pain, and tumefaction about the parts, THK MODERN HOESE DOCTOW. 239 the animal will flinch when the parts are handled, and sometimes catch the leg up ; if you back him out of the stall, and make him step forward, it will be observed that there is frse motion in the fetlock joint — the foot is pls.nted on the ground with that freedom denoting there is nothing the matter with it ; he can raise the leg, showing that the stifi -, joint is all right ; and there is perfect freedom about the hip joint, so that the seat of lame* ness is evident. This is the state cf affairs in the early stage : let the animal be the subject of lameness for two or three daya, and we observe sympathetic affection ; that is to say, stiffnesp and pain, which is the cause of lameness in a remote part of the limb. And this peculiar feature is not one of singularity, for we find the same thing takes place in man : pei'sons laboring under hip joint disease are often heard to complain of pain in the knee, the opposite extremity of the diseased bone. There is nothing better for recent lameness of the hock than arnica, eitlier in the form of diluted tincture or infusion. The parts are to be kept wet, by means of a sponge, so that a cooling process shall go on during the inflammatory stage ; and even should the case prove to be one of incipient spavin, such treatment is well calcu- lated to meet it. Rest, also, is one of the principal means of cure : those who work a horse lame in the hock must not be surprised if he should ultimately prove spavined. If the horpe shows symptoms of an inflammatory diathesis, or morbid habit, a dose of medicine and a few messes of scalded shorts will do much good. LAMENESS OF THE SHOULDER. Lameness is more apt to arise in the shoulder than in the oot respouding part of the hind extremities ; the latter having a bony union to the body, which prevents, or rather limits, undue exten- sion of the muscles. The lameness may exist in the muacular tissues, or at the point of articulation between the shoulder blade and the os humeri. Symptoms. — The principal diagnostic symptom is, that the horse, instead of advancing the leg straight forward, moves it in a iircular manner ; and the action of the shoulder is quite differei. fj-om that of the othoT side ; it will be observed also, that the 240 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. animal throws the weight of the body as much on the sound side ns possible. Treatment. — The treatment of shoulder lameness will depend altogether on the nature of the case ; if it be one of muscular origin, caused by heavy drawing, violent tugging, or galloping on bard roads, rest, fomentations, and a light dose of medicine are indicated. Should the animal still be lame after the inflammatory eymptoms have subsided, use the following liniment: — Linseed oil, 1 pint, Chloric ether, 1 ounce, Oil of cedar, .... , . . ^ ounce. Mi\ ; and apply to the shoulder night and morning. If the dis- ease is confined to the joint, counter irritants are indicated : some recommend blisters. What wi have used of late is the acetate of cantharides, to be applied occasionally over the parts aflfected. A stimulating liniment may, however, answer the purpose, com- posed of Olive oil, ^ Spirits camphor, >• . . equal parts. Tincture of ginger, ) ELBOW JOINT LAMENESS. This joint is more liable to disease than any other in the body: we mean, however, not to restrict such disease to the joint proper, but to the immediate surrounding parts, which go, as a whole, to make up the joint for the uses to which it is put in propelling the body forward. The immense muscles which are attached to the point of the elbow render it necessary that the union between the ulna and radius should be very strong. The principal power^ 8o far as the fore limbs are concerned, required for the propulsion of the body, are to be found in this vicinity ; and therefore acci* dents, for several reasons, are more apt to occur. Lamenesst arises very frequently in consequence of synovial inflammation, and from ulceration of the cartilages of the bones. Synovial inflammation arises from violence, directly or indirectly applied ; it is indicated by tenderness, pain, swelling, heat, and tumefaction around the joint, with inability of free motion, &c, 'I'he treatment must be on the antiphlogistic plan. A dose of THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 2'^ ' cathartic medicine should be given to lessen the h<^art'F dction anodyne fomentation of hops may prove useful ; if high boat pre- vails in the surface of the lame region, refrigerating lotions — vin egar and water — are indicated ; we have frequently used arnica with good effect. Very little benefit can be derived from nny treatment unless the animal be kept at rest, and on a light diet Some will say that this is very simple treatment; but it is suitable.^ and the author has frequently essentially mitigated deep-seated inflammations by time and just the same sort of treatment. Ulcerations of the articulating surfaces of the bones comprising the elbow joint are more difficult of cure, and to the non-pro- fessional man still more difficult to detect. It may be present without any of the physical signs by which deep-seated diseases in more sensitive tissues are discoverable. If a horse, however, is lame in this joint for a great length of time, and the lanienesa gradually grows worse, and is always greater during exercise or work, though a few days' rest improves the action of the limb, yet seldom cures it, we may suspect ulceration. Ulceration may arise from sub-acute or synovial inflammation from external injuries, such as a kick or blow. We have specimen of fracture of the ulna, (point of the elbow,) and ex- tensive ulcerations and osseous deposits on the bones entering into this joint, following the injury ; the fracture had united, but vhe horse was subsequently destroyed, in consequence of the incurability of the ulcerations. Ulceration also follows a breach of the synovial membrane. Treatment. — The bowels are to be kept in a soluble state by means of saline aperients and messes of scalded shorts ; these counteract a tendency to constipation, which is sure to follow the tent absolutely necessary for the cure. The treatment should not be very active at first, for the ulceration may be only a sequenoo of injury to the synovial membrane. It is sufficient to attend to ooiistitutional treatment, subdue any morbid diathesis that may exist, and sweat the parts by applying the following two or three times a day : — Tincture of balm of gilead, . . 8 ounces. Oil of cedar 1 ounca. New rum, . . . . . 1 pint. 21 242 THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. In the later stages the application of acetate of cauthandes may be persisted in. If the ulcerations are very superficial, not involving the joint, but merely confined to the heads of the bones, they can be detected by manipulation, and we may entertain some hope of restoring the animal to some degree of usefulness ; wLeroas, in the former disease, our best efforts and hopes ore often met by failure and disappointment. Lameness from Tumor on the Elbow. — An encysted tumor may tiak 3 its appearance just below the elbow, small at first, but grad- ually enlarging to about the size of a man's double fist : some per- sons are in the habit of excising them. We saw a case, a few months ago, in which the tumor, including the integument, had been sliced off, leaving a most awful gaping wound, which was left to heal by the slow process of granulation. Such an opera- tion argues but very little on the score of skill or humanity, and is more indicative of the age of barbarity than that of reason. There are chronic cases occasionally brought under the surgeon's notice, in which an operation becomes unavoidable ; and that is when the tumor has degenerated into a dense fibrous mass, and interferes with the action of the limb : ordinary lameness, how- ever, is not an accompanying symptom, for many horses can be found in this city with medium-sized tumors that are never known to take a lame step. These tumors ultimately become indolent, neither inflamed nor painful, and finally degenerate into a fibrous mass, which may be nothing more than an eyesore. Cause of Tumors. — They may arise, like tumors in any other part of the body, from bruise or accident, and they some- times occur without any pisible cause ; we strongly suspect that the effused fluid comes from the parts above, — articulatory sur- faces of the shoulder, — at this point the common integument being loose, forms a sort of sac, — a receptacle for the accumulation of gijch fluid, — and it ultimately becomes enveloped with a sac of £b:-in formed out of its own deposits. Some persons have sup- posed that these tumors are enlarged bursa) : if that were the case, they would take on extensive inflammatory action when opened, 08 bursal sacs invariably do : on the contrary, they are punc- tured, setoned, and even excised, and seldom, if ever, any high grade of inflammatory action results , so that they cannot be tho THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 2-iJ Drdinary bursal sacs, and must therefore originate in t fifusion of lynjphy fluid. Treatment. — We have now and then seen cases of elbow tumor brought on by bruising the parts with the calking of the shoe while the horse is lying down in the stable. Here the cause is evident; we have a common bruise, and if it were treated promptly with cooling applications, effusion might be prevented} but it happens in many cases that the injury is nc>t perceived ; and if it is, very little, if any, notice is taken of it, until, by a repe- tition of the act, a callous or morbid local diathesis is confirmed, Bnd we observe a chronic tumor. The treatment then, in the early stage of bruise or injury to the part, is the same as for bruise or injury in any other location — mild, soothing, and refrigerating. In the case of a chronic tumor, we first ascertain if it have a fluctuating feel: if that should be the case, we puncture it with a common trocar, and canula, or an incision may be made into it. If, on the other hand, we can clearly ascertain that there is a dense tumor to deal with, the best course is to cast the horse, make an incision, and dissect out the tumor : the cavity should be sponged with tincture of myrrh, (to set up adhesive inflammation,) and the wound may be brought together by sutures, leaving a small opening at the most depend- ent part of the sac for the escape of pus. In view of promoting healthy action, the part may be dressed daily, after being washed, with compound tincture of myrrh. In a tumor that has no perceptible origin, but may be supposed to arise in the manner just alluded to, viz., by effusion from the scapular surfaces, the moment fluid can be detected at the point of the elbow, pass a seton through it. We have tried all the usual remedies, from a common irritant to a blister, in view of absorbing the fluid, and have found nothing equal to a setoa; but it should be resorted to early, before a layer of fibrin has been formed. CURB. A curb is an enlargement which makes its appearance on tha hind legs, about two inches below the hock. It is sometimef occasioned by a blow but the most freeuent cause is strain of 244 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. the sheath through which the flexor tendons pass If seen in Its early stage, it would, in all probability, yield to rest and cold water bandages. But if neglected until effusion takes place, oi the surrounding tissues become injected and Ihickened, and the horse becomes lame, then a different course of tieatment must be adopted. Our usual remedy is Acetic acid, 4 ounces, Powdered bloodroot, 1 ounce, Turpentine 1 ounce. To be applied to the part night and morning for at least a week afterwards to be bathed daily with common vinegar. There are cases, however, in which coagulable lymph will form, and may thus leave the parts ''n a state of callosity for some time, which only patience, constant friction, or the applica- tion of some stimulant, can overcome. Among the various ap- plications in use, we prefer the following : — Oil of cedar, ^ " sassafras, > . . of each, 1 ounce, " marjoram, ) Soft soap, 1 pint. To be used daily, always rubbing in a downward directiou As regards exercise, the inflammatory stage requires rest , and in the chronic form, exercise will be indicated, provided, how- ever, ihe hoi'se be not lame. NAVICULAKTHRITIS. — {Disease of the Navicular Joint.) Mr. Percivall, who is the best authority on navicular disease, defines navicularthritis to be " a disease of the navicular joint, giving rise to lameness." The Nature of the Disease. — It consists in deep-seated sprain, injury, or morbid action, within the hoof, first manifesting itself by inflammatory action, heat, and tenderness, terminating m ad- hesion, ulceration, and caries ; at times, however, in ossification of contiguous parts. Symptoms. — The most important diagnostic symptom is, that ihe horse generally joom^s the foot, viz., advances it, while stand* ing in the street or stable, a few inches — sometimes more — be- yond its fellow, the fore feet being the ones generally affected THE MODERN HORSE E OCTOIU 245 the heels are sometimes hot and feverish, and, on making pres- sure with the finger (into the space formed by the quarters and pastern bones) in a downward direction, the horse shows signs of pain. There are times, however, when symptoms of pain cannot be elicited by pressure ; and that is when the disease commences in the navicular bone, and before the sensitive tissues are in- volved. But even should the disease commence in the former, the horse will at times point the foot forward, and occasionally be caught limping, not lame enough though to attract the atten- tion of any but a close observer. As the disease progresses, the heels contract, and curve towards each other ; the hoof appears dry and brittle ; the sensitive and nutritive tissues are now in- volved ; the supply of synovial fluid is partly or wholly suspend- ed ; friction commences ; adhesion forms, gluing parts together, preventing the free articulation of the joint ; the horse goes per- ceptibly, yet gradually, lamer, up to the period of ulceration. The final result is often fracture of the navicular bones. The diagnostic symptom — pointing of the foot — is a persistent fea- ture of navicular disease ; for not only does the animal show it at rest, but also, while travelling, the toe touches the ground before the heel. On examining a horse's foot, therefore, supposed *'^ be the subject of this disease, we shall find the under surface of the shoe worn more at the toe than at the heels. These symp- toms, coupled with observation that hard work aggravates the lameness, and that there is no abnormal action or enlargement elsewhere, will go to make out a case of navicular disease. When both fore feet become affected, the horse is said fo be groggy. Surgeon White defines grogginess to be " a tendernesa and stiffness about the feet, from hard trotting upon the road, vhich causes him to go in an uneasy, hobbling manner, particu- 'arly when made to trot down a hill without any support from the bridle." So much for the symptoms ; and, in order to give the reader more light on the nature of grogginess, we refer to Percivall, who informs us that " the epithet groggy was suggested by the -unsteady, rolling, unsafe action of the lame horse being com- pared to that of a drunken man." The pathological researches of later times have demonstrated that groggy lamentjs has its origin in navicularthritis. 21 * 846 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. If we except the few veterinary surgeons that are scatter ft4 over the United States, scarcely any one else knows any thing about the history or pathology of this disease. Dr. Wood baa lately called attention to it in an article published in the Boston Cultivator ; aside from this we do not remember ever reading any thing on the subject. In England, the attention of the fac- ulty was directed to the subject by Mr. Turner, V. S. See Uippopathology, p. 131. Treatment. — If the lameness is seen in the early stage of na- vicularthritis, our general custom is, to remove the shoe, and apply cold poultices, composed of oatmeal, vinegar, and water, to which add for each poultice a handful of fine salt ; the poultice is to be fairly spread over the surface of the hoof and heels, then to be confined by means of thin cotton cloth, secured just above the coronet. A mixture of equal parts of vinegar and water should be kept ready to moisten the mass whenever it becomes dry, so as to keep up a refrigerating action of the foot. Three or four poultices will generally suffice, employing one every twenty-four hours, on removing which the foot must be washed with soap and water. At the end of four days, substitute for the poultice Tincture of arnica, 4 ounces, Water, 1 pint. Mix ; and sponge the foot three times a day. Give the patient a dose of medicine ; keep him on scalded shorts, seasoned with salt, allowing a small quantity of hay, and let him have rest. If it should turn out, on discontinuing the poultices, that the heels are tender, the animal being unwilling to bring the frog to the floor, some soft clay must be placed under him, and so disposed of that he can stand on it. We consider this treatment best adapted to tl\e early sub-acute stage of the malady. Some persons recom- mend hot poultices and fomentations ; but we prefer cold to the inflammatory, and hot applications to chronic stages of deep- seated, and even superficial disease. Should the case be one ot a chronic type, we follow up the above treatment with counter irritants. A preparation known as the acetate of cantharides (which can be procured of the apothecaries) has been, in oui practice, instrumental in removing lameness of this description. This, howovei or any other remedy, would have but little effecl THE MODERN HORSK DOCTOK. 24T m restoring a part to soundness that was in a state of caries A.8 a palliative, we can with confidence recommend it, Laving witnessed good effects follow its use. If the animal be not restored to usefulness under this treatment, let bim run to grass, if the season permits, having tips nailed on the feet to guard against fracture of the hoof; and after the lapse of a few weeks, if he still be found lame, as a last resort, neuiotomy may be tried. See Neurotomy. OPERATION FOR NEUROTOMY. — (iVervin^r.) Neurotomy consists in a division or excision of a portion of nervous fibre. The operation has, to some extent, received the cold shoulder from very many horsemen in this country, whose horses, after being operated on, have actually walked off, leaving their hoofs behind them. "We feel safe to say, however, that this unfortunate occurrence may have been the fault of those who a few years ago went about from one place to another, operating* without the requisite skill necessary for the ultimate success of the object, and destitute of that knowledge necessary in the selection of suitable subjects for the operation. This is evidently the case ; for some of the animals thus operated on were the subjects of Mcute laminitis — a form of disease that no regular veterinarian would ever think of relieving by neurotomy ; so that many who now decry neurotomy have had but a partial opportunity of judging of its merits. If a man lacking the requisite skill under- takes to amputate a person's limb, and at a certain stage of the operation fails to secure the main artery, and in consequence the patient bleeds to death, where does the blame rest ? Not with the science, — that has its regular law of rule and contingency, — but on him who thus ignorantly misperformed the operation, Sc oi neurotomy, if (and we are confident) it has here been perforropd in direct opposition to the established rules of science and the principles of practice, the results should be no cri teflon of ita general applicf^tion or usefulness. Neurotomy was never in- tended, nor is it calculated, to relieve every form of disease D,c<:urring within a horse's foot, no more than trepanning is caicu- \ated to cure all diseases of the brain and its appendages ; but in 248 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. H case of depression, or when a small portion of bone has pene- trated the cerebral mass, and the patient is comatose, relief by trejjhine is almost with absolute certainty calculated on. Hence we advise the readers not to be over-hasty in judging of the value of this surgical operation, until they have satisfied them- selves that the operators were qualified to select suitable subjects for it. For it is only calculated, like many others, to give relief in certain morbid conditions, and at a certain progressive stage of the infirmity. The author's experience, as regards the utility of the operation, is rather limited, he having only performed it in a few isolated cases, and then at the particular request of the subjects' owners. Many horses have been brought to him as subjects for neurotomy, laboring under chronic diseases of the foot, for the cure of which he has preferred other means, with probably better success than might have attended the oper- ation. We have always maintained that in the event of a lame horse being restored to usefulness after being neurotomized, it is no proof that he might not have been restored by less objectionable means. We shall now furnish the reader with some of the views of Professor Percivall, whose works, occupying, as they do, so elevated a position in veterinary literature, are consulted author- itatively. Our quotations must be incomplete, — merely a synopsis, — in consequence of our prescribed limits. Mr. Percivall awards the credit of introducing neurotomy into veterinary practice to Surgeon Moorcroft; and to Professor Sewell, he argues, "belongs the credit of practically demonstrat- ing its utility for the removal of foot lameness of a navicular- thritic description ; also as a remedy for the removal of lame- ness in cases where medicine is confessedly powerless, together with the serviceability of neurotomized horses, not for driving only, but for riding, and even for hunting." Mr. Moorcroit's views regarding the operation are learned from a passage which occurs in a letter, communicated by him, eighteen years after his first operation, to the editor of the Calcutta Journal. u » * * J recollect not the number of horses operated on Dy me successfully, though it was somewhat considerable. Some of these were worked by myself; and the general impressions on my mind at this interval are, that horses so operated on, when THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 243 they did not agaiu become lame, were more apt to stumble with the limb operated than with the other, and that this mode of treat- ment was likely to be more usefully applicable to coach horses than to horses intended for single harness or for the saddle. " The remote Effects from Neurotomy looked for. — Whethel the nutritive and secretory functions of the foot, deprived of nervous power, would proceed as before ; and, further, what dif- ference neurotomy might make in the animal's action or tread upon the ground. Moorcroft had observed that, under the loss of nervous energy, ' the repairing powers of the foot were not in- jured so far as they depended upon the action of blood vessels ; ' and subsequent experience has confirmed this observation. In- flammation appears to be the same process on a senseless as it ig on a sensitive foot, and the secretion of horn goes on as well in one as in the other: the grand and important difference between the two is, that, supposing the neurotomized foot to receive a prick or bruise, and inflammation and suppuration to follow, matter may collect and burrow underneath the sole or frog, or other part, and the horse, incapable of feeling any hurt in his foot, can of course give no intimation of mischief, by showing pain or lameness to his groom or master ; and consequently, un- less the latter should detect the evil himself, suppuration may proceed to that extent to cause the hoof to separate and be cast off the foot — a catastrophe which has happened more than once, and one that has been brought forward as a fearful argument against the practice of neurotomy. A neurotomized horse may receive a stab, in being shod, from a nail taking a wrong direction, or be may pick up a nail on the road, and no Intimation what- evei of the injury be given, unless his farrier or groom happen \o discove" it. Such accidents, however, are not of every day's occurrence, neither are they, in the hands of expert farriers and careful grooms, likely to happen without their knowledge, and therefore have no right to be regarded in the light of arguments against neurotomy, further than such hazard, remote though it may be, tends to the diminution of such horse's value m the market." Mr. Percivall decides that " neurotomy not only destroy? the SftfegUArds of the foot, but the horse does not maintain the same 250 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR Itep and tread he used before." As an offset to this, he intro duces several very interesting cases to show the benefits derived from neurotomy, with the accompanying remark, that " he feels convinced that when the subjects for the operation shall have been properly selected, and the fitting time chosen for its per- formance, similar results may be sanguinely and pretty surely anticipated." The cases here referred to clearly show that the operation on tlif.m was eminently successful. The rule laid down by Mr. P is, "to operate on no other but the incurably lame horse; and whenever this has been attended to, not only has success been more brilliant, but indemnification from blame or reproach has been assured." " To command success in neurotomy, three considerations re- quire attention : — •* 1. The subject must be fit and proper; in particular, the disease for which neurotomy is performed should be suitable in kind, seat, stage, &c. " 2. The operation must be skilfully and effectually performed. "3. The use that is made of the patient afterwards should not exceed what his altered condition appears to have fitted him for." A number of cases are next alluded to, going to show that "for lameness in the foot, coronet, or pastern, incurable or unrelieved by therapeutic means ; for navicularthi-itis and its consequences ; for the effects of chronic coronitis and laminitis, barring sunk soles ; for ossified cartilages, for ringbone, for contraction, the operation of neurotomy is especially applicable — nor will prac- titioners who regard their own credit, or that of the operation, feel desirous of extending, for lameness at least, its sphere of appliancy." Mr. Percivall warns veterinary surgeons against performirg the . operation when there is any detectable inflammatory aciion about the foot ; but recommends them, first to subdue by the usual antiphlogistic means, any acute symptoms that may be present ; he urges as a reason, that surgeons never perform (if It can possibly be avoided) an operation on the human subject in ftn inflamed locality. Another reason might be added for subdu- ing inflammatory action prior to operating ; for aftei having don.^ THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. 25l BO (there might be such a case) the lameness may subside, so that tlie owner would be spared the expense, and his horse the pain, of an operation. Neurotomy, observes Mr. P., "has other objects besides ih'z removal of lameness. Both the cestral and generative functions bave been restored through neurotomy. Brood mares that have proved barren in consequence of painful lameness annihilating ia b{m all sexual desire, and that have ceased to have at the usual season any return of the oestrum, have, from losing such pain, had their natural generative functions restored, and become again good breeders." " In 1822," writes Mr. Rock wood, " a chestnut mare at Oakley, the property of the Marquis of Tavistock, went very lame in the near foot behind, in consequence of complete ossification of the lateral cartilages and extensive ossific disease around the coronet. She scarcely ever placed the foot upon the ground, but generally moved upon three legs. Her sufferings prevented the periodical oestrum. She had not bred for years. About two months after the operation, she went to work, and moved round; she has bred several healthy foals, and works as usual." In this view the author looks upon neurotomy as a curse rather than a blessing, for the United States can already outdo any nation on earth in the number of her horses laboring under some form of ossific dis- ease; and for them to call in the aid of neurotomizers only to add to the countless host of deformed animals would increase their number to a deplorable extent. A mare having "complete ossification of the lateral cartilages and extensive ossific disease around the coronet," ought never to be put to a stud ; the supprea- fiion of her periodical oestrum, and the annihilation of her sexual desiie, would be a public benefit, to say the least, while it should teach us that nature strives by all the means in her power to |yerpetuate nothing but what is calculated to retain the etamp, perfection, and beauty of its original type. The suppression of the generative function is in this case, as also in many others, the operation of that law which limits all animated cieation to certain bounds, beyond which they cannot go without forfeiting their right and title to the protection of those harmonious laws wbioi llie God of nature has thrown around thena. 252 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. Let people neurotomize horses for incurable lameiies?, foi the relief of pain which no other means can accomplish, and we call them philanthropists — the handmaids of nature. But wlen neurotomy is resorted to for the purpose of forcing nature to teem with deformities, it should be set aside as a curse to the four- footed race ; and its advocates should be rebuked. "We considei an unsound animal, as the mare evidently was, just about aa valjable for breeding purposes, in view of perfect symmetry of form, endurance, and long life, as a diseased potato would be for the production of a succession of perfect germs and a supply of healthy food for man. The deformities of the parent, and tha imperfections of tho. vegetable germ, may not at once appear ; but the day of reckoning must come ere many generations have passed away, or many harvests have been gathered ; and if nature con- demns the one to barrenness and the other to premature decay, it is done to assert her empire. In justice to the talented author just quoted, we remark, that the practice of neurotomy for the purpose to which we allude does not receive his advocacy : he merely observes, that neurotomy has other objects besides the removal of lameness ; and introduces a case from the pen of another individual by way of illustration. As regards the success of the operation in the United States, when performed by qualified persons, so far as the author has been able to ascertain, it has been quite as successful as in the old world ; and there is no reason why it should not be, when practised by qualified veterinary surgeons. We now come to describe the operation of neurotomy; and we recommend that, in all operations of this kind, the subject be etherized, not only in view of preventing pain, but that we may, in the absence of all struggling on the part of our patient, perform the operation satisfactorily, and in much less time after etheriza- lioL has taken place than otherwise. So soon as the patient ia under the influence of that valuable agent, we have nothing to fear from his struggles, provided we have the assistance of one expe- rienced to administer it. We generally use a mixture of chloro- form and chloric ether in our operations, and consider it far preferable, so far as the life of the patient is concerned, to pure nbloioform. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 253 "Whichever article is used, care should be taken not to intn^ Juee it into the respiratory organs too suddenly. A sufficient quantity of atmospheric air must be amalgamated with it ; an(J this is insured by moving the sponge to and fro before the nos- trils for a short time, when the sponge may be placed in a commop breathirg apparatus ; * in many cases, however, when operatuig Sn a barn, or any where under cover, we use nothing but a large circular sponge having a deep concavity, which admits of the horse's nose. The horse having been cast and etherized, we release one of the fore legs from the hobbles, and if the limb be found in a perfect state of relaxation, the subject having no con- trol over it, then is the proper time to commence the operation The limb is now to be brought into its natural position, and thus held by an assistant. Supposing the horse to lie on the off side, we now make an incision over the region of the plantar nerve, on the outside of the near limb. The incision commences just delow the head of the pastern, to the extent of one inch, or a trifle more : having exposed the nerve, we pass a director beneath it; a simple incision into the groove of the director separates the nerve. If it is desirable to excise a portion of the nerve, we seize the lower end with a small pair of forceps, and cut off a small piece with a pair of scissors. If both fore legs are to be operated on, we first operate on the inside of the off leg; then, by rolling the animal over, we have an opportunity to repeat the same thing on the opposite side. Most surgeons bring the edges of the wounds together by sutures; and if we could be sure of uniting them by what is called Jirst intention, it would be proper to do so : it is certainly in accordance with the principles of rational surgery, and looks more workmanlike thus to close the incisions ; but a friend of ours residing in Maine, who has operated on quite n number of horses, informs us that he never uses suture, but dresses with a balsamic liquid, and over all a cold wate"" bandage, and the animals show but a slight blemish. In the few cases we have operated on, sutures were used, and bandages, which some recom- mend, were dispensed with, for they only tend to irritate the 'vounds and keep up an unnatural heat about the part : our es- * In all ^ases of etherization at the Massachtisetts Hospital, a siniple sponpa % used. I'ho eomplicated and expensive breathing machines ar« jlltoettsol with. '^2 251 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. perience is, that bandages do not agree so well with horse as witb human flesh. Various instruments are in use for the perform- ance of this operation, which we do not deem necessary to describe here. The success of the operation depends more on the skill of the operator than on his tools ; for a good anatomist can at any time divide the nerve with a common penknife : in fact the thing is often done. The reader will perceive that we have merely described the operation, without entering into its details, or the anatomical points involved : to place on paper all the minutiae necessary to constitute every man a neurotomist would be a work of imposfi- bility ; hence we advise those who desire to have their horses operated on to employ a professional man. PLEURODYNIA. — (^Inflammation of the Muscles of tht Chest and fort Extremities.) This is a disease to which the attention of veterinarians has lately been called by Mr. Haycock, in his work on Veteri- nary Homoeopathy, who observes, " I am perfectly satisfied as to the existence of this disease, and also of its having been over- looked." We have frequently treated animals presenting some of the peculiar symptoms here enumerated, and, for the simple reason that we had no other name for it, called it rheumatism, or founder. The symptoms are as follows : " One great difference between pleurodynia and pleurisy is, that in the former affection the dis- ease exhibits little or no variation, while in pleurisy, the varia- tions are remarkable, and constitute one of the principal features by which it is to be distinguished or recognized. " In pleurodynia, the animal moves in a very rigid manner ; he steps short and very slow ; he is greatly dejected and cast down ; the back is arched ; the skin over the surfi^ce of the body exhibits great tenderness, whether he be handled roughly or deli- cately ; he also grunts a good deal, and great tenderness is some- times present upon one or both sides of the chest, and the skin presents that state of corrugation easily recognized. The respi- rations are short and limited, and the pulse will gene" ally range THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 256 from fifty to sixty-four per minute, but on some occaiiions it in not at all disturbed. If the ear be applied to the chest, the mur- mur can generally be detected very clearly throughout, particu- larly in the superior regions of the cavity, while, if the ear b« held close to the lowest part of the inferior region, a sort of rumbling sound is heard; but this can only be detected when the skin over the part is more tender than elsewhere, and when it is contracted into folds, and moves, and when such contractible motion is continuous. This sound I entirely attribute to the tremulous motion which is going on within the subtextures ; for if the ear be kept firmly to the chest, the motion soon ceases, together with the rumbling sound ; and, provided we I'emain quiet, and the animal be pacified, we can then distinctly hear the clear, natural respiratory murmur, though somewhat suppressed from the constrained manner in which the chest itself is expanded. The hair over the entire body is dry, and very unthrifty in ap pearance. If the animal be made to walk up hill, it is performed cleverly, but great difficulty is experienced in coming down again ; the patient travels as though his feet were actually in- flamed ; the appetite is bad in some cases, and moderately good in others ; the urine is scanty, and the dung is dry looking ; the patient does not lie down well ; it is seldom or never that he coughs. In this state the animal may remain for weeks, without the least variation, save that the pulse becomes lower, falling to about thirty-eight or forty-two per minute ; but the majority of such cases, if properly treated, are generally cured in from three to six days." The causes are, over-exertion and exposure. " If the disease be from an inflammation excited within the muscles of the chest and fore extremities, and also of the cellular tissue investing oi jurrounding such muscles, the fact, I think, will in a great meas are te sUi,ioiactorily demonstrated. Should the animal have been snbj»;ct to long-continued and very severe exertion, this, together with the tenderness of the muscles, and the assistance which aus- «ultation will afford us, will be sufficient to enable us to decide. In conclusion, I may add that pleurisy, pleurodynia, and inflamma- tion of the muscles may either exist as separate affections, or two or more of them may exist in association, or any one of them, oi 256 THE M01>ERN HORSE DOCTOR. all of them may also exist in association with disease of the hcet't.* Treatment, homoeopathic. The best remedies we know of for an affection of this character are, rest, laxative medicine, light diet, and cold water packing — supposing, however, that it is brought on by severe work. Should it be occasioned by exposure, treut it tLe same as a common attack of rheumatism. ACUTE RHEUMATISM, OR FOUNDER. This is a very common disease among horses, and probably occurs more frequently than people would suppose. We have treated quite a large number of cases during the past few years. Some of them yielded very readily, and disappeared just as sud- denly as they came ; others were protracted, became chronic, and left the subject with stiffened muscular fibres, contractions of mus- cles and hoofs, effusions into bursal sacs around the fetlocks, &c. and two cases terminated fatally, in one of which the autopsy showed high inflammation of the interior of the heart — endocav' ditis : the internal membrane of that organ had the appearance of purple velvet, with effusions of lymph on its surface ; the ten- dinous cords of the lateral ventricles were Strang with fibrous de- posits to such an extent that they must have had interference with the heart's action. The second case was complicated ; the ex- ternal covering of the heart — pericardium — had several adhe- sions, and its surface next the heart was studded in several places with lymph granules ; slight effusion had also taken place. The internal appearance of the heart was the same as in the preceding case, excepting the fibrous deposits on the cordce tendi' nee. (This rare specimen is now among our collection of morbid anatomy, for the inspection of those who may wish to see it.) We strongly suspect that many diseases of the fibrous and ten- dinous structures have their origin in rheumatic disease ; and if the hoise could only speak, he would often tell us of his flying aches and pains, long before we discover any thing of the sort These horses, from the first, had febrile symptoms of an acuta inflammatory character, which active cathartics and counter irri« tants seemed to have no effect on. The first subject d'ed on tha fil'tli day from the attack, and the latter on the ninth, la tha THE MODERN HORSF DOCTOR. 257 human subject, rheumiitism and cardiac affection art twin brothers. In some subjects the diseases appear, now and then, to go hand in hand ; cardiac disease is Hable to end in rheuma- tism, and vice versa Gallup thus alludes to the subject : " II rheumatism shows a propensity to migrate more than some other affections, it claims this rignt by keeping within the range of iti kindred tissues. It goes to the tissue of a neighboring joint oi the 8ftme family, and its way is prepared by an altered and ex- cited state of all these tissues, when the morbid habit has been established. If it steals its way to the heart, it there occupies its family seat in the fibrous tissues. But it is not very common that it makes this stride ; when it does, it is liable to be a fatal one ; it commonly abides there to spend its rage and subdue its victim. It acknowledges the same predisposing causes with other acute diseases, which are aided by an idiosyncrasy. It is a dis- ea,se chiefly of cold seasons, but does appear in the predisposed from the influence of relative cold, from sudden changes in warm seasons." " The concentrations of local affections in disease often pass from one part to another with equal facility, before the part has suffered essential lesions by their ravages ; and, indeed, in some cases, when this is the fact, without carrying with them the alterations they ha\^ already made. The localists and huinoral- ists have always been confounded with their own theories, be- cause they never could apprehend how their materia excitans should so easily migrate the capillaries as to get so far without their being able to ken its march." Here we have an explanation of that peculiar state of the system, termed by some writers body founder, which is nothing more nor less than rheumatism in its chronic stage. In a case of this kind, the whole muscular system seems affected. White Ihus describes it : " At first the foundered horse appears as if every part of the body were affected, and sometimes this is the case ; at others, the fore parts or the feet appear affected ; and in some cases, the loins or hind parts generally. This disorder is similar to acute rheumatism, or rheumatic fever, [it is identi- eal,'\ and appears to depend on inflammation of the muscles sometimes affe^iting the muscles of respiration, and sometimes 22* 258 THE MODERN HOKSt 1>OCTOR. even the heart itself." There is no difference, then, oetwett acute rheumatism and founder, their terminations are in harrao« ny with each other ; and this proposition is confirmed when we notice the causes of the latter. Founder is produced by clrlling the animal when exhausted or much fatigued ; he may be chilled^ after a brisk drive, by exposure to the weather, by external in- fluences, or he may be chilled by imbibing cold water in quan- tity sufficient to reduce the temperature of the sy^tem too sud- denly. The author last quoted says, " Founder is produced by driving a horse, when in a state of perspiration, into a pond, ex- posing him to cold wind or rain, or tying him up in the stable yard while the hostler washes his legs or thighs, and sometimes liis body ; but excessive exertion alone will, and often does, pro- duce every kind of founder." Here we have the causes of rheu- matism. Who can deny it ? Take a plethoric, over-fed horse, and let him be exposed even to a slight exciting cause, an affec- tion is generated, and propelled, with railroad speed, from tissue to tissue, constituting acute rheumatism — body founder ; or, as in the cases just alluded to, it may spend its force on the heart, and extinguish the vital principle. The disease is apt, at times, to locate in circumscribed situations, about a joint or mus- cular region ; but the treatment will not differ much. Treatment of acute Rheumutism. — Our first prescription is invariably the following nauseating cathartic : — Powdered aloes, 6 drachms, " lobelia 2 drachms, Warm water, 1 pint. Free action of the bowels must be persisted in, and they must afterwards bo kept soluble by means of some such remedy M the following: — Cream of tartar, ) Sulphur, S'Of each, . . 2 drachms, Podophyllum, ) Wine of colchicum,* .... 2 drachms. Thin gruel, 1 pint. Mix, and give as a drench. • Vinum Co/ch. ci semifiis of the United Status Dispensatory. It can hi tirt cured of any apothecary. The author has a preparaticn" of cokhiruu: THE MODERN HOKSF; DOCTOR. 259 1 his medicine sliould be continued as ot-casion may require for example, suspending it when the discharges are frequent, and again exhibiting it when peristaltic action is tardy. In view of increasing cutaneous exhalation, we give an infusion of lobelia and pleurisy root, half an ounce of each to half a gallon of boiling water ; when macerated sufficiently, strain, and add a gill of honey. Dose, one pint every four or six hours. As regards large and repeated Doses of Medicine. — When cur ried beyond a certain point, these are sure to do harm ; for this disease is located in tissues that are under the dominion of the nerves of external relation : these tissues may be highly excited and painful, in consequence of the congested state of the capil- laries ; at the same time, the vital fluid — blood — is deficient in the region of nutritive tissues : at such times cathartics have a dis- astrous sedative * tendency, very prostrating and uncontrollable. It is a fact not generally realized, that there is more danger ir giving too nmch, than too little, medicine. It is astonishing how little medicine will at times favor the physiological state, and thus restore a patient to health ; while we have abundant evidence going to show that ours, as well as the four-footed race, have been almost universally over-dosed. We generally keep the rectum empty by means of saline injections ; should the bowels respond to the medicine as often as seems proper, they may be dispensed with. As regards external Applications. — If steam can be so con- ducted to the uody of the patient (see Steaming Apparatus) as to keep up a relaxation of the capillaries, external liniments may be dispensed with. In the event of failing to secure diaphoresis, the capillary absorbents must be excited with the following ex- ternal application : — wliicli he prefers to any other ; he has termed it the aciduhted thicture of xti ehtcum. It '« made in the followinp; manner : — Tako of colchiciirn, bulb and seeds, 3 ounces Proof spirit, 1 pint, Diluted acetic acid, 1 pint ^Diluted acetic acid is formed by mixing one part strong acetic acid with foui pirts water.) Let the preparation stand for the space of a fortnight; ])OUJ oflf th« clear liquor, and run it through fine linen and it will be fit for U8(- * All cath.Tjrtics have a sedative effect. 260 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. Spirits camphor, ... . . 2 ounce*, Tincture of Indian hemp, . . 1 ounce, Olive oil, . . 4 ounces. Mix; aiid lubricate the stiff and painful regions daily, and co\Gt them with Hannel. The diet during the inflammatory stage should be light, con- Bisting of sloppy mashes. Linseed tea, and water acidulated with cream of tartar, form the best drink for fever patients. An acute case may generally be treated somewhat after this fashion. There is, to be sure, much diversity of opinion as regards tho means ; for while one recommends us to bleed with one hand ani give opium with the otlicr^ (by which means the system is pros- trated,) another recommends stimulants, to exalt the circulation, and thus secure its equilibrium, so that th'ei-e shall be no excess of blood in any part ; a third advocates cold water ; and a fourth, homoeopathy. Finally, in many cases the subjects g<'.t well with- out one particle of medicine. The physician who hus studied his profession with care will know when to give and when to with- hold medicine : at all times he should endeavor to see how little medicine he can get along with, for by so doing he studies the interests of all concerned. The diagnostic symptoms of acute rheumatism are, great pain elicited by pressure or motion ; swelling of the limb or body, aa the case may be; febrile symptoms are present ; some thirst; the urine has a very pungent odor ; the pulse is full and hard, and peristaltic action is slow. Some other portions of the case de- serve notice. The disease occurs very suddenly in subjects nol far advanced in years ; there are regular periods in the course of Che twenty -four hours, from day to day, when the patient will be worse. In the human subject, night is the period when tlie })aiD9 end fever are greatest ; and in four-footed subjects, confined in WV ventilated stables, we have noticed the same thing ; yet in many cases the disease leaves the subject very suddenly, or migratcj to other tissues, so that this feature is not so persisten'. as in man. The disease has, to our certain knowledge, gravitated to the feet; it is then called acute laminitis — another name, in a majority of cases, for founder in its acute stage. The diagnostic symptoms, when the heart becomes affected, are, palpitation, dillicult breathing, and great Cj/pi esoion. These HIE MODERN HOKSR DOCTOK. 261 Bymptonris are to be met by saline medicines and counter ir ritanta CHRONIC KHEUMATISM. Chronic rheumatism is occasionally a sequel to the acute form j yet it may come on without any previous perceptible acute attack, and entirely independent of it. The principal difference between this and the acute disease lies in the less activity of the attack and inflammatory fever, and the indefinite duration of the symp- toms : the lameness is not persistent, but goes off after exercise, and n;turns again while the animal is at rest. As regards the Causes of this Malady. — It is known to be of hereditary origin ; sometimes arising in a sort of spontaneous manner, without any assignable cause : it frequently follows hard driving, exposure, and chilling the surface with cold water. Horses, after having been driven a long distance, sometimes come into the stable in a very exhausted state, and instead of rubbing them dry, clothing them with a warm blanket, and pay- ing that attention to them which their circumstances demand, they are suffered to drink cold water, driven perhaps into a cold corner of a stable, neither wind-tight nor water-proof; the legs are sluiced with cold water to clear them of mud, and the knight of the stable, a humane man perhaps, out of charity for the poor '^ devil," gives him a double allowance of food just at the very time when the digestive organs are unequal to the task. Next morning, on attempting to back the horse out, his fore, and some- times the hind, limbs are as stiff as a poker. " My horse is foun- dered," exclaims the owner — a term very expressive of the ruined cond'tion of the poor brute. The founder, or rheumatism, which- evej the reader pleases to call it, may finally locate on the muscles of the shoulders and fore extremities, or it may run to the feet, and there spend its fury, in the form of laminitis, — in- flammation of the lamiuEB of the feet : this finally becomes chronic; produces atrophy — a wasting of the muscles. The horse is then said to be foundered in the chest. When the disease locates and remains within the horny covering of the foot during its several stages, and finally leaves the foot in r '"ontracted, ruined loadition, the horse is said to be foundered in the feet. We do '£62 THE MODERN HORSE D(»CTOR. not mean to give the reader an idea that all cases ol laminitis arise in this way, for it is known to be the sequel, through a pro« cess termed metastasis, to diseases of the respiratory and othei organs. With regard to the treatment of chronic rheumatism, thax which is known to be the sequel of the acute kind, without swell- ing, going off by exercise, and attended by a sort of chronic fevei. This form is always benefited by the warm bath, and if a steam- ing apparatus could be brought into requisition in sucli cases, we could reckon with some degree of certainty on a cure. Cold water, and even a cold, moist atmosphere, only aggiavate the malady ; the patient must be placed in a moderately warm box stall, and have the benefit of local warm water bandages, followed., in fomc cases, by frictions, with liniment of ammonia and rose- mary.* The internal medicine (and we are satisfied this is the best) consists of Tincture of guaiacum, ^ " " balm of gilead, C of each 2 ounces, " " Jaiaaica ginger, ) Sirup of garlic, 6 ounces. Mix, and give one sixth part of the mixture in a pint of camo- mile tea, night and morning. This medicine will go the rounds of the circulation, and there excite action in the remote parts, differing from the morbid, and thus assist in removing the afi'ection. We have found that fian- nels saturated with warm vinegar and water, bound on the limbs, and occasionally removed, have a beneficial effect. Finally, time persevering in the use of simple means, and proper attention to diet, will do all that can be expected. SPASM OF THE MUSCLES. — (Crawp.) Horses, as well as men, are subject to spasmodic affectiony ol the muscular system, which sometimes appear and disappear with equal rapidity. A horse attacked with cramp ehcws it oj • Comround Liniment of Ammonia. — Take Water of ammonia, .... 2 ounces, Olivp oil, . . 8 oiincos, <"■.. of rosemary, 1 ounce. Mix. Tu be applied by means of a piece of soft flannel. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 265 oecorninj; suddenly unable to move the limb, and when com])elled to step forward, di-ags the affected part after him. At other times lie is travelling on the road, and becomes, without any warning, fiead lame, limps or steps short, and after standing a few mo- ments, regains the use of his limb, and proceeds onv/ard to ths journey's end without a reattack. Horses thathave once ha t an attack of this sort are liable to relapses, unless the exciting caujf ! be removed. What are the causes ? Some physiologi-al considerations are necessary in order to understand the sub- ject. Every movement of a muscle produces a corresponding waste, and thus exhausts the vital principle : the waste must be 8up[)lied by the blood, and the blood in its turn depends on nu- trition. Hence it follows that when a horse is compelled to per- form great muscular action, he requires an amount of blood equal to the loss sustained ; and that blood has to be manufactured in its chemico-vital laboratory, out of a corresponding increase of food. But suppose nutrition is perverted, or that the tuod, which in qujintity seems suthcient, is deficient in nutrition ; then we can perceive how spasmodic affections of the muscles may arise, knowing, as we do, that spasm arises from mal-nutrition. The cure consists in restoring the tone of the digestive func- tion, should it be impaired : a few doses of gentian, ginger, and salt, ecjual parts, will generally answer the purpose. The limb may then be rubbed daily with common hartshorn liniment, and the cure is completed. SPLENT. Definition of Splent. — An exostosis — i. e., a callous oi (/sseous tumor — growing upon one, or contiguous to one, of tiio splent bones. — Percivall. A splent seldom occasions lameness, except in the prinwry stage of inflammation of the tibro-cartilaginous substance wLith unites the splent to the canon bone ; or, in cases when the spknt IS high up, in close proximity with the carpal bone — (which rests on the upper part of the inner small metacarpal) — splenl soraf.^mes involving more than one of the carpal bones ; and 'roni the size ol" the tumor, it being large, havings a very rough 264 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. surface. In such cases we may expect lameness ; but it seldom lasts long, for the bones soon become anchylosed — glued to- gether ; and should the tumor be rough, so as to produce lame- ness, there will soon be thrown out on its contiguous tissues a 6brous layer, which to some extent prevents friction. This form of splent, having eminences, depressions, and a rough, irregulat aspect, may be denominated tuberculated splent : it generaliy interferes with the motion of neighboring parts. A splent of the circumscribed kind — a tumor about midway between the superior and inferior ends of the canon, on the inside — generally differs from the above, in presenting a smooth eminence, with a well-defined outline, varying in size from that of a bean up to a walnut. Cause of Splent. — A good deal of speculation is afloat as to the cause of splent. We are aware that it may be produced by a blow, or injury in the form of sprain. If it come from a blow, we should be apt to consider that the animal himself was the cause of it, by striking with the opposite foot ; although he gen- erally strikes the fetlock, or else the inside of tiie knee ; but he may once in a while have an ill-adapted shoe placed on his foot, and then, in consequence of being reined up suddenly, or getting one foot into a hole, may, without the knowledge of the person riding or driving, inflict a slight blow on the inside of the limb, which may prove, in a predisposed subject, the exciting cause of this affection. Predisposition may lurk in breed ; and from the fact that many animals are now to be met with carrying about with them miniatures of ancestral deformity, spavin, ring' bone, &c., we may presume that splent, at times, comes under this category. Treatment. — In the early stages, supposing some inflamma« tory symptoms present, we resort to cooling, evaporating lotions : these are various. The following will probably answer the pup- pose ; we have used it extensively, and found it efficient : — ' Acetic acid, .... .... 2 ounces, Water 8 ounces, Chloric ether 1 ounce. Mix ; take a pad, composed of three or four folds of cotton cloth, immerse it in the mixture, place it over the seat of splent, thet THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR >^65 confine it, so as to produce slight pressure on the tumor, the outer bandage to be moistened as often as convenient. Real at this stage is highly iraponant, because the periosteum, or else the interosseous fibro-cartilage between the splent and canon, ia inflamed, and all motion aggravates it. In a case of long standing, and even in one having a well marked tumor, stifi'uess and lameness may be relieved by the iiccasional application of acetate of cantharides. Some surgeons blister for the cure of splent; others saw off the tumor ; and periosteotomy has been resorted to in view oi cure ; but, unfortunately, splent is no more curable than spavia when once the cartilage has been converted into bone; and as in tJie majority of cases it is but an eyesore, and deti'acts but little from the value, and still less on the score of usefulness, of the hoiot , it may be well to pause ere we operate for the cure of an incurable disease. EXPLANATION OF CUTS. Cut I. — Appearance of the hock before dissection and maceration. Cut 2. — Appearaiice of bones composing the hock after maceratioti. 1 Os calcis. 2, Astragalus. 3, 3. Large and medium cuneiform bones, united to each other, and coated wath bony deposit. 4, 4, 4. liony prominence, or spavin tumor. .5. Canon or metatarsus magnus. 6. Small (inner) metatarsal or splent, the head of which is involyed in oesific disease, so as to be immovable. 7. The articular cartilages being ossified, the canon is united to the oone above. The whr le surface of diseased parts, as delineated, have a rough, un- even, and spongy appearance. This is one of the hocks alluded to in article spavin. The diseased parts were obtained from Messrs. Freeman & Swtei, owners of the horse SPAVIN. It is most astonishing that m this age ol irap'ovemcnt means are not discovered for the prevention of this, one of the most common diseases of the horse's hock, it has got to be so com- 23 26G THE -MoUKltN HORSE DOCTOR. Ctrr 1. APPEARANCE OF THE SPAVIN TUMOR BEFORE DIE SECTION AND MACERATION. THE MODERN UOKSE DOCTUB. 2d7 Cut 2. APPEARAi JE OF THP: SPAVIN TUMOR AFTER DIS- SFXmON AND MACF.RATinN. 268 THE AIODERX HORSE DOCTOR. mon a disease of late, that if a purchaser finds a horse free from blemish of this description, he considers himself fortunate. By way of showing how httle some people think of spavin, the fol- lowing incident is related : The author was lately travelling in the eastern part of Massachusetts, and had occasion to use a team, which was procured at the village stable. The owner kindly consented to drive to our destination, some four or five miles dis- tant. During the journey the conversation turned upon horse* ology. Our friend appeared to be well posted — knew every horse in town, his cost, and present value. We remaiked to him that the horse he was then driving had a couple of spavins. " 0" exclaimed the man, " that is nothing ; the ho'ses in these p.irts are all spavined / " " Pray," asked we, " what do you attribute all this to ? " " The chief causes are, breeding from old, broken-down, spav- ined mares and worthless studs ; and permitting the foal to run by the side of its mother while she is in harness." Our own experience has taught us to look in this direction for the causes ; and we feel assured that if breeders would be more particular in the choice of both sire and dam, and leave the colt at home, instead of trotting it to market, by the side of the mare, — as is the fashion in the country, — and also pay attention to the conditions which the law of physiology imperatively de- mands for the maintenance of health and vigor, then there would be few spavined horses. Here, then, is where our preventive measures must commence ; for as sure as " like begets like," so 6ur^'%,re spavins transmitted from parents to offspring. Not that we would have the reader suppose that every case of spavin ia brought about in this way, or that every case is transmissible ; for we know that hard work on our paved streets must tend to hifiame the inter-articular cartilages between the small bones of the hock ; and this inflamed, bruised state of the parts may b>3 considered the primary stage of spavin. Concussion on pave- ments, when the horse is in the act of drawing heavy loads, haa much to do with the production of spavin ; still, in the country, where thei'e are no pavements, we find the most spavined horses. Kow shall we account for this ? It seems very probable that great muscular exertion, in drawing a load up hill, or, in fact, descending a slope rapidly with a load, may overtax the hga THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR, 269 mentary tissues ; and especially so in cases where there is some pre- disposing taint lurking in the system : so that there are varioui causes for spavin. Our views of the cure of epavin — that is, if anchylosis can be considered in the light of a cure — are, that, in jrder to render the animal capable of future usefulness, we must follow iii the path of nature, and aid her. For example, on discovering a horse lame in the hock, having the usual syniploma of spavin in its incipient stage, we should release him from labor, or even turn him out to grass, thus, to some extent, guard- ing against the irritation and inflammation which usually follow hard work ; for we know that in the early stage of the diseasa inflammatory action is active, and that hard labor and use of the joint must aggravate it ; therefore any measures that are taken, calculated to control or lessen pain and irritation, must prove beneficial. By such means we place the patient in the most favorable position for nature to perform a cure (anchylosis) in her own time, and after her own fashion. Some people have an idea that nothing short of firing or blis- tering can be of any benefit ; yet experience has shown that the practice is unsatisfactory, as the reader will perceive on consult- ing English authority. The fact of a few horses having been restored after the application of the hot iron or blister is not proof positive of its efficacy ; for, as we have said before, both horses and men will sometimes get well in spite of all we can do to prevent them. We have succeeded in rendering horses as free from lameness by mild means, as, we think, can ever be accom- plished by the scientific, yet barbarous mode of fire and blister. Our general advice is, during the inflammatory stage, let the ani* mal have rest, and apply cooling, evaporating lotions to the parts. Qui usual remf Jy in this stage is Muriatic acid, 4 ounces, Water, 2 quarts, Tincture of bloodroot, .... 6 ounces. Applied daily by means of a sponge. Another equally useful remedy may be thus prepared : Tftk{ Strong acetic acid, 4 ounces, Water, 1 quart. Proof spirit, 2 ounces. Common salt, 3 ounces Mix. 23* 270 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. Hur usual mode of application is as follows: Take a piece (M bpo*ge, slightly concave, corresponding as near as possible to the fori'i and size of the hock ; by means of a few stitches, affix two pie* ds of tape or linen, so as to form an X ; each piece must be 'ong enough to encircle the joint two or three times; after dip- ping the sponge in the mixture, it must be applied to the inside of the hock, and there secured, and afterwards kept constantly iicist. By a faithful application of the above, the inllammatory symptoms (which are not confined to the joint alone, but prevail ii. the surrounding tissues) will soon subside, and anchylosis pro- gresses in a slow, yet favorable manner, without the usual pain and irritation. Much of the lameness in spavin arises in consequence of the tumefied state of the ligamentary and sub-cellular tissues around the joint. We knew a horse, some time ago, that was regularly worked on the lead of a city truck, he being the subject of spavin on both tarsal joints, which were enormously swollen ; and any person not acquainted with the nature of the case would suppose that the bulk of the enlargement was of a bony character, it being dense, hard, and unyielding. On dissection, however, the hulk was the result of a general thickening of all the parts in th^ vicinity of the hock ; the exostosis, or bony enlargement, was but trifling, and the tarsal bones — composing the hock — were in a perfect state of anchylosis. (See cuts of spavin.) The animal, up to the period of his death, was considered "a very lame horse." Now, the lameness must have been of a ligamentary character, and not bony nor cartilaginous ; for the bones were united as firm as a rock, leaving not the least trace of inter- articular cartilage. In our collection of morbid specimens can be seen two excel lent specimens of spavin, taken from a horse formerly the prop- erty of a teamster doing business in Boston. The owner infiirraed U8 that at the age of eight the horse sliowed symptoms of spavin ; .le was immediately taken from work, and for upwards of a year was permitted to lead a life of comparative rest in the country, part ii' the tune at grass; the remainder was spent in barn and yar^? life. During this time, he was more or less lame ; yet nothing, by way of treatment, was done for him, except «n occasional dash of cold THE MODERN HORSE DOCTC R. 271 water on the diseased joints. The horse, on being put to work, Bhowed little more than the usual stiffness consequent on anchy- losis, — which had probably then taken plaee, — and he continued to perform daily labor for the space of eleven years, and died at the age of nineteen, of congestive pneumony. The important features in the case are, that there was less of lameness, tumefao» tion, and bony enlargement than we ever remember to hav adherent to both. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 27i Almost all the veterinary eurgeons of the olA \\orld have re« ■sorted to the firing iron or blister for the cure of spavin ; the cure, however, we contend, is only imaginary. The restoration of the horse to comparative usefulness is the object, and thai does not always follow ; yet, in justice to those whose position and long experience entitle them to the confidence of the world, we are constrained to acknowledge that their practice is often accompanied with astonishing success. The practice of jit ing^ however, we do seriously oppose ; it is a barbarism that should long since have been discontinued. We never performed the operation but once, and have ever since been sorry for it. As to blisters, we regard them in the light of a last resort , yet, when applied understandingly, we are not sure that it would be good policy to oppose their use ; for they are used by human practitioners in urgent cases with marked success. Cases are constantly occurring in large cities, in which, for several reasons, it is our. duty to hurry the process of anchylosis, and thus put the subject into working condition in less time than by the ordinary method of nature ! The remedy in this view is acetate of can- tharides, applied occasionally, so as to keep up an active state of inflammatory action, by which means the usual transforma- tions are effected. The remedy is contra-indicated in all cases of high inflammatory action, attended with heat, pain, and un- usual lameness : these states are to be subdued by the usual re- frigerating and anodyne lotions, ere we resort to any preparation of cantharides. The above preparation does not produce so much pain or irritation as a common blister. Nature and Seat of Spavin. — Spavin is a compound of two diseases, known as exostosis and anchylosis : the former signifies hypertrophy of bone, {hyperostosis,) — morbid enlargemr'nt ; anchylosis signifies stiff joint — absorption of inter-articular cai« tilage and substitution of bone. Anchylosis, however, does no! take place in what is properly understood as the hock joint, com- posed of the tibia and astragalus — although a very common oc- currence in the human subject ; but it generally occurs beneath the true join;, within its collateral or inferior articulations, knowp as the tarsal bones. Spavin, therefore, may commence in exos- tosis and end in anchylosis, and vice versa. The seat of spavin, 274 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. then, IS on the inside of the hock, in the region of the tarbJU bones, and beneath the true joint, from which point it may both spread and acquire magnitude. Hypertrophy, or enlargement of the bone beneath the tarsal articulations, occuri ing on the up- per part of the canon, does not constitute spavin : in England such an enlargement is denominated "a jack." As regards the Cause i)/ Spavin. — From what has preceded, tli5 reader will see that it has two origins: 1. Hereditary. 2, Exciting. 1. Hereditary Predisposition. — Facts have proved connlu- Bi/ely that spavin, as well as predisposition — morbid tendency — to the same, is transmitted from parents to offspring. It is prob- able, however, that predisposition is more frequently transmitted than actual disease ; for the latter does not make its appearance PC early as it otherwise would were it transmissible. Spavin is not peculiar to colthood, but to adult life, and even then can often be traced partly to an exciting cause — strain, injury, over-work, &c. Predisposition may not always have an hereditary origin ; still it will not differ in its mode of action from the former ; for all predisposing causes produce in the economy certain change? which may be said to prepare it for disease ; and, therefore, pre- disposition, whatever its source, may be considered as the incu- bative stage of disease. 2. Exciting Causes are those from which this disease seeni3 to have direct origin — such, for example, as strain, injury, over- work, &c. ; yet these faiJ to produce spavin in a great majority of cases; in confirmation of which we have only to look into the history of our triick horses, particularly those used for seveial years in the shafts. The herculean strength necessary to back a load which requires the united strength of two or three to draw would, one would think, be likely to produce spavin ; yet a great proportion of such are exempt from this disease ; therefore we may infer that exciting causes are in some cases inoperative, un- less conjoined with predisposition. Symptoms of Spavin. — Unfortunately for the poor brute, lameness is not generally of that character which incapacitates him for work ; and thus he is urged to the performance of his duties, the disease progiessing, and his sufferings increasmg. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 275 until the owner sees that the lameness is not to he driven off The generality of non-professional men ar*" unwilling to believe in the existence of spavin, unless they can both see and feel it, and are therefore more prone to refer primiary spavin lameness tc some other joint, until, after a few months of intermittent lame- ne^;, they are, by ocular demonstration, convinced. Spavin commencing in inter-articular cartilage is not demonr ittable in this manner; there is no circumscribed tumor, nor ir- regularity ; our diagnosis must, therefore, be made up from the jignf revoaled — from the heat and tenderness about the part, of a sub-acute character — from the absence of tumor — from the manner o^ catching up the limb — and from the intermitten* nature of the lameness, which is progressive, yet fluctuating. The history of the case, also, must be considered. If a sort of irregular lameness has existed for some months, referable to no other joint than the hock, and the difficulty has of late gradually increased, so that the joint appears stiff, all doubts are set aside, for anchylosis is hastening towards completion ; after which we may expect to observe a tumor on the inside of the hock. A tu- mor once formed in the region already referred to needs no wise man lu point it out ; it can be both seen and felt ; and this, accom- panied with hock lameness and ligamentary tumefaction, is the diagnostic symptom of spavin in its exostotic stage. BOG &V A^\l^ . — {Enlarged BurscB Mucos(B.) BLOOD SPAVIN. — {Local venous Congestion.) Bog spavin is the term usually given to enlarged mucous cap- sules, or to a distended state of the sub-cutaneous veins in the re- gion of the hock. Tn the latter case it is termed blood spavin. It will be seen, on referring to article Spavin, ttat the above abnormal states bear no resemblance to the latter ; therefore the term is misapplied, and should not be made use of by any per- son professing veterinary kno%v ledge. Enlarged mucous capsuhirt in the one case, and local venous congestion in the other, are significant terms, and by them we understand the nature of the case, and also by what means they are to be treated. The remedies for enlarged mucous capsules are, in the early 276 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. Btage, cold water and refrigerating lotions ; in the latter stages. Btrong infusion of bayberry bark ; and lastly, brandy and salt, per- geveringly applied. Congestion may be treated in ihe same manner, aided by friction. WINDGAIXS. — {Enlarged Bursa Mucosa.) The bursal capsules located just above the fetlock, as well as In the vicinity of the hock, secrete a synovial fluid, corresponding tc what some persons terra ^^ joint oil" the use of which is to facilitate ra »tion. In cases of this character, either the walls of the capsule are hypertrophied — augmented in bulk — or the syno- vial secretion is inordinate, or eke its flow is obstructed. Coun- ter-irritation, bandage, friction, and regular exercise are the best remedies, and yet they often fail to rtmove the eyesore. EXPLANATION OF CUT. 1. Superior pastern. 2. Inferior pastern. 3. 3. 4, 4. The joint anchylosed — immovable. 5. The bony tumor, extending laterally, and diffusing itself in &oal crf the joint. RINGBONE. Dfl/tnition. — Ringbone is a bony tumor — exostosis — situ- uted on or in the vicinity of the pastern bone, frequently ending in anchylosis of the pastern joint. Some very curious notions are entertained of the nature of ringbone. As an example, a late writer in New England tells us that ringbone is fed by a bludder situated at the posterior parts of the tumor, and recommends for its cure the extraction of this bladder. This erroneous vm-w o^ the matter would not amount to much, only it has led to th« m- fliction of a useless and cruel operation, which only tends to m» ke THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 27"; RINGBONE AND ANCHYLOSIS 278 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. bad worse, and exhibit its advocates in the light of baihariana It is not enough, forsooth, for the poor subject of ringbone to suffer the excruciating torment attending tendinous, ligamentous^ or periosteal inflammation and ossification, but he must, in addiiion, bo compelled to submit to atrocities unheard of in the history of human medicine, and for which the veterinary science of the piesent day furnishes no authority, but, on the other hand, one of universal disapprobation. It has been our painful duty, occa- ••oually, to take in charge subjects that have been most shame (iilly maltreated for the cure of ringbone. One case, which wp can never obliterate from memory, happened to a poor aged ani nial, that for a long period had been a faithful slave to his master For many years he had been the subject of this disease, and hia owner had long since given up all hopes of cure, till, at length, one of those exotic, pestiferous specimens of inhumanity, termed horse doctors, — but who have no more claim to the title thnn a maniac or a wild Indian, — undertook, for the sum o? five dollars, to cure an hereditary incurable disease. The owner, through the deceptive arguments of the barbarian, consented to an opera- tion, which for cruelty would have outdone an inquisitor. It consisted in cutting through the integuments down to the bones, — for both hind legs were operated on ; a red-hot iron was then freely used over the exposed surfaces ; some oil of turpentine then being poured into the horrid wounds, it was set on fire ; and thus the brutal operation terminated. What a pity the horse had not the power to make his tormentor exchange places with him, and pay him in his own coin! The disease was not benefited by the operation, as any veterinary surgeon, had he seen it, would liave foretold ; the case being one, not only of common ringbone, but also anchylosis of the pastern and coronet joint. Without DCeupying the reader's attention any longer in this direction, we shall at once proceed to causes of ringbone, its nature and treat' ment. Causes of Ringbone. — We have no better authority on thia Bubject than our oft-quoted Percivall, who teaches that there are " three kinds of causes — hereditary, structural, and incidental.' Our attention was first drawn to the hereditary origin of ring- bone from a remark made by an extensive dealer ii. horses, is TUK MUDEUiN UOUSE DOCTOK. 27'j reply to a question put to liiui, how it happened that but a fev, ringbones were now met with, compared to the number that at tracted notice in times past. The reply was, " Because nc breeder of horses nowadays will send a mare to a horse having ringbones." (A very good example for American horse-breed- ers to follow.) There appeared something like reason and truth in this ; and we felt more inclined to attach faith to it, when we came to read in Sollysell's work, " The ringbone is some times hereditary ; though it is usually occasioned by a strain taken in curvetting, bounding turns, and violent galloping or racing." " Thai form, as well as breed, is concerned in the production of ringbone, we have sufficient living demonstration. A coarse oi half-bred, fleshy, or bony-legged horse, with short and upright pasterns, is, we have observed, the ordinary subject of disease ; and there exist satisfactory reasons why we should expect him to be so. The pastern and coffin bones constitute the nethermost parts — the pedestals — of the columns of bones composing the limbs ; and being so, they receive the entire weight and force transmitted from above. The pastern, when long and oblique in position, receives the superincumbent weight in such an indirect line, that, bending towards the ground with the fetlock, nothing like jar or concussion follows. The very reverse of this, how- ever, happens every time the foot of a limb, having a short and upright pastern, comes to the ground. In it, instead of the weight descending obliquely upon the sesamoids, and the fetlock bending therewith, it descends direct, or nearly so, upon the pastern, making this bone entirely dependent upon the bone beneath it — the coffin — for counteracting spring ; and should any thing occur to destroy or diminish this spring, or to throw more weight, m ju lien vveight, upon the coffin bone, than it can counteract, jar ol (ht whole apparatus ensues, and an effort of nature to strengHj en the paits, by investing them with callus and ossification, is likely to be the ultimate result. For we would view ringbone, disease though it most assuredly must be called, as frequently, in young horses, a resource of nature whenever the [pastern] bonea are found unequal to the exertions or efforts required of them.'' J%e excitir g Causes of Ringbone. — " Tl\ese may be said tfl 280 THE MODKRN HORSE UOCTOR. consist in any acts or efforts of speed or strength productiv* ol concussion to the bones of the pastern. Some have ascribed the presence of ringbone to blows. Undoubtedly, a blow upon a bone would be very likely to produce exostosis ; but the pastern, the hind pastern in particular, is rather an unlikely part to bo struck. After inflammation from any cause, even after that jiroduced by a common blister, very often we know an enlargement of tha pastern will be left ; and though this is not called ringbone, it ipay be regarded as something very analogous to it." Nature of Ringbone. — " Ringbone is but a species of exos- tosis — a bony tumor, which in one situation constitutes ring, bone, in another eplent, it another spavin ; yet the three difter as well in their origin as in their effects. Ringbone has an ex- ternal origin ; and though it may, from spreading, interfere with the motion of a joint, still it does not, that we know of, produce any affection of the synovial membrane ; spavin, on the con- trary, seldom confines itself to the external or ligamentary tis- sues, but affects the synovial membrane as well ; and splent originates in the very joint — the Jibro-cartilaginous — which it afterwards blocks up and grows from. " Ringbone is either a ligamentary or a periosteal affection, or both. From the situation in which we commonly find it, and from the causes which are known to give rise to it, we believe it usually to be ligamentary in its beginning ; though, when once formed and given to spread, no tissue, save the tendons, escapes conversion, to contribute to the osseous mass ; and even the ten- dons themselves have been known to become partly ossified. In fact, when the exciting cause has been great, or when there exists an evident proneness in the constitution to ossific action, such is the extensive and varied form ossification takes on, thai we can hardly say when it will end, so long as any sofl tissues yet remain to be converted. Writing in the year 1823 en this subject, with a hundred and fifty morbid specimens of the kind upon the table before us, we find we were led at the time to make the following remarks : — " ' By far the most common seats of [ossific] disease are the pastern, coronet, and coffin bones. Out of the said hundred and fitly specimens there are THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 281 % of complete anchylosis of the fetlock joint, 40 do. do. of the pastern joint, 18 do. do. of the coffin joint. The others are either simply incrusted, more particularly around their extremities, with layers of new bone, or are variously de- formed by exostosis of different shapes, many of which are very laige, and several of them confined to one side. Upon (.ne ol tbi! pastern bones a complete osseous ring is formed, the result of assiflcation of the flexor perforatus tendon. In nearly all, tho disease appears to have taken its rise at, and to have spread from, the pastern joint; there being but few specimens in which some osseuus accretion is not observed around the lower end of tho pastern bone and the upper one of the coronet bone ; which ia tho kind of deposition that gives rise to ringbone.' " Treatment of Ringbone. — The old method of treating exos- tosis by fire and blister is fast giving way to a more rational procedure. It has been discovered that there is not really any cure for this malady, more than there is for spavin : if we can relieve the horse from lameness, that is all that can be expected of us ; but even then the disease is not cured — an eyesore still remains, and perhaps a stiff joint. We treat the disease, whej first discovered, just as we would a recent splent or spavin — by cooling, evaporating lotions, cold water bandages, &c. ; rest, too, so much disregarded by physicians, and not mentioned by some veterinary authors, is of some importance. Human practitioners realize how much is gained by their patients, when laboring under diseases of the joints, by strict attention to rest ; for by that means inflammatory action is kept within bounds. To con- „fol inflammatory action, and by that means lessen pain and irri- tation within or around a joint, should be our first business : frorc this we have seen great benefit derived. Our business as phy- sicians is to follow in the footsteps of nature, and observe by what means she repairs injuries and performs her cures. We shall find that her cure of spavin and splent consists of anchy- losis ; all that she requires for it is rest : if any thing more be needed, it is revealed to her handmaid, the physician. The parts are hot and inflamed; cooHng applications are needed: now they are coU' and inactive ; warmth, moisture, and perhape U * liU'Z THE MODKUN HOUSE DOCTOtt Btiinulants are indicated ; and so on to the end. If" the physioiar has learned to interpret the language of nature, he is indeed het handmaid. In the case of hip disease occurring in children — the natural cure of which is anchylosis — piiysic ians enjoin rest, which favors union of the diseased bones. If such means tavor anchylcsia in the human subject, we cannot dispense with them when treat- irg the horse. The author has tried such means, and is satisfied that he is on ine right track. In all cases, then, of early disease of this character, whether it be periosteal, bony, cartilaginous, fibrous, or muscular, cooling lotions, fomentations, light diet, and rest are the means most calculated to do good, whether the in- tentions of nature are anchylosis or not. In chronic cases we use acetate of cantharides, applied daily, until the parts appear hot and tender; we then substitute cold water bandages, and repeat the process if necessary. STRAIN OF JOINTS OK MUSCLES. What we understand by strain is a common wreucli, otretching a fibre, tendon, or ligament beyond its physiological capacity, witii or without extravasation of blood, generally followed by pain, lameness, and sometimes deformity. In human practice, the word sprain is u.-ed to signify an incomplete luxation, accom- panied with stretching, and more or less laceration of the liga- ments of a joint, and sometimes with rupture of a tendon. Both terms appear to apply to the same state ; yet, as strain is tiie word generally used in horse practice, we prefer it to the other. A strain in the horse is a very different affair from what it is ir. man ; for rest — which is the principal means of cure — cannot be insuied ; when the patient, instead of cooperating with us in keeping the limb quiet, often keeps it in constant motion, thus counteracting our best methods of cure. Then, again, if a man sprains a wrist or ankle, lie immediaiely adopts the best method, of cure, and keeps the limb quiet until the hitlammatory symp- toms have subsided. But strain occurring in a horse is not thought much of by the majority of horsemen ; and therefore the services of a physician are not called in until the horse is aj \ame as a kitten. THE JIODKUN UOKSE DUCTOU. 2bt^ The treatment of common strain, if seen earl}', is a very sim- ple affair, and may be conducted somewhat after the following manner : Take tincture of arnica and pui-e water, equal parts bathe the parts in a thorough and careful manner, and apply a cold water bandage, and continue the treatment until relief ia obtained : in cold weather, the wet bandage must be covered willi dr) clf)ths,, or packed. STRAIN OF THE FETLOCK. Strain o? the fetlock is frequently occasioned by bending the joint in a lateral direction, and injuring the capsular ligaments OiT the jomt. Lateral motion in these joints is very limited ; there- fore, if a horse treads on a round body, or gets his foot in a hole, and the strain comes upon the side of the joint, lameness is gen- erally the result. Treatment. — If a loss of continuity has taken place in any of the tendons or ligaments, a starch bandage must be applied, in the form of figure 8. If it is nothing but a sprain, the cold water bandage may suffice. Any morbid habit, however, must be sub- dued by alterative medicine. See Alteratives. STRAIN OF THE KNEE. Treatment. — The same as in strain of the fetlock. STRAIN OF THE COFFIN JOINT. Treatment. — Rest, cold water applications, cooling medicine, and light diet. STRAIN OF THE BACK. Strain in the back or lumbar region arises from causes very evident to those who pay any attention to the anatomical struO' lure of the horse. Considering the heavy loads he is often (com- pelled to carry or draw, it is astonishing that he should be so frer as he is from lameness in the back. The diagnostic symptoms of this form ,: ' strain are. pressure over the •irabai 384 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. region elicits symptoms of pain ; the part feels hot ; and tlie horsQ when compelled to describe a circle, shows, by the careful mannei in which he turns, that it gives him great pain. Treatment. — Rest ; applications of cold water ; light diet; and cream of tartar water as a drink. One ounce of cream of tartar to a bucket of water, daily. It was customary, but a few years agO; to apply charges, and plasters, to the back, for the cure of strain and lameness. But the day of plasters, in human as well as veterinary practice, has gone by; they are now only used by those who have never taken the trouble to understand the exha- latory function of the skin — which salutary function plasters obstruct ; the wet sheet next the skin, and a blanket over it, will be more likely to do good than a plaster. Should the horse show moie than ordinary symptoms of pain, a fomentation of hopa should be resorted to ; if, after a day or so, the pain is still mani- fest, the trouble is something more than mere strain, and the owner had better consult a medical man. STRAIN OF THE SHOULDER. Treatment. — The part must be sponged, two or three times a day, with diluted tincture of arnica. In fact, a common strain of any part of the muscular system may be treated in the same manner ; at the same time attention must be paid to the state of the boweh THOROUGHPIN. — {Enlarged bursa.) Thoroughpin makes its appearance in the form of bursal swelling, the fluid of which can be squeezed from one side to the Other : it is located in the region of the hock, in a space bounded by the os calcis, tendo achillis, and lower end of the tibia. It seldom occasions lameness, but is considered a sad blemish ; for the removal of which, Mr. Gloag, V. S., recommends acupunc- turation and pressure. The following case, from the Veteri- na'^iari, illustrates his mode of procedure : — "July 11, 1850, a chestnut mare, aged four years, admitted ^ilh a large thoroughpin, off hock. This had existed four or five months, and seemed to be increasing in size. It was proposed tA THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 281 ine that the hock should be extensively fired ; but, instead of eo doing, the following plan of treatment was adopted : — " I cut a slice transversely, about half an inch in thickness, oflf a large bottle cork, and this was pierced by four common-sized darning needles, so that their points projected about half an inch from the surface. The cork was used in order to give the needles a iiim position, and to admit of the distances of their projecting points being graduated according as required. I then plunged the needles into the enlarged sac, on each side, which was fol- lowed by a slight oozing of serous fluid. The hock was after- wards ordered to be well fomented. This treatment was daily repeated until the '* 16th, when no particular change had occurred. The opera- tion was to be daily continued ; but, instead of fomenting after the puncturing, the parts were to be well smeared with an ointment composed of hydriodate of potass one part, mercurial ointment one part, blister ointment half part, and lard ten parts. "25th. The thoroughpin is evidently somewhat reduced. After each operation the sweUing partly subsides, but subsequently fills again. The ointment is occasionally discontinued for a day. 1 wias now resolved to try the effect of pressure. For this pur- pose I applied a spring truss to the hock, upon the enlarged bursa, which was to be daily punctured, as before, with the appli- cation of the ointment as often as it could be safely used. After the first application of the truss, it was quite astonishing to observe the difference in the enlargement, which had become quite soft, and evidently showed that its contents would be absorbed. The mare wore this truss day and night, and took her walking exercise in it daily. I need not follow the case in de'ail, but simply state that, on the 10th Aug., the enlargement of the hock was almost gone, and (hat, in a very short time afterwards, it became as clean as the other joint. The truss was discontinued on the " 20th Aug., when the mare was discharged. Up to the present time there has been no appearance of a return of the affection. " Remarks. — This is the fourth case I have treated success- fully in this way ; and, from what I have seen of the plan, I am quite satisfied it is extensively appUcable. Tlie late Mr. Ions, of 286 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOK. "Waterford, mjiny years ago, was the first person who mentioned to n>e about puncturation with needles : he told me it was a very common practice with him. This case, however, did not fully answer my expectation ; and the matter remained unsettled in mv mind until I saw in the pages of the Veterinarian a drawinj^ and account of a spring truss for the hock, where the two remedies, punchiration and pressure conjointly, struck me as being very feasible ; and now I am quite satisfied that they will ansv\ er in many cases. I do not think that bursal enlargements can with safety be opened in any other way than by puncturation with needles." OPEN JOINT.* Open joint, or broken knees, as some term it, is generally occa- sioned by falling on them ; open joint, however, is an opening into its capsular ligament, which may also be made, by accident or design, with any sharp instrument. Cases of open joint very * Open Joint. — On .page 377, No. 67, third series, London Veterinarian, we find a communication from E. Mayhew, (a part of which we submit to the reader,) on the treatment of this lesion : — " For a long time it occurred to me, that the present treatment of open joints was based upon false principles. What could Coleman mean by the free use of the budding iron, which he both taught and practised? In the first plato, when a knee is opened, the injury does not stop there ; we know little of the real state the part will ultimately assume for three days or a week ; we must wait till the slough has taken place before we can pronounce a definite judg- ment of the extent of the wound ; then applying the hot iron, even supposing It upon each application to act as the late professor intended, was merely to singe that which must eventually come away. It must, however, be a good- sized budding iron, which is to fit the orifice left, after the vast majority )f .'k ughs have fallen oflF. But setting aside the folly of that remedy which is T'f no use when we most require assistance, did it never strike tlie advrcates of the iron, that, if it is sometimes reparative, it is more often destructive in ita agency .' Is it fair or prudent to employ upon other people's property a remedy which, if its chance of doing good do not answer, is certain of doing serious hann? Yet I say too much, when I allow it has a chance of doing good. Heat m iron to any extent that it may please the operator, then plunge it into the white of a broken egg. Hold it within the substance till the iron cools, or ia of a dead heat, and then withdraw it. In what condition will the iron be when it is taken out ? Yet this is exactly the basis upon which Mr. Coleman used to advocate the use of the bidding iron. The iron plunged into white of egg will be coated with its coagulation, and the same weapon inserted among bynovia will be covered with the like product. Thu sub.stance which was to ht THK MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 281 3ftldom occur ; the liorse, in falling on his knees, merely lacerateg the integumentfi, and, perhaps, punctures the sheath of" the ex- tensor tendon which passes over the knee, from whence synovial fluid esca{)es, and this is mistaken for the true joint synovia Such an injury, although siniphi as it may appear, often termi nates in anchylosis of the carpal bones. Treatment. — Supposing the horse to have just fallen, let tht part be cleansed of foreign bodies ; then remove all the pendenl »kin and clip the hair short, (it is of no use to try to heal by first intention — therefore sutures are useless ;) we then ascertain, by probe, if the joint be opened ; but whether it be so or not, our first dressing consists of a pledget saturated with tincture of aloe? and myrrh, over which apply a cold water bandage. Rest and a light diet follow. The dressing is not to be removed until sup- puration commences, which will be in the course of two or threo days ; then cleanse and apply a paste of charcoal and fir balsam, and bandage as before. In cases of open joint with profuse dis- charge of synovia, add an equal quantity of pulverized bayberry bark to the charcoal, and dust the parts frequently with the same, without removing the dressing ; for the wound must not be ex- posed, unless absolutely necessary. We once cured a rather bad case of open joint by covering the chasm with paste formed of fir balsam, powdered myrrh, and charcoal ; over this was placed a piece of lint, and a nicely-adjusted splint was fixed to the back of the knee joint, and over the whole a starched bandage thiee inches wide and five yards in length. left behind to serve as a plug will come away, and the injury be aggravated, thf: bad effects alone being left behind. I know the iron is now recommended for small openings alone ; but there may be a small opening in the first instance, whi(h, when the slough takes place, sliall prove a large one ; and what can b« she Sfr7ic2 of a remedy which is uncertain in its action, injurious in its appli ca£i;a and which does not provide for the natural after-consequences ? ThcT9 remains ye. another mode of treatment to be mentioned: this consists simply in mechanically stopping the flew of synovia, — placing a cork in the orifice, ai 1 have heard it elegantly expressed. Now, as open joint is generally accom- panied by a lacerated wound, a lacerated wound must close by suppuraticin then, in thus plugging the orifice, they not only prevent the escaj e of synoyia but at the same time they lam up the pus. It matters not whether lime, cor- rosive sublimate, compound tincture of aloes, with a pledget of tow and band ages, India rubber, or brown paper be used ; the principle is the same." 288 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOXU -D Fig. 1. Fig. i. APPARATUS FOR DISLOCATION OF THE FETLOCK. EXPLANATION OF CUT. FiO. 1 represerUs the outside of a horse's leg, with the apparattu Jixed. A. One of the supporters of the leg, extending from the ground surface of the foot to within a little of the hock, made of atoutish iron, curved and adapted to suit the convexity of the fetlock joint ; its upper portion, B, being rounded and turned downwards, to prevent abrasion, and to form a loop to receive and keep a leathern strap in its place ; its lower having a screwed end, which 'j» passed through a hole in the projecting portion, C, at the side >f the shoe, and firmly fixed by means of a nut, D. E. A plate of iron, riveted on the supporter, having a convexity on its eztcar nal and a concavity on its internal surface, to reosive the joint. F. A leathern strap, with buckle attached, to be fastened round the leg. Fig. 2. A, A. rhc corresponding internal Supporter. B. The shoe, unattached, showing its two lateral projections, C, C, eootain- tiig holes for the reception of the supporters. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 289 The bandage remained on for six days ; during which time the patient was kept on his legs. On removing the bandage, care waa taken not to disturb the lint ; some fresh paste was smeared over it, and a cold water bandage substituted for one of starch. The chasm was finally healed by the use of collodion and fir balsam without bandage. In slight wounds of the knee, it is sufiicient to cleanse the part, and wet, occasionally, with arnica — two ounces of tincture to 0119 pint of water, accompanied with rest. DISLOCATION. By dislocation is meant the displacement of a bone from ita articulating socket. The most common accidents of this charac- ter occur in the stifle and fetlock joints, although, excepting the elbow and coffin joints, all articulating surfaces in the horse are susceptible of dislocation. In this country, very little attention has ever been paid to the treatment of either dislocation or frac- ture, and, in consequence, very many valuable horses have been condemned, or abandoned by their owners for a mere trifle, that might have been restored to comparative soundness. Horsea have been known to recover from dislocation of the spine, shoul- der, hip, and we have had several cases of this kind, occurring in the stifle and fetlock, that have terminated favorably. Dislocation of the Neck, or cervical vertebrae, is occasioned by a hoi'se pitching forward, or suddenly falling at a time when his head is turned in a lateral direction ; or he may get into what is tormed an awkward fix, across the stall, or under the mangsr, ucable to extricate himself, and thus dislocates the bones of the neck. The diagnostic symptoms are, muscular paralysis, unnat- ural curvature of the neck; the head at the same time being more or less pendulous, and at a certain point on the convex side of the neck will be felt a space and fulcrum >f motion. The means of reduction are, warm fomentations to the con* cave side of the neck, gradual extension, and manipulation. 25 290 THE MODEKN HORSE DOCTOR. The extension, however, consists of little else than slowly and steadily turning the head to the central part of the body, while the operator presses with one or both knees on the most prominent part of the convex angle. The animal is supposed to be down, and the ordinary precaution taken to secure his limbs in hob- bles or by means of rope. It not unfrequently happens that the nuscles on the convex side of the neck are lacerated : in that ?UsSe, even after reduction, the neck would still incline to an an- gle : to obviate which, a sort of concave splint must be a})plied to the concave side, reaching from the angle of the jaw to th'^ isLoulder, being curved and padded at each end, for the recep tion of their respective parts, and then confined by rollers straps, &c. Dislocation of the Shotdder is reduced also by extension and manipulation ; but, owing to the shallow cavity of the lowei part of the shoulder blade, it is very difficult to retain the parts in apposition ; still the animal is not to be sacrificed until means have been tried, which are, continual pressure backward on the head of the humerus. The diagnostic symptoms are, promi- nence of the head of the humerus, and inability to bring the limb forward. Dislocation of the Hip. — Very little hopes can be entertained of reducing so formidable a displacement ; for the head of the thigh bone is generally thrown ont of its socket on the pelvis, and the abductors exert such a powerful force upward that it is almost impossible to counteract them ; still we should not de epair. There is a horse now in existence within a few miles of Boston, that, three years ago, slipped on turning a corner, and dislocated the thigh bone, the head of which could be dis- tinctly seen and felt. The unfortunate subject was carried home on a sled ; the owner treated him on the hydropathic principle, and left the case to nature, without making any attempts at re- duction. At the end of six months, he could hobble along pretty well ; all that could be noticed was, a prominence on the hip and a shortening of the limb. Up to the present time he has gradually improved, so as to become quite useful in doing light work The means arc simple, and the author has no better iq offer THK MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 291 Dtslocafton of the Stifle Bone. — If we should believe all the stories that are told us of horses having the stifle out, the diff culty would appear to occur very often, which, in fact, is not the case. We are frequently called to see horses said to have their stifle out, which, on examination, turn out to be sprain of the fetlock, or punctured foot. The error arises in consequence of a lack of anatomical knowledge; for the symptoms of each are so different that it is almost impossible for a veterinary surgeon .0 make suih a gross mistake. The stifle joint is composed of the lower end of the femur, upper end of the tibia, and patella, thr latter corresponding to the kneepan of man. So soon as the pa- tella — stifle bone — is luxated, the horse is unable to advance the limb ; it is stiflTened and protruded backwards ; and, on ex- ploring the region of the patella, it will be found outside the ex- ternal condyle of the femur. When the bone is dislocated in wards, the limb will be drawn upwards, the animal being unabU to rest on it. The reduction is effected by bringing the limb forwards and upwards, at the same time pressing the patella towards its origi- nal position. After the bone has been replaced, it must be held there until the muscles have regained some degree of contractility. The parts must then be kept wet with cold water, until an infu- sion of bayberry or white oak bark can be prepared, which may be used pretty freely about the joint for several days. Dislocation of the Fetlock. — See cut, p. 288. The author has no personal experience in the use of such apparatus delineated in the cut ; yet it is spoken highly of by some veterinary surgeons. The best method the author knows of for treating diglocatioE of the fetlock is by means of starched bandages. A dislocation of thi? joint is easily detected. Its reduction can be effected by any one : a little starch and a narrow bandage, five yards in length, are all the appliances needed. Rest, light diet, and att . . l-i ounce each, " ginger, I Fine salt, . . J Oatmeal, 1 pound. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 297 Mix; divide into twelve parts, and give one, in the focd, light and morning. In either case, it will not be good {x)licy to (continue the poultices for any length of time ; for, knowing as we do, from actual experience, that warmth and moisture combined, in the form of a poultice, are relaxing, and therefore enervating, and that grease, in its early stage, is merely augmented issue, the poultice might have the effect, if repeated, of inviting fluids to the parts. Still the ingredients might be so combined as to pos- sess astringent properties. The following is an example — Slippery elm, or flaxseed, . . ad libitum. Powdered bayberry bark, ) , . charcoal, \ ' ' ^'^^^^ P'^"^' Mix. Perhaps, with the addition of a small quantity of salt and bloodroot, this poultice would form the most proper one in the advanced stage of the disease ; for we are taught that astrin- gents have a tendency to suppress the secretion, and *he discharge 80 vner or later, becomes arrested. After poulticing the parts, as the nature of the case seems to demand, we then endeavor to aid nature in her efforts at restoration, both by local and general means. If, for example, the heels crack, become dry, hard, a ad contracted, the surface should be smeared over with Linseed oil, ^ Powdered charcoal, C . . . equal parts. " sulphur, ) Mix the charcoal and sulphur with a sufficient quantity df oft to make it of the consistence of cream, and apply it to the parts, with a brush, night and morning. The general means imply a restoration of all the secretions and excretions, by the use of alteratives. The following is a good exa^iipiC — Powdered sulphur, \ " bloodroot, I " sassafras, > . . . equal parts. Cream of tartar. Skunk cabbage, J Dose, half an ounce, night and morning, mixed with the food. There is one remedy which the writer has faund well adaptea to almost every case of grease, or scratches and it is highlj recommended by Professor Morton, of the Royal Veterinarj College. It consists of 298 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. Pyroligneous acid, ^ Linseed oil, > . of each equal par *. Turpentine, ) Mix; let the heels first be washed with lukewarm water and castile soap ; after wiping them dry, apply the mixture. Re- peat night and morning. In order to keep down morbid granulations — denomiiialf d by Bome " proud Jii sh " — the parts maybe sprinkled daily wilL one of the following articles : — Powdered bloodroot, " burnt alum, " bayberry bark. Put on a good coating of one of the above articles ; cover the 6ore with dry lint, and apply a bandage over all It should be borne in mind that bandages should always be dispensed with, if possible ; for they invariably irritate and inflame whatever parts they are applied to. This is owing to the high state of sensi- hiUty in the skin of the horse. HARDENING OF THE SKIN. — (/ndwrn^iw*.*) Hardening of the skin generally takes place in consequence of pressure from some portion of the harness ; it often occurs, however, from laceration of the integuments and sub-cellular tis- sue ; by the calkings of the animal's shoes ; and we sometimes find that it is the result of fungus, or morbid growths, after they have been removed by caustics. An excellent appHcation foi these indurations is, the acetate of cantharides, prepared thus: — * Induration is an abnormal increase in the consistence of an organ or part, and may exist under various circumstances. It may be owing merely to a de- ficiency of blood in a part, in consequence of which its denser particles are more closely aggregated, and therefore otfer an increased resistance. There are various parts of the animal structure which are often the seat of indura- tion. The lungs, for example, in consequence of previous inflammatory action, become hepatized this is identical with induration, and is o^ving to the deposit and coagulation of that portion of the blood known as fibrin. The liver now and then becomes the seat of a fibrinous deposit ; the organ first enlarges, but afterwards gradually contracts and hardens : as it is reduced in size, it be- comes lard and tough ; here we have schirrus of the liver — induration. Othei varieties of interstitial deposit are known to the profession ; and the reader, if disposed, can also learn vhat is known of this branch of pathology from staa iard works. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOK. 299 Acetic acid, 1 ounce, Water, 6 ounces. Pulverized cantharides, .... 1 ounce. Mix ; let it macerate for fourteen days ; then filter througl linen or blotting paper, and add one ounce of spirits of wine : it is then fit for use. To be applied occasionally, by means of a feirall piece of sponge. A. preparation which answers the same purpose is composed jf equal parts of oil of turpentine and olive oil, to be applied %8 ab^ve. MALANDERS AND SALANDERS. The above terms are usually applied to scurfy eruptions, accompanied with oozing crusts and cracks in the skin, situated either in front of the hock or at the posterior part of the knee joint. They probably produce some sort of an itching sensa- tion ; occasional pain, and even lameness, have been known to arise from them. The disease is said to arise from long travelling on bad roads, want of cleanliness, «&c. ; but probably it originates from that peculiar state of the system which favors the production of cu- taneous diseases.* The disease does not prevail to any great * In the treatment of cutaneous affections the reader must always bear in mind the fact, that a local disease seldom, if ever, exists long ere the constitu- tion suffers ; and that almost every case of an eruptive nature is either s^nnp- tomaric or sympathetic. But lest we may be charged with uttering sentiments exclusively our own, we quote from an article on Diseases of the Skin, by T. Hunt, Esq., F. K. C. S. His extensive practice in the Western Dispensary for diseases of the skin entitles his opinions to the highest confidence. " # * # A local disease can so seldom exist per se, independently of some lesion of the general system, that to argue in favor of the constitutional origin or Diture of any particular local affection, may seem superfluous. If a' chill &li6. into a tub of hot water, the whole surface of the body •$ blistered — i' .a A local affection; but how soon do the symptoms show that t is one in wi. ch the whole system participates? A carbuncle, an eniption of small-pox, scarla- tina, or measles, and an attack of erysipelas or vesicular fever, are all so many illustrations of the fully admitted truth, that a severe affection of the skin, whether caused by accident or otherwise, involves the constitution \n the gen- eral disturbance. In the milder forms of skin diseases the general lesion may be less obvious; but from analogy we are bound to conclude that it exisb. If R person be inoculated for small-pox, and but one pustule appears, that pus- tnle is preceded and accompanied by some degree of fever. Nor is it po6»ibl« 800 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOK. extent in the United States. The author has leen two (asefi occurring in subjects of the scroi'ulo^s diathesis, which Ijas led him to suppose that the disease is of a Bcrofulous character : at Any rate, it sometimes depends on internal causes ; and therefore, in addition to the local remedies, some sort of medicine of an alterative character must be given. See Alteratives. The term malanders is applied to the disease m hen the fora 1eg3 are affected, and salanders when it is located in the hind ones. As both are supposed to proceed from the same cause, the local treatment consists in washing the parts twice a day with an alkaline wash — lime water — or saleratus ; and after the part or parts are wiped dry, the following application must be used : — IpkttSlupentine. \ ' ' ' of each equal paxts. POULTRY LOUSINESS IN HORSES. Poultry lousiness, one of the evils of domestication, has prob- ably never occupied much of the attention of horse owners in this country ; yet it is important that such should be made acquainted with the facts in relation to it, because a knowledge of them may explain the origin of many cutaneous diseases — attended with loss of hair — that seem to have a spontaneous origin, and at the same time resist the ordinary treatment. It is very necessary for a pimple to be thrown out spontaneously on the surface of the body without some previous lesion, however slight, either of the solids or the circulating fluids of the system ; else we should have an effect without a cause. In like manner, every cutaneous disease, whether arising spontaneously, like lepra oi herpes, or whether resulting from contagion, as scabies or porrigo, eithei originally or ultimately involves the constitution, more or less obviously, in the changes which are taking place in the capillary system. As the brain takei ooguizance of every disturbance in the extremities o the nerves, sc the heart receives and rellects an impression when the minute vessels, however distint from the centre of circulation, become congested or inflamed. In fact, a sym- pathy exists throughout both systems, and in all parts of the frame ; so that every part of the body suffers with every member, and each member with the who e body — the local disease, when communicated from without, becoming the cause of the constitutional disturbance, and vice versa ; the generaj cachexy, when it exists primarily, becoming, in its turn, the cause of the kca udcctioE THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 301 also I hat fowl breeders (who, in a great majority of cases are horse owners) should know that there is such an evil in exist- ence ; having, as will be seen hereafter, a well-defined cause oper- ating, not beyond their comprehension, but which, in such ca?tsi is invariably present, and cogrizant to the perceptive faculties of evsry thinking man. In the treatment of disease, our first business is to discover, a.i nftai as circumstances permit, its cause, and then, if possible. U, p^n; jve it. In such a case as this, we might treat the cutaueou? affection, but with little credit to ourselves or profit to our em- ployer, unless the cause be removed. A writer in *ho Rural Uev Yorker thus alludes to the matter : — " During the early season of my keeping fowls, I had their roosting-place adjoining the stall where I kept my horse, with a partition between. I think it was the second year after I kept my hens in this manner, that I discovered there was something the matter with my horse. He showed a disposition to rub and bite himself; but for a long time I paid httle regard to it, think- ing he would soon be over it ; but it seemed to increase upon him I could fit up no stall nor partition of sufficient strength to resist his efforts. I could leave him nowhere unhitched ; and if I hitched him, he would soon break loose, and get to some place where he could rub. For six months or more, he continued in this manner, before I ascertained what ailed him. I tried various remedies for humors in the blood, bled him copiously, drenched him with physic till he could hardly stand ; and all to no effect. He was a large and valuable horse commonly, but at this stage of matters he was truly a sight to behold. He was minus hia ratine, and was in nearly the same condition with his tail ; his bides lacerated and naked, in consequence of his continual rubbing ard biting. At last the thought struck me that the animal mighj he lousy ; and, on close examination, I found he was literally revered with small hen lice; and they adhered so closely to the fckui, that it was almost impossible to comb out one with a fine comb. I now changed ray course of doctoring, and by dint of perseverance, through the application of various remedies for the destruction of lice, in the course of six or eight weeks I succeeded in effecting a perfect cure 26 '02 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. "The tirst thing I did after this was to remoTC my hen roost, and scald and whitewash the stable. I have not betn troubled with hen lice getting on my horse since. I have heard of similai cases, where horses have been afflicted in the same way ; hence I consider it safest not to build a hen house behind the stable." This affection has become so common of late among horses in ti e United States, and as the majority of their owners are almost ID the dark regarding it, we here introduce to the reader an inter- esting article from the pen of Mons. H. Bouley, translated from the French, by Mr. Percivall : — " Amongst these there is one, interesting alike as regards its cause, its mode of manifestation, and its treatment, which has been confounded with general itch or mange ; to which, indeed, it bears some resemblance, in consisting, as it does, of the existence of a parasitic animal, and which must be destroyed ere the disease will disappear. To this variety of phthyriasis* M. Bouley has given the name of the Poultry Lousiness, (phthyriasis des oiseaux,) on account of the unique cause giving origin to it, as well as by way of distinguishing it from the pedicular f disease peculiar to horses. " Its commencement is instantaneous. All at once the horse is seized with a violent, continued general itching. So sudden and irresistible is the desire the animal possesses to scratch himself, that he is not easy for a single moment. He rubs his skin against every resisting body near him, stamps the ground con- tinually, strikes his belly, bites every place he can reach with his mouth; manifesting, by his continual movements, the burning itching by which he is devoured. At night his torments increase; BO much so, that should the animal be abandoned to himself, he rul>8 and bites himself to that degree, that he tears his skin, and carries portions away in his mouth, denuding himself extensively of his scarf skin ; nor does he relax until smarting pains succeed the insupportable torments of the itching. "At the time these symptoms of prurience J are making their uppearance, the skin is the seat of an eruption of very small vesi- cles ; § some solitary — others, in great/ir number, congregate, • Lousiness. J Itching. t From pediculus, a louse § Small eruptions containing fluid. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 30J >jcupying more or less extent of surface. These vesic". in contain, at the period of their maturity, scarcely serosity enough to rais« i'tiG epidermis,* which becomes detached, dragging the hairs with it that run across, leaving behind it a small bare surface, perfectly circular, of the diameter of a lentil, or the smallest silver coin This bare part becomes covered with a crust of dried serosity which soon exfoliates, f and is replaced by a new epidermis, p^r fectly smooth. '■This primary stage of the disease is difficult to meet withj because, ordinarily, horses are not submitted to examination before depilation has commenced — the sequel of the desiccation | of the vesicles. '' At the second stage of the poultry lousiness, the most pathog- nomonic § lesion is the depilation || consecutive on the vesicular eruption ; and this is so characteristic, that, once the disease observed in its true form, and traced to its cause, a simple coiip d'ceil^ is all that is necessary to recognize and distinguish it from all other cutaneous affections. " The depilation is of that remarkable character that it reflecta exactly, in the general impression it makes upon the skin, the form of the vesicular eruption, solitary or confluent, of which it is the latest vestige. In fact, the surface is marked by regular cir- cular patches, of the diameter of a lentil, giving it the aspect of tiger spots. In places where the eruption has been the most con- fluent, the depilation spreads between the vesicles, and so extends over a considerable patch of surface ; but, even in these places, the circular disposition of the denuded patches, the primary expression of the original vesicular eruption, is still maintained in the smooth condition of the epidermis. " This depilation spreads, like the vesicular eruption of which it is the consequence, with very great rapidity. In two or three Jays, tne horse, with the most shining coat, may have it spotted over with circular patches bare of hair, and in the course of 8 • Tlie outer or scarf skin. t Separates from the living skin. J Drying up. $ A term giTea t> the symptoms which mark the disease. Lesion meani injury. 11 Loss of hair. If Glanco. 804 THE MODERN HORSE 1 OCTOR. week will the ^air and epidermis be destroyed over a large extent corresponding to the parts where the eruption has been the most confluent, ouch is the rapidity of the depilation that we are but too apt to date the disease back to a long period, when it is, in (ruth, but of a few days' duration. " It is only at this stage of the phthyriasis that horses ordinarily oome under observation ; and therefore does it become difficult at stLch a time to assign to the disease any specific character ; the vesicular kind of eruption serving to distinguish and classify il Having left no trace upon the skin, save circulatory depilation. Sometimes, at this stage of the disease, sorts of solid papulae* form within the substance of the skin, which become crowned with secondary vesicles, whose progress is identical with that of those we have already pointed out, disappearing after the formation and detachment of the crust succeeding the secretion. " During the whole of this stage, as at the first breaking out of the disease, the patients are tormented with continual burning itching, causing them to rub themselves incessantly and without relaxation ; so that we observe upon the skin, in those places the most rubbed, lesions, which we may call traumatic,^ consequent on the violent action occasioned by the bodies against which the animal rubs himself. Those epidermic excoriations + appear either in series of lines or in broad patches, or in places irregularly cir- cumscribed, according to the regions in which they are found and the nature of the bodies against which the friction has taken place. They are principally remarkable upon the lateral § parts of the head and neck, upon the back and croup, upon the sides and flanks, and upon the internal parts of the limbs. They look either very angry or 4)loody, when observed immediately aftei the rubbing, or they are covered with red incrustations more ox less adherent, according to the length of iimi". they have existed ; or else they appear in a state of granulation || and suppuration, whenever the skin has become sufficiently deeply injured. But these superficial lesions of the skin do not by right belong more properly to poultry lousiness than to any other pruriginoiis * Elevations. } Side. t Like wounds. U Grain-like, fiesby bodiea X Abrasions of the skin. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR 303 disease ; and so far from being considered as one of their pecu- liar features, we ought to look upon them as simulating those affections to which they in truth belong, and which they stand in the place of. " This disease in no way interferes with the integrity of the general functions. Apart from the violent excitement the ani mal may experience, and the consecutive irregularity of his respiration and circulation it may occasion, he presents all the aspect of the most perfect health. When, however, the disease becomes of long duration, the subject of it will be apt to fall off his appetite, to grow thin, and to lose his condition for work from the gradual wasting of his powers. Indeed, there occur cases in which this privation of rest (from continual excitement) brings on complete marasm,* and such inability for work, that the proprietor feels hiijiself compelled to get rid of his horse at any price. " Such is the nature of this singular affection, whose mosJ striking characters are, the suddenness of its appearance and the rapidity with which it spreads over the entire surface of the skin, leaving every where uniform marks, vestiges of its presence, viz., depilation in circular patches of the skin, and a terrible sense of itchiness, without intermission and with evening ex- acerbation." t In order to destroy the vermin, and at the same time to cure the cutaneous eruptions, and restore the hair, take Linseed oil, 1 ounrre, Pyroligneous acid, ... . . 4 ounces, Spirits of turpentine, 1 ounce. Two or three daily applications of this compound will generally sufRce. The parts to which the application has been made musf be washed with soap and water. The vermin can also be de- stroyed by sponging the body with an infusion of lobelia. RAT'S TAIL. Rat's tail is a name given to a narrow streak of denuded hail wliich occasionally appears on the upper part of a horse's tail • £maciati>n. t Increase in violence of symptoiUB 26* 3>)6 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. ft generally arises from a sort of exanthema, or cutaneous eiup tion, causing an intolerable itching ; the horse is constantly rub- bing the part against the side of his stall, and thus the piloua covering is worn off. The remedy is Spirits of turpentine, ^ Pyroligiieous acid, > . . . equal parts. Linseed oil, ) Wash the parts daily, and dress with the above. HIDE BOUND. This term is generally applied to horses whose coats ai-e ^ staring" the skin tight on the ribs, and otherwise out of con- dition. The appearance generally denotes derangement of the digestive organs, and therefore can only be considered as a symptom of disease. At times the skin appears very scurfy, and the exhalants of the external surface seem to pour out an unusual quantity of morbid matter, the more volatile parts of which evaporate, precipitating on the surface the more solid par- ticles in the form of thin scales. It gives the horse a very filthy appearance, and requires some care in grooming in order to make the animal appear any thing like decent. "The condition of the skin and hair," says Mr. Spooner, "will afford a true indication of the state of the health in a general way. ' 7Tie horse is unhealthy in his coat,' is a very common ex- pression, and this sign should never be neglected. The hair of a healthy horse is smooth and sleek, and the skin soft and ex- pansive. This is indicated by the touch, as in cattle. When the system is deranged, the skin loses its pliancy, its suiface be !omes hard and dry, and the hair, to use another common eX' pression, ' stares on end,' and is rough and rusty. These symp' toms accompany almost every constitutional disease, especially disorder of the digestive organs. The sympathy existing be- tween the skin and alimentary canal is very corsiderable, and it follows, in almost every case, that when either of these become affected, the other takes on sympathetic derangtment." Some writers on farriery would have us believe that " liide nound results from worms ; " and they recommend strong and TUE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 307 dangerous medicine. That worms should be found in such horses we are not surprised ; but to set them down as tlie cau^e is absurd ; for their presence in the digestive canal is merely owing to perverted nutrition, and they may be found in many horses whose coats are as smooth as glass. The cure of hide bound, then, consists in restoring to healthy action whatever organs are diseased. The general health must be improved ere Ihe coat will assume its natural sleek appearance and soft, pliant feel. If no particular disease can be detected about the animal, let some change be made in the diet, his body be warmly clothed, and mix the following^ alterative in his food night and morning: — Powdered sassafras bark, ^ y " sulphur, ^ of each, 3 ounces, > " salt, ) ) " bloodroot, > c u o " balmony, 5 ' of each, 2 ounces, Oatmeal, 1 pound. Mix ; and divide into twelve parts. Treatment of cutaneous Affections. — Any system of medicine that contemplates the cure of cutaneous diseases must include c/iatige in diet, or it is almost inert. On this subject Surgeon Hunt has written as follows: — " Man is an omnivorous animal. This circumstance is both an advantage and a disadvantage. It enables him to sustain life for a short time on almost any kind of aliment, animal or vege- table ; but it likewise induces a necessity of a considerable varie- ty of diet, or frequent change, in order that he may retain health and strength for a long time together. Chemistry has not yet detected the reason of this necessity ; and as the proximate ele- ments of animal structure are found in bread and water, as well as in milk and various other articles, it does not appear that change should be necessary at all. But it is known to all gra- ziers and feeders of cattle, sheep, and other animals, that change is necesaary and salutary for them ; and much more is it for man. Patients recover under homoeopathic treatment, because a rigorous system of diet is imperatively prescribed. The sys- tem is not founded on any science or principles which will bear a moment's examination. The things to be avoided are per- fectly harmless and wholesome, but in the very absuidity and Btrangeness of the diet prescribed consists its value. It w a 308 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. great change. The digestive organs have to pick theii aliment out of a new arrangement of the elements which support animai life, and this new work is refreshing. Ther" is more or possibly less defecation required than before ; there is more or it may bo less work given to tlie kidneys than before. Torpid organs are aroused, wearied organs find repose, blood is supplied with lesa nervous exhaustion, and the brain participates in the relief and vigor of the whole system. Under these circumstances local disease often finds a spontaneous remedy either in the improved condition of the circulating fluids or in the circulation itself, and the whole mystery of this dietetic cure is nothing but the relief of change — just such a relief as is afforded by change of air, change of habits, change of country, or of pursuits. The want of change in diet is obviously a frequent cause of disease in the skin, where it occurs in large boarding schools, where the diet ia too simple, plain, restricted, and unvarying, to maintain the sys- tem in vigorous health for a long time together. Accordingly a change of diet — the more sudden and violent the better — will gen- erally remove the most of the difficulties in the way of recovery ; and if to this be added change of air and change of habits, the muscles of the lower extremities being duly called into exercise as well as of the upper, the mysteries of the case are explained, the inveteracy of the disease is destroyed, and it yields to ordi- nary treatment, or even to the spontaneous efforts of the system without any medical treatment whatever." FALLING OFF OF THE HAIR. — ( Jfopeaa.) There are various forms of eruptive diseases which induce a falling off of the hair ; and these external eruptions which ap- pear on the skin are not always the disease, the real enemy to be overcome, but are oftentimes the manifestations — products or symptoms — of some inte nal affection. So soon as the erup- tive disease extends to the hair bulbs, a sort of morbid action commences within them, which loosens the hair, and it falls off. At times we find small vesicles which are elevated above the akin, often in very considerable numbers ; they pour out on the ekin a fluid, which, by the process of evaporation, forms crust< \ THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 309 these crusts are sometimes converted into minute ulcers, which deepen, until they destroy the roots of the hair. They generally produce intolerable itching, which obliges the animal constantly to rub himself, and thus destroy the hair. The eruption some- times occupies a single spot, which soon extends so as to cover a large space ; some.imes it appears on the tail, at others on vhe neck and on the flanks, whence it gradually extends. This form of eruption is called humid exanthema. There is anotliei form, known as dry exanthema, which appears in the form of small pimples : they soon scale off, and the place they occupied is cov- ered with a farinaceous powder. The animal seems to suffer the most excruciating torment, and is constantly rubbing himself. The best local remedy for either case is, — Pulverized charcoal, 1 ounce, Olive oil, 1 pint, Pyroligneous acid, 5 ounces, Common salt, 1 ounce. Mix, and lubricate the parts daily with a sponge. The internal treatment should always commence with small doses of sulphur, sassafras, and bayberry bark, given occasionally in the food. For further information, the reader is referred to article Poultry Lousiness. RINGWORM. Ringworm presents itself in the horse in the form of circular, and sometimes irregular, patches denuded of hair, having on their surfaces a morbid secretion, and incrustations of the same. It generally locates on the sides of the neck, and occasionally on 3(her parts. We have never seen any thing on the subject in American books, and presume there are but few who ever suspect their horses to be subject to ringworm. In fact, the author wauld have been in the dark regarding it, had he not seen an article on the subject, written by Mr. Percivall, who was the first to call the attention of English veterinarians to it. Since reading Mr. Percivall's account of it, we have come into po8- . . . . equal parts, Sassafras, ) Dose, six drachms daily. If the disease still lingers, sponge l?iB denuded parts with tincture of muriate ot iron. SWELLING OF THE LEGS. — {Anasarca ) This is a species of dropsy, which shows itself in the leg.- of horses ; and sometimes the tumefaction extends to the shci.th, and along the abdomen, as far as the pectoral muscles. The swelling generally appears towards morning, after a night's rest, and disappears again after a few hours' work. Ordinarily, the hind limbs are the most prone to become ana earcous ; except in cases of effusion into the whole cellular tis- sues of all the limbs — such as we observe in general dropsy, or when the subject is laboring under an attack of iutiuenza, "pink-e/e," &;c. Cullen enumerates five species of anasarca, viz. : — 1. Anasarca serosa; as when the due discharge of the serous or watery matter of the blood is suppressed, Ace. 2. Anasarca oppilela, as when the blood vessels are considerably pressed during pregnancy, &;c. 3. Anasarca exanthemata ; this happens after ulcers, and various eruptive disorders. 4. Anasarca anie- mid happens when the blood is extremely poor, from considerable losses of it. And. 5. Anasarca debilium ; as when feebleness is induced by long illness. The last three are the kinds we genei ally have to contend with in veterinary practice. Anasarca exanthemata appears simultaneously with farcy, ',oi Jisease of ttie superficial absorbents,) and in various cutaiif ou« eruptive diseases. A swelling sometimes appears in tfie fovei parts of the legs, (which feel hot,) and occasions to the animai a sense of itching, and an acute pain, whenever the part receives pressure ; altliough at other times there appears little or no paia. At length a serous fluid discharges itself through the cutaneous vessels, or pores of the skin, corroding the skin, and tinally ends in the lisvase termed " grease." 812 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOK. Anasarca anoemia happens in horses that are bled at certain seasons of the year, under the foolish notion of improving their condition ; also when repeated bleedings have been practised for the cure (!) of inflammatory diseases. In such cases, there exists a morbid habit of body, and the serous fluids are apt to migrate from tissue to tissue, so long as this common morbid habit con- tinues ; unless the fluid accumulates within the thorax, the ven- tricles of the brain, or abdomen ; then the case will terminate fatally. As the oedema swelling (a synonyme of anasarca, generally used to express this kind of swelling) is confined principally to ihe legs, absorption may be promoted by friction and bandages A.t the same time, the patient must be put on a course of medicine, with a view of restoring the general health. The following compound, if accompanied with generous feed, friction, and bandage, will be found efficient : — Pulverized assafcetida, . . . . ^ ounce, Cream of tartar, 1 ounce, Powdered gentian, 2 ounces, Ginger (African), 2 ounces. Rub the ingredients together in a mortar, until they are mixed ; then add four ounces of finely pulverized poplar bark, (populua tremuloides,) and divide the mass into six parts ; one to be given every night in the food. Anasarca debilmm, which often accompanies chronic disease, must be overcome by invigorating the constitution with tonic medicines, such as gentian, goldenseal, and balmony ; and if there be languid circulation, stimulants may be proper. In this event, we resort to grains of paradise, ginger, and capsicum. The diet, too, must be nutritious. Regular exercise, such a^ the patient can bear, must not be neglected. The proportions of the abo\e compound are. Powdered goldenseal, " gentian, ^ . . of each 1 ounce, " balmony, ^snakehead,) ) Flaxseed ^ pound. J Mix ; and divide the mass into six parts, and give one, uight and morning, in the food. In order to excite the absorbents, so as to remove the fluid effused into the cellular tissues, it is sometimes necessary (besidct "rvv. MODERN HOiloE DOCTOR. 3ld resorting to friction) to use the following liniment, which amy be rubbed on the legs every night : — Essence of cedar, . . ... 2 ounces, Tincture of capsicum, .... 1 ounce, ■Vow rum, 1 pint. Ajiother : Spirits of hartshorn, . . ^ . . 2 ounces, Olive oil 8 ounces. Blix together. Tl»e stimulants referred to may be given in the following pro- portions : — Powdered grains of paradise, . . 1 ounce, " capsicum, ^ ounce, " ginfrer, 1 ounce, " slippery elm, . . . . ^ pound. Mix ; divide the mass into six parts, and scatter one on cut feed, eight and morning. It may be well to observe, however, (for fear the reader should make a mistake, and consider a case of scarlatina^ scarlet fever as one of anasarca) that simple malignant disease of this type, so well known to our race, does (though somewhat rarely) attack the horse; in either form of which — simple or malignant — swelling of the legs more or less prevails. There are some fea- ures in the latter malady by which it may be distinguished from every other form of disease. Swelling of the belly, sheath, and breast arise from effusion of fluid into the cellular tissues of the parts, and are nothing more nor less than local dropsy, and consequently can be treated in the same manner as anasarca. STINGS OF BEES. Many oases are on record of horses dying in consequence of un attack by an army of bees. There may, possibly, be no L< Ip (or such cases ; yet we cannot witness the excruciating torments under which the poor animal labors, without striving to do some- thing for its relief. When the stings are not very numerous, im- aaediate relief may be obtained by lubricating the parts with i\ niixture of Olive oU, I ^„.i „..rf. Lime water, i equal parto. 27 814 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. In more aggravated cases, the whole body must be first sponged with lime water, and afterwards smeared with linseed oil. The patient must be drenched with eight ounces of epsom salts, and be kept on scalded shorts. If lime water cannot readily be pro* cured, a weak solution of saleratus and water may be substituted. We have found the above preparation [olive oil and Inne water) a most valuable external application for allaying the irii- Jation of the skin after ahorse has been stung, or bitten, by some Df the various tribes of winged insects. The relief which the aj>plication gives is remarkable, and in many cases it acts in- stantaneously. The remedy is much used in human practice, by the most distinguished of the faculty, in severe burns and scalds, and it never fails to mitigate the pain of the unfortunate sufferer. More prompt is it to act on the horse ; for of all the oleaginous compounds known to the profession, not one is so readily taken up, or absorbed, as linseed oil : you may give a dose internally, and in the course of a few hours it will have pervaded the whole cellular structure of the animal, and can even be detected on the sclerotic membranes of the eye, by merely applying a piece of clean linen, which on removal from the eye will have both the peculiar odor and greasy appearance of the article. Hence an article so highly diffusible as this has proved to be, must have advantages over many others used in the same view. Among the many cases recorded of horses being stung by bees, we select the following, translated from the Rec. de Med. Vet., by the editor of the Veterinarian. The case occurred in the practice of M. E Clichy, V. S. " Of the five horses attacked by the bees, one was dead on M. Clichy 's arrival ; while the four others, which had been withdrawn from the scene of the accident with considerable di/St ulty, after having cut their ropes, were in an extraordinary fetikte of exasperation. One three-year-old horse, particularly, of very strong constitution, when turned into a loose place, became so outrageous that approach to him was impossible. Under con- tin aal agitation, he lay down and rose again incessantly, or he threw himself against the walls of his ab. k THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. 321 SWEATING. "My horse sweats easy," is a common complaint among horst awners; and as such view it in the light of a peculiar disease, the practitioner must be prepared to prescribe for such cases. The sweating seems to be the feature most regarded, and if that can only be made to disappear, our employers are generally satisfied ulthough they are not always solicitous to learn the real cause of it. Let us; therefore, in as brief a manner as possible, inquire into the causes of increased transpiration of the fluids of the body. A large quantity of watery vapor is continually passing off from the body of horses, and it may be very considerable, although not sensible. If the atmosphere be warm and dry, it readily ab- porbs the cutaneous exhalation, so as to pass off unobserved ; but on a damp day, when the atmosphere is highly charged with vajjor, — almost to saturation, or completely so, — then the ex- halation from the surface is there condensed so as, occasionally, to give the horse an appearance of being in a profuse sweat. Under these circumstances, the amount of condensed perspira- tion depends on the warmth, dryness, and motion of the sur- rounding air. The motion of the atmosphere has considerable to do with carrying off the insensible fluid. Many of our readers must have observed that a horse will dry off quicker, and of course sweat is wet or exposed to a cold blast. He must have a good groom and a good stable. Those who have both seldom have a horse that requires clipping; but when clipped, he 'must not want either. A long coat takes up a de;il of niois- tui9, and is diffijult to dry; but whether wet or dry, it affords some defence tr the skin, whii-h is laid bare to ever} breath of air when deprived of its natural covering. Every one must know from himself whether wet clotning and a wet skin, or no clothing and a wet skin, is the most disagreeable and da..ger- ons. It is true that clipping saves tlie groom a great deal of labor He f.in dry the horse in half the time, and with less than half the exertion which a long coat requires ; but it makes his attention and activity more necessary, for the hnrsc is almost sure to take cold if not dressed immediately. When well ■slothed with hair, he is in less danger, and not so much dependent on the care of the groom. These observations contain the whole rationale of clipping, and »how it, is inapplicable to farm horses ; and as country grooms are usually Ijualified, clipping would prove but problematically beneficial to the saddle OJ h jiiess hoj se of the farnxer." S22 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. less, iu a draught of air than in a damp stable, where there ia n« current. As no evaporation from the skin can, therefore, take place while the atmosphere is loaded with vapor, and as the perspira- tory glands still continue to pour it out on the surface, i*, must inevitably produce an appearance of profuse sweating. In such cases, the reader will perceive the absurdity of dosing a horse; for the conditions under which the fluid is poured forth are peculiar 'c all animals whose skins are not covered with scales or plates. Physiologists teach us that the purpose of this watery exhalation, aid of its increase under a high temperature, (for it does increase under the scorching rays of a noonday sun, whether the horse be drawing a load or not,) is evidently to keep the heat of the body as near as possible to a uniform standard. By the evaporation of fluid from the surface of the skin, a considerable quantity of heat is withdrawn from it, becoming latent in the change from fluid to vapor, and this evaporating process lessens the temperature of the whole body. Were it not for this all-wise provision, neither man nor horse could ever endure the rays of a tropical sun ; nei- ther could they sustain any high degree of heat for any great length of time without injury to the vital tissues. Carpenter in- forms us that the perspiration contains a small quantity of solid animal matter, most of which accumulates on tlie surface : this is — at least should be — removed by the brush and currycomb. Besides, there are other secretions of the skin which are mingled with it; and there is good reason to think that this excretion ia of much importance in carrying off certain substances which would be injurious if allowed to remain in the blood. This ro- :a'ves confirmation from the fact known to all grooms, that hu- mory horses, as they are termed, have an abundance of scurf on their hides, and require constant grooming to keep them any thing like decent. We here see the circumstances under wlnth evaporation |ind condensation take place, and have learned joraelhing as regards the object of cutaneous exhalation in its normal or healthy aspect. We are now prepared to investigate the causes of abnormal exhalation. And this takes place at various times, subject to tho preceding pro\ isions, under several forms of disease ; yet of itself THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 32S it cnnnot be considered as such. It is sometimes indicative v»f jiain irriiution, &c. A horse, for example, has an acute attack of gasiro-enteritis, — inflammation of" the stomach and towels ; — he seems to sweat so profusely that the water runs from his body in large drops ; the pain, together with the muscular efforts of the uaimal, augment this secretion; and thus augmented, it helps to cool our patient and lessen inflammatory symptoms. lu such jaae, and in many others of an acute character, occurring in a plethoric subject, sweating is decidedly beneficial: it is prostrat- ing, no doubt ; but as the object of every practitioner in the treatment of acute disease is to prostrate by some means or other, sweating is a valuable process, in view of cure. Here again we need not prescribe for sweating. We, however, often find horses of a weak, washy constitution laboring under some chronic form of disease, that cannot perform mere ordinary work without getting into a perfect lather. Such are proper subjects for veterinary skill, not in view of prescribing anti-sweating medicine — although it prove so, by restoring the animal to health, — but for the purpose of treating the real mal- ady. If successful, the sweating will disappear. A horse must be expected to sweat on a sultry day, especially if he shall have imbibed large quantities of water. The sweating, however, is beneficial, and often wards off an attack of founder or rheumatism. Profuse perspiration in the last stages of dissolution is a feature only regarded as a symptom, and therefore it is useless to pre- ecribe with a view of putting a stop to it. For these and other reasons which might be presented, sweating cannot be considered as a disease. Sweating often relieves the system from disease, by liberating, through the ^urfucti, morbid matter; so that if we were to suppress the cutaneous exhalation by providing tor its exit thiough some other depuratory surface, disease of some sort is w^ry liable to succeed. There are four depuratory surfaces — the skin, lungs, digestive surface, and kidneys : each is continually eliminating materials, many of which, if retained, would prove injurious to l>oth maji And anirials. 324 THE MODERN UORSE DOCTOR. But exposed as domestic animals are to such varieties ■»{ atmospheric changes, it seems natural that some provision should be made tor change or diminution of function. And thus we find that, if a horse in a profuse sweat is suddenly exposed to a current of cool air, the mouths of the exhalants close, putting a sudden stop to transpiration: the result would be disease, and probably death, (which now and then does happen,) were il not that the fluids recede to some other surface. When the kidneys are it3 receptacle, it passes off by the urinary organs ; when it recedes to the digestive surface, a diarrhoea is the result. Should the lunga be called upon to perform the extra labor, copious expectoration is the result. In each of these cases disease is very apt to follow, and therefore under no cii'cumstances whatever should the cuta- neous exhalation be checked. If an animal is laboring under any form of disease, prescribe for that, and let him sweat. WARTS. These excrescences, arising from the cuticular covenng of the skin, are sometimes very annoying to horses, especially when occurring about the eye, sheath, penis, or on parts which come in contact with the harness. Warts are so familiar to every one, that it appears unnecessary to enter into any description of them, other than to remark, that they are at first composed of fibrin, which ultimately becomea cartilaginous. Treatment. — A wart having a broad base should be treated in tl e following manner : Take a common suture needle, and arm it with a double ligature ; each ligature is to be composed 0/ three threads of saddler's twine, well waxed ; pass the needle right through the centre of the wart, close down to the skin ; tie eacii half separately, with a snrgeon's hiot,i\s tight as possible ; cut the ends off pretty close to the knot, and in the course of a short time the whole will drop off. A wart having a small circum- scribed pedicle may be removed in the same way, by tying a sinfflc ligature round its base. If the exposed surfaces should not heal readily, moisten them occasionally with tincture of aloes und m^rrh; and if they show a disposition to ulceiate, sprinkle THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 32'» them with powdered charcoal and bloodroot. ^qual parts. Wurtg ubout the sheath or penis should be removed by excision : to dc this, we often have to cast the animal, the consequent hemor- rhage to be arrested with tincture of muriate of iron or styptic. 8ee Styptic. CONSIDERATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS RELATING TO CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. " Prevention is cheaper than cure." In these remarks M. Magendie's object has been to examine into the channels through which deleterious substances find admis- sion into the animal economy. *' Respiration is the principal one. Through it we are continu- ally exposed to the action of gases, vapors, emanations, virulent and caustic poisons, germs and seeds, the ulterior development of which may entail mortal results. The majority of substances thus introduced are of a nature to alter the composition of the blood, and disturb its vital operations. " The vapors have divers chemical compositions. Some there are which have the power of quickly extinguishing the nervous energy ; and although not many of them possess this fatal prop- erty, it no less becomes our duty to inquire into their mode of action. At the head of these we must place prussic acid, a substance so volatile that it condenses while evaporating. Ma- gi ndie illustrated this by experiment. He mixed, in a conical fessel, a portion of medicinal prussic acid in combination with tliree fourths of alcohol, and one fourth of the acid. He then took a rabbit, and held its nose to the mouth of the glass vesstl^ so that it was fully exposed to the vapor rising frc m the mixture. Ihe animal became convulsed, and in a few seconds died. In this case, tho blood of the rabbit became impregnated wi(h the gas of the acid, without the pulmonary vessels being involved. The lungs are constituted of a myriad of tubes, whose mem- branous walls, being extremely thin and porous, have the property of being permeable to vapor. The vapors arising rom the Mood in the same manner pass out, constituting the pulmonary S"G THE MODERN HORSE DOe;TOR. transpiration. Tliis may be plainly seen by introducing { 1 os- j,horus into the blood. As soon as the blood containing il arrives at the lungs, it escapes by respiration, the animal breath- ing opaque white vapors, consisting of phosphoric acid, which intlames in contact with air. This cnntii.ual evaporation is no hinderante to the air coming in contact witli the blood circulating through the pulmonary capillary vessels. What is without may pass into the blood, and vice versa. " These phenomena command the utmost attention from medif a] men. It is of the greatest importance to know the composition of the air we respire, since so many diseases are in this manner produced ; and though we with difficulty arrive at any certain knowledge of the miasms rising in marshy grounds, from the de- composition of putrid vegetable and animal matters, there can be no doubt whatever of their entering into the blood, through the medium of the air, and so producing grave disease. In some countries especially, such affections rage with extreme intensity ; in hot, humid climates, and particularly on the sea coast and bor- ders of certain rivers, as, for instance, the Gulf of Mexico, Vera Cruz, New Orleans, &c. Such causes of disease admit of dem- onstration ; since, by introduction of them into the blood, ex- perimentally, may be produced, though not exactly the yellow fever, symptoms bearing the greatest resemblance to it, with black vomit and speedy death. Lower Egypt, where the plague foj-merly prevailed so alarmingly, owing to such causes, has been rendered comparatively healthy by the improved condition of the country. "' What we observe in such insalubrious countries and situationa abroad as these, is apt but too often to present itself in our dis- secting rooms at home. In spite of every precaution to disinfect such places, and retard the puti'efaction of the bodies in them, every year we have a certain number of dissecting pupils seized with the low fever called at the present day typhoid. " A very curious experiment has served to show the facility with which miasms enter the blood through the respiratory pas- sages- For a long time it has been the opinion of M. Magendie, that the pulmonai'y mucous membrane did not extend through ihe extreme ramilications of ^he bronchi, — an ass'^rtion rebutte*? THE MODERN liURSE DOCTOR. 32^ by several anutomists, on the score of the mucouo liningb oJ canals extending throughout these cavities, — and that, if t.ie pul- monary membrane could not anatomically be proved lo do so, il was on account of its extit^me tenuity. In proof, however, thai hij opinion was well founded, M. Magendie experimented with a virulent poison called woorara, which was known to tale no effect on mucous sui-faces, but to pass through the stomach and intestines unaltered in its properties, although, when placed iu contact with a vascular surface, the smallest particle of it occa« Bions instant death. With this he smeared the interior of the bronchial tubes without producing any effect ; though when he reduced the poison to very fine powder, and contrived the grad- ual introduction of it into the air cells, where it underwent solu- tion, then its poisonous effects became manifest, furnishing con- firmatory evidence of M. Magendie's theory of their anatomy. A proof, as has appeared all along, that respiration is the princi- pal and the most common channel through which miasms enter the blood, is, that animal matters, in a state of putrefaction, in- ti'oduced into the stomach, do not prove destructive. Some car- nivora — the dog and the wolf — are fond of putrid flesh Certain men have the same craving. There are some who live on human flesh ; and we know, by many, game that is called hiffh is preferred to that which is fresh. " If human industry has for a long time made us acquainted with the means of neutralizing the effects of putrefaction, the stomach has ever possessed this property in an eminent degree ; and this, doubtless, is the explanation of our being able to eat viands in a putrid condition. Al. Magendie has made this the subject of some very curious experiments. Fiftten grains of blood in a state of putrefaction, giving ofl" ammonia and sulphu- retted hydrogen, was injected into the jugular veai of a dog. The eflect was, great disturbance of all the functions of the brain, '.he circulation, and locomotion ; and the animal died in twelve hours. Here death could not be owing either to the ammonia or the sul- phuretted hydrogen contained in so small a quantity of blood. A second experiment is, introducing underneath the skin of a dog a couple of drachms of putrid waiei-, in wliich stale fish had 'Hjen. The simj'e absorption of this proved suflicien: to bring 828 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. on rapiil death. In both these cases, after death the lunga proved greatly injected ; the blood within the large vessels wag deep black and hardly coagulated, and much resembled currant jelly. Frequent repetition of these experiments led the learned professor to the conclusion that, whenever putrid matter in any quantity ia introduced into the system, the blood losing its char- actoristic properties, and becoming unfit for circulation through the lungs, death ensues. " With a view of ascertaining if the gastric juice possesses any influence in counteracting the deleterious effects of putrefaction, M. Bernard, after having contrived to obtain some of this juice through means of a stomach fistula, mixed it with an equal quan tity of putrid blood, leaving them together for eighteen hours, and then injecting the mixture into the jugular vein of a dog. The animal giving no signs of having felt any thing amiss, the conclusion was come to, that gastric juice was endowed with the power of neutralizing the deleterious action of the putrid fer- ment. Spallanzani had already shown that gastric juice was an antiseptic: this observation shows more — that the same juice has the power of robbing putrid matters of their hurtful qual- ities. *' Under certain conditions putrid miasms prove highly active These conditions are, a sufficient quantity of the miasm, an ele- vated temperature, and, we must add, individual susceptibility. " We readily understand that, for the production of the di.sease- it is necessary that the miasm should exist in suffcient quantity, spread about in the air, and that the air reach the lungs sufficiently saturated for it to become introduced into the system. The heut also, at the time, ought to be perceptible and continuous. Yellow fevBr does not prevail in cold seasons. It is in countries where the air is warm and humid that putiid fermentation actively proceeds and acquires all its baneful properties M. Magendie, in his experiments, found that more putrid matter was required to take eflect in cold than in hot weather ; in addition to which, every individual has his peculiar insusceptibility, (resistance propre,) " So that the cause of disease called, not without reason, putrid, is to be sought in the introduction into the cir mlation of putri(h THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 329 matters, be they in the liquid form, or in that of gas or vapor." — Lectures delivered to the College of France, by M. Magendie. MELANOSIS. Melanosis exists in the form of tumor or tubercle of an irregu- lar shape ; and when cut into, presents a sort of black color There seem to be two kinds — one located in visceral orgaus and in the eye ; the other generally locates about the tail and under the common integument. Gray horses are more subject to it than those of any other color. The only treatment known to the author is, extirpation with the kniie. Extirpation of two Melanotic Tumors from ihe Body of a Horsey while under the Influence of Chloroform. History of the Case, 8fc. — The subject, a gray stallion, aged nine years, the property of D. Hanlin, Harrison Avenue, was observed, about eighteen months since, to have small tumors, occupying a space known as the humeral region, (below the shoul- der blades.) They had gradually increased in size ; yet, as the horse was performing hi:? ordinary duties without the least incon- venience, very little notice was taken of the matter, and the owner considered the swelling as nothing more than an " eyesore." Lat- terly, however, the horse had been used in the shafts ; and either in consequence of bruise, or friction from the shafts, the swelling had rapidly increased in size, so as to interfere with the normal action of the shoulder ; in consequence of which, our advice was Bought, and after an examination, we proposed an operation, to which the owner consented. Operation. — Friday, November 4, 1853. The patient was cast, off side up. Dr. Fletcher Oakes, of this city, kindly con- sented to superintend the administration of chloroform. A sponge, being saturated with two ounces of this article, was enclosed in a suitable breathing apparatus, and thus applied to the patient's nostrils. The quantity used during the operation was three and a half ounces. The pupils of the eyes being dilated, and sterto- rous breathing having commenced, a straight incision, of eleven inches in length, was made over the region occupied by th« 28* 830 THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. tumors ; they were then dissected from their sub-cellular ai d mus cular attachments. The blood vessels cut during the operation being merely sub-cutaneous ramifications, it was not thouglit neces- sary to employ ligatures ; and the horse lost but a trifling amount of blood. The wound having been cleansed with cold water, its edg;es were brought together by interrupted sutures, and finely dressed with compound tincture of myrrh. The horse was shortly afterwards led to his stable. Description of the Tumors and their Location. — The first was of an ovoid form, measuring seventeen inches around its short diameter, by seven inches in length, and weighed four pounds. On making a straight incision through its centre, it presented a black, pitchy appearance, and was composed of a somewhat dense, fibrous body, containing within its meshes a thick fluid, resem- bling coal tar, wliich left a black stain on the scalpel and fingers, easily removed, however, by water. This tumor was situated on the off side, in the '■'■posterior inferior" region of the shoulder blade. The second tumor was of a similar form and cliaracter, and occupied the space immediately below the former; it weighed a trifle over one pound. The large tumor was firmly imbedded in cellular tissue, and also had a slight attachment to the common integument — its base being united to the intercostal muscles. Subsequent Treatment. — The wound made by the incision had done well up to the fifth day ; when, probably in consequence of an itching sensation, which usually attends the restoration of dis- eased parts, the animal's attention was directed thitherward, and for the relief of which he commenced rubbing himself against the Stall : this manoeuvre was, no doubt, rather pleasant than other- wise ; his owner, however, happening to look in about this timr, put a sto|) to it, and rewarded our patient with a dres-ting He was tljcn secured to the middle of ft wide stall, by means of & halter on each side, and left for the night; during wnicli he broke loose, and by means of his teeth tore out every stitch, and laid the wound fairly open. Next morning it presented a frightful looking chasm, from wliich was issuing a mixture of blood, pus, iind serum very profuse and somewhat fetid; yet riotwithstand- mg this interruption of the healing process, the horse is so far THE MODKRN HOUSE UOCTOR. 33i recovered as to be able to go to work — just four vjteks after the operation. A twitch having been placed on the horse's nose for the pur- pose of directing his attention from what followed, the edges of the wound were again brought together by stitches, leaving at the base an orifice for the discharge of morbid matter. The parts were then dressed with a compound of aloes and myrrh ; a com- press of linen, saturated with the same, was applied, which was kept in position by means of a bandage encircling the chesv. The dressing was renewed once in twenty-four hours until the third day, when a profuse discharge of healthy pus having taken place, the pad and bandage were omitted. About this time the otf fore limb became infiltrated, — dropsical, — attended with slight sympathetic fever; for which he took Sulphur, 4 drachms, Cream of tartar, 2 drachms, Sassafras, 3 drachms. This was given as a drench, in thin gruel, for three successive days, with decided benefit. Tiie cure was completed by the fre- quent application of equal parts of linseed oil and pyroligneous acid. The diet consisted of hay and scalded shorts, until the patient was able to take exercise; when his regular allowance was served out. DISEASES OF THE HOOF AND LAMINiE. OBSERVATIONS ON THE HORSE'S HOOF. The external covering of the foot may be divided into fout parts, viz., the wall, or crust, the bars, sole, and homy frog. The external portion, named crust, is adapted as a defence to the sen- sitive parts within. It is composed of small filaments, or hollow tubes, consolidated in such a manner as to preserve their canals distinct. These canals constitute thf excrementitious outlets of the hoof, through which morbific or waste matters make their exit ; and in them may also be found the vessels by which the 832 THE AIOPEEN liORSE DOCrOK, horn is secreted. Tlie small vessels arising from the viisculai and nervous membrane beneath the hoof,* which is considered aa a continuation of the true skin, enter also into these canals. The email vessels alluded to, technically called papillae, possess the properties of sensibihty and conductibility. They are formed from cells, and have an allotted function to perform, for which, id their healthy state^ they are all-sufficient, and for which no other class has or can perform without derangement to the parts. The bars are a continuation of the external portion just de« scribed. They form an angle at the heels, which terminate towards the toe. They serve to give strength and durability to the hoof, prevent contraction of the heels, and thus aid the hoof in protecting the soft and sensitive parts. The internal portion of the bars presents the same appearances as that of the crust They are held together by vital affinities, and so long as they maintain their normal integrity, the foot will preserve its form. Next in order is the sole. It is considered to be more elastic than the crust, and is the medium of the sensitive faculty, through w-hich, together with its powers of elasticity, the percussion of the tool against the ground is regulated. The horny frog is still more elastic than either of the parts de- scribed, and any unnecessary " paring," on the part of the smith, is to be deprecated. On the internal portion of the parts just described we find a beautiful set of laminaj, resembling those found on the under part of a mushroom : their number is said to be about five hundred, which articulate with a similar number given off from the coffin bone. Each lamina, having two sides and an edge, forms a series \t{ aiticulations, numbering about three thousand ! The whola * The nails of man correspond to the hoof of a horse, for they are formed "A a substance analogous. If we examine tue nail under the microscope, we shall find that it consists of hard, transparent, and somewhat elastic plates, which adhere to the vascular and nervous membrane of the papillae. The latter are arranged in longitudinal and parallel rows. The internal surface of the n-iil, like that of a hoof, is soft, pulpy, and marked with longitudinal grooves and prominences, corresponding to the laminae found within the hoof. A sii-.ilai arrangement, possessing, however, exquisite sensibility, is found on that portion of the ttiigcr coveied by the nail ; and, by this mutual adaptation, the oonnec- tton between them is sustained. The nails are a continuation of the true skin THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 33i presents a surface of four square feet. Hence the bodj of a horse rests upon sixteen square feet of surface within the hoof. The h)of, we have ah'eady observed, serves as a defence to the sensitive parts within. It varies in size and thickness according to the age and condition of the animal. Its texture may be ren- dered hard or soft by the judicious application of therapeut'" agents Its conformation may be altered, for better or worse, by proper attention to the laws of animal life, stable management^ and skilful shoeing. Wlien we see a poor dumb brute driven, hobbling along on three legs, to the nearest blacksmith's shop, with a view of dis- covering the seat of lameness, and there subjected to the inquisi- torial process of pinching,* we have almost wished that the poor horse could exchange places with his tormentors. If the culti- vators of human medicine had adopted this brutal method of diagnosing a disease, it would have been natural to suppose that they were qualifying themselves as butchers. Some people seem to suppose that a horse's foot is as insensi- ble as a stone ; and when we see the smith wrenching off the shoes, often bringing away a portion of the hoof with them, and cutting off large pieces with as little care as a man would trim a log, then applying a red-hot shoe to the part, without any regard to tlie feelings of the animal, — under these circumstances it would appear to justify the conclusion that the foot is, really, insuscep- tible to feeling. Many of our readers have, probably, had occasion to deplore the present barbarous system of shoeing. Dear-bought experi- ence may have taught them a lesson which they are not likely to forget. The Hon. M. P. Wilder, in a letter to the author on this subject, remarks, " I know of no greater evidence of inhumanity to that noble animal, the horse, than the almost universal custom of paring down the foot and burning on the shoe. It has ever, to my mind, been among the barbarisms of the age, and which I trust will no longer be countenanced by civilized society. I sym- pathize with your efforts to correct this, and other equally * Which consists in grasping the foot between the points of a pair of pinceis, and applying thein vigorously to every part of the hoof until a tender spot if found, (pr.duced !) 534 THE MODERN HO.iSE DOCTOR. dangerous practices, in the administration of destructive aedi clues; and I hope your efforts will be crowned with success." TREADS AND OVERREACHES. A tread, or calk, is an injury inflicted on one foot by tho "calkin" — or, as often happens, the edge of the shoe — on another foot, producing a contused wound, which is often trouble- gome to heal. This sort of injury differs from any incised wound, inasmuch as it is a sort of bruise by which the surround- ing parts are lacerated and violently torn from their horny at- tachments, and the wound, although simple in appearance, is of such a complicated nature that it often I'equires several weeks to restore the parts to a healthy state. The treatment consists in allaying irritation, removing the dead parts, and promoting granulation. We first apply a poul- tice of carrots ; then, with a pair of scissors, remove any partly- separated portions of skin or hoof. The wound is then dressed with Turlington's balsam. We generally, however, first sprinkle the chasm with a portion of finely-pulverized myrrh : this sub- stance forms a coating over the newly-formed granulations, and protects them from injury. In the winter season, a calk, unless attended to early, often becomes a serious affair. During the past two years, a foot dis- ease of a very malignant character has prevailed around Boston. It sometimes appears without any apparent cause, except sligl t febrile symptoms; at others, a calk seems to be the cxci ing cause ; the disease speedily extends above the coronet and with- in the hoof. It is a species of inflammatory gangrene, and ia generally attended with sympathetic and occasionally typhoid fevers. The best local remedy is, a mixture of pulverized cbsr- coal and fir balsam ; the constitutional treatment according to ths nature of the case. Whenever a horse is calked, the chasm should bo cleaasfK! und filled up with fir balsam. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 886 »iUARTER CRACK. — (Fissure in the Quarter of tlie Hoof. All horsemen understand what is meant by qua 'ter crack. Il consists of a loss of continuity in the fibres of the hoof, leaving v, opening through its substance. It generally occurs in the forOi although often in the hind feet. A fissure of this kind is not con- sidtred of much -mportance; yet, after the cure has been effect" ed, there remains a cicatrix, which is, by some horse dealTci, looked upon as an eyesore ; and they often refuse to purchase au otherwise perfect animal solely on this account. If the crack be only a simple Jissvre, and does not extend to the sensitive parts of the hoof, there is no perceptible lameness ; hence, when such a fissure is first observed, it should be at once attended to, in order to prevent lameness, which, however, ia generally slight. For causes and treatment, see next article. TOE CRACK. — (Fisstire in the Longitudinal Fibres of the Fore Part oj the Hoof.) The hind feet are generally supposed to be the seat of this defect, yet it very frequently occurs in the fore feet. When it occurs in the hind feet, or foot, there is generally considerable lameness present; and the subject has frequently to be laid up for a few days, or else perform his labor with a hobbling gait, very distressing to himself and mortifying to his driver. When the crack extends from the coronet down to the toe, and a complete division of the horny fibres takes place, so that the sensitive lamince are exposed, a discharge of small quantities of blood, and finally of matter, takes place. The subject is then, «»f course, too lame for work, and must have immediate attention. Causes of Quarter and Toe Cracks. — The fact that the parta do crack, would go to show that there must exist some brittle- ness in the hoof. This may arise from two causes : first, from a want of healthy action in the nutritive and secretory vessels of the foot ; secondly, from the common custom of rasping tlie walli of the hoof, and otherwise mutilating the foot in shoeing. Still it may arise from contraction of the parts, from a narrow 136 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. heeled shoe, from congestion and deep-seated disease within the Loof. In short, any sort of woric, management, or system of shoeing, that tends to dry up the natural moisture of the foot, may be considered a direct cause of contraction. Predisposing causes may also eust in breed. It is well known that some animals are foaled marked with the parent's deformity — con tracted quarters, for instance ; and such are, more especially than others, liable to quarter crack. This affords a reason why horses, not predisposed, escape the evils alluded to, and others not enumerated ; as in, for instance, a dry, sandy country, on shipboard, or in hot stables witli dry floors. Mr. Percivall says, that " greater attention to shoeing and in ?reased care about the condition of the hoof itself have, no doubt, had very beneficial effects in the prevention both of contraction h.nd quarter crack." The same author thus alludes to the causes of toe crack, or toe sand crack, as English surgeons term it. " Toe sand cracks are caused by violence. Shoeing, also, may have something to do in its production. The horses, which are the subjects of it, are those which are employed in laborious or straining draughts. The toe of the hind foot is the grand ful- crum tlirough which the hind limbs, the propellers of the body, exert tlieir power ; and it is in some violent and forcible effort that the hind hoof, strained as it is to its uttermost, and particu- larly at the toe, splits, commonly first at the coronet ; the same as in the fore foot, where the horn, but newly formed, is thin and unresisting ; the crack subsequently extending gradually down the wall, even as far as tjie point of the toe. " Digging the point of the toe into the ground, or stamping it hard down upon the pavement, (and especially when this stress upon the fore part of the wall is at all times promoted by high iiilkins to the shoe,) must certainly, one would think, be the main producer of toe sand crack — an opinion still further fa- vored by the observation which has been made of shaft horses in drays, being more subject to the accident than trace horses. Still, however, for all this, it behooves me' to say, that with the best judges of such matters, the point is one not yet tree from doubt and difference of thinking. Short and upright pasterns, with clubby prominent hoofs, indicate a predisposition to toe THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 387 eand crack ; the disease being in no instance seen in flat, shelvy, oblique hoofs. " It is said sand cracks may originate in tread. Undoubtedly, any lesion of the coronary body sufficient to injure or destroy its secretory apparatus, may occasion imperfect or morbid secietion cf born, or loss of form altogether ; but I do not believe this to be a very common cause of sand crack." Treatment of Toe Creek. — It is generally customary in this jRrt of the country to call in the aid of the blacksmith to repair ii toe crack, which he does in the following manner : if the fissure is only a partial one, that is, commences a short distance below the coronet, and only extends part of the way down the wall, a red-hot iron, having a sharp edge, is drawn across the upper and lower parts of the crack, and sometimes down the crack itself; with a view of destroying any morbid matter that may exist in the fissure. A crack fixed after this fashion is called cross firing. If the fissure extends from the coronet right down to the toe, two or three pieces of wire are passed through the edges of each half of the hoof, through holes drilled for that purpose, and the fissure is thus riveted together. The operation requires some skill on the part of the blacksmith ; for if he should bore ihe holes too deep, the sensitive lamince might be included, and thus protract the cure. Some physicians recommend en- circling the hoof with waxed twine, instead of riveting, with a view of restricting any tendency to expand at the toe, when, by its pressure on the heels, it might favor their contraction, and therefore cannot be of much use. Of the two, we should prefer riveting, if performed by a skilful workman. But why not close the crack by interrupted sutures, after the following fashion : good substantial waxed threads answer the same purpose as iron rivets, and are far preferable, because they can be sc easily removed tfter having fulfilled their intention. We have made but one trial of this kind. The case turned out well ; etill a single experiment is not sufficient to establish its superiority over other methods. The best practice would be, first, to poultice the toot, (suppos- ing the shoe to have been removed,) with a view of softening the »»oof and removing any extraneous matter that may have insinu- 29 838 THE MODERN HOKSE DOCTOR. ated itself into the crack. When the ho)t \? sufficiently softened it should be cleansed, examined, and dressed with tincture of myrrh. Select a spot about an inch below the coronet, and with ft small gimlet bore a hole through the two edges of the crack, and another one inch above the toe. A straight needle, t.rmed with H strong ligature, is to be passed through the upper holes, brought over and through a second time ; thus closing the two e Igr.s of the fissure by what the sailors term a " round turn." TI e game thing is to be repeated at the toe. The assistant, by the aid of pincers or otherwise, shuts the crack as close as possible ; the ligatures are each drawn tight, and tied with a surgeon's knot. A small quantity of blister ointment is to be smeared over the crack, and bar shoe applied. A quarter crack may be treated in a similar manner, omitting, however, the sutures. The cure is accomplished in two ways — first, by fusion ; sec- ondly, by the growth of new horn from the matrix downwards. After the edges have firmly united, cut the ligatures, and pare the uneven edges of the cicatrix level with the surrounding parts, and the cure is completed. QUITTOR. Quittor is a fistulous opening running between the sensible and insensible lamince of the foot ; the opening, or sinus, runs in various directions downward ; at other times, the lateral carti- lages are in connection with it, and become diseased. It gen- erally ni'^kes its appearance on the inside of the foot, near the matrix ol the hoof. In such case, its origin is from bruise or wound. It arises also from pricks in shoeing, gravel, negh clL;d rorns, &c. Should a nail enter the sensitive laminae of the fcH)!, nnd cause suppuration, and the lower outlet become plugged up, the matter moves upward, burrowing through the tissues, until it gains exit above the hoof. This is a true quittor. A disease of this character is often very difficult to heal, unless attended V) in its eai'ly stage ; and a practitioner gains but very littla credit in curing such, because /le has been so long about it. U frequently happens that we not only have the quittor to cou tend with, but considerable tumefactien and morbid enla'iremea< THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. SSV in tilt' parts above the hoof, against which the horse is apt Ui strike the other foot, and thus excite persistent inflammation, leaving a denuded, uneven, sanguineous sore, very difficult to heal ; for if the animal does not bruise it with the other foot, ht lacerates it in lying down or getting up. If we attempt to pro- ject it fr6m this sort of injuries, our only resource is bandage; and we have remarked, in anotlier part, of this work, that band- ages do not agree with horseflesh, when applied to denuded surfaces ; therefore such cases require considerable tact and patience. Treatment. — We first examine the sinus by means of a small- sized, flexible bougie, such as are used on young persons. Being Jlexible, we are enabled to trace the cavity, whatever direction it may take. Having discovered that, we make up our mind as to the treatment. Should it descend towards the sole, it is caused either by prick, corn, or gravel, which can be ascertained on care- ful examination. In order to make such, we remove the shoe pare the foot, and perhaps poultice it, with the double object of softening the hoof and removing obstructions to the lower outlet, if any there be. Whether the cause be evident or not, we waste no time in injecting the sinus, (which is practised by many,) but make a small opening in the sole, as near the base of the sinus as possible, and invite a discharge from it by means of a poultice placed only in contact with the sole. A free discharge once secured from the lower outlet, we have no fears of a cure. So soon as a discharge sets up, inject from below strong tinc- ture of bloodroot, two or three times, and then sprinkle some bloodroot in the cavity; there is no need of any bandage; lei the matter have free vent. The upper orifice will now close; it is onl) necessary to moisten this region with compound tiiiC tare of ahes, or some other traumatic. We have tried all manner of ways to cure quittor, and find thjre is nothing hke making an opening below the sinus. A bad case, however, will generally require time, and some variution in the treatment, according to the nature of the case. We must uot, in our attention to the foot, overlook the horse ; his health must be attended to; an occasional dose of alterative medicine (sulphur and sassafras) may be given, and the common allowance 840 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. of food shoi'ld be lessened. When the sinuses are superfic'al, find do not extend beyond the coronal region, injections may be tried : among the most efficient are solution of alum, zinc, and sulphale of iron ; tincture of muriate of iron, and tincture of blood- root. In some cases, however, the knife will be required. PUMICE FOOT. Pumice foot is an aggravated form of convex sole, attended irith a morbid condition of the parts and luminal dislocation We now and then see an aged animal, which has long been the subject of chronic disease on the fore feet, presenting actual pro- trusion of the coffin bone, forwards, between the wall of the hoof and sole ; and the bone is of a spongy character, studded with crystallizations, composed of phosphate of lime, &c. The disease also occurs in animals that have led a sort o^ fast life ; that have been trained ^or the course ere they had attained maturity ; pam- pered and fed on highly nutritious grain, and driven at times be- yond endurance, until a morbid habit is firmly established, which may affect the feet either directly or metastatically. The pa- thology of pumice sole, says Mr. Percivall, amounts to this •■ " In consequence of inflammation in them, be that inflammation acute )r sub-acute, the sensitive laminse, from causes which have already oeen detailed, become detached from their union with the horny laminae, and the coffin bone, losing its ties of suspension, is pressed down by the weight upon the horny sole, which, unable to bear the burden thus unnaturally transmitted to it, bulges, and either immediately or some short time afterwards bursts, and lets the toe of the coffin bone, with its covering of sensitive sole, through its breach. This, and this state of foot alone, it is, either actually present or impending, which properly constitutes pumice foot. Flat feet, nay, even convex and fleshy feet, do not of themselves amount lo pumice, but, on the contrary, may exist independently of it. They may be, and are, dependent upon altered states of the hoof alone ; whereas pumice foot consists in disorganizatiou of the interior economy of the foot ; in altered structure and rela« *4ve situation of the parts within the hoof, and in partial escape jf them. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 34/ " Pumire Sole can have but one Origin. — Its existence is de ttionstrative proof either of the presence or of the preexistenc* of laminitis, in the acute or sub-acute form. Those dovetailed and intimate bonds of union between the sensitive and horny himinae which hardly any amount of mechanical force can, in situ^ rend asunder, gradually lose their hold under the action of in- flammation, and let the coffin bone down upon the horny sole. This, as we have seen, may result either from acute or sub-acute laminitis, but with these notable differences, — that, whereas, under acute inflammation, pumice foot is rapid, sometimes sudden, always decided in its occurrence ; under sub-acute inflammation its approach is tardy and stealthy, and for some time doubtful and indeterminable. Indeed, in the latter it often happens that tho sinking of the sole is the first intimation we obtain of the presence of the disease. The horse may have been observed to step short or gingerly, compared to his usual style of going, and this is succeeded by tenderness of tread to that degree that continuance at work becomes impossible; under which circumstance we are called to examine his feet, and to the surprise, probably, of the owner, find the soles either actually sunk or showing iinmistaka- ble signs of sinking. Pumice sole resulting from acute laminitis is, as we have seen, though at all times a lamentable affair, a more complicated and serious one still, from its so frequently having suppuration of the foot as an accompaniment ; and when this proves to be the case, all prospect of remedy may be said to be at an end. It is not so, however, in the case wherein pumice foot follows a sub-acute or low kind of inflammation. Here there is not the tendency to suppuration, but rather to adhesive action ; and this it is that on occasions invites us to take the case under treatment, and now and then we succeed in restoring the integrity of the breach and soundness of the sole. But this, I am reluc tartly forced to add, is but a rare issue, compared with the states of pumice sole which defy our art at effecting such restoration of ihem as will render the feet again useful for work. "^ The Treatment of Pumice Sole — when the i:ase happens to be of such a nature as to inspire us with hope through judicious and careful management of it — obviously presents to us two ob- jects for consideration ; the first being the healing of the wjund, 29' 342 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. and closing of the breach in the sole to which it owes its exist- ence ; the second, the elevation of the coffin bone, and its adjus?t« ment, as far as we can, in its natural position. I say ' position,' for as to ^orcing up the bone into its proper place again, of course that is a matter entirely out of the range of possibility. When once complete separation of the laminas has taken place, no power we possess can restore their union ; indeed, no means can be employed to etfect so much as we may be able to accomplish to- wards the raising up of the bone before we have completely restored the integrity of the sole, and made the part wheie the breach existed sound and firm, and able without pain to bear pressure. " For the Healing of the Wound, the continued application of poultices will be found beneficial so long as any annoying inflam- matory action is lurking about the foot, and so long as the wound itself puts on a healthy aspect, and seems disposed to granulate, or actually is gi-anulating. But whenever such is not its charac- ter, and particularly when its surface looks pallid, and the circu- lation through it appears languid, stimulating and detergent dressings ought to be substituted for the poultices. " Of the various Kinds of Dressings in ordinary use for the pur- pose of promoting tlie healing of foot wou-nds, and their subsequent coating by a sound secretion of horn, none are found to answer well, unless they be, through some suitable contrivance, firmly bound upon the ulcerated surface, so as to give as mach pressure to it as the animal can bear. Pressure to the extent of {)rodu- cing pain is injurious ; but the utmost degree short of this is uni- formly found to be attended with the happiest effects. In short, wi.hout concomitant pressure, the most extolled dressings will seldom prove of much avail. If the hoof be cool, and it is con- sidered that a light shoe can be worn without hurt, pioviding it be put on with small nails driven through parts of the crust able to bear the concussion of the hammer and to hold such nails, great aivantage will be derived from it, inasmuch as it will afford very convenient means for employing such pressure as is foMnJ so salutary and effectual. This is to be managed by obtaining two or more pieces of iron hooping, cut into lengths to admit of being placed diagonally across the sole, and of beinc confined in thai THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. g, well hammered down upon the foot ; an operation which will seive to accommodate them more completely to theii situation, at the same time that it operates in giving additional pressure, which will be maintained when the foot comes to be set upon the ground by the standing of the horse upon the compressed dressing. " In regard to the best medicament to apply, providing the exposed parts of the sensitive sole be — as they commonly are — in a healthy condition, stimulating applications agree best, and no one in the class exceeds in efficacy the ol. terebinthinfe. This, under the influence of pressure, will generally of itself bring about all we desire ; though, should any change of dressing be deemed desirable, we may use either tinct. benzoin co., or tinct. myrrhae co. Should any signs of unhealthiness or ma- lignancy — a rare occurrence — make their appearance, escha- rotic stimulants, sm;h as solutions of copper and zinc, and even of mercury, might be employed. An astringent, such as solution of alum, or a detergent in the form of chloride of lime, may also occasionally be required. *' Having succeeded in healing the wound and causing the bjeach to be covered over with sound though soft horn, a dossil of dry tow well presseddown will be all that will be further needed to keep the dirt and wet from the parts, and to harden and pre[)are them for being finally stopped and protected from injury when the horse shall be permitted to take exercise or go to work. The new formed sole being now sound and tolerably firm and hard, should a shoe have not been nailed on the foot before, now is the time for one to be put on ; and the shoe best for such a descrip- tion of foot is that which will, either of itself or through additions made to it, enable us to give that amount of pressure upon the sole which is found to be so requisite for the purposes of support and uplifting of the descended coffin bone, to the extent possible, 344 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. into some proximity to its original place. Whether we really possess any such power as will effect this, may very properly be made the subject of doubt; but that we can, by pressure and support to the sole, prevent any further descent of it, should that appear likely to happen, is beyond a question. A broad-web shoe — such a one as Plomley's of Maidstone — is a good one for this purpose; and this should be plugged internally with stopping, intermingled with tow, the two together forming a compressible pillow, upon which reposes with ease and firmness the as yet tender sole of the foot. Over the stopping and tow should be placed, and nailed on with the shoe, a stiff piece of sole leather. Or, which some prefer, after the shoe is nailed on, a piece of gutta percha, cut of smaller size than the circumference of the shoe, may, after being softened in hot water, be kneaded in upon the sole, over the stopping, with the thumb, and pressed around the edge sufficiently underneath the web of the shoe to maintain its hold. With his foot thus shod, and cushioned, and protected, the horse may return gradually to hard work. " Instead of ♦he broad-web, heavy shoe, it may be advisable, in a case where t .e foot is thin of horn and the crust apt to break away, to substitute a shoe as light as it can be made consistent with its purpose. A shoe made narrow but thick in the web will sometimes be found to answer very well when used in conjunc- tion with leather or gutta percha in thfe manner before directed, such a shoe possessing the advantage of being held on by smaller and fewer nails than the broad shoe requires. And when- ever we meet with a foot of such description, with thin and weak or brittle crust, we are not to be particular as to either the num- ber of the nails used to keep the shoe on, or the situations they occupy through the hoof; for sometimes it becomes necessary to uail the shoe all round in order to fix it firmly for work, and to make use, for the purpose, of double or even of triple the number of (small) nails we ordinarily insert. In fact, if the horse is to go to work in it, the shoe must be secured at any multiplicity and variety of nailing, and clipping in addition, save that of doing positive injury to the foot." THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR, 34d FOOT ROT. A disease tj which some have given the above jiarae made 1(9 appearance in the city of Boston in the winter of 1853, and is at the present time prevaiHng in different parts of the state. It appears to spread after the manner of sporadic dig- 3ases, and prevails chiefly among horses of coarse breed, with clumsy feet, brought on in some cases by '■'■hard usage and sort abuse." The disease luxuriates in stables that are filthy, damp, and unventilated, and among horses that are constantly exposed to all sorts of weather ; for it is seldom that we hear any thing of the disease prevailing in horses of superior breed, located in comfortable stables, where they are supposed to have that care and attention so necessary for the preservation of health ; yet, however potent the above causes may be, they are not in all cases direct, but merely approximating. It has been observed that this peculiar disease often follows injuries of the foot by calking — from puncture by nail or otherwise. Here we seem to have a direct cause, which may be termed special ; for such en- gender distinct disease. From the fact, however, that the disease is not prevalent in the summer months, we are led to infer thai the combinations of cold, moisture, and bad management are more prolific of it than any other cause. The term foot rot does not convey any definite idea of the nature of the affection, but merely implies a state of rottenness, similar to that occurring in sheep and cattle ; whereas this disease varies, and often passes through several stages ere rottenness (gangrene) sets in. Some tuojects are attacked suddenly with disease of the plantar ^b- eoibf^nts — deep-seated lymphatitis. In the course of a few days — sometimes hours — a profuse discharge of matter, resembling lymph, from the coronet takes place, and inflammatory gangrrne supervenes. Or a horse will all at once be seized with lame- ness, continually catching up the foot, and in 'he coursf of a few hours pus is seen to ooze from the orifice. Here we have two stages of a disease which may progress to rot or gangrene, viz., inflammatory, characterized by heat^ pain, and lameness ; sup' purative, of which the discharge of pus is proof positive. The i}46 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOK. finaU is a gangrenous state, characterized by transformations aud death of the tissues of the foot. The name of this disease should, therefore, be conferred in accordance with the notablo changes that occur throughout its progress : they are inflamma- tion, suppuration, gangrene and it often happens that the abnor- mal process is arrested in either one or the other of the first etages, although it is prone to run into gangrenes. These char- acteristic symptoms furnish a title for the disease ; and should death supervene, whether in the inflammatory, suppurative, or piitiid stages, the name of the disease will be that of the cause of death ; so that foot rot — if it imply a rotten, putrid, or gan- grenous state — should be termed inflammatory gangrene, which is produced by extravasated blood, or rather fluids, they rapidly passing into a state of decomposition, thus destroying the vitality of those tissues — the laminjE of the foot — so that the hoof fre- quently separates from its attachments and falls otf. Case. — A horse, the property of Mr. Doolittle, doing business in Ivers Street, was punctured by picking up a nail ; it entered the sole midway between the point of the frog and the toe of the off hind foot : it was dressed in the usual manner by a black- smith. On the following day the author was requested to see the animal. He was found standing on three legs ; the affected limb di-awn up towards the body ; the foot very hot and painful ; thii flank on that side bedewed with perspiration ; pulse quick and j( rking ; mouth hot and clammy : in short, sympathetic fever had set in. On removing the shoe and dressings, a small quantity of pus streaked with blood oozed out of the puncture, on dilating which with a drawing knife, a very profuse discharge followed. Two or three poultices, of an antiseptic and astringent charac- :er, were applied. Chloride of soda, salt and vinegar, fir bah flam, solution of alum, zinc, and such constitutional remedies as the case seemed to require, were resorted to ; but all to no pur- pose : the horse grew rapidly worse ; a thin, aqueous, and aci id discharge from the quarters and coronet took place, which finally separated the hoof from its matrix : the discharge degenerated until it became of a dark reddish color, very offensive. The tissues above the hoof underwent cellular transformations, and bulged out alwut an inch or more beyond iheir ordinary limits, THE AIODEUN HORSE DOCTOR. 3-11 having hen; and there deep gangrenous ulcerations. Thus did the (hsease progress (apparently unchecked by medical treatment, which had often proved successful) until the eleventh day from tlie time of the injury, when, on making an effort to get up, a complete separation of hoof from foot took place. Mr. D. im- mediately ordered the animal to be put out of hi. misery, and he was accordingly destroyed. This disease we have termed inflammatory gangrene ; and although it rarely runs so rapid a Lourse, or attains so malignant a type, it is the one commonly known a,?, foot rot. Ordinarily, and in other than the cold season, puncture of the foot, by nail or otherwise, is followed by healthy suppuration and discharge, and the parts resume very nearly their original condition; but in the case just alluded to, the suppuration was from the first unhealthy, and attended with a positive loss of luminal continuity, ulceration, and gangrene. Treatment. — It is useless to lay down any particular plan of treatment, for that must depend on the nature, stage, and inten- sity of the disease. The principal local remedies are, — 1. Antiseptics. — Pyroligneous acid, charcoal, chloride of soda, and lime. 2. Astringents. — Tincture of muriate of iron, sulphate of zinc and of iron, bayberry bark, gum catechu. 3. Remedies to relieve Pain. — Chloroform, sulphuric ether tincture of Indian hemp, infusion of hops or poppy heads. 4. Constitutional Remedies. — Tonics and alteratives. (See Medicinal Preparations.) In cases that indicate poultices, substi- tute tir balsam. CORNS. Corns genirally make their appearance in the inner heel, within the bar and crust, at or near their junction. We fiml chat a great number of horses are afflicted in this way ; and it is supposed that an imperfect system of shoeing has more to do with the production of corn than any thing else. The following article from White's Dictionary may possibly furnish the reader a better idea of the nature and treatment of corns than the 9u ihor of tliis work can give : — 348 THE MODERN HORSE DOOTOR. " In their rfto.ent state corns generally cause some degree of tenderness, though not amounting to actual lameness. If no! attended to at this period, the horse soon becomes lame ; and when the shoe is removed for examination, the horny matter in the part described will be found, upon scraping off the exterior surface, of a dark-red color, to a greater or less extent, accord- ing to the length of time it has existed, or rather to the degree of injury the sensible parts have sustained. If the shoe be not removed at this stage of the disease, which sometimes happens from a supposition that the lameness arises from some other cause, its continued pressure on the tender part, or corn, will at length cause matter to form, which, finding no vent beneath, as- cends to the coronet, where it breaks out. Even this is sometimes mistaken for a tread, or blow from the other foot, while the real rause is lost sight of. In the treatment of corns in their recent Btate, or before suppuration has taken place, the method gener- ally adopted is to pare out the red part, or what is termed the corn, and so contrive the shoe that, when applied to the foot, it may have no bearing on the tender part. Tliis, in slight cases, generally affords temporary relief, and enables the horse to go to work again : in a short time, however, the horse's weight causes the shoe again to rest upon the heel, and the inflamma- tion and lameness of course return. The only etFectual mode of taking off pressure from the heel is by means of the bar shoe , and this can only be applied where the frog is sufficiently promi- nent and firm to receive its pressure. For should the frog be considerably lower than the heels, (that is, supposing the foot to be taken up, and its bottom part held upward,) it must be obvi- ous that the bar shoe cannot bear upon it, and will therefore be useless. The only thing to be done in this case is to pare away the crust of the tender heel, so that the heel of a common shoe may not rest upon it. I am aware that the original cause of corns is often a natural weakness of the inner heel, or a want of Bufficient strength in the horn to protect the sensible parts from the pressure of the shoe. It is from this consideration, perhaps, that Mr. Budd observes, 'We have frequently seen the plan of cutting away the horn (in corns) followed with avidity, on ac- count of the temporary r*^Iief U afibrds ; such a plan, however THE MODERN UORSE DOCTOR. 349 is deceitful, and dictated by too shallow an idea of the complaint for though it gives time for the removal of it when existing, stilj it leaves what may be termed an increased disposition to it, be- cause it deprives the sensitive parts of the protection of which they already stood too much in need ; and we have no hesitation in saying, that it is from this mode of treatment solely that soma horses are so frequently and indeed almost constantly affected. The best plan, therefore, which can be followed, is to appiy a bar shoe, as this affords more ample means of throv.ing the pressure o'J the affected parts ; no excision of the horn, we repeat, ought to be resorted to, unless there is reason to believe that suppura- tion has taken place.' If no horn is to be pared away in corns, what, I would ask, is to be done in circumstances where the bar shoe cannot be employed ? that is, where the frog is much lower than the httels, or too rotten and tender to bear pressure. Mr. Budd tells us that the shoe is to be 'laid off the part;' that is, the shoe is to be so formed, that when applied to the foot it may not be in contact with the tender heel : this may afford temporary relief, but by one day's work the shoe will be brought to its origi- nal form. I am inclined to believe that corns are often rendered inveterate by trusting to such ineffectual means ; for the propri- etor, finding his. horse relieved, sets off pei'haps on a journey; the shoe soon bears down upon the heel again, and the bruise or corn is much aggravated ; by dint of spur and whip, however the horse is compelled to go on ; and when he arrives at the end of the stage, so high a degree of inflammation will perhaps have taken place that suppuration cannot be prevented. The only mode, I conceive, by which a corn can be either cured or palli- ated, is to take off all pressure from the diseased parts ; and this cot only for a short time, but till the injured sensible [»art haa Ijst its tenderness, and formed horn of sufficient strength to en- a(>le it to bear pressure. While a horse is worked, the shoe ehould be frequently examined ; and whenever the heel appears to be so near the diseased part as to be in danger of bearing on it, it should be immediately removed, and some more horn pared away, so as to have a considerable vacancy between the heel of the hoof and the heel of the shoe ; for even if a bar shoe ia upplied, the horn will in time grow down, so as to be in coatac( 30 350 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. »»'ith the heel of thi shoe. When a horse becomes very lam« from a corn, it will be advisable to leave off the shoe for a short time, and apply a large bran poultice. When tenderness is per- ceived about the coronet, and a little matter is seen oozing out from the horn at the heel, it should be pared away, that the mat- ter may escape freely. The exposed part may be dressed at first with a solution of blue or white vitriol ; afterwards with tincture of myn-h, or friar's balsam." BRUISE or THE SOLE. Horges, in travelling over hard, uneven roads, are very apt io tast a shoe. The sole then, being unprotected, becomes bruised, and by the time the horse has arrived at home, or at the nearest smith's, he is quite lame. On making an examination of the foot, it will be found hot and painful. The best remedies, in view of immediate relief, arc rest and cold water. The latter may be applied by means of a piece of flannel, tied fringe-like, but loose, around the fetlock, and kept constantly wet. It is probable that, in cold weather, rest alone will perform a cure ; if it should not, immerse the foot in tepid water twice a day. THRUSH. Thrush, or, as some call it, /rush, is a disease of the horse's hoof very prevalent in the iJnited States ; it is a disease so well known among horsemen that any description of it seems super- fluous. Its diagnostic symptoms are, foetid odor, and morbid exudation from the frog, accompanied with softening of the same. For a common thrush, which does not occasion lameness, lb« remedy is cleanliness : let the feet be washed night and moiniug, and occasionally immersed in salt and water ; the trouble will thon disappear. In inveterate cases of this kind, o^r object must be to prevent decomposition — in the use of antiseptics: a charcoal poultice now aVid then, and the free use of pyroligiieoiis acid, and Bait, are the best means. A few doses of the following compo- sition will aleo be needed : sassafras, sulpl jr, salt, and charcoal, equal parts. Dose, one ounc- daily. A dressing of fir balaaiu THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 851 maj be applied to the frog and sole, which is to be confined there in the usual manner. Thrush is often the result of morbid habil in the system of the horse, giving rise to an excess of morbific products, which naturally gravitate to the feet, and there find an outlet ; therefore we should not be in too much of a hurry to stop BU(.L issue, for by so doing, the matter may be reabsorbed, and produce sympathetic fev^r, swollen legs, &c. The safest way, therefore, is to treat the disease both locally and constitutionally. ACUTE INFLAMMATION OF THE TEET. — (Laminitis.) Acute inflammation of the feet differs very little in its physical phenomena from inflammation in other parts of the system, ex- cept in the former it appears more complete and permanent. Of the agents which produce laminitis, which cause more blood to flow into the vessels of the foot, which regulate their enlargement 01 constriction, and finally induce effusion of serum, lymph, or fibrin, and produce alterations in the structure of the foot, much ;.as been conjectured, yet very little is known. It may be safe for us to argue, however, that the same causes that operate in producing inflammatory action in other parts are all-sufficient in laminitis. In acute laminitis we have an afflux of blood, from which arises that feverish heat known as fever in the foot : the development of heat being directly proportioned to the activity and fulness of the circulation — heat is accompanied with redness and pain ; increased pulsation in arteries leading to the foot : thia increased pulsation seems due to obstruction in channels through which blood usually circulates with freedom, while the same or even an augraer*ed force continues to impel it. We next observe effusion of serum, lymph, and fibrin ; though we repeat that laminitis does not differ from inflammation ii some other parts. The varieties of laminitis are acute and subacute; the former follows excessive work : in such cases the system becomes ex- hausted; then follows local increase of blood in consequence of weakness in the propelling forces — lungs, heart, and capillaries. When acute laminitis follows a long drive on hard ground or pavement, or violence of any sort, including long-continued paw- ing or starapirg, the b'ood is determined to the feet by a high and S52 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. permanent grade of vital action ; which is apt to end in change uf structure. The acute form is invariably attended with sympto- matic phenomena, so that the patient exhibits all the symptoms of a high fever, attended with intense agony and disturbance of the normal functions. On the other hand subacute laminitis ia not so intense nor dangerous, and it differs somewhat in its mode of attack ; it has occasionally a metastatic origin — that is, wlipn disease is transferred to a new seat. For example, a horse suf- fering from pneumonia may be suddenly relieved on the super- vention of laminitis ; the disease abandons the interior, and assaila the extremities. The translation of disease in this way may some- times be considered salutary. Thus, if such change occur in the system of a horse not enfeebled by age or disease, strong hopea of recovery may be entertained; otherwise the subject is no better otF; for it frequently leaves him in that deplorable and utterly ruined condition denominated ^/oMHofer. Causes of Laminitis. — We have already hinted at some of them, yet the reader must remember that the same agency may at one time only create a predisposition, and at another directly excite the disease. Predisposing causes are those which produce in the system certain changes which prepare it for the develop- ment of disease ; they are slow and gradual in their operation, not cognizable at all times. This is the incubative stage of dis- ease. Exciting causes are those fi'om which diseases seem to have a direct origin, as in metastasis, for example ; still it is very difficult, therefore, to decide where the first ends, and the latter commences. The opinion of scientific men must, however, be our guide. Mr. John Field gives the following account of the causes and symptoms of laminitis : — " This disease may be occasioned either bysevere work on dry, hard roads, or by injiammation of the lungs, &c., whereby, in the former instance, it arises from excessive friction between the sensible and horny laminae, while in the latter, ^rom the animal constantly standing, an undue and continued stress is laid upon thai part. The symptoms are, a hard, strong, and frequent pulse ; the animal expresses great pain, and blood sometimes oozes from the coronet, attended with a sinking of the coronary ligament. If the fore feet are affected, he extends them forward, and brings THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 358 nis hind legs under his body, to support the weight. If the disease is in the hind legs, he stands on his toes, bringing his fore legs to the C3ntre of gravity. This complaint is accompanied with great heai round tlie feet, accelerated respiration, and sometimes sweating. " Should the symptoms continue, there is an effusion of coagu- lated lymph or blood between the sensible and the horny lamina), in consequence of which the coffin bone descends upon the sensi- ble and horny sole, the sole becomes convex, and the front of the hoof is depressed in the centre, or rendered more oblique." Next to over-exertion and concussion on hard pavements, the drinking of cold water when the animal is heated is the next cause assigned. It is well known to horsemen, that founder often sets in from the latter cause, and also after a hard drive followed by a full meal ; and what is founder but an aggravated case of laminitis ? Treatment of Laminitis, — We have tried various kinds of remedies for this affection, but never found any thing equal to 'packing, after the fashion of hydropathy. The feet are to be en- closed in bandages saturated with a weak mixture of arnica^ eight ounces of tincture of arnica to one gallon of water ; the bandages are to be about five yards in length and four inches broad. Before applying the bandage, have the shoes carefully removed, cleanse the feet with soft soap and water, and adapt to each a piece of flat sponge just the size of the sole. This answers the purpose of a soft cushion for the horse to stand on, and at the same time keeps the sole moist. Having now applied the bandage, and secured it with tape, nothing further is needed but to keep the parts moist for several days, readjusting the bandage, how- ever, if it should become loose. The constitutional treatment depends upon circumstances : it may be proper in all cases to keep the patient on thin gruel, scalded mashes, and boiled roots, and to give an occasional dose of sulphur and cream of tartar, Should the patient evince signs of much agony, give a few drenches of infusion of hops or poppy heads. High inflammatory symptoms are to met with arnica ; dose, twenty drops of the tinc- ture every six hours, to be given in clear water ; this the animal will generally drink. Should thirst prevail, the drink must be ncidulated with cream of tartar, or a few drops of acetic acid 30* 354 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. CONTRACTION OF THE HOOF. — {Hoof Boima.) Some of the causes of contraction ha^ ; already been alludeJ to, (See Quarter Crack.) The prevalent custom of (jutting away the bars — which ordinarily support the heels, and prevent their ap- proximation — may be considered, among others, as directly op- erative in proiucing this deformity, which, in some cases, may be considered in the light of local atrophy — diminished nutrition Diminished nutrition generally results from disorder in the diges- tive organs, so that contraction of the hoof and indigestion may coexist ; although many physicians deny the coexistence of dis- ease. Contraction of this kind is not apt to occasion lameness, because there is a very low grade of vital action in the parts. But contraction is now and then the result of deep-seated disease within the hoof — navicularthritis and laminitis, for example; ^he animal is then dead lame while the inflammatory diathesis tests. Treatment. — Contraction associated with inflammatory action i>f the tissues or cartilages of the foot must be treated in the same manner as recommended for laminitis: in all cases we must endeavor to give the frog a bearing on the ground ; and in order to do this the shoe ought to be removed. A dry, brittle, and con« tracted hoof may be improved by repeated poulticing with soft eoap and rye meal, applied cold. So soon as the hoof softens, let it be dressed, night and morning, with turpentine, linseed oil, and powdered charcoal, equal parts. Yet, aft»r all, a run at grass in a soft pasture, the animal having nothing more than tips on his feet, is the best treatment. A very popular notion exists, that cov/ manure has a wonderful eflfect on a contracted hoof ; but it is Ihe candid opinion of the author, and no doubt the reader wiU coincide, that filth and dirt of every kind are unfavorablf to healthy action. Such remedy, aside from its objection en xhe score of decency, savors too much of by-gone days, when live eels were S3nt on an errand down horse's throats to unravel their intestines. If any benefit belongs to such an objectionable appli- cation, it is due to the property it possesses of retaii.ing moisture; therefore cold poultices and water are far superior. Clay and moist earth, placed in the stall for the horye to iitand o", are faf THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 355 luferior to a stuffing of wet oakum, which can be removed at pleasure. In order to keep it in contact with the sole, we have only to insinuate two strips of wood between the sole and shoe; one running lengthwise and the other crosswise of the foot. It affords considerable pressure to the foot, is cooling and cleanly, and is far superior to the above articles. CANKER OF THE FOOT. This is one of the most intractable diseases with which the reterinary surgeon has to contend. It is a disease somewhat analogous to cancer in the human subject. A true cancer, how- ever, is supposed to have its origin in remote parts ; hence the great difficulty in curing it. Dr. Carpenter teaches that " can- cerous growths possess a remarkable analogy with the parasitic fungi, which develop themselves in the interior of vegetable and even animal structures ; and the supposition long ago entertained, that cancer might be regarded as an independent growth of cor- responding nature, does not now appear so extravagant as it was at one time considered. There can be little doubt that a can- cerous tumor of any size may be developed from a single cell ; and it is probable that the origin of such growths in parts distant from their primary centre is to be traced to the conveyance of cancer cells, or of their germs by the circulating current ; so that it seems very difficult to draw a line which shall separate such in- dependent growths on the one hand from the ordinary tissues of the body, and on the other from structures really parasitic. It is interesting to remark, that blood vessels cannot be traced in these productions at an early period of their formation, but that they make their appearance, as in the normal development of the tis- Bues, at a later date." We consider canker in the horse to be ac abnormal development of the ordinary tissues of the foot ; for were it otherwise, we should never be able to cure it. If, however, it ajtpear in other parts of the body, which is a rare occarrence, and assume a malignant aspect, it may be defined as true cancer. A common antecedent of canker is thrush ; its seat is the hind foet, occurring in horses of coarse breed, with ill-shaped hoofs, wid diseased frogs, that always emit a fetid odor. In such animali 556 THE MODF.liN HORSE DOCTOR. there seems to exist a peculiar diathesis favorable to the profluc" tion of canker, which, on the occurrence of a simple injury to the foot by the accidental introduction of a nail, or from any otlief exciting cause, is immediately followed by an extraordinary mof" bid growth. Treatment.* - — Our first business is to remove the shoe, «" cleanse the foot with a weak solution of chloride of soda ; principal part of the morbid growth is then to be dissected oh if any hemorrhage follows, it can be arrested with pledgets of lint saturated with tincture of muriate of iron, or any other styptic ; we next sprinkle the whole surface with powdered bloodroot, — sanguinaria canadensis, — then apply a dressing of strong pyro- ligneous acid, and by means of pledgets and bandages, keep a con- tinued pressure on the parts. The foot must be dressed in this manner for several days, occasionally washing it with a solution of alum, sulphate of zinc, or some vegetable astringent — infusion of oak or bayberry bark. Should these remedies fail, we recom- mend the following : Take a saturated solution of common potass, into which stir a suificient quantity of finely-pulverized oatmeal, to form a stiff paste ; apply this to any fungous growth, and it will disappear in a very short time. This dressing should be followed by one composed of linseed oil and lime water, equal parts • M. Fischer recommends unslaked lime in preference to slaked ; his reasona are, " The latter becomes with water more unctuous, it adheres better, and causes thicker crusts or sloughs, which more readily become detached. I pro- cure lime as pure as I can, and make it into a paste with water, immediately before application, in order that it may, in that form, reach the sinnses of the foot, after having sprinkled over the cankero\is surfaces pure chlorile of lime, or else that mixed with pulverized tan, according to circumstances. In ca&e* where the calcined calcareous stone refuses readily to absorb the water, or dc-et not slake, I obviate, in some measure^ this inconvenience by making use of boiling water. " First of all, I confine the paste upon the foot with a piece of Unen, tefora I enclose the foot in a boot ; otherwise the latter would speedily become de- ■troyed by the caustic. At every fresh dressing, i. e. daily, the linen is cal- cined, as it were, by the lime, so that at each dressing fi esh linen is called tor." -- Translatiois from the French, by Percivall. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 357 CTJTTINO. — (^Interfering.) Horses are said to cut, or interfere, when they strike the innel lide of the fetlocli joint with the hoof or shoe of the opposite foot. It generally ai'ises either from an unnatural curvature io' wards of the limbs, twisting in of the toe, from shelving of the hoof, and from errors in shoeing. It may also arise in conse- quence of weakness and fatigue, during a long journey over heavy and jneven roads ; the subject is apt, also, at such times,— Especially when the toe has a faulty position inwards, — to "f'-'ke on the inside of the knee, and produce an inflammatory swelling, termed speedy cut, which sometimes takes a long time to reduce. It is evident, therefore, that, in order to remedy the evil, we must ascertain its causes ; yet, in the majority of cases, we have to depend on the blacksmith and a careful driver for a cure ; Ihc physician has nothing to offer but advice and palliatives. GENERALITIES. CRIBBING. — (Crti Biting.)' The act of cribbing consists in grasping the crib, oi a given point, with one or both jaws, at the same time uttering a laryn- geal sound, resembling a grunt. A cribbing horse has generally * " Although the abnormal action with horses known under the appellation of crib biti7ig is so frequently observed, it is still one far from being sufficiently understood. Many of our best veterinary authors have furnished dissertaticoi on the sut;J8ct; but these present great variety of opinion touching the causes, Beat, nature, and consequences of crib biting. Whilst one contends that, in the act, the horse swallows atmospheric air, another contends that the animal ejects air which act is accompanied with a particular noise, created by gas generated in the stomach. Some feay that the habit is injurious to the horsea lliat practise it, and that it frequently renders them valueless ; while others maintain that it nowise materially hurts them. The Court (of Appeal) hai pronounced iiv favor of its innocuousness. " By this we are led to distinguish crib biting into that which is acquired bj h.abit, habitual, and that which is properly so called, and which is spojitaiwottt, ' The opinion which regards crib biting as discharging air from the stomach i>58 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. beei considered unsound, but we know not on what grounds; foi we look upon a horse as sound so long as he can perform th« duties of an ordinary horse without inconvenience or lameness': he may have defects, both as regards form and action ; but such are not to be construed into unsoundness. It is a remarkable fact that ver} few cribbers fail to perform the duties required of them. They may, once in a while, have an attack of colic ; bu: •iiu'lar to belching in ourselves, is evidently an erroneous one, sir.ce it implie« that the act is one of absolute necessit)'. Now, it is well known that by va- rious means we have it in our power to prevent crib biting in some horses for a ict^er or shorter time ; but in doing this we never hear of any evil conse- qutnces arising from its suppression. Indeed, if such were true, horses ought to blow themselves out with the gas, which, instead of eructating, they are now compelled to retain. And, moreover, did crib biting consist in eructation, gas might make its escape through the nose, and then the animal would have no occasion for that violent movement which characterizes crib biting. " To those who pretend that crib biting consists in swallowing atmospheric a:r, in order to aid the digestion of horses addicted to the vice, I reply, \vithout entering into any physiological considerations, that if, by any means, the crib biting be put a stop to for several months together, the horse digests quite as well without as with the vice : of this I have often had occasion to convince myself. " The explication given by Professor Gurlt, of crib biting with eructation,* supplies the reason of the difference of opinion we have adverted to, and is quite conformable to what one daily observes. M. Gurlt asserts that the crib biter swallows air, which he the same instant rejects ; but that, neverthe- less, in particular cases, a portion of the air, having descended into the oesopha" gus, does not reascend into the pharynx, but penetrates into the stomach, into which it is forced by the contraction of the wall of the oesophagus. M. Strant, who has written an admirable memoir t on crib biting in horses, admits of the view of the matter taken by Gurlt, which he explain? in this way : ' The ani- mal, when he incurvates his head upon his breast, does so to gain a poitU d'aijjnii, in order to force a certain quantity of atmospheric air into the phar- ynx, and thus overcome, in this act, the natural impediment offered by the lelutn palati axiA fauces ; the larynx is elevated, while coincident muscular con- traction draws up the fauces to receive the swallowed air. At this moment Uve horse relaxes in his effort, (crib biters in the air effect the movement in Blight elevation of the head,) and then the air swallowed flows back, and escapes with the characteristic sound. With old crib biters we may convince ourselves, by auscultation, that the sound attendant on the act is in truth produced al the mc'.nent of the evacuation of the air; and with horses in which the a'l leaches the stomach, a second faint, supplementary sound may be heard a]oj| • Nachtrage zur Pathologischen Anatomie, von Gurlt, p. C9. t Eepertur tm des Thierheilkuiide, heraucjgegeben vun H>}ring 1850, p. ISQL THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 35i Ihat is not due to cribbing, but to indigestion : still the populai belief is, that cribbing is either the result or cause of colia The author's opinion is, that cribbing is a habit either ac- quired or hereditary ; that the sound or grunt originates in the vocal organs, from air admitted within them and expelled wilh- out entering the trachea, and in consequence of air supplied til t\tm from the lungs during expiration. The grunt is evidently the (Esophagus, coming from the air entering the stomachic cavity. This lif 1 iiound has some analogy to the borborygmi (rumblings) of the bowels. " In this manner we miiy explain very readily how it happens that some . rib biters blow thoir bellies out very much in the act, while in others nothing of the kind happens ; so that in some horses the vice reolly proves prejudicial, while others seem hardly at all decreased in real worth by it. " Hurtzel d'Arboval, and numerous veterinary authors with him, have sought the cause of crib biting in the digestive organs; but, in perusing this author's article on the subject, it is easy to perceive that he has collected excej-tions to establish a general rule, and has mistaken the efl'ect for the eause. Indeed, the medical opinions of this writer savor too much of the gastro-intestinal organs being the seat of diseases obscure in their niiture. " 1 know many crib biting horses, but I am not acquainted with one instancfi in which the vice has proved decidedly (seiisiblement) prejudicial, providing, as is done in my part of the country, measures be taken to hinder horses havmg it biting the crib any great deal. Many fanners, indeed, possessing such horses, regard them, though perhaps through prejudice, as their most hardy workers. I often find a single crib biter iji a farmer's stable, where, perhaps, he has been for many years among the other horses, where he has acquired this evil habit, without the farmer's being at all able to divine the cause. And 1 have possessed a harness colt, which no sooner was separated from his dam to be tied up in a stall, than he commenced crib biting, without ever before having shown the slightest tendency that way. He is at present six or seven yeara t-f age, and still bites the crib. If crib biting, as some pretend, consists in swallowing air to serve the purposes of digestion, certainly this colt ought to ha\fe ill digested his food during the time he was kept from practising it; and if (here results from the act the generating of gas in the stomach, the aniiiiii ftcm this cause wou'd have found himself disordered during his abttinenc* from crib biting. " In general, crib biting ought rather to be regarded as a vicious hal.it tha.'i as * disease : as the latter I have never been able to regard it. Horses that are old crib biters present the inconvenience of being slow feeders ; they require a good deal to satisfy them ; and those which generate air in their stomachs ar« very subject to attacks of meteorization. To obviate such inconveniences, th« f >llowing means have been recommended : either the ordinary crib-biting strap or an iron T, whose branches so embrace the throttle as to prevent the horse' pirching his neck after the peculiar man ler in which he prepares for the a( tsd accomplishes it" 560 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. an expiratory murmur, and tbe air necessary for producing s»uch is derived from one of these sources. Some contend that the animal swallows wind, and thus creates flatulency, colic, &c. ; but the idea is perfectly ridiculous. It is our firm belief, based upon a knowledge of the structure of the parts involved in the mechanism of respiration, that neither man nor horse, by volun- tary act, ever has power to swallow atmospheric air. The organs of respiration and deglutition differ so materially in their anatomical and physiological relations — have each special funr tions to perform — that it is ini|>ossible for one to perform tTie function of the other, which would be the case if a horse actually iwallowed wind, — atmospheric air, — and then, as some others contend, regurgitated it.* On these grounds, we question, there- fore, the correctness of either theory. If horses possessed the power of eructating wind or gas from the stomach, we might expect, in violent cjises of flatulency, to notice its escape in this way, which the author has never yet been able to do. Crib biting, therefore, being nothing but a habit or vice, can only be corrected by means and appliances which prevent the subject from indulging in it. In this view, all sorts of contrivances have been resorted to, and among them was one which was invented by Sir Peter Laurie. The space between the bottom of the hay rack and the outer edge of the manger is boarded over, forming a steep inclined plane, leaving, in this way, no edge or point on which the horse can fix his jaw. Attached is a flap or ^ilide, opened oidy at meal time. The author uses common bar soap as a preventive, which is to be rubbed on the edge and outside of the crib, and renewed as often as necessary. • The saliva has the property of enclosing within its globules, dunna' tbe process of mastication, a small quantity of atmospheric air : but we never Irnew iii' its doing any harm ; it may, possibly, answer some useful purpose ir }iges- lion, and we strongly suspect that in that wonderful laboratory, the etooisdi t Id dficomtoged. rai£ MOt>ERN aoRSE DOCTWB. 861 POLL EVIL. " Poll eril results either from neglect or abuM." Poll evil generally makes its appearance about the nape of ih€ a«)ck, in the form of au inflammatory swelling, which, if not ar- rti^ted, ends in abscess and fistula. It generally proceeds from blows or bruises. Horses that are located in low-roofed stables .re apt to strike the poll against the beams or ceiling ; and a frequent repetition of the act always ends in induration or poll 3vil. Some horses are very restless in the stall, and are con- otantly jerking their heads upward, especially if tethered too short ; in consequence, the parts which come in contact with the upper part of the head-stall are bruised ; the injury is not often perceived until considerable tumefaction and unhealthy suppura- tion have set in ; the case then becomes exceedingly difficult to cure, and may wear out the patience of all concerned. Exces- sive friction on the nape of the neck, from bridle or halter, or the pressure of either on the parts, from their being fastened on the head too tightly, are most fertile in producing this malady. Other causes are operative in producing poll evil that we shall just barely allude to, (merely in view of prevention.) It is well known that the poll is a part which very seldom makes the ac- quaintance of either brush or currycomb ; yet it is the recep tacle for considerable dust and filth : owing to the accumulation of either, a cutaneous eruption arises, the itching sensation of which causes the horse to rub whenever he can get a chance ; the evil goes on, until what was at first superficial now be- comes deep-seated, by mere contiguity of tissue. The bungling and oftentimes cruel manner of forcing a small collar on a large horso — pulling first this way and then that, now a tug, then a jerk, and perhaps a blow with the whip stick — is not inoper- ative, to say the least, in producing this malady. Some men are in the constant habit of bracing the horse's head downward with the martingale, so as to bring the mouth and chest in close prox- imity ; and they s<.'ldom consider that the strain comes on the horse's poll the pjessure of the bridle from without, and the oayielding nalm e of tl, e bon !s of the neck, bruise the jnterme 81 362 THE MODERN HORSE JOCTOR. iiate soft tissues, and poll evil is the result. Notwithstanding all this, poll evil is of rather rare occurrence. Poll evil is first noticed in the form of an oval tumor, hot and tender, situated directly in the region of the nape, mostly inclin- ing to one side ; in the suppurative stage, and when the matter ia deep-seated, scarcely any fluctuation can be felt; when, liowever, the matter lies directly beneath the skin, or in the cellular tiS' sues, the reverse is the case. The suppurative finally runs into \Le ulcerative stage ; we then observe chasms and sinuses, siiai Iat to those observed in fistula of the withers, and finally the bones become involved in the disease. Treatment — In the early stage, a sort of antiphlogistic treat- ment is the best. The patient should be kept on a light diet, have a dose of cooling medicine, and the parts should be kept constantly wet by means of cold water bandages ; for an indo lent sort of tumor we substitute a solution of vinegar and salt. Continue this treatment for a few days. Should the tumor increase in size, and have a soft, fluctuating feel, apply a poultice of linseed. We must not wait for the tumor to break of itself; but as soon as matter can be distinctly felt, let it be opened at the lower margin, instead of its summit ; by this means the matter can pass off as fast as it forms. It will be prudent to make a pretty large opening, so that no obstruction shall exist to the free and full discharge of matter, which must be pressed out. It is customary in such cases to apply poultices in view of pro- moting the discharge ; instead of poultice, the author uses a paste composed of sugar, soap, and powdered bloodroot, equal parts ; these are to be rubbed together in a mortar, and spread on cotton cloth, about the thickness of a dollar, and thus applied to the tumor, to be secured by bandage. In the majority of cases, however, the author endeavors, after having opened tha abscess, to put a stop to the suppurative process in the following manner : Having punctured the tumor, and pressed out as much as possible of morbid accumulation, take a six or eight ounce fijringe, and inject the cavity several times with tincture of iodine; after doing so, cram into the chasm a portion of salt and bloodroot, equal parts ; put a cold water pad on the eminence, and encircle it with a roller, passed around the head and neck in THi MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 368 the isual manner, as tight as circumstances permit. On the folljwing (lay the bandage ia to be removed, the part washed and dressed, and a small quantity of tincture of iodine injected, and bandaged as before. This treatment must be followed up for several days, at the end of which, should the discharge havt decreased, and other symptoms appear favorable, the chances are in favor of a cure. Our object in this treatment is to excite ad- hesive inflammation, by means of which, accompanied by prep- sure, the surfaces of the interior are glued together. Cases, however, occur which set at defiance all our skill. In such the ligamentary, tendinous, fleshy, and bony structures are involved, perhaps accompanied with fistulas, running in various directions, like so many pipes or drains ; and the ditRculty of closing the latter is, tliat they acquire a mucous lining ; and all mucous canals are very dilficult to unite. The only remedy in such cases is the knife : the part must be laid open and all fistu lous pipes dissected out. Should a poi'tion of bone be diseased, that must also be removed. The chasm is then to be cleansed with a solution of chloride of lime, or pyroligneous acid ; ita edges brought together by suture, leaving an orifice at the lower part for the discharge of matter. Our object must still be to heal by adhesion, as already described. Should we fail in this, and the part assume a morbid type, inject and dress it with Spirits of turpentine, ^ Pyroligneous acid, > . . . equal parts. Linseed oil, ) Fir balsam has also a very good effect on indolent and mor'»id parts. So soon, however, as the parts show a disposition to heal, dress with tincture of aloes and myrrh. Our treatment must not be altogether of a local character ; we must attend to the general health, and keep the bowels soiuhlB Sulphur, sassafras, and cream of tartar are the best remedies. FISTULA OF THE WITHERS. This disease does not differ from the preceding one, except in location : fistula of the withers, however, is more common than poll evil ; and this arises in consequence of the withers being 864 tfi&MOt)ERN aoftSE DOCTOR. more exposed to injury than the poll. Of the two diseases, fls- tula is tLe more formidable ; for the sinuses often burrow deep between the shoulder blade and spinous processes, in various directions, so that it becomes both difficult and dangerous to search for them. For the treatment of fistula the reader is re- ferred to PoU Evil DOCILING. Fashion and convenience seem to require that horses murt submit to have their caudal appendages shortened. Yet that iashion which condemns a poor uncomplaining brute to torture merely for the caprice of his owner is to be deplored, especially when performed after the horrid fashion of some who seem to pay no regard to the feelings of the subject, while mangling and searing seiisitive tissues that are as susceptible to pain as those in our race. It is useless, however, for the author to offer aqy arguments against a practice so long established ; he, therefore, proposes to point out the best means of docking. The animal should be cast, and brought under the influence of chloroform ; an assistant then depresses the tail into its natural position ; the point of amputation having been selected, the oper- ator feels for a joint or articulation, just posterior to which he commences a circular incision, carrying the knife right round the tail to the point of commencement, cutting down to the fascia. The integuments are then to be forcibly drawn upwards, while the operator disarticulates the joint by making an incision right through it. The coccygeal arteries are to be drawn out with a pair of forceps, and secured by ligature. The integuments, in- Btead of being retracted above the lower end of the bone, are now below it, and thus can be made to protect it from injuries. Two or three stitches are now needed to approximate the edges of the wound, and the operation is finished, without much loss ol' blood, and with little if any pain to our subject. Here the red-hot iron and guillotine, — a docking machine always puts us in mind of one, — are dispensed with, to the honor of our calling and benefit of our noble patient. The after treatment is very simple; cold water, or some tincture of aloes, will complete the cure. If they should not, owing to profuse su^ipuration, use pyroligneous ucid, and give a dose of medicine. THE MODERN HORSE DO0r3R. 865 The 3oramon methods of performing this operation 13 by means ftf a docking machine, or other sharp instrument, which takes off the tail at one stroke ; but the operator, unless he understands his business, often finds he h'\9, severed one of the bones of the tail and left behind some projecting spiculce, which afterwards have to be removed. To stanch hemorrhage a red-hot iron is applied to the stump ; and this is the most barbarous proceeding of the whole, for it is only necessary to seal the arteries with a pointed budding-iron, brought to a white heat, and merely touch them with the same. For if the iron be not sufficiently hot, 01 should it be kept in contact with the part too long, it will bring away an eschar, and thus the process has to be repeated. The common iron, with a hole in the centre, used for closing the arte- ries, is objectionable, because it is calculated to come in contac' with the muscles of the tail, and must necessarily contract them, and leave the bone more exposed. But there is, actually, no necessity for cauterization, for the artery can be secured by lig- ature in less time than it requires to sear it. WOUNDS. The treatment of wounds depends altogether upon their nature and cause. It is very difficult in the horse — although not so in man — to heal a wound by what is called "Jirst intention," which means union by medium of coagulable lymph without suppuration. The definition of wound, technically, is, a solution of continuity in the soft parts, produced by some mechanical agent. Wounds are divided into incised, contused, lacerated, punctured, and penetrating. Incised "Wounds. Inciaed wounds are those inflicted by sharp instruments. On the human body they often heal without any subsequent inflam- mation beyond what nature sets up in the restorative process ; but the difficulty in the horse is, that we cannot always keep the parts in contact, and therefore it is not so easy to unite them. In many cases, after having been at the trouble to adjust by 31* 866 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOK. Butures the edges of divided parts, and when all seems going oi favorably, the animal gets his head round, and tears the wound open afresh, so that our labor is all in vain. This puts a damper on healing hj first intention. There are several other difficulties in the way of healing by this method, well known to anatomists. We shall just merely refer to the principal o? e, because it may satisfy the reader that some wounds had better not be sut ared, for they put the subject to a great deal of pain for no pur- pose. Horses, as well as some other animals, have, in lieu of hands, a peculiar muscular arrangement under the skin, hj means of which they can shake off flies and other foreign bodioa ; and it is owing to the facility with which they can jerk or move the skin that we often fail in uniting flesh wounds. Other ob- stacles are to be met with, both in relation to the size of the wound and as regards its anatomical direction. If the wound is seen immediately after infliction, and there seems to be the least probability of healing by first intention, we place a twitch on the horse's nose, and examine the part. If there be found neither dirt nor foreign body of any kind, the blood had better not be washed off; for tliis is the best healing material in the world. The edges are then to be brought together by interrupted sutures, taking care not to include the hair between the edges of the wound, for that would effectually prevent union. Nothing more is needed but to secure the animal so that he cannot get at it. If he is to be kept in the stable, without exercise, for any length of time, he had better be put on half diet. Pure air will not hurt him ! CoNTusi^D Wounds. lliese are generally occasioned by hooks, or some blunt body connected with the harness or vehicle. They generally leave a gaping wound with bruised edges. We have only to remember that nature possesses the power of repairing injuries of this kind — of filling up the parts and cohering them with new skin , ftll we have to do is, to attend to the general health of the animal, •IT d keep the wound in a healtliy condition. Our usual applica non is the compo md tincture of myrrh. Jf the part assume ac unhealthy aspect, a charcoal poultice will rectify that. If succ THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 367 cannot be applied, owing to the situation of the wound, dress it with pjroligneous acid. Lacerated Wounds. Lacerated wounds are generally in the form of a rent rather than cut, inflicted (as we have seen cases) by the calking of a shoe tearing off the integuments and-subcellular tissue, leaving a aort of triangular flap. In these cures we generally employ outures and treat them the same as incised wounds. Punctured Wounds. Punctured wounds are those inflicted by a pointed body, as a nail in the foot, point of a fork, or splinter of wood. These are the most dangerous kinds of wounds, for they are frequently the cause of fistula and locked-jaw. We make it an invariable rule, in the treatment of punctured wounds, to first examine by probe or otherwise, and remove any foreign body that may be present, and then poultice with flaxseed, into which we stir a small quantity of fir balsam. In puncture of the foot by nail, instead of plastering it with tar, and forcing a tent into the orifice, and then covering the sole with leather, as most blacksmiths are wont to do, we have the shoe taken off, the foot washed clean, and a moderately warm poultice applied, and renewed daily, until the suppurative stage commences. That once established, we consider our patient safe ; for many men, aa well as animals, have lost their lives from the absorption of pua formed in the wound after the external breach had healed. When a bone is injured by the point of a nail, or fork, the cure is rather tedious ; the primary means, however, are the same, The poultices may be followed by astringent injections, as alunL water &c. In case of injury to the bone, we use pyroligneous acid ; to be thrown into the wound by means of a small syringe. If extensive disease of the bone sets in, the services of a veter- inary surgeon will be required. A very profuse or unhealthy discharge from a punctured wound must be met by constitutionitl remedies. Sul|)hur and sassafras, to the amount of haJi au 368 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. ounce each, every other day, to the amount of three or fbui doses, will arrest the morbid phenomenon. The local remedy in all cases of this kind is diluted acetic or pyroligneous acid. For the treatment of a fistulous opening, see Fistula. For punctui^ o\ joints, see Open JoinL Penetrating Wounds Are ii'.flicted by the horns of cattle, stakes, shafts, &c., an:l lave to be treated according to the nature of the case. A pene- trating wound of the walls of the abdomen is generally followed by protrusion of the intestine ; this has to be returned ; the wound is then closed by strong sutures, and the belly must be encircled with a long bandage. In such cases we generally keep the bowels soluble with scalded shorts, well seasoned with salt, Knd empty the rectum occasionally by enema. Penetrating Wound of Intestine. To illustrate the mode of procedure when the intestine is wounded, the following case is introduced: We were called to see a three-year-old colt that had been gored by a cow. The animal had a wound on the off side, about four inches in length, in the iliac region, through which a portion of the small intes- tine protruded. On exploring the breach, it was found to run in a slanting direction, and as it approached the peritoneum, was found quite small, scarcely admitting the little finger ; here the bowel was both strangulated and lacerated, the intestinal open- ing being external to the stricture. Before proceeding to cast the horse, a twitch was placed on the nose, and the edges of the wounded intestine were neatly sewed together with a very fine BUture needle. Our reason for doing this before casting wiis, lust in the animal's struggles the bowel might recede, and give us «ome trouble in getting hold of it again. There was not much Janger of it, however j still we wanted to be on the safe side. The intestinal wound was not produced by the cow's horn, but lock place some three hours afterwards, and two before we saw the case, in the following manner: the protruded bowel had THE MODERN HORSE T- JCTOR. 36S become disteii led with gas, and according to the owner's account^ was about the size of his two fists. The animal, probably bein" in pain, got down and rolled on the injured side, and thus burst the gut. After sewing r p the wounded intestine, it was cleansed with warm water, and attempts were made to return it within the abdomen, but to no purpose. We then cast the patient, and, by means of a bundle of straw on each side, pro[)ped him on hia bacli ; the bowel did not return so easily as we had expected, fo? it was found necessary to dilate the stricture by means of a but- ton-pointed bistoury. The several layers of abdominal muscles were then sutured with as much nicety as the nature of the wound admitted ; and lastly the integuments were brought to- gether by interrupted suture. This case terminated unfavor- ably, for the animal died on the sixth day from peritc nitis. It may be well to observe that the accident happened on a very cold day, in the depth of winter ; and the bowel being so long exposed to the depressing influence of cold, probably led to the fatal result ; for it is well known that operations of this kind often prove successful. It may be interesting to the reader to know that wounds of the intestines heal as readily as those of other parts, as the following cases will show : — ' An incision one inch and a half in length was made in the bowels of a dog ; the wound of the integuments was closed by suture ; the animal was scarcely affected by the operation, took food as usual, and had natural evacuations. At the end of a fortnight, when perfectly recovered, he was killed for the purpose cf examining the bowel, when the wound appeared to be com- pletely healed. " In the eighteenth volume of the PhiloS'iphical Transactiom a similar experiment is related by Mr. W. Cooper : ' An opening was made in the abdomen of a dog ; a large wound was made in the intestines, and the wound in the abdomen was stitched jp, Sec. ; the dog recovered without any bad symptoms, and became perfectly well in a few days after.' It should be observed that the bowel does not appear to have been stitched up when re- turned into the belly. The following experiment by Mr. Travera is still more remarkable : ' A ligature of thin packthread waa firmly tied round the first intestine — duodenum — of a dog, M 87t THE MODERN HORSE DOCTO.H. lis completely tc obstruct it ; the ends of the strings were cui ofl^ and the parts returned ; the wound in the abdomen was closed, and the animal exi)ressed no sign of suffering when the opera- tion was concluded. On the following day he was frequently sick, and vomited some milk that was given hira ; his respiration was hurried. Third day his sickness continued, and he vomited Bome bilious fluid. Fifth day he passed a copious stool of the Baine appearance as the fluid discharged by vomiting ; his sick* Qe?3 friHn this time ceased, and his breathing was natural ; he took "^read and milk, and drank abundantly of water. Seventh day he had three similar evacuations, and appeared well, eating animal food freely. On the fifteenth day, his cure being estab- lished, he was killed foi the purpose of examination. The liga- ture which was fastened around the intestine divided the interior coats of the gut, in this respect resembhng the operation of a ligature upon an artery ; the peritoneal oi outer coat alone maintained its integrity. The inflammation which the liga- ture induces on either side of it is terminated by the depo- sition of a coat of lymph, exterior to the ligature ; this quickly becomes organized ; and the ligature, thus enclosed, is liberated by the «lcerative process, falls of necessity into the canal, and passes off by stool.' " — Travers on Injuries. Penetrating Wounds of the Chest. Wounds of this character are not fatal, provided the lungs or heart are not perforated. All that can be done is to suture the wound, pass several turns of a roller round the chest, and adopt nich constitutional means as the case seems to require. WORMS. Animal parasites are sometimes found in the intestinal canal of a horse in very large numbers ; they often exist without producing any perceptible disturbance in the economy ; yet in 3ome cases they unquestionably produce irritation, suffering, and ill health. The usual disense with which worms are connected w» indigestion, known by fetid breath, tucked up belly, stanuij THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 371 to&t, loss of flesh, voracious appetite, and slimj stools. Worms — excepting bots — are supposed by some to be of spontaneous origin ; but our opinion is, that they are the result of a per- verted state of tlie parts in which they appear. The long, round worm is an inhabitant of the small intestines ; and the pin or thread worm is generally found in the large intestines and lec- tiim. Treatment. — Various are the remedies used for the expulsion cf worms : the chief are, wood ashes, poplar bark, sulphur, salt^ castor oil, turpentine, calomel, tartar emetic, and aloes ; either of which will sometimes bring away a quantity of worms. But the difficulty does not end here ; the worms will generate so long as that morbid habit which gives rise to them exists. Hence the course invariably pursued by the author is to change the morbid habit by alteratives and vermifuges * combined. The following is a good example of the same : — * " lu this inquiry the principal experiments were performed by immersing the worms of dogs, cats, and other of the lower animals, in milk or fluid albu- men, at a temperature of about 77" Fahrenheit, and then adding the vermifuge of the fluid. Electricity was employed to test the actual death of the worm. " Tape Wortns. — The decoction of kousso and milk proved fatal in half an hour ; turpentine and albumen from one hour to one hour and a quarter ; de« coction of pomegranate bark and milk or albumen, in from three hours to three hours and a half ; ethereal extract of male fern with albumen in from three hours and a half to four hours ; and castor oil with albumen in eight bours. Therefor* kousso appears to be by far the most potent of the vir- mifuges " Tape worms placed in a salad containing onions and garlic, and dressed with vinegar and oil, died in about eight hours. " Dolichos pruriens appeared to e.xert no poisonous influence, nor did brown >xide of copper ; though the latter excited violent mischief in the intr^ tinea j( a cat, to which it was administered. ' Round Wori)ts. — Suntunine dissolved in castor oil caused death in aboat tsn rainu.*.e3 ; but santonine in milk or in albumen had no appreciable infla- inoe ; creosote caused death within two hours ; common salt in from two to six tours ; and the roe of the herring, or flour of mustard, in four hours. Turpen- tine and albumen, or petroleum, or oil of cajeput and albumen, were upon a par with common salt. A salad containing garlic and onions caused death in from ten to fifteen hours ; garlic acid, pomegranate root, and vinegar operated fatally in about eleven hours ; but kousso and the other astringents required from twenty-four to thirty hours before they produced this result. Ordinary Oi^ters acted very slowly and uiibatisfuctorily. '• Fron- t>>fise experiments Dr. K. recomraends that, to <,he cure of rcuid 872 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTt>K. White mustard seed, (whole,) "* Powdered inandrake, I Siuphur, > of each 2otio%c. Powdered womiseed, {chenopodium arUhelmit/icum,) j Salt, ginger, and charcoal, J Poplar bark 1 pound. Mix. Dose, one ounce, night and morning, in the food. Undei the exhibition of this medicine, aided by proper dielarj regula» tionj, the animal will gradually improve in condition, and in the course of a short time the worms will disappear. Should the rectum abound in pin worms, an injection of salt will be indicated. The following vermifuge is occasionally prescribed by the Buthor, and it has, in some cases, brought away large quantitiea of worms : — Castor oil, 12 ounces, Oil of wormseed, 1 ounce, Oil of tansy, 3 drachms. To be given on an empty stomach, followed by mashes of Jine feed or shorts^ well seasoned with salt. To be repeated, if ne- cessary, until the bowels respond. NICKING. Nicking is another fashionable barbarism that very few horsea escape. The world of horsemen have decided, no tail no horse ; and if an animal does not describe an angle of forty-five with his tail, he is said to carry none. In order, therefore, to find a ready purchaser, an owner is often compelled to have his horse nicked, in order to make him appear more graceful. The opera- tion, as performed in England, is thus described by Surgoor White: — " The operation consists in making three incisions in the under part of the tail, extending quite across, or as far as there is no hair produced. The first cut should be about two or three inches urorras, a mixture of santonine and castor oil should be made, in proportion o from two to five grains of the former to one ounce of the latter, and a tea- ipoonful of this given until the desired effect is produced ; and a'ong witli thi« he re:«mmends salt and mustard, with onions and garlic, to be added to thi diet of the patient." — Report on Practical Medicine, by Dr. Kllchenmeiater. THE MODEUN HOUSE DOCTOR 37b from the base of the tail, and a siimhir space should b ) left be« twoen the first and second, and second and third incisictns. On making the second incision, if the first has been sufficiently deep part of the muscle will protrude, which must be drawn out ani cut off. The bleeding is to be stopped by pledgets of tow firmly l)Ound on. The tail is now to be kept in an elevated position by uieans of a cord tied to the end of it, and passed over a pullej with a weight attached to the other end of the cord. It js need bii-s to give a particular description of this part of th( piocesa^ as the apparatus may be seen in any horse dealer's stable, whcra it is always kept ready. It will be necessary to keep the horse in the pulleys from three weeks to a month. The morning after the operation, the bandage must be loosened or cut through on the back part of the tail, or severe inflammation may be the con- sequence. The weight applied to raise the tail must at first be moderate, not exceeding two or three pounds ; but about the sixth day it may be increased to four or five pounds. No kind of dressing is necessary during the process ; the loosened band- ages will fall off about the third or fourth day, and leave large gaping wounds, which will gradually fill up, and be completely healed in three weeks. When the horse has been in the pulleya about a week, he should be taken out for a short time, and led up and down, in order to see in what manner he carries his tail. If it is not sufficiently raised, it may be necessary to put the trans- verse line, upon which the double pulley runs, a little farther forward towards the head of the stall, that the tail may be bi ought more over the horse's back; and should he carry it on one side, the pulley must be so confined as to keep it on the op- {Kjsite side for a sufficient time to make him carry it straight. A similar examination should be made daily, and he should have a little exercise." TLs usual mode of operating in the United States, is to make a sub-cutiineous section of the muscles, known as depressoret cocct/gis, the use of which are to depress the tail. The knifo IS introduced as near to the anus as possible on one side of the tail, between the bone and muscle ; then, with a sort of sawing motion, — the back of the knife being towards the bones, — th« muscle is divided, which may be known by the edge of the koif<8 32 374 THR MouERN HORSE DOCTOR. coming in contact with the integuments. This is repeated on thi other side, and the operation is finished. The horse is generally fettered by a rope from the neck, sjfured to each hind leg ; he has also a twitch on the nose. This operation, when performed in a skilful manner, is, probably, superior to that recommended by Wliite, which leaves a large cicatrix, very objectionable to Ameri- car. horsemen. It not unfrequently happens that horses lose an enormous quantity of blood after the operation ; but that resultfi from want of anatomical knowledge. The coccygeal arteries are severed, which the surgeon knows how to avoid. Amateur oper- ators often find that the subject of their experiment is seized with locked-jaw ; and in other cases the tail curves laterally towards the body. In the former, some unnecessary mangling has been performed, and in the latter case, one of the curvatores coccygis has been partly or wholly severed, which allows the associate muscle on the other side to draw the tail that way. Hence the necessity for skilful operators. METEORIZATION. — (.Tympanic State of the Abdomen.) Meteorization is a tympanitic state of the abdomen, that takes place in acute diseases suddenly and unexpectedly, as does the appearance of a meteor in the heavens. — Hooper. The following article is translated by Mr. Percivall from the Hec. de Med. Vet. Puncture of the Ccecum. — ( Cure.) — A light harness geld- ing, seven years old, after having eaten a good allowance of oats and bran, was employed to draw a load of dung from Paris to Creteil. He had no sooner arrived when he was attacked with violent colics ; his belly became rapidly blown out, when, m consequence of suffocation being threatened, the caiter imme- diately brought him to the veterinary school. On his arrival his respiration was highly accelerated ; nostrils dilated ; countenance anxious ; flank so blown out that the pi'o- cess of the ileum is almost elFaced ; pulse very small, quick, and wiry, &c. Rectal exploration discovered that the large iiites. tines contained but little solid matter, but were mostly distend- ed with gas. From time to time the animal made violent THE MODEUN HORSE DOCTOR. 372 exptlsipe efforts, and when left to himself he lies down ar^d rolls, &c. Diagnostic. — Meteorization consecutive on indigestion. Prescription. — V. S. ; continual walking exercise ; simple clysters; drink of assafoetida la grammes, (about 9 iv.,) with a like quantity of camphor. No rehef being afforded in an \\o'\r afterwards, a drink of aloetic oil, composed of a pint and a luili of oil with 10 grammes (about 3 j) of Barbadoes aloes. Two hours after the administration of this drink, there had been no evacuation of either solid or gaseous matter from the anus. The pulse had become small and depressed; the skin cold ; the respiration anxious, sighing, and short. Asphyxia threatening, the indication is, if we would prevent it, and so save the animal, we must do something instantly. Puncture of the caecum was determined on. The skin was penetrated with a sharp, straight bistoury at the most salient part in the flank, about the middle of an imaginary straight line extended horizontally from the angle of the ileum to the last rib, and, for want of a larger trocar, we made use of one of Guerin's, which is used for injections into the joints. Tliis instrument was plunged perpendicularly, with one thrust, through the muscular parietes of the abdomen, so as to penetrate the arch of the cajcum, wliich it did with facility, the resistance of the skin having been previously surmounted by the incision made by the bistoury. The stillette was no sooner withdrawn from the wound than the gas made an impetuous eruption to es- cape, followed by frothy matters, and spreading around an em- pyreumatic vegetable odor. At length, this current was on a sudden internipted, on account of the canula being so short that it slipped out of the gut as soon as the latter came to subside and retire from proximity with the parietes. This first result obtained by puncture proving insuili- cient, we were compelled to renew the operation. A first incision was made through the skin in a part of the flank nearer to the iuncbar vetebroe, and again the trocar was phinged through the abdominal muscles in a direction nearly parallel with the trans- rerse lumbar processes. In this way the instrument penetrated tiie most prominent part of the caecal arch, and at a point where 376 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOH. the retraction of the gut was not to be feared so touch, tc alter the parallelism between the aperture through the gut and that through the skin. This gave issue to a prolonged flow of gaseous fluids having a repulsive odor ; and with the efllux the parietes gradually lost their distention, and the respiration became fuller and freer. The canula was retained in the aperture until the current of gas ceased, and then was with- drawn. The belly had now recovered its former dimensions and suppleness. The horse was relieved. His countenance had changed for the better ; but his pulse was depressed and his skin cold. In order to produce reaction, his body was ordered to be envel- oped in two cloths dipped in cold water, and over that to be placed six dry cloths, and he was to be left to himself in a stable made hot. In twenty minutes a very strong reaction had be- come established in the skin ; the hands introduced underneath the cloths experienced great heat ; the pulse had recovered its fulness, end with it the peristaltic action of the intestines had become restored ; for the animal now continually passed gas and excrementitious solid matters. From this moment all colicky symptoms disappeared. Now, however, that all apprehension from gaseous indiges- tion was over, there remained behind such as might arise as consequences of the operation, among which the chief was peri' tonitis. To meet this, bloodletting was practised, and a large sinapism put upon his belly. The next morning the horse ap- peared in full spirits, drawing his provender out of his rack ; and the quantity of accumulated fajcal matters he had evacuated showed the canal to be perfectly free. On the eleventh day after his admission, he returned to his master quite recovered FROTRUSION OF THE VE^l^. — (^Pnrapkymosis.) Paraphymosis consists of a contraction of ihe prepuce around Rnd posterior to, the glaris penis. It is generally considered as itn inflammatory tumefaction of the glans, accompanied or nol with cellular effusion. The remedies are, aperieat medicine. THE .MODEKN HORSE 1/OCTOR. 377 ccld water applications by means of suspensory bandages, and liglit diet. Ill cases that resist the ordinary remedies, the stric- ture must be divided. URETHRAL GLEET. — {Bknorrhagia.) Blenorrhagia is a simple augmented secretion of mucous matter from the urethra, not communicable by contact. It is supposed Xf) be identical wilh nasal gleet. The worst case the author hag ever seen occurred in a stallion which had covered one hundred and twenty mares during a single season. He had a copious dis- charge of white mucus from the urethra, unattended by symp- toms of pain in voiding urine. This is the diagnostic symptom ; for if there be any symptoms of pain or inflammatory action, at- tended with tumefaction of the glans penis, and variations in the color and consistence of the discharge, the case is then one of gonorrhoea, capable of being communicated by contact. Such a disease has never yet come under the author's observation. Still, if gonorrhoea owes its origin to inflammation, — as some contend, — we cannot see how horses can enjoy immunity from it ;- there- fore veterinarians must be prepared to treat it. In the case just alluded to, blenorrhagia arose from excessive action of the generative organs. For this complaint the animal was drenched daily with a portion of the following mixture : — Balsam copaiba, 2 ounces, Sweet spirits of nitre, 1 ounce, Sirup of garlic, 4 ounces, Mucilage of gum Arabic, .... 1 pint. Dose, half a gill. The penis and sheath were sponged three times a day wi(L cr>ld water, and the patient was kept from mares. Under tha treatment he recovered. The same remedies are efficient for the treatment of leucorrhoea, occurring in mares, in which cool ing applications cr astringents are applied to the vagina. 32* 178 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. GLANDERS AND FARCY. Glanders. It is a notorious fact, that many valuable hors(is, in this coun try, are yearly sacrificed at the shrine of ijjTioranct, ; having been pronounced by theii* owners as glandered, simply because I hey have a discharge from the nostrils, accompanied by enlarged maxillary glands.* And we do not hesitate to say that many Buch horses might, by proper medical treatment, be restored to health. Mr. R. Vines, V. S., says, "All the symptoms of disease which constitute glanders and farcy invariably depend on the unhealthy state of the system into which it is reduced or brought, and not, as is supposed, from a specific poison contained in the blood ; and these symptoms of disease are found to depend on, and arise from, a variety of causes ; whether they occur at the latter states or stages of common inflammatory diseases, such as strangles, common cold, distemper, disease of the lungs, dropsy, &c., or whether they arise independently of such causes ; for when the system is brought into an unhealthy state, and is more or less debilitated from neglect, or by the improper treatment of any of these diseases, farcy or glanders is the result. The diseases of every animal will, therefore, assume a character ac- cording to the state of the system." Mr. Percivall, V. S., says, " The state of the body, or consti- tution, will always have considerable influence on the character and tendency of disease. In horses whose bodies are and have Innc' been in an unthriving and unhealthy condition, a common Bwollen leg will occasionally run into farcy, and a common cold or strangles, or an attack of influenza, be followed by glanders. In other cases, such unfortunate sequels will supervene without any ostensible or discoverable cause." We have no doubt that a case of glanders may be inducf glanders, acute and chronic, but principally of acute. No discussion, 1 should imagine, will ari.«e on this point, it being an acknowledged <86 THE MODERN HORSE DOC'TOK. fact get forth every year in the comptes rendus of the Alfcrt School. '• It is no less certain that, in the greatest number of caseSj whenever a horse becomes glandered from over work, it falls greatly off in condition before the disease makes its appesrance — a fact which accords with the great exhalation of carbonic acid and water, the fatal consequences of the activity of the ro- ■spjratory and circulatory functions. •" On the other hand, whenever glanders has declared itself, the horse rapidly falls off — he becomes a doy-horse — and this disappearance of his fat coincides with the augmented exhalatioD of carbonic acid, which becomes remarkable at the period of eruptive and acute glanders. " Another fact is, that the influence of excessive work may be cojnteracted, and even rendered harmless, by a large reparative alimentation. Demonstrative experience of this passed under our eyes, on a very extensive scale too, on the occasion of the construction of the fortifications of Paris. The horses worked hard in draught became glandered or not, according as they be- longed to masters who could afford to (and did) keep them well or not. Most of the glandered horses were the property of un- fortunate piece-workers, (tdcherons,) knowing little of the man- agement of horses, and too parsimonious of their feed ; while, on the other hand, the disease spared such as were well fed by wealthy contractors, undertaking the work on their own account. " XI. The laboring ox is not subject, on account of being worked up, to any disease having the least analogy with glanders. Not to notice his difference of organization, which is a principal consideration in this question, I contend that the difference of results from the same cause in the bullock and the horse is owing to the modes of using them, to the constant slowness of pace of the one, and the occasional and frequent rapidity of that of tha other. This difference may cease to exist whenever the ox is forced into quick work, and especially should he be fat at the time. In such condition, under the influence of hurried respira- tion, oxidation of the combustible elements takes place with so ^reat rapidity that the exhalation of the carbonic acid produci Munot get "cnt with sufficient celerity, and the consequence is, THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 387 the animal dies asphyxiated or charhonneux. In this case, a new principle, a ferment, becomes generated in the blood under the influence of extreme oxidation. " XII. I am not to be supposed to admit that in every case glanders is the result of extreme oxidation. I reserve this inter pretation for one cause alone of the disease, viz., over-work." — Lot] don Veterinarian. FARCY. Autliorities define farcy to be a disease of the lymphatic ves- sels, making its appearance in the form of circular swellings, termed farcy buds, which terminate in a discharge and ulcer- ation. Sy?nptom$. — The horse usually exhibits some symptoms of a deranged condition ; sometimes, however, scarcely noticeable, at others very apparent. The horse is not in his usual spirits, appears dull, and does not partake of food with his accustomed relish. Some horses will hpve febrile symptoms, pulse quicker than natural, mouth hot, urine high-colored, &c. ; others aie suddenly attacked with a swollen leg. Horses often become sud- denly lame in one of the hind extremities. Mr. Percivall re- marks, " I have known horses so lame from farcy, before the disease had in any local or characteristic form declared itself, that shoes have been removed, and feet searched, &c., to discover tSe cause and seat of lameness, no suspicion having existed, at tiic time, that farcy was present in the animal's system. It may so happen, however, that none of these preliminary symptoms are observed or observable ; that, on the contrary, farcy at once develops in an attack on some locality — most probably one hind limb. Indeed, so sudden, sharp, and severe are attacks of farcy in some instances, that in the course of one night the horse's limb will be swollen to a frightful size, so as to incapacitate him almost from turning in his stall and walking out of the stable. " Ordinarily the development of farcy plainly accounts for the halting or lameness ; now and then, however, the lameness ap- pears without any ostensible cause. " Viewing the aJPect-ed limb from behind, we perceive a fulness 6D the mside oi ih? thigh, along the course of the femoi'al vein ; S88 THE ArODERN HORSE DOCTOR. and the application of our finger to this will iminediately deteci a corded, nodous swelling, which has been happily enough, in the sensation it conveys to our feel, compared to a ' cord with so many knots tied in it.'' This is at once declarative of disease iu the lymphatic vessels — of the presence of farcy. " Tracing the cord upward from its place of origin, which com- monly is above the hock, the hand is carried into the groin, and there discovers a lobulated tumor, a swelling of the ingiiinaJ glands, which may, without impropriety, be called a bubo; some- times, however, the bubo does not make its appearance until after the full development of the cord. " Farcy does not at all times commence its attack in this open and unambiguous form ; on occasions it presents itself in a shape so insidious, that at first we hardly suspect it to be farcy, unless there happen to be present circumstances to induce suspicions of its existence. Sometimes one of the limbs, most likely the hind, will swell below instead of above the hock, and the swelling will increase around the fetlock, and an«,bscess will form there. In other cases, blotches or isolated pustules will break out upon the limbs, more likely upon the inner than the outer sides of them, or upon the body, or upon the shoulders, neck, breast, or quarters ; and these will break and discharge among the hair, clothing those parts with an ichorous or dirty-looking thin puriform matter." These are the general symptoms of farcy : if any doubt, how- ever, exists as to the nature of the disease, it will in a few days, sometimes in a few hours, be dispelled by observing corded lym- phatics issuing from these patches, which soon become running sores. A case of farcy came under our observation a short time ago. The subject had for some time been suffering under constitutional derangement, gradually losing his appetite and flesh. An influ- enza was now prevailing in the stable, which attacked all the in- mates. The one alluded to had a fetid discharge from the nose, differing from that of the other horses; and soon farcy buds made their appearance, accompanied by swelling of the legs. The fetid breath, together with the constitutional symptoms, would seem to favor the hypothesis that the patient was a sub- ject of deep-seated farcy, and, probably, had been such for a length of time. It wai tliought advisable to destrov this animal THE MODEPvN HORSE DOCTOR. 389 The others all recovered ; four of the number, however, having iwollen legs, were permitted to run a few days at grass before they could be put to work. Veterinary writers speak of several forms of farcy ; but tliese are only varieties of the same disease, difiering only in their symptoms and duration, assuming a mild or malignant form, as the case may be, in exact ratio to the general health of the subject. The first stage of I'arcy is tumefaction of the lymphatics — " development of the farcy bud." The second stage is commonly a suppurative one, terminating in a farcy ulcer. After passing through these two stages, the disease may, and frequently does, terminate in glanders. Hence the prognosis of farcy, in most cases, is considered unfavorable ; yet, when it attacks horses in good condition, some hopes may be entertained of a cure. In the diagnosis of farcy we are not apt to be mistaken, provided we keep in mind the language of a dis- tinguished veterinary writer, who says, " No swelling of a hind limb (or any other part) constitutes a case of farcy apart from the unequivocal signs of lymphatic disease ; there must be pres- ent corded, nodulated swellings, — buds in some form or other, — together with actual or approaching tumefaction of the lymphatic glands, or the case is not farcy." " I cannot help thinking," says the same author, " from accounts I have perused in some veterinary works, that both glanders and farcy have been mistaken ; or, rather, that diseases of another kind have been mistaken for them, and for farcy oftener than for glanders. One disease in particular, and one that is by no means so very rare in its occurrence, I feel quite certain has been called by the name of farcy, and under this a[ipellation appears to have been ' cured,' and to have been recorded as such. The diseas-* I allude to is that which is now known by the name of diffi^e iujlammation of the cellular membrane — a disease consisting ia the generally sudden appearance of lumps or patches }f sub- cutaneous effusion of a solid and even firm description, attended by oedematous, swollen states of the limbs, belly, sheath, &c. ; and thus having, so far, the character of water farcy* But in ♦ What was in former times known as renter farcy '«■ ow understood as 8up^ 6cial dropsy — an effusion into the cellular tiusue. 33* 390 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. these cases, let it be well observed that there is n > lymphatic di» ease, nothing like farcy buds and cords ; in which circumstance it is (connected with the course and termination these respective diseases are seen to have) that we are to seek for a correct diag- nosis. But how are we to distinguish farcy buds from some cutaneous eruptions — from surfeits * — which appear so much like them? There is but one species of farcy for whivh there eruptions can be mistaken ; and that is the disuse or ^oroadcasl variety — the button farcy. Now, should the attack be farcy, the probability is, from its being a general one, that the animal will show signs of ill health at the time ; whereas a horse that has ' broken out in a surfeit all over his body,' is commonly in unusually good, what is termed fine condition. Then, again, surfeit lumps are often large and irregular in form, and frequently appear in patches ; whereas the buds of button farcy are small, and regularly spheroid in shape, and spread pretty uniformly over the body. Again, surfeit eruptions are often but of an hour or two continuance — rarely are they visible on the following day ; any doubt, therefore, that may impend over the case is not likely to be of lengthened duration." The causes of farcy exist in any thing that deranges the lym- phatic system ; and probably the same causes that operate, either by contagion or otherwise, to produce glanders, will produce farcy. " By inoculation, farcy has been produced by the matter of glanders, and glanders by the matter of farcy ; and, conse- quently, there is every reason to infer a similarity, or rather an identity, in the viruses of the two disea&es ; and in further proof of this, as we said before, one disease, or form of disease, almost invariably terminates in the other prior to dissolution. There can be no question but that the same contaminated or miasmatic utmosphere of the stable or elsewhere, which produces glucdera, may occasion farcy, and vice versa." Treatment of Farcy. — The patient should be placed in a well-ventilated stable ; if, however, the season permits, a run ul grass, in the daytime, will be preferable. Pure air and green • Surfeit. A diBease of the skin, consisting in an eruption of small pnstulei U appears to arise fron a diseased state of the stomach aud bowels. — IV/iite THE MODEKN HORSE DOCTC R. 39l {ood combined, are almost certain to produce a favorable etfect for pure air decarbonizes the blood, deprives it of those impuri- ties which abound in farcy subjects, and at the same time distends the lungs to their normal capacity ; by which means the blood i» circulated with more force to the extreme vessels. The grven food, while its action is alterative, [)rovides for the laxity of the bowels, keeps them free and unobstructed, and entirely dispenses with cathartic medicine ; the latter being generally considered Qecessary to clear out the bowels ; but in our opinion, the " brisk dose of cathartic medicine," so highly extolled by some, is calcu- lated to produce unlavorable results, especially if the j^atienl shall be in a state of debility. Any man who has ever been foolish enough to practise the common error of periodical dosing with salts and senna, castor oil, Ace, can testify as to their pros- trating effects ; but this is only an item in the catalogue of evils ; great pain, griping, loss of appetite, subsequent constipation and dyspepsia, are the consequences of cathartics and purgation. Therefore, if the fecal accumulations can be got rid of under the exhibition of so safe and desirable an agent as grass, it la certainly to be preferred to the tr ipe-scounng compounds of the day. The grass may perhaps act as a cathartic, especially if the sub- ject has been accustomed to corn and oats : if this should be the case, a sufficient quantity of dry food should be allowed to supply the waste of the body and promote the living integrity ; for with- out oil the light will go out, and food is to the system what oil is to the light ; therefore, in such case, a liberal allowance of nutri- tious food will be indicated. When green food cannot be obtained, a sort of substitute can be compounded, consisting of boiled carrots, beets, and turnips, thickened with shorts or fine feed, and the whole pounded up to- gether, to which a tablespoonful of salt may be added. As regards the drink, we need only observe that pure water in small quantities, is perhaps the best ; yet if the patient be in exceedingly poor condition, he may then be allowed two quarts of hay tea and a pint of iresh cow's milk twice a day. Anima's suff'^ring fron: aither glanders or farcy should hav« UVJS THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR a liberal supply of common salt.* A quantity shcjuld be plac,«d in a situation were the animal can help himself; in addition to which the food should be salted. Medicines. — These must possess the following properties : — 1. Antiseptic. — To preserve the system from putrescence. The principal one is pyroligneous acid ; dose, one ounce, twice a iay, in a pint of sage tea. 2. Alterative. — Tc change morbid action, the following is an pxample : — Phosphate of lime, 1 ounce, " assafoDtida, 1 ounce. • Sahne matters are essential constituents of the blood, of the organized tissues, and of the secretions. They are, therefore, necessary conipouents of our food ; for without them health and vitality cannot be maiutai:ied. The alimentary s.alts, which, on account of their occurring more frequently and largely in the system, may be regarded as of the most importance in a dietetical point of view, are common salt and the earthy phosphates. Ferruginous compounds (salts ?) and probably salts of potash, are also indispensable ingre- dients of our food. 1. Common Salt, (Chloride of Sodium. J — Though salt is a constituent of most of our foods and drinks, we do not, in this way, obtain a sufficient supply >f it to satisfy the wants of the system ; and nature has accordingly furnished us with an appetite for it. The salt, therefore, which we consume at our table as a condiment, in reality serves other and far more important purposes in the inimal economy than that of merely gratifying the palate. It is a necessary article of food, being essential for the preservation of health and the mainte- nance of life. It forms an essential constituent of blood, which fluid doubtless owes many of its important qualities to it. Thus it probably contributes to keep the blood corpuscles unchanged ; for when these are put into water, a powerful and rapid endosniose takes place, in consequence of which they swell up and assume a globular form ; whereas in a weak solution of salt they remain unchanged. Iii malignant cholera, and some other diseases in which there is a deficiency of the saline ingredients of the blood, this fluid has a very dark, or even black appearance ; whence it has been assumed by some writers that the red color of th2 blood is dependent on the presence of its saline ingredients. From the salt of the blood, aided by water, tlie gistric juice derives its hydrochloric acid, an«J the blood and the bile their soda. The soda which exists in the blood, in com bination with albumen, passes out of the system in union with organic matter, (C" H^ N^ 0-2) represented by choleic acid: in other words, bile contains the fclements of choleate of soda, though not necessarily arranged as such. Last- ly, " the soda, which has been used in the vital processes, and any excess of doda, must be expelled in the form of salt, after being sep.irated from the blood by the kidney." — Liebiff. THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. 393 Mix ; and divide into twenty-four powders ; one to be given, night and morning, in thin gruel. 3. Stimulant. — To arouse vital action, the chief are capsicuin ftpd ginger. The author lias used the following preparation with co.nsiderable success : — Iodine, (reduced to powder,) .... 4 scruf lea, • Frout spirit, 4 ounces, Tincture of caps ;um or ginger, ... 6 ounces. Dose, one ounce, twice a day, in thin gruel. Another. Hj'driodate of potissium, . . 20 grains. Dissolve in a pint of water ; then add one ounce of tincture of ginger. To be repeated daily. Such are the remedies on which our hopes of cure are to be founded ; they are not to be given conjointly, but separately, as the various stages of the disease indicate. Should the horse's hind limbs be enormously swollen, so that he cannot move about without inconvenience and pain, then the "ollowing drench must be administered : — Powdered Socotrine aloes, 4 drachms. Tincture of gentian, 4 drachms. Sweet spirits of nitre . . 3 drachms, Sinip of garlic, 1 ounce, Flour gruel 1 pint. Mix. It will probably not be necessary to repeat this dose ; in fact, we should not recommend the aloes, were it not that the horse is now unable to seek an equivalent m the pasture^ and the grave nature of the case calls for some agent canable of producing a change in tne e^^otem divexting the fluid (which is now accumu- lating in the cellular tissues of the limbs) from the parts to lh« central membranes. Lest we may not be uiidei'stood by iLd reader, (non-professional,) we remark, that aloes act as a mo. chanical irritant on the alimentary surfaces, and a copious secre- tion of fluid from those surfaces always follows the exhibition of drastic medicine. The swollen, hot, and tense state of the limb calls for some local application. We therefore first wash :he parts with a weak ley of saleratus, and afterwards apply astringents, com- posed of a strong infusion of one o' the following articles* bay* 394 THE MOUEUN HOKSE DOCTOK. berry, white oak, nutgalls, gum catechu. Bandages moistened with equal parts of vinegar and water form a good evaporating, cooling lotion, when pain and infiamniation are evident ; yet, after all, Aoluntary exercise, such as the animal will take while procuring food in the pasture, will generally have a belter eUect on a tumefied limb than all the local applications we can make. The local treatmint {A farcy buds is a matter of importance ; for the discharge from them is sometimes so corrosive, irri- tating, that it destroys the surrounding skin and subcellular parts. White and some other writers recommend the most de- structive poisons as topical applications, such as corrosive sub- liniatey muriatic acid, lunar caustic, red precipitate — in eflect, no doubt, setting up a worse disease than the one already present. In such articles we have no faith : on the contrary, we consider them first-rate poisons, capable of altering, and in a great majority of cases destroying, one or more of the functions necessary to the support of life. The following will form the best local application we know of: — Pyroligneous acid, 1 pint, Tincture of bloodroot, 1 gill, Linseed oil, ^ gill. Mix, and wet the farcy buds with it morning and evening. WET PACKING. The method of local treatment, after the fashion of hydropa- thy, is thus described by Surgeon Haycock: — *' In the first place, procure the following articles, of the best quality of their kind ; namely, two pieces of strong, coarse linen. or harding wrappers, one piece of which must be seven yards in leiigth, the other three yards in length, and both of them four feet in width; SL\&o,four linen bandages of the usual width, and each of them six yards in length; or, what would be better^ eight linen bandages, each bandage three yards in length; also, two pieces of coarse woollen cloth, very firm, but soft and per- fectly pliable in its nature, of the same length and width as the two pieces of harding wrapper ; also, eight woolen bandages, of the same length as the linen ones ; also, three oi four large wool THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. 395 fen ruga, such as horses are usually clothed with in cold weather also, a number of strong iron skewers, a strong packing ?ieedle mid several yards of thick string. Having procured the above ai tides, (for recollect it is worse than useless not to have them of a sufficient number, size, width, and length,) the second step is to u.se them properly ; and upon this depends entirely the suc- cess of the operation. Take the lineti sheets and the linen bund- ages, and immerse them in a large quantity of clean cold wautr, (ihe co'-ler the water the better,) and stir them about in the watei HO that the whole may become thoroughly saturated. Thirdly take the large sheet out of the water, roll it up the short way, and give it a turn or two for the purpose of forcing out the loose water which it may contain, and giving this into the hanJ^ of an assistant, (of which the operation will require two or three,) he must then strip the patient of all clothing, and freely sponge its body with cold water from the chine to the loins, embracing the sides, and under the abdomen ; then take the wet sheet, — rolled as it is, — lay it upon the patient's back parallel to the spine, and, holding firm the loose end, let an assistant roll it firmly round and round the body as tight as possible ; then take the longer of the woollen wrappers, (not the woollen horse rugs,) and roll it also firmly round the body, and upon the top of the wet sheet, and secure its loose end with two or three of the iron skewers ; and upon the top of this again fold a large woollen rug, which make secure where the ends meet with the needle and thick string. In precisely the same manner apply the smaller of the wet sheets to the neck, (but here a little difficulty may arise, which will require careful attention — the necks of well-bred horses ax*e frequently very thin and spare, and they re- quire in this process to be packed : the best packing is made with i roll of wool, one roll of which is fixed on each side of the uJkk a\ (he hollow, running parallel with the windpipe,) which told witl. the lesser woollen sheet, and above it again with a woollen rug^ made secure as above described. Then repeat the process upon every one of the limbs, and fold above the wet bandages the dry woollen ones. To complete the operation, all that ia now required is to spread over the patient the di y woollen rugs ilie one placed over the body make secure with a oroad surcingle, 396 THE MODERN HOKSE DOCTOR. while the one upon the neck may hang loose, aflei /ehith c1ds« the box, and leave the animal alone for three or four hours, or even more : it may always be known, howevei when the cloths have been on long enough, by simply parsing the hand under them and feeling the state of the skin ; and if the skin be wet and hot, do not disturb them ; but if the skin be dry, or nearly 80, and the linen cloths are also dry, or in a dryish state, remove the vAhole at once, and put upon the patient fresh, dry, corafort- aWi clothing; the quantity of such clothing necessary will, of course, depend upon the season of the year, and the temperature of the weather. After the cloths are removed, I sometimes have the skin rapidly and lightly sponged over with cold water, and then three or four men are set vigorously to work with their bare hands to rub it perfectly dry ere I apply the clean clothing. It is seldom that I tind it necessary to apply the wet sheets above once or twice before an improvement becomes rapidly visible ; and when once such improvement has set in, then assist it with such remedies as may answer best to the phenomena, for it must be borne in mind that the wet sheet is a very weaken- ing agent if applied too frequently." DISINFECTION OF STABLES. The cheapest and perhaps the best stable disinfectants ar quicklime, chloride of lime and of soda, and pulverized charcoal Many of our horsemen have yet to learn that the health of theii horses depends, in a great measure, on a proper supply of pure, uncon laminated atmospheric air : when they are convinced of this fact, we may expect a reform. It is a universal custom, in this city, to collect all stable sweepings denominated manure, and to deposit them in a reservoir beneath the stable floor this is carted off from the city about once a week. In the summer months, the stench arising from this semi-putrid mass is almost intolerable. It is not, however, in all cases a matter of choice, but one of necessity ; for in a crowded city, like Boston, the evil is not easy to remedy. Yet something can be done to conduct the impure emanations from the stable into the surrounding at- mosphere, wh ire it would be comparatively haimless. In tlu« THE JIODERX nORSK DOCTOR. 397 dew we reconiinend each stable-keeper to have a v(,ntilat(ir con* Btructed ; and it may be got up on a cheap scale from pine, boards, which should be dovetailed together. Its form will be a matter of choice ; the circular will be most preferable ; yet, whrre economy is the order of the day, a hollow, square spout will answer. The lower end of this ventilator must be inserted into the stable floor, and only inserted, for if it be suffered to r,a''h a few inches below the under surface of the floor, it will iie but an imperfect ventilator. Its length will correspond tc the height of the stable, always allowing a few additional feet, to rise above the roof. It may be protected from rain by a tri- angular cap. We cannot close this subject without making what we conceive to be a valuable suggestion, which, if fully carried out, will be for the mutual advantage of stablemen and farmers. Our plan is, that each stable-keeper shall supply himself with a quantity of powdered charcoal, a limited portion of which is to be sprinkled every morning over the dung heap. For a stable av- eraging twenty horses, half a barrel of charcoal daily would net be too much ; the more there is of it the better for the farmer, and, indeed, for the whole human race. For then many of the diseases which have of late attacked our fruits and vegetables might be arrested, and, perhaps, wholly prevented. Much of the fruit now brought to market is a direct cause of diarrhoea and dysentery. By this arrangement the farmer will be the one most benefited, and we venture to say that any sensible man would be willing to furnish the requisite quantity of charcoal, provided he has /he privilege of purchasing the manure. He certainly would nut object, when purchasing manure, to pay the additional cojI of the charcoal, for it surpasses all other substances in the power which it possesses of absorbing ammonia, ard the value of manure is increased in proportion to the amount of ammo oiacol salts which it contains. 34 898 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOK. ON THE USE OF THE CAUTERY.* ** Tbe US3 of the cautery, to the credit of our art be it ssid, is on the decline. The farriers of former days had ever in their haoda iLeir cautery or firing irons ; with them they opened abscessee and penetrated tumors, introduced setons, stanched liemorrhage, cleansod sores, and scored tlie skin over enlargements and lame- nessto of almost all descriptions ; indeed, even nowadays, we occasionally meet with some luckless wight of a horse that has gone through this ordeal, bearing marks of having been scored over almost every joint in his body. This barbarous and un- necessary practice is, however, much diminished ; the improve- ments of modern times have shown us that we can, in very many of these cases, afford the same relief in a much simpler and more humane manner. Not that I am one of those squeamish or chicken-hearted mortals, who would hesitate, as its medical at- tendant, to put an animal to any pain, short of actual torture, which I was thoroughly convinced was necessary for its cure or relief; at the same time, if I thought I could effect by mild means that for which wfrc commonly employed harsh and pain- ful measures, 1 should feel it my duty to adopt the former in preference to the latter, even thoigh the process required a somewhat longer interval of time. In fact, I hold it up as one of the proudest boasts of modern veterinary surgery, that red- hot iron — that terrific though [)otent remedy — is in many cases superseded by comparatively painless but equally elhcacious measures ; and let us hope the day is not far distant when we ihall require its aid even less than we do at present." — Per- thai on the disorders and lamenesses of hoises. * Cautery is if two kinds, actual smd potential. By ths first ii meast tbd ed hot ircm ; by the second, any caustic applicatioB THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 398 OPERATION OF LITHOTOMY, (FOR STOME,) IN THB BLADDER OF A HORSE. The following case occurred in the practice of a vcterirai^ surgeon in England, and may serve to illustrate the manner of procedure : — " Having drawn out the penis from the sheath or prepuce, the cp<:at()r passed a rod of whalebone up the urethra, until the end of it could be felt in the perineum. He then cut down upon, the end of the rod, and through the opening thus made in the urethra he introduced a director, and with a probe-pointed bio- toury continued the opening as fir as the left side of the anus. He then introduced his right hand into the rectum, and the two fore fingers of his left hand into the bladder, and, without any ditficulty, pushed the stone against the middle fingei, by which he guided it to the neck of the bladder, and then easily forced it out through the opening in the urethra. The stone weighed rather more than four and a half ounces. Some parts of the stone appeared to have been broken off, and left in the bladder ; these were easily removed by means of a bit of soft sponge tied to a whalebone probe, and some warm water. The wound quickly healed, except a small orifice, through which a part of the urine still passes ; but the horse has worked hard since, and suffered no inconvenience from it. Mr. M. has no doubt that a stone of seven or eight ounces might be thus extracted." — Med, and Phys. Joumai. SCALDED SHORTS. Shorts, as they are ramiliarly termed, when scalded, make an £«^ellent diet for sick animals. The usual metliod of prepara- lion is, to turn two or three quarts of shorts into a buckf;t, to which add boiling water, so that the mixture, when stirred, chall be about the consistence of a soft poultice : it is then to be cov- ered with a cloth, and not given to the horse until sufficiently cool. When a horse has taken cold, and labors under a discharge from the nostrils, the mash may be put into the manger while hot, with a view of steaming the nasal passages, -ind favoring 4()0 THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. the discLarge of morbid accumulations. It is our general piao tice, when treating horses for acute diseases, to prescribe an oc* casional mess of the above ; and we invariably observe some benefit derived. In acute diseases of the alimentary canal, — in- flixramation of the bowels for example, — the practice is open to some objection, on account of the irritation which the article might produce on the mucous surfaces. During the active stage of such disease, food of this description is inadmissible, and such articles as are murilaginous, lubricating, are indicated. The boot we know of are flaxseed, marshmallows, and slippery elm. It is customary in England, in large stables, to set a boiler in which hot water is continually kept for the purposes of the stable, and more particularly for making bran maslies, and at night, if any of the horses look dumpish, (fatigued,) a bran mash and a good warm bed of straw generally restore them. Let a man, who has performed a hard day's work, arriving at home late at night,— his clothes drenched with rain, his feet icy cold, and his frame shaking like an aspen leaf, — now partake of a bowl of warn» gruel, and tumble into a good feather bed, he can afterwards un- derstand how a poor horse, under similar circumstances, might be benefited. White recommends bran mashes " in fever and all inflammatory complaints ; they are useful, also, as a preparative to physic, serving to remove any indurated foeces there may be in the bowels, whereby the operation of the medicine is rendered more safe and effectual. When a horse has been fed high for eome time, a change to a diet of mashes for two or three daya will often do a great deal of good." METHOD OF ADMINISTERING MEDICINES TO HORSES. The author almost invariably administers medicine in the forra of drench, using a common champagne bottle. Some persons, however, assert that " there is great danger in drenching horses from a bottle ; also, that it is very difficult to make them swallow fluid." We never kne^ of any accident following the use of the nettle, where ordinary caution was observed. Thrre is a space between the canine teeth and grinders where the bottle can be introduced, and if kept in that position while " drenching the THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. 401 horse," it cannot do any harm. Our usual plan is, to stand on the right side of the horse, our back turned towards his body ; we then take a firm hold of the lower jaw with the left hand, at the same time moderately elevating the head, (not too high,) while with the right we gradually pour down the contents of the bottle. Time should be taken in the process, and if it is poured down in email quantities at a time, so much the better ; the horse will be more likely to swallow it, especially if it shall be made palatable by the addition of a few caraway seeds or a little honey. Horses, like children, must be handled in the most gentle manner. They will generally refuse to drink even a little gruel, when any un- necessary severity is resorted to in its administration. They may be coaxed, but not forced. In answer to the second objection, we observe, that there is no more difficulty (not half so much) in administering a drench to a horse, under ordinary circumstances, than there is in giving a ball. To the latter we have great objections. First, in reference to its bulk ; secondly, the length of time it takes for the gas- tric fluids to dissolve it ; and lastly, its action is uncertain. Whereas medicine given in the fluid form is readily taken up by the lacteals, and operates, for good or evil, in much less time. It has also been urged that, when a horse is suffering from disease of the respiratory organs, the additional excitement following the act of drenching is unfavorable to the cure. Unfortunately, we are in a worse predicament when a ball is given, for then the tongue is forcibly drawn out of the mouth, while the hand is passed up to its root, where the ball is deposited. Our own ex- perience in the matter leads us to decide in favor of the bottle. If any further proofs of its utility are wanting, we may mention the fact that one half of our city horsemen are in the habit of administering drink from the bottle without accident. SOTJNPNESS, AS OPPOSED TO LAMENESS. " Reluctantly as we enter on this difficult and much-debated question, we feel it our duty, in a work on lameness, to make some observations on the subject, though these observations will be rather of a general tJuin of a particular nature, and have 34* 402 THE MODEKN HORSE DOCTOR. especial reference to soundnf .>s regarded as the converse ^f oi opposite state to lameness. No person buys or sells a horse \vith« out feeling some concern as to the soundness of the animal : the purchaser is apprehensive lest his new horse should from any cause turn out unserviceable or unequal to that for the perform- ance of which he has bought him ; the vender is apprehensive, either lest the animal, in other hands, should not prove that sound and effective servant he conceived or represented him to be, or lest some unrepresented or concealed fault or defect he is aware the animal possesses may now, in his new master's hands, be brought to light. Soundness, as opposed to actual or decided lameness, (or as synonymous with good health,) is a state too well understood to need any definition or description : when we come, however, to draw a line between soundness and lameness in their less distinguishable forms, — to mark the point at which one ends and the other begins, — we meet a diiBculty; and this difficulty increases when we find ourselves called on to include under our denomination of unsoundness that which is likely or has a tendency to bring forth lameness. '* The number of ' horse cases,' as they are commonly called, that have engaged Ihe attention of our courts of law, have brought eminent persons of the legal profession to our aid in the solution of this intricate question. Lord Mansfield, years ag(> made an attempt to settle the point according to an ad valorem Bcale ; setting every horse down as sound in the eye of the law, whose cost or value amounted to a certain sum. This, of course, was law that nevei could hold in horse transactions. Lord Ellen- borough legislated with a great deal more knowledge of horse- flesh. The law he laid down was, that ' any injirmity which rendered a horse less Jit for present use or convenience consti- tuted unsoundness ' — a law which, though it admitted of great latitude of construction, and to some especial cases did not prove applicable at all, was still a wholesome and practicable one in a majority of cases of dispute. Lord Tenterden made but little improvement on it when he pronounced every horse unsound thfit * could not go through the same labor as before the existence of the defect or blemish in dispute, and with the saff e degrees oi facility.' THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 408 •* Professor Coleman's notion was, that * every horse oi ght to be considered sound that could perform the ordinary duties of an ardinary horse.' This definition is open to the same objections a3 the judicial laws of Lords Mansfield and Tenterden: mange, diseases of the eye, (so long as they are confined to one eye,) nay, glanders * and farcy even, in certain stages, and !5ome other diseases, do not incapacitate a horse, and yet they iill amount to palpable unsoundness. On the other hand, many a horse, from age or want of condition, or from possessing a constitution natu- rally weak or washy, is unfitted for what might be considered * the ordinary duties of an ordinary horse,' and yet cannot be called unsou7\d. Then, again, comes for explanation, what are to be regarded as the ordinary duties, and what we are to look upon as an ordinary horse ; both presumptions equally inde- finable with Lord Ellenborough's standard o^ fitness, and with Lord Tenterden's statu quo ' before the existence of the defect or blemish.' " The late Mr. Castley, veterinary surgeon to the 12th Lancers, — whose opinions on this subject, as well as on every other, hi? habits of acute and accurate observation rendered of peculiar value to us, — felt inclined, to use his own words, ' to steer a middle course ; ' in accordance with which he ' ventured on the following propositions : ' — * 1st. That all recognized disease con- stitutes unsoundness for the lime being.^ * 2dly. That changes of structure or an altered condition of parts, and derangement or impairment of function, are allowed by all to be our two great landmarks in conducting examinations for soundness.' The first of these ' propositions ' is fairly inclusible in the second ; all dis- ease consisting either in change of structure or change of func- tion, and most disease involving both these changes. And in re- gard to the second rule for our guidance, obvious and decisive as are changes of structure combined with deranged or impaiied function of parts in general, there are still some of that trifling • A large carrying firm on the western road had, many years since, a great number of glandered horses working in entire teams ; these horses were bol.?ht in young, at high prices, but from neglect and mismanagement soon became in- fected with the diseasr, and in this state worked on, in some instanced, ^oi many years 404 THE MODERN HORSU DOCTOK. or uninflaential nature lijat can hardly, when they do e:iist, b« looked upon as unsoundness : such are chronic or partial diseases of certain parts or organs, the obliteration of a vein * or artery, for example, the conversion of fibro-cartilage into bone, as in splent, chronic or partial disease of such an organ as the liver ^c, &c. " Our present inquiry into the nature of so'.ndness being re- stricted to its relation to l.meness, and it being our intention here to deal with broad principles, leaving the nicer shades of distinc' tion for consideration until such time as we come to treat of par- ticular lamenesses, we may safely say that, — "1. Every horse showing lameness must be pronounced uii' Bound; although the converse, of this, as a fundamental principle will by no means hold good, every horSe no< showing lameness not necessarily being (considered as) a sound horse. For instance, a horse shall have a spavin, or a curb, or a swollen back sinew and still evince no lameness, even though he may show marks of having been fired or blistered for the same, and so give us every reason to believe that formerly he has experienced actual lame- ness from one or other of these defects. Would, however, any veterinary surgeon, under such circumstances, give a certificate of soundness ? If he did, it must be qualified in a manner that would little induce any person to purchase such a horse, unless at a price consonant with the evident reduction of his value. It will be requisite, therefore, for us to say, not simply that every lame horse is unsound, but to add the words, or that has that about him which is likely on work to render him lame. This will, it is true, open the door to difference of opinion and equivoca- tion. There may, as we have seen, ppring up two opinions con< erning the presence even of lameness. Tliere will in more cases be two opinions concerning that which is accounted to Le the precursor of lameness, or have a tendency at some period, j)rc;ximate or remote, to produce lameness ; all which differences itre best got r'd of by reference to the ablest veterinary advice, 'i here will be less diversity of opinion among professional men ♦ " It has happened, however, that a horse has been returned after puruhae* ta ' unsnind ' in consequence of a lost (jugular) vein." THE MODERN HOilSE DOCTOR. 40fc 'iiWD among others, and the more skilful and respectable the pf(^ fessional persons are, the greater will be the probability of a happy unison in their views of the case. To la} down any statute law which shall meet such cases as these, is, from the very naturo of vital structures and functions, totally an impossible uiatter. ** We ought to be able to establish it as an axiom, although it Eiay prove one not unassailable by argument, that a lame htrse ii an unsound horse. It might be objected, for example, that a horse having a stone in his foot — than which nothing, for the time, renders a horse more lame — should be regarded as un- Buund ; and yet by this rule he must be so considered so long as he continues to go lame, though as soind from the moment thai the stone is removed. The shoe 'nailed on too tight' furnishes another similar example. A horse, quite sound, enters a forge to be shod, and comes out going, as grooms call it, 'scrambling, L e., lame ; he is, in fact, no longer a sound horse : take him back, however, into the forge, and remove his shoes, nail them on ' easy,' and, if not completely restored to soundness, he is thereby evi- dently so much relieved as to give pretty fair earnest of his be- coming well or as sound as ever by the next or the following day. It may be said, and we quite agree in the reply, that such trivial points as these are not likely to come before us for de- cision, or to cause us any trouble if they do : still it is right we should be armed on all sides to defend that law which we, as pro- fessional men, deem it wholesome and just to lay down ; viz., that every horse going lame — no matter from what cause — ought to be pronounced unsound. " If any real objection can be urged to the institution of such a law, one presents itself in the case of a horse that is lame at one time and sound at another. For mstance, a horse shall have a frush, of which he shall flinch or go palpably lame every time . e happens to tread upon a stone, or whenever he goes upon Lird, uneven surfaces ; though at other times, upon soft grjuud or upon turf, he shall appear quite sound. This horse, we think, stands, in respect to the question of soundness, altogether in a diflEerent position from either the stone-in-the-foot or the tigni- bUob case : here is disease — demonstrable disease ; and although it gives rise but occasionally to lameness, still, as lameness is at 406 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. times the result, we hold that the horse ought to be accounted unsound. The spavin — in certain forms — affords another ex« ample of temporary or transitory lameness. A spavined horse shall come excessivel}^ lame out of his stable in the morning, but after having gone a while and waxed warm, shall no longer ex- hibit lameness, or even stiifness of his hock. In accordance with the laws of the judges, and with that of our late professor, (Coleman,) such a horse being not ' less fit for present use or convenience,' being ' able to go through the same labor as beforo the defect or blemish,' able to perform the ' ordinary duties of an ordinary horse,' — such a horse, we repeat, must be pronounced, so long as he continues in this aptitude, to be sound ; whereas, however much we may differ concerning other points, we believe all veterinarians will concur with us in opinion in declaring the occasionally lame spavined — if not the lame frushed — horse to be unsou?id, notwithstanding his redeeming quality of becom- ing sound on work, and of continuing so to the end of that work. " However strong we may feel ourselves in our axiom — that a lame horse must be accounted unsound — the moment, as we ob- served before, we attempt the converse of it, viz., that every horse free from lameness is (as respects the question of lameness) to be held as sound, we change into a position most infirm and untenable. All sorts of diseases and defects stare us in the face, which, though not the immediate producers of lameness, too surely, in our minds, betoken its approach, waiting only for work or other exciting cause for its development ; and with such be- tokenraent before us, it is quite impossible we can, with any show of reason or equity, pronounce the horse having them, notwith- standing he at the time goes free from lameness, to be virtually a Bound horse. For how can we in conscience call that horse sound that we know has that about him which will probably — nay, certainly — cause him to become lame the first long or heavy day's work he is put to perform? As well might we call an ap- ple or a pear sound which we know to be rotten at the core. And yet, strictly and literally speaking, the animal goes sound — is as sound in action to appearance as is the rotten apple or pear. In oases wliere so much difficulty, nay, impossibility, presents it- feif to the drawing of a distinction between the two opposite and THE MODKRN HORSE DOCTOR. 4(>7 (as we may call them) abhorrent states of soundnesi* and un- soundness, it has struck us some good might arise from a di- vision of unsoundness into actual and prospective ; the latter de- nomination indicating a state of transient or trustless sou.idnnfs. Notwithstanding a horse may be free fiom lameness, may go sound, yet, so long as he has that about him which will probai ly cr surely render him lame the first time he is put to hard woik he is virtually an unsound horse, in iionesty unwarrantable • and iLe best denomination we are able to lind tor such a failable con- dition — a sort of intermediate state between soundness and un^ joundness — is prospective unsoundness. So far as abstract ac- tion is concerned, the horse, it is true, must be regarded ao sound; although that which he has upon him, making him liable or certain to become lame whenever he is put to excess of action or work, certainly stands in the way of any warranty of sound' ness being given. " Prospective unsoundness, however, althougli it relieves us froir the necessity of doing that which no professional man conscien- tiously can do in very many of the subjet-ts brought before him, viz., of pronouncing the horse either actually sound or unsound, yet unfortunately it opens a door through which crowds of cases, really doubtful in their chai-acter or rendered so by the variety of opinions given on them, are ready to be forced in, and made to perplex us in coming to any proper or judicious selection of them. One horse lias manifest disease, in some form or anotlier, as the cause of his being pronounced likely or certain to go lame a* no very remote period : his case admits of no question. But another horse has — no disease — only a malformation, a defor- mity, or misshapenness, the result of which is weakness of liaib, and consequent liability to failure — to lameness, in fact. A third horse, has neither disease nor deformity, nothing but a ' bad habit,' and that is said to amount to unsoundness, i^ud it is the cases that come under one or otiier of these latter denominations — which are the otfspring either of natural defect, of use or wear, or of habit — that, for the most part, puzzle veterinary practitioners in coming to judicious decisions on soundness. " To elucidate these observations by example : A horse shalj 'lave a spavin or a curb, or a swollen or lirctd hack sinew, any 408 THE MODERN HOKSE DOCTOR. disease, in short, from vvliich on exertion he is likely, as our ex- perience tells us, to become lame : such a horse is prospectively unsound. But suppose he have a club foot, a parrot mouth, bent limbs, curved or curby-looking hocks, weak joints, narrow or flat feet, a hip down, &c. — all natural deformities or malformations, none of them coming fairly or popularly under the category of disease — what is to be done in passing judgment upon them ? The equitable adjudication appears to be, as in the case of dis- ease, to declare that such of them constitute unsoundness as ar« probable or certain to give rise on work to lameness ; but, then, we shall experience difficulty, in some of the cases, in drawing the line between actual lameness and natural failing or weakness. A horse foaled with evident deficiency of physical power, partial or general, can haixUy be called unsound ; though should he have that about him which renders it likely he will, when put to work, •ecome actually lame, he ought, assuredly, to be pronounced pro- tpectively s,o. ^Ctitti7ig,' as the striking of one foot against its fellow leg is called, arise from whatever cause it may, is apt to produce occasional lameness, and, when it does so, is fairly re- garded as a species of prospective unsoundness. Springhalt ia action so unnatural that some do not hesitate to affirm it to be a pecies of unsoundness, though it is a well-known fact that many norses so affected will do the same amount of work as it is rea- sonable to suppose they would or could do were they free from it. After all, as the foregoing observations will abundantly tes- tify, a good deal, in the decisions between soundness and unsound- ness, must be left to the skill and judgment of the professional man : he alone can unriddle the true nature of the case, and form a just estimate of the probabilities of lameness ; and, if he be but trustworthy and honest in his opinions, he is, beyond question, the preferable authority in such cases of appeal (or ad vice. " Wiun we, as men acquainted with the animal economy, con- eider the multiplicity of evils even quadruped ' flesh is heir to,' and reflect in how many ways its health and action may become impaired, and how graduated down those impairments may be into states of indisputable soundness, we have no right to feel surprised at the intricacy in which we find the subject before U9 THK MODICRN H.^KSK DOCTOR. 409 involved, no more than we have, in a strictly pathological ^oint of view, at the comparative paucity of sound horses coming un- der our olfiervation. The separation of monomania in man from ixldity or eccentricity is hardly more diilicult than rcsohing the question of soundness in its dubious or transitory form 13 in horses ; a great deal, after all, must be matter of opinion, and those ojiinions will ever prove best worthy our reliance whi:_h are ibundtd on the widest experience, coupled with the best char- acter for honesty. No more responsible duty attaches to a pro- Pissional man than that of giving a certificate of soundness : by it the warranty of the dealer or vender is either confirmed or falsified, the purchase completed or set on one side, the value of the animal either established or destroyed ; on all which accounts is the veterinarian pledged, not only to use his ' hundred eyes ' in making the examination, but also his maturest judgment in diving into the nature of any unsoundness he may discover, as well as into its positive or probable effect on the action or ca- pabilities of the animal, both present and to come. This leads us, before we close the subject, to say a few words on warranty ; by which is meant an indemnity against any unsoundness, or a pledge given — commonly in writing — by the vender to the [lurcliaser, that the horse is sound and quiet, and possesses such and such qualifications. Without such indemnification or pledge, the law says Caveat emptor — let the purchaser take the conse- quences ; the rule at law being, that every body who purchases a horse takes him at his own judgment, and has no remedy against the seller, supposing the horse to turn out, upon a future trial, or a more considerate inspection after the purchase, to be worth less (Inn the sum given; unless he (the purchaser) can prove he waa Liduced to purchase by representations false withiw the kncwl- edge of the seller ; to fasten a fraud of which nature upiMi an experienced dealer in horses is, however, a difiii-ult matter.* Warranties are oi' different kinds — express or implied, general or special. An express warranty speaks for itself. And as for an implied warranty, such a thing is hardly known, or, at least, rarely taken advantage of in horse dealing, the price paid, how Toml'n's Popular Law Didoiiury, 1838. 3> no THE MODERN HOKSK DOCTCR. ever high, not being legally held to be any guaranty of the eoundness of the animal; and any thing that might transpire be- tween seller and buyer, implying vvairant}', being worth nothing without proof, which, being procured, would render the transac* tion, in law, tantamount to an express warranty. A general war- ranty extends to all delects and i'aults known and unknown to the eeller ; but a special warranty is contined in its operation to the parts or particulars specitically pointed out. A hcrie may ha ((warranted of such an age; or, having some defect visible upon iiis liiubs, such as a spavin, or a curb, or a tiied leg, of which be doio not go lame at the time, that defect may be specified, and tie horse warranted not (within any reasonable or prescribed period) to become lamt in consequence of it. A general warranty, how- ever, affords no protection against such defects as are ' plain and obvious ' to every body, and, consequently, to the purchaser ; no more than a special warranty does against any which are not in- cluded or named in the specification. ' But if, on the sale of a horse, the seller agree to deliver it sound and free from blemish at the expiration of a specif ed period, the warranty is broken by a fault in the horse when delivered, although such defect ivas obvi- ous at the time of sale ; and as some splints cause lameness and others do not, a splint is not one of those plain defects against which a warranty will not indemnify ; and when a seller warrants a horse sound at the time of sale, and the horse afterwards be comes lame from the effects of a splint, visible when the hcrso was bought, it is certain that the warranty is broken.' This rule will apply to spavin, oi- to curb, or to windgall, or, in fact, to any other defect ' visible at the time of sale.' For all warranties can only undertake for the animal's qualifications at the time of sale: none can extend to any subsequent period unless there be « gpecial clause ' to deliver the horse free from blemish,' and that iifcUvery be by mutual agreement delayed.* "The form in which a receipt including warranty is geneitlly written : — " ' Received, the 16th of July, 1845, of A. B., Esquire, the sum of ninety pounds, for a gray gelding (stallion )r mare^ warrantee^ Bound, and quiet to ride and drive.' • Tomlia's Law Dictionary, 1838. THK MODEUN HOUSE DOCTOR. 411 " Or, * Warranted free from vice aiul bleiiiish, except ■ " Or, ' Warranted in every respect, except ■ *' Or, 'Warranted to have been constantly driven both in singU and double harness, to have carried a lady, to have been regu- larly hunted, to be a good hunter or hackney, &c., &c.' " Following the word ' except ' there being every oi)portunity afforded the (honest) vender of stating what he may know inval- iditting the warranty, and thereby saving his rei)Utation as well 06 screening himself from the probability of litigation afterwards. " ' With respect to what (oral) declaration* of the seller will amount to a warranty, the primary rule for tlie interpretation of contracts in general is applicable. It depends upon the intention of the parties. A simple affirmation of the goodness of an arti- cle is a warranty, provided it (a warranty) appear to have been intended; whereas the sublimest epithets that seller ever em- ployed to recommend his goods to a credulous buyer will be re- garded as the idle phraseology of the market, unless an intention to warrant actually appear.' In fine, ' it is from the intention of the parties, as collected from the whole transaction, and from the meaning they appear to have attached to particular expressions, that the existence or non-existence of a warranty is to be in- ferred.' * " ' Let us now consider how the rights of the parties are af- fected by the horse being unsound at the time of the warranty. The contract being thus broken on the part of the seller, it is at the buyer's option either to treat it as a nullity, and return the horse, or to retain him, notwithstanding, and bring an action on the warranty. In the former case, the price paid is the measure of the damages he will be entitled to recover in an action ; in the latter, th«, difference between that price and his real value. If he offer to rescind the contract and return the horse, he may also recover the expenses of his keep ; but in order to do this, a posi- tive tender is said to be necessary. No notice of the unsound- ness need be given to the vei der to entitle the vendee to main- tuin the action ; nor is it necessary to bring the action imme- diately on discovering the unsoundness.' — ' But although such a notice be not essential, yet it is always advisable to give it, ac ♦ Law Magazine for October, 1838. 412 THE MODERN HORSK DOCTOR. the omitting to do so will furnish at the trial strong presumptioti that the horse, at the time of sale, was free from the defect com- plained of; thus rendering the proof of a breach of warranty more difficult. Common justice and honesty require that the commodity should be returned at the earliest period, and before it lias been so changed by lapse of time as to make it impos- sible to ascertain, by proper tests, what were its original proper- ties .' " — Hippopathology. LYMPHATITIS. " Lymphatitis is a disease which, although without place ia any of our systematic books by our professtd writers, is yet, upon the whole, well known, aTid is designated by a variety of names. In Scotland, for example, it is called weed ; while in various parts of England it is known as felltick, thick hg^ farcy, water farcy, shot-o' -grease, and a number of others which it is unnecessary to detail, and which, if detailed, would be perfectly impossible to understand. Fifteen years ago, a Mr. J. Henderson wrote a paper upon this affection, which the reader will tind in the ninth volume of The Veterinarian ; and from that time to the pi'esent it does not appear that our knowledge of its pathology is very greatly increased. " Symptoms. — The disease, for the most part, commences with a shivering fit, though, in many cases, its existence may be so slight, and its duration so short, as not to be noticed by any save a careful observer. Generally the attack is very sudden ; the owner, or the servant in care, may go now, as it were, out of the etable, and leave his horse to all appearance perfectly well, and upon returning in an hour hence he will find him standing upon three legs, while the fourth will be flexed and held high from the ground ; the pulse will vary in its beats according to thfl intensity of the attack, rarely, however, beating less than fifty, or more than one hundred per minute ; while the respirations may be fifteen or twenty, or even forty, in the same interval of time. If the affected limb be examined it will be found hot and swollen, and tender if pressed upon, which symptoms for many hours will gradually increase in intensity. Soon after ccmraence- THE MODERN HOUSE DOC TOR. 418 ment, a number of vessels may be seen running a^^ross thr limb iu various directions, of about the tbiclvness of a (juill ; they are tbe most numerous, liowever, upon tlie inner surface of the leg, "•■'here they appear to terminate in round or irregulai- formed masses, which masses are acutely tender if squeezed within the hand ; these prominent vessels are the inflamed lymphatics, and the prominent masses alluded to are the inilaraed lymphatic glands. Sometimes the swelling extends from the junction oi the limb with the body down to the very foot ; at other times it only reaches down to the hock, and when very severe a sort of dew exudes from the skin and lies uj)on tbe hair. "Tiie coarser the breed and the older the animal, the greater the liability to lymphatitis. Young coarse-bred horses are also very prone to it, particularly if highly fed and under worked ; but in the youi:g horse, the disease, in the majority of cases, if not in all, quickly runs its course, and the affected limb becomes in time perfectly restored to its pristine condition, and if due precaution be taken the malady may not again manifest itself, at least for years to come ; while in old horses the diseased limb ia seldom or never reduced — it remains permanently thickened, and the animal is extremely liable to have acute or sub-acute attacks of the same disease periodically. In the majority of cases, again, Its action is usually confined to a hind leg, and that on the left side ; sometimes both limbs are affected, but never, that I have seen, very acutely so at the same time ; the left limb might be attacked, and some time afterwards the right one, but never both limbs simultaneously. I have also found that if the disease be treated according to the old mode, narat;ly, by bleeding and purging, that horses so treated are prone to be attacked far more frequently than when treated homceopathically. " Causes. — The predisposing causes are simple, the chief of which are peculiarity of breed, and the regular giving of very nutritious food in too great abundance ; also previous attacks of the same disease, old age, and the sudden changing of the animal from a poor to a rich diet. The immediate or exciting causes are — heavy blows upon the limbs ; severe scratches and cuts ; sudden over-exertion ; working of the animal in water, or verj wet ground: the sudden checking nf old discharges from disease/ 35 * 4:14 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOK. limb?, such as grease, bad thrushes, &c:. ; allowing the animal t« stand in cold draughts when perspiring freely, or checking the perspiration suddenly by riding him into a stream of cold water." — Veterinary Homoeopathy, by Surgeon Haycock. Treatment. — The best treatment the author knows of is, to apply diluted tincture of arnica externally, and give twenty graii^ of hydriodate of potassa twice daily. ON THE GADFLY GRUB FOUND BENEATH THE SKIN OF THE HORSE. "We know that the horse harbors several species of oes- trides, or gadflies, in his body, of which those best known are the oestrus equi, the oestrus veterinus, and the oestrus htein- orrhoidalis, whose habitations are the stomach and intestines. But what we do not seem to be generally aware of is, that un- der the skin, even, larvcB, or grubs, of the diptera family breed and give rise to the formation of tumors analogous to such as strike onr notice, at certain times of ihe year, upon the bodies of our large ruminants; and particularly of those who appear, in all other respects, to enjoy the best health. Redi and Huzard (the father) have spokt n of these inhabitants of the skin of the horse. Bracy Clark, likewise, lias mentioned them in his Essay on Bots ; but he regards them as identical with those of the hypoderma species which exist underneath the thick skin of the ox. " Dr. Roulin, of the Institute, in his Researches on certain Changes observed in domestic Animals transported from the Old to the New Continent, expresses himself as follows : ' In the hatos of Llanos, the horses are almost entirely left to themselves. They are driven up only from time to time to keep them from becoming quite wild, to take off them the larvce of the oestri, and to mark the foals with a red-hot iron. To what species do these American larvce belong? As yet we remain in ignorance of this.' Last of all, IM. Loiset, a celebrated veterinary surgeon oi the Department of the North, published, some years ago, a short Notice on the (Estrus Cuticolens of the horse, and has given a description of the Jarvte of this oestrus, (»f which we liavy, ac cording to the text, made a full copy. THE MODEKN HORSK DOCTOR. 415 " At the prpfjent day, with nature herself before onr eyes, we feel satisfied that this description, confessed to be imperfect even Dy the authoi himself, viewed as a branch of natural history, is wanting in exactitude. And this induced him to introduce a portrait of the insect in question, with a fresh description of it more in accordance with the rigorous precision prescribed by science. " Its character once well established, we shall be able readily to resolve the cpiestion, whether the oestrus in point be identical with the hypoderme of the ox, or whether it constitutes another species to be added to the genus hypoderma. "The larva cuticolens (skin-habitant grub) of the horse has a cylindrical form, measuring more round in its fore than its hinder part. It is without brain or feet. Its body is constituted of eleven segments, including the one in which is found the buc- cal orifice, (or mouth,) which consists of a very small hole, edged with a black border, with some bristles around so fine as to be with ditliculty perceptible by the naked eye. The foremost segment is of all the smallest. From this the segments, as far back as the fifth, grow gradually larger ; while, on the contrary, the five posterior continue to diminish as they approach the hinder part. These segments, examined upon their ventral sur- face, with the exception of the two last, are divided transversely, by slight grooves, into two unequal halves, each furnished with a great number of spinous tubercles, whose points, upon the ante- rior half of the segment, are directed backwards, but forwards upon the posterior half Two cribriform plates, the sole organ of respiranun v/ith which the grub is furnished, are seated upon a sort of flattened termination of the anal segment. " Alike in this respect to the hypoderma bov^is, the skin-habi- f^nt grub of the horse has, contrary to what is observed in ttie majority of cases, the inferior surface of the body convex, while the dorsal side of the segments is slightly concave. Such form ia m this manner exactly fitted to the spherical cavity which serves as a habitation for the parasite. It is worthy of remark, that the dorsal surface of the body is without bristles, save upon the two or three foremost segments. The general color of the t-kin fi white ; the bristly tubercles alone being brown, more or Jesfl 416 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. shaded. The skin itsslf is translucid and vesicnlons, as It were In size, the larva is much below the hypoderma bovis, since il does net exceed an inch in length, while the larva of the ox oestrus, at full growth, attains to from three to four inches. " This difference, in itself considerable, is not the only one we have to remark. Upon the subject of our inquiry we do not ob- serve the six longitudinal lines which, upon the hypodcrme of the ox, form so many series of tuberculous eminences, ranged al .nrrtain intervals from the first to the last segment. Neither are to be seen the five or six eminences surrounding the mouth of the latter; though, to make up for it, we find at the posterior and inferior side of the second segment a kind of transverse prominence shooting beyond the surrounding skin, and furnished with very small tubercles, which have no existence in the grub found in the skin of the ox. " These differences, united to those of size, sufiice, in our mind, to authorize the conclusion, that the larva in question, though it belong to the genus hypoderma, constitutes a distinct species, up to the present time undescribed, to which we shall give the name of hypoderma eqiii. " No doubt we shall be asked. What are the habits of this in- sect in its different states ? Nobody, as yet, that we know of has investigated them. The larva alone being recognized, it ia to that the few observations apply of which science is in posses- sion. We know that this larva is found principally upon horses that have been living at pasture in the months of July and Au- gust, and that through its presence are caused large indurated knots or buttons upon the skin, which are found in the greatest numbers along the spine, from the withers to the croup inclusive. These buttons, whose volume varies from a lentil to a small nut, have, according to M. Loiset, a shape inclining to conical ; and, by carefully separating the hairs clothing them, may be seen on their summit a narrow aperture, resembling such as a large needle would make. Compressing the tumor causes to issue from this opening a minute quantity of purulent serosity, which, after being removed, is followed, in the last months of the growth of the tumor, by a vesicular point, which is neither more nor less than the posterior extremity of the larva. The efforts mads to THt MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 417 sxjfftl this are ordinarily ineffectual up to the period at which ita growth fits it for metamorphosis ; when, by squeezing the pus- lule forcibly between the nails, a vermicular body springs livelily out, as though impelled by elasticity, and rolls upon the ground. This body is no other than the larva. " There can be no doubt but that these larvaj feed upon the pus which forms in the tumors that serve them as habitations iif to the moment of their transfoimation ; neitlier is there any that the bristles clothing their body serve to augment the secretion of the pus through irritation of the skin, no more than there ia doubt that the animal makes use of them, like the hypoderma of the ox, for the execution of the motions required for his escape from his foul abode. Once at liberty, he sets out in search of shelter either in the earth or the dung, and therein, after having remained for ten or eleven months underneath the horse's skin, it changes into fly. " The larva that has been engaging our notice is comparative- ly rare in the south, but frequently found in the northern parts of France ; it is likewise common in Belgium and Holland, along the entire shore of the Baltic and the North Sea. " Save the phenomena already detailed, the cuticular larva of the horse occasions, according to M. Loiset, no appreciable mor- bid derangement. Nevertheless, about the period of its full growth, it appears to occasion some troublesome itchings, which give way to lotions of cold water, at times slightly vinegared, or else to some of the means employed for the destruction of the larva of the hypoderma bovis. *' How long does the state of fly continue ? What are the habits of the insect after it has arrived at its final transforma- tion ? These two questions, as yet, wait for answers ; but it is to be hoped they will not wait much longer. We have for guar- »,nty of this the renowned seal of MM. the professors of o ii Veterinary School, touching all that concerns the interest of science of which those gentlemen are the worthy representa lives." — Translated by Mr. Percivall, from the Journal des Vet irinaircs du Midi. 418 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS USED IN THE VETERINARY PRACTICE. Compound for Wounds, Saddlegalls, SfC. Pulverized aloes, 8 ounces, " myrrh 4 ounces, " catechu, 4 ounces, " benzoin, 4 ounces. New rum, .1 gallon. l . . . equal parts. " charcoal, I " slippery elm, J Dose, a table-spoonful, to which add one quart of boiling water. Let it stand for a short time, then pour off the clear liquor ; sweeten with honey, and drench the subject. Basilicon Ointment. This is a very good digestive, and is prepared as follows: Take lard, free from salt, beeswax, Canada balsam, and resin, equal parts. Melt over a slow fire, and, while cooling, stir cod- Itantly. Liniment of Turpentine. Take oil of turpentine, olive oil, of each equal parts. Mix This is recommended by Professor Morton as a uieful digestive^ or rubefacient. THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 425 Uixrawny Seeds. The most valuable remedy, and one which we invariably re^ Boi't to for the correction of flatulency, or for the expulsion of wind fiom the stomach and bowels, is the above. Ap a carmi- native, caraways stand unrivalkd; they also possess antispas- modi? properties, to which, in the treatment of spasmodic colic, their efliiciency has justly been ascribed. If they were brought into general use, to the exclusion of turpentine, gin and molasses, saleratus, ^c, &c., so extensively used in this city, we should not hear of so many cases terminating fatally. Scarcely a week passes but we hear of valuable horses dying from diseases su- pervening on maltreated colic. In a recent case of spasmodic colic that came under our observation, the subject, a stud, valued at $175, was drenched with half a pint of vinegar and two ounces of saleratus! The death of so valuable an animal haa probably taught its owner a lesson not to be forgotten. If a man should be suddenly attacked with colic, would he be so in- sane as to swill down medicines which his own common sense would seem to teach are opposed to the cure? Would he not rather try a little peppermint water, ginger tea, or caraway ? And if so, why not give the same to his horse, when similarly afflicted ? The diseases of the latter require the same sanative treatment for their cure. There is not a more effectual or innocent agent in the whole materia niedica, for the treatment of colic, than caraways. And this our opinion is confirmed by that of various eminent veteri- nary practitioners The only objection to their use is, that they are innocent — simple. " The horse wants something power- ful ;" he often gets it too; the remedy lessens not the disease, for that is only aggravated — augmented; the vital flame, tLo living principle, goes out, and the animal dies a victim to oui misguided notions. Caraways should be powdered and given in warm water, in doses of half a table-spoonful, and repeated as occ-asion may re- c^uire. Horses which, in consequence of deranged digestive ,>rgans, are the frequent subjects of colic, may be benefited hy i weekly dose of the article in their food. 3G* 126 THB MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. Hydrastus Canadensis, ( Goldenseal.) This article has lately been introduced into our mate ia medica (t is a valuable tonic and alterative, and as all bitter medicines are supposed to be laxative, that property may with propriety also be added. This agent may be used with safety whenevet the nature of the case requires that these indications are to be fulfilled. Dr, McCann has contiibjted an article to the Neto Jersey Medical Reporter, (November number,) in favor of this valuable article. He " was led to the use of goldenseal by no- ticing its well-known sanative properties over inflammations of the mucous surfaces, such as aphthae of the mouth, dec. I hope that some of the profession will give the article a fair trial." Goldenseal possesses all the tonic properties attributed to gen- tian ; it is superior to that article, however, inasmuch as its ther- apeutic action is susceptible of wider range. It may be used in cases of local inflammation, when the latter article, in conse- quence of its stimulating effect, would be positively injurious. There rs no agent in the materia medica that admits of a wider range of application than the one under consideration. As an alterative it ranks higher, in our estimation, than any single aiedicine ever used, and we feel confident that the veterinary profession will, in subsequent years, give this article a decided preference to the mineral alteratives. It acts very gradually on the system of a horse, improvhig the depraved secretions and excretions, especially in those broken-down states of constitu- tion supervening on hard work, bad management, and in that prostrated state of the system which sometimes follows the im- prudent use of the fleam, antimony, arsenic, nitre, Sec, &c. Its mode of action is less evident than its ultimate effects : it changes existing morbid actions, without any apparent influence over any particular function. Its manifest general effect is, to invigorate the system as a whole, and thus aid in removing disease wherev- er it may be located. The complaints for which we have gen- erally prescribed it are acute and chronic diseases of the liver, and diseases of the mucous surfaces, in doses of from one to three drachms every twelve hours. In ophthalmia it may be used with decided advantage as a local application, in the proporli';n of half a drachm cf the powder to half a pint of boiling water THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 427 When cool, the clear liquor is to be poured off; it is then fit foi Dse. Let it be understood that we merely refer to the ag^nt as a local remedy. There are other conditions which require ful- filment well known to the profession, and without attention to which no case of ophthalmia could ever be brought to a favor- able termination. The conditions alluded to may be thus ex- pressed : Keep the bowels regular ; confine the animal to a light diet; keep the head cool, and feet warnr. ; ventilate the stable, and confine the horse to a dark corner. Goldenseal, combined with an equul quantity of charcoal, in the proportion of two drachms night and morning, is of great value in dysentery, flux, and scouring, especially when there is a tendency to putrescence. The powdered root has been used with decided advantage, as an injection, in diarrhoea, and in fall- ing of the fundament and womb. It has long been employed in human practice, in ardor urinae, gleet, gonorrhoea, leucorrhoea, &c. Dr. McCann states, that " the ardor urinae, and discharges of mucus, have been entirely suspended, in every case, in from twenty-four to seventy-two hours. It is a perfect and perma- nent eradicator of the disorder." In fetid discharges from the vagina or anu.«, we have em- ployed it with decided advantage. The dry powder has been found highly useful alone, (although we prefer to add to it a small quantity of charcoal,) in obstinate ulcers and old sores. Goldenseal belongs to the class Polyandria, order Polygynla, natural order Ranunculaceoe. It is an indigenous plant, grow- ing in different parts of the United States, but most abundantly beyond the Alleghanies. It has a perennial root, and an herba- ceous stem, from five to twelve inches in height, two unequal leaves, and a single flesh-colored flower. The root is tcrtuous, and from which arise numerous long fibres, of a bright-yellow solor. A POSOLOGICAL TABLE FOR THE HORSE; WITH THE ACTION OF THE MEDICINAL SUBSTANCES.* A-Cacise Gummi Acid Aceticum — Arseniosum . . , Hydrochloric . . Hydrocy. dil. . . Nitricum Sulphuric Adeps \loes Extract Alumen Ustum Ammonia, Hydroch. Liquor Liq. Acet Sesqui-car Spt. Arom Ajithemides Flores.. Antim. Potass. Tart Sesqui 'Jhlo.... Ses(iui Suiph.. . Argenti Nitras ^Ether Sulphuricus. • Bella Ion. Extract . . . Calx Chlorinata Camphora Cantharis Capsici Baccft Canii Semina Cascar. Cortex Catechu Ext. , ,.,,.. Colckl^^ja ...^ Internally. Demulcent,. .. Astringent, . . . Tonic, SLithontriptic, . ) Tonic, ) Sedative, Tonic, . C Alterative, . . , < Nauseant, . . . C Purgative, . . . Astringent, ..., Antacid, { Stimulant ) 2 Antacid, ^ Diaphoretic Stimulant, ( Stimulant ) ( Antacid, ) Tonic, Nauseant, .,,, ) Diaphoretic, .. ) Aterative, Antispasmodic^ Narcotic, Antiseptic, • .. . Narcotic ^ Stimulant,... ^ Diuretic, . ... Carminative, ... Carminative,... Tonic, Astringent C Diuretic < Diaphoretic, . C Laxative, .... Externally. Antiseptic, • •• ? Rubefacient, Caustic, S Antiseptic, . Caustic, .... Sedative, Caustic, Caustic, Emollient, .... Traumatic, . Astringent, . Erodent, . . . Discutient, . Stimulant, . . Discutient, . Vesicant, , Caustic, .. Caustic, . . . . Refrigerant, Sedative, . . . Antiseptic, . Discutient, . Vesicant, . . . ad lib. grs. X. to XX. f 5ij. to Siij. f 5ss. to 3j. 5j. to 5ij. 5j. to 5ij. 5 iv, to 5 viij 5 ij. to 5iv. 1'5 ss. to f Xj. f S iv. to f 5 viy 3ij. to 5iv. f Jss. to 5j. 5 ij. to 5 iv. 5 ss. to 5 j. 5ij. to 3 88. f 5 ir. to 5 vj. 5ij. to 5iv. 5 ij to S It. 5j. to 5ij. gr. V. to X. gr. X. to XX. jss. to Xj. 5 ij. to 5 iT. Sj. to 5ij. Sj. to Sij. • Morton's Manual of Pharniac)'. 428^ THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR 429 Copaiba L-Teasoton Cretae Prepar CrotoH Semina Oleum Farina Cupri Ammon. Sulph • — Diacctas • — Diniodidum . . . Sulphas Digitalis Ferri lodidum Sulphas 'jfallae Gentianse Rad Tincture Helleboris Nig Hydrarg. Bichlorid.. . Chlorid Biniodid Nitratis Oxydum Hyosciaini Ext , lodiniura Lini Semina Oleum Magnesias Sulph MyTrha Oleum Olivae Palmae Rapi , Opium Tinciura , Petroleum , Pimenta Baccse...., Pis. Abietina , Liqiiida ^— Nigra Plumbi Acetas , Diacetas Potassa Potass* Carbonas.. Chloras , - — Nitras ........ Internally. Diuretic, S Antiseptic, ••• / Tonic, ) Antacid Purgative Purgative, Purgative, Tonic, Tonic, ( Alterative,.... ) ( 1 onic, \ ( Astringent, "• / ( Tonic ) ! Narcotic, ) Diuretic, \ J Alterative ) / Tonic, \ ( Astringent, •«. ) ( ToTiic, ^ Astringent Tonic, Tonic, Alterative, J Alterative,... . } I Cathartic, .... ^ Alterative, Narcot.A Anodyne, ( Glandular ex- ) 2 citant, ) Demtilcent, Laxative, < Laxative ) f Diuretic, S < Antiseptic, ... ) 5 Tonic, ^ Demulcent, ( Narcotic and ) } Antispasmodic, ) Stimulant, ^ Stimulant,.. . . f i Tonic, S i Sedative, ) I Astringent, ... ) ( Antacid ) ( Diuretic, V Stimulant ? ( Febrifuge ) ( Diuretic, ) Externally. ( Caustic ( Antiseptic, . Absorbent, . . . Irritant, i Erodent f Detergent, . Detergent, . . . . S Erodent, . .. Excitant,. .. Astringent, Excitant, Caustic, < Stimulant ) Detergent,.. . . Detergent, Sedative J Glandular ex- citant Emollient, Traumatic, Emollient, Emollient, Emollient, Anodyne, Stimulant, Rubefacient, .. .. Rubefacient, .. .. Rubefacient, .. .. Sedative, Sedative, Oaustic, Refrigerant, Antiseptic, . 5ss to 5j. fSsf. to 5j ? 5ij. to Jiv. gr. xij. lo xxiv gtt. XX. to w I gr. XX. to \\. 5j. to In. 5j. to 5ij. 3j. to 3ij- 5j. to 5j. gr. XX. to Is 5j. to 5ij- 3ss. to 5j- 5ij. to Siv. 5 ij. to 5 iv. 3ij. to 5iv f3ss. to 5j. 5j- gr. V. to X. gr. X. to XX. 5 ss. to 5 ij. 5 j. to 5 189. 5j- to 5ij. gr. V. to X. ad lib. Oj. to Oij. Ibss. to !bj. 5ij. to 5iv. Oj. to Oij. 5j. to 5ii. fSss. to 3ij 5ij. to 5iv, 5ij. to 3 IT 5s8. to 5j Sij. to 5iT 5j. to 5ij- ' ij to 5w *30 THE MODERN HORSK DuCTOR. Totassii lodidum..., Quinse Disulphas.... Resina , Sabir.a , Bapo , Becile Comutum. . . , BodiB Carbonas - Chlorinat. liq. . - Sulphas....... Scdii Chloridum . . . ■ Spirit. Etheris Nit. . , Rectificatus ... Strychnia. Sulphur Terebinthinse Vulg.. Terebinthinae Oleum Veratrutn Album..., Zinci Acetas Carbonas Chlorid\im .... - Oxydum Sulphas Eingiberis RadLi.... Tirct Internally. Glandular excitant, Tonic, Diuretic, S Antacid, ) I Diuretic, ) Parturient, S Antacid, ) Diuretic, ) Antiseptic, Diuretic, ( Tonic, ) ( Alterative,.... ^ C Antispasmod., S < Diuretic, > C Diaphoretic, . . j < Stimulant,... . ) ( Antis])asmod., ) C Stimulant to i < the Motor > ^ Nerves, . . . . ) ( Laxative, ) ) Alterative,.... ) Diuretip, < Diuretic, ^ ( Antispasmod., ) Nauseant < Astringent, , } Tonic, Carminative, . Externally. Glandular exc'tant, Calefacient,. Irritant, .... Stimulant,.. Antiseptic, Stimulant,. Refrigerant,. Digestive, .. J Irritant, .. ( Diijestive, Stimulant, . . AstriniTr(ri5p2•. 9) CJ 4k. 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(O tS — _^ 3 O ^ — CO O in en © ^ j^i^^ J^jt* j*^J*)^ to w oi'x x"ut1s jk. 4:."x''-'cn1i"c;"io'io OD co'lfa.'in'to o — '?o"b»"w'ji».'k>"^'»oV-^Vi't;» — . aDOD^^cc. — Sxiototocoincciotooo — coinJk.ocncoulaDJ*QDtotn^2in-^ >— coVi'cc'c to'to'bo'^ 00 Oi tn'cn''i> to'^'o'bo'aD co "o to"o to tnto = — p© — — c:coxc£x = ocr. :r: — 10 ij.c;»^ti' — *J — asOipitn ■** JD ^^}^?'}^5^y'f'T'f'F'''}^ *^ '-^j*^ j^ '^y^i'^i^ — '^ ~ ^ P ^J^ ^ S' -P^' ^ ^ Ic ;c'tO m"Vi7o"'(OV."^£ V('x Vj'— *x^^in"co'-4"V»"j^ OS in OcViV.'cc't^ — — CwC0-^^Ji.tO JAM~c:tO — OCOJikin — o— A.tO — r^Cl--Jir-^"0 — X i^^tn.^ — c. ^inocr. •^Otoc-^A— .*» 3CO*JC0COcoin^- — c. 0(0t0;ccc~. < O — X OD tC ►- to ro ^ ro to — — — to to « — CO ji. — ^ — ^ ■- ^ }^f^}^^^S^^-^'P ^^'^ *~J^ ■" ''-'j^'^J^J^ " ^I — — O iO ^^ ^ t'J 'K w S^^Jtctntoxtcc-^otOXi^ CTSO". *O"-^CCtOtC0000-- '^ o -n X to c-. — en *J '-C ^ © ■ 00 M cr, to 10 =: o X o ^ :?! — ^ X ; o -^ to M iJ — : ^ :Csto— oc.oco^Oin^oy^^*Jiooxx(OCi— — ji-oCTic^c-. r:tooto^^T;^tOX*J WitOriO0tnyjQD--JXinCntO.i-OD — :riX-^:r; — en — — .i*in^COXinxxXtO — (OOtO o tCxxx^SitnoxinA — •^aixointOtOxr>tn^XiO^ — CO — xo-^ox — r^i < < •* According to the British Qovernraent Returns for 1850, the total number of horses throoifhoat th* country wa« 839,250. The increase and decrease in the number of carriages and houses within the lavl ten ^?arti is a remarkable sign of the times. Since 1840, the number of all kinds of horses throughout Great Britain has decreased 43,000. Bnt while some have declined, others have increased in number. Of pn* Tate ri.ling and carriage horses (where one only is kept) there has been a decrease of 12,000, and of pnniei TOO. Stage-coach horses have declined 4000; post horses, 25UU; horses used in husbandry, 57,000; breeding mkres. 1300; colts, 7000; and horses kept for sale, 500. The London hackney-coach horses, on the oll.ef hand, hflve increased, in the same space of time, no less than 2(HX), andso have the draught liorses used la bade to the extent of ir,iKKl; while those kept by small farmers are 13,000 more, and the race horses 40e more than the r wpre in 1>U(»." 432 THE MCPERN HORSE DOCTOR. Bones of the crani um, ur skull, IVines of the face, Dentes, or teeth,. . Bone of t^e tongue. Bones of the Ear, / Cuspidala, ) Molares, . ( Incisores, -L3 E- = ^« z o CQ Frontal, ,. , 1 Parietal, 5 Occi|iital, 1 Tein|K)ral 9 Ellini. lid, 1 t^phenoid, ) 'Nasal, 3 Uiifjiiia, a Malariim, , Q Maxillaria, superior and anterior, 4 < Palatine, 2 Turbinated bones, 4 Vomer, J Posterior maxilla, i Lacrynial, 2 Cuspidata, or canine, 4 24 19 Hyoides, 1 ( Malleus, 2 I Incus, 2 I Stapes, 2 [orbiculare, 2 Cervical, 7 Dorsal, 13 Lumbar, 5 Sacrum,* 1 Tail,...Coccygis, or bones of the tail, IS c Sternum, ciunposed at birth of a number of pieces, 1 Thorax, /True ribs, 14 I False do., 22 .Pelvis, Ossa innominata,t 2 f Shoulder, Scapula, 2 Arm, Humerus, 2 Fore Arm, Radius, (and ulna, connected with the former,). . 4 fOs schapoides, (one to each knee,) 2 Os lunare " " 2 Os cuneifnrme, " " 2 Os trape/.ium, " ^ 2 Os trapezoides, " " 2 Os unciibrme, " " 2 Os maitnum, " " 3 Os pisiforuie, " " 2 'Metacarpi magnum, 2 Splents, 4 Sessamuides, 4 ^ Suffraginis, (larpe pastern,) 2 Spine, V'ertebrs, « < ft, a 05 K O Bones of the knee, Below the knee, Os corona?, (small Os naviculare, [ Os pedis, ' Thigh, Femur, Stifle, Patella, , i Tibia,. I -eg, ' do., ). Bones of the hock, • delow the knee, Fibul Astragalus, Os calcis, Os cuboides, Os cunei forme magnum, Internal medium, pjXternal do., 'Metatarsi, (or canons,) 2 Splents,. . Os sufTraginis,.. ^ Os coronsE Os sessamoides,. Os naviculare,.. \ Us pedis, Total, 342 Dr. Hooper reckons the number of bones in the human subject at 248, » The bones in the sacrum of the colt consist of five pieces. t The pelvis of the young aniinjil is made up of the two oss« innominata, each of which te formed of two pieces ; the larcer i« called os ileum, the smalbr. in allusion to the humnti pelvis, has be- i subdividpd intu two portjops, naui.'d .w i-.lii.mi and os pubis LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 002 844 692 5