LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Shelf ..M£-^ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. p THE TENNESSEE FARMER'S Horse Book. A TREATISE ON THE AMERICAN HORSE AND HIS DISEASES. THE RESULT OF NEARLY TWENTY YEARS PRACTICE, AND ESPE- CIALLY ADAPTED TO THE USE OF THE FARMER. SETTING FORTH ABOUT FORTY DISEASES: THEIR CAUSE AND SYMPTOMS, TREATMENT AND CURE. 9 By T. p. MOORE, V. S ^ ^ Printed for the Author. 1890. Entered According to Act of Congress, in the year 1890, By THOMAS P. MOORE, Sardis, Tenn., In the OflSce of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. c-X "^^'^ PREFACE. The author, in presenting "The Tennessee Farm- er's Horse Book " to the public, believes he is supply- ing a long-felt want among the farmers of the country, and confidently believes that he is conferring a blessing upon his fellow man that will outlive him- self. His reason for thus believing is that he has for more than twenty years tested the merits of the remedies recommended in this work. It is the result of a long practice in the States of Alabama and Ten- nessee. The author does not claim perfection in this work, nor does he claim to be a graduate from some veteri- nary school; but having procured the best books that could be obtained, and studied them carefully, receiving such benefits by following their teaching, first with his own horses and mules, and then with those of his neighbors, he now sends the work out upon its own merits. It is written in plain, simple language that the common people will readily under- stand. But few persons are found capable of properly treating the diseases of the horse. Not a few have professed to know all about the horse and his diseases whose ignorance and presumption have generally dis- gusted the horse owners. Medicines are too often given to destroy the effects of the disease rather than to remove the cause of it. The farmer must necessa- rily be his own horse doctor, or be without one ; hence the importance that all horsemen acquaint themselves not only with the ordinary diseases of the horse, but also with the medicines which will cure them. The farmer is not familiar with many of the preparations recommended by some authors. This should not be so. The remedies recommended in this work are few, simple, and easily procured. TABLE OF CONTENTS. A Brief History of the Horse, Apoplexy, Age, Marks of, Abuse of the Horse, Big-Shoulder, Blanketing, Big-head, Blind Teeth, Bone Spavin, Bellows, or Heaves, Blind Staggers, Blood Letting, Contraction of the Hoof, Corns, .... Calculi, or Stone in Bladder Colt Founder, . Coughs, Copperas, Care and General Treatment Creosote, .... Cleansing and Currying, Changes of Temperature, Camphorated Coal Oil, Caustic Potash, Diseases of the Eye, Distemper, Diabetes, Diseases of Young Colts, Disinfectants, Distemper Mixture, Diseases of the Tc^th, Drenching, Epilepsy, Eye- Wash, Enlarged Hock, Fistula, Founder, Farcy, 9 97 171 179 19 165 29 99 23 136 55 122 42 43 113 117 135 143 145 143 160 163 211 211 34 49 115 148 166 213 100 127 97 213 26 61 39 54 VI Contents. Flatulent Colic, Foul Sheath, Glanders, Grain, .... Gentling and Training, Hide-Bound, Hooks, Hoof-Rot, Iodide Mercury Ointment, Inflammation of the Kidneys, Inflammation of the Bladder, Internal Poison, Lampas, Linseed Oil, Laryngitis, May Apple, Mange, May Apple Salve, Navicular Diseases, Narrow Heel, . Nasal Gleet, Nerve Liniment, Nux Vomica. Nicking and Docking, Overworking, Pneumonia, Poison Oak, Polk Root, Pasturing, Preparation of Medicine, Penetrating liiniment, Poll Evil, Paralysis, Renovating Powders, Sulphur Ointment, Sweeny of the Shoulder, Sweeny of the Hip, Slipped or Broken Hip, Stifle, Splint, .... Stone Bruise, or Injury to the Spanish Flies, . . . Snake Bites, Stable Management, String-halt, .... Frog, 107 116 44 158 187 84 35 36 214 110 113 141 103 214 130 143 87 209 37 42 53 212 142 186 181 133 144 144 133 208 208 67 98 210 212 15 20 20 20 25 43 141 139 152 77 Contents. vii Scratches, 79 Slitting of the Ears, 184 Surfeit, 85 Swelled Legs and Ankles, 82 Stiff Complaint, 88 Saddle and Harness Galls, 91 Sore Nose and Mouth, 93 Thumps, . . . . . . . . . -120 Thrush, 80 Tetanus or Lockjaw, 71 The Blood, 121 Thin Blood, 122 Thick Blood, 122 The Borer Worm, 140 Tincture Aconite, 140 The Young Colt and his Treatment, .... 155 Teething, 156 The Clyster, 126 Vermin, 93 Winter Feed, 160 Whipping, 183 Wind Gall 70 Warts, 89 A Brief History of the Horse. The horse is a native of several districts of Asia and Africa ; and in the southern parts of Siberia large herds of these animals are occa- sionally seen. They are extremely swift, act- ive, and vigilant, and have always a sentinel, who, by a loud neigh, gives notice to the herd of the approach of danger, on which they galop off* with astonishing rapidity. The horse, in an unimproved state, is found in almost every part of the globe, except, per- haj^s, in the Arctic circle. As a domestic his docility and gentleness is unparalleled, and he contributes more to the convenience and pride of man than all other animals put together. In Arabia the horse is found in their high- est perfection, as little degenerated in their race as the lion or ti^er. To the Arabs thev are as dear as their own children, and the constant intercourse, arising from living in the same tent with his owner and family, creates a familiarity that could not otherwise lo The Farmer's horse Book, be effected, and a tractability that arises only from the kindest usage. They are the fleetest animals of the desert, and are so well trained as to stop in their most rapid course by the slighest check of the rider. Unaccustomed to the spur, the least touch with the foot sets them again in motion, and so obedient are they to their rider's will as to be directed in their course merely by the motion of a switch. The Arabs never beat or correct their horses, but always treat them with the utmost kindness. The description of the Eastern horses in the Book of Job is exceedingly poetical and expressive: "Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? The glory of 'his nostrils is terrible. He paweth in the valley, and rejoic- eth in his strength : he goeth on to meet the armed men: he mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted ; neither turneth he back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against him, the glitt'^ring spear, and the shield. He swallow- eth the ground with fierceness and rage ; nei- ther believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. He saith among the trumpets. Ha, History of the horse. n ha! and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting." In Norway, where most of the roads are impassable for carriages, the horses are re- markably sure footed. They skip along over the stones, and are always full of spirit. Pontopiddan says when they go up and down a steep cliff, on stones like steps, they first gently tread with one foot to try if the stone be firm, and in this way must be left entirely to their own management, or the best rider in the world would run the risk of breaking his neck. They exhibit much courage when they contend, as they are often under the necessity of doing, with wolves and bears, but particularly with the latter. When the horse perceives any of these animals near him he attacks them with his forelegs, which he uses so expertly as gen- erally to prove victorious. Sometimes, how- ever, the bear gets the advantage, particularly if the horse makes any attempt by turning his heels, for the bear then instantly closes tijjon him, and keeps such firm hold as scarcely to be shaken off. The horse in this case gal- ops away with his enemy, until he falls and expires from loss of blood. 12 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. There are a few countries that can boast a breed of horses so excellent as our own. The English hunters, however, are allowed to be among the noblest, most elegant, and useful ani- mals in the world. While the French and many other European nations seem attentive only to spirit and parade, we train ours for strength and dispatch. With unwearied attention, however, to the breed, and repeated trials of all the best horses in the world, ours are now becoming capable of performing what no oth- ers can, especially where they have been judi- ciously bred and trained. Among racers the English had one (Childers) which has been known to pass over eighty -two and a half feet in a second of time —a degree of fleetness, perhaps, unequaled by any other horse. In the year 1745 the postmaster at Stretton rode on different horses on the road to and from London, no less than two hundred and fifteen miles, in eleven hours and a half- a rate of more than eighteen miles an hour ; and in July, 1788, a horse belonging to a gentleman of Bilter Square, London, was trotted for a wager, thirty miles in an hour and twenty- five minutes — a rate of more than twenty-one History OF the Horse. 13 miles in an hour. In London there have been instarieeH of a single horse, drawing for a short distance, the weight of three tons, and some of tiie pack-horses of the North usuall}' carry burdens that weigh more than four hundred pounds. But the most remarkable proof of the strength of the British horse, is in their mill horses, some of which have been known to earry at one load thirteen measures of corn, that in the whole would aggregate more than nine hundred p:ainds in weight. Though en- dowed with vast strength and with great power of body, such is the disposition of the horse that he rarely exerts either against his master. Of] the contrary, he will endure fatigue even to death for our benetit. Providence seems to have implanted in him a kind disposition and fear of the human race, with, at the same time, a consciousness of the service he can render to man. We will here give one instance of his recol- lection of injury and his attempt to avenge it: A baronet owned a horse which had never tired in the longest chase, and he once thought he would try to completely fatigue him. Aiier a long chase therefore he dined, and again 14 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. mounting, rode him furiously among the hills. When brought to the stable the animal ap- peared exhausted, and was scarcely able to walk. The groom, possessing more feeling than his brutal master, could not refrain from tears at the sight of so noble an animal thus sunk down. The baronet some time after- ward entered the stable, and the horse made a furious spring upon him, and, had not the groom interfered, would soon have put it out of his power of ever again misusing animals. Diseases of the Horse. SWEENY OF THE SHOULDER. This disease is of common occurrence, no age or condition of the horse or mule being exempt. Its cause may be traced to some severe strain at the to}> of the shoulder, sev- ering the scapula, or shoulder-blade, from its position at the top of the shoulder, where it is joined to the withers by a strong ligament. When this occurs the shoulder-blade drops down, giving the shoulder a hollow, shrunken appearance. Syniffoms, — As above stated, the shoulder will shrink aw^ay; the skin will, after a time, adhere closely to the bone, caused by high, local fever. The horse will step short and limp on the side affected; or, if both should- ers are diseased, he will be lame in both alike. When this is the case the animal travels with more ease up hill than down hill. There is a direct sympathy between the shoulders and 1 6 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. the feet, consequently the animal will soon become diseased in the latter if the former is long neglected. Hence, the necessity of at once attacking the disease. The following symptoms are generally over- looked, but none are more clear to the experi- enced practitioner: The sweenied horse is un- willing to lie down, especially if both shoul- ders are diseased, but when completely worn out standing on his feet, he will come down suddenly to the ground. These symptoms clearly distinguish the sweenied horse from the foundered horse: The horse with the sweeny wears himself out standing on Ms feet^ while the foundered horse wears himself out lying down. The cause of the latter lying upon his side so much is to relieve his tender and fevered feet of the pain it gives him to stand upon them, xinother clear symptom, charac- teristic in the horse suffering with sweeny, is the shrinking or falling away of the muscles of the arm, which will finally disappear if the disease is allowed to run its course. Treatment. —The first thing to be done is to bring to the surface the inflamm stion and sore- ness already established in the shoulders. This DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 17 can readily be done if the following directions are faithfully carried out. Apply the Pene- trating Liniment* once each day until four applications are made; then omit the use of the Liniment for four days, and then ap^ly it again. Bathe in the Liniment with hot iron held near, but not touching the skin. Kee]) this treatment up until the patient quits limp- ing, which will be from five to lifteen days. Apply the medicine to the aU'ectt^d ])art by means of a little mop or rag tied on the end of a stick. Thoroughly wet the hair ov^er the diseased parts, but should not be used so freely cis to run down on the sound parts. Every other dav the feet should b^ cleaned out, and if there should be any rotten or chalky appear- ance found there, dig this out and then wet the bottoms of the same with the Liniment, drving it in with hot iron. The skin of the shoulder should be rubbed with the hand and loosened daily during treatment. Grrease should always follow the use of the Penetrating Liniment, as it will prevent a re- moval of the hair and the scarf skin, but never the true skin if followed with plenty of grease. *' See formula in another place. i8 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. The hair will grow out again and will have its original color, without any disfiguration of any kind, [f the fever is high, or the condi- tion of the patient is bad, bleed at the com- mencement of the treatment, from the jugu- lar, or neck vein, taking three quarts of blood. This will reduce the fever, and will hasten a cure. Some modern horse doctors have con- demned bleeding as barbarous, and altogether unnecessary. However, experience is a cor- rect teacher, and one easily understood. Some of these so-called horse doctors who object to bleeding, will inflate the skin of the shoulder with air, and will recommend the use of polk- root and arsenic being inserted into the dis- eased parts, for sweeny, fistula, and poll -evil, and will also cut out the haw, or hook, from the eye to cure the inflammation commonly called hooks, as though the wise Creator had failed in his work, and that man could better it. But we will dismiss the subject for the present by saying that the author has been bleeding horses regularly for a period of twenty years, and has never seen any of the bad effects ascribed to bleeding, but has seen Diseases of the Horse. 19 his patients grow stronger from the eom- meneement. BIG SHOULDER. This forniiilable disease is nearly always the result, or outgrowth, of a long-neglected case of sweeny, or the final development of big head and big jaw, and is never permanently cured, but can be patched up. The fever and soreness can be cured, and the animal re- turned to the duty of the draught horse, but is wholly unreliable under the saddle ; his shoulder will always remain out of shape. Symptoms. — The top of the shoulders per- ish away ; the shoulders near the lower ends grow larger, and, from sheer weakness, pitch forward The sternum, or breast bone, that keeps the points of the shoulders in position when the animal is in health, no longer serves that purpose. The patient can no longer keep his fore feet apart, but will cross them while standing. When the disease has reached this stage, no treatment will do him any good. Treatment.— T\ie treatment is essentially the same as that just laid down for sweeny of the shoulder. 20 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. SWEENY OF THE HIP. The author acknowledges to have had but little personal knowledge of this disease, but in almost every instance, when called upon to treat horses said to be afflicted with this dis- ease, has found the trodlde to be in the stifle- joint. The high, local fever and soreness of this joint causes the hip to shrink. For this reason, ])ersons are led to the conclusion that it is hip sweeny. Treatment. — Treat as for stifle. SLIPPED, OR BROKEN Hit . For these injuries of the horse we know of no permanent cure; the unfortunate owner can do no better than accept the situation, for no veterinary surgeon can reset the dislocated or broken ])arts, and cause them to remain in position. A few weeks' rest, with an occa- sional application of the renetrating Lini- ment to th^^ aifected part, is ali that can be the disease than the young, though no age or condition are wholly exempt from this disease. Cause.— Yqv want of lime in the water dur= ing colthood while the bones are developing we believe to be the first cause, or foundation laid for the future development of big head and big jaw. While this disease first makes its appearance in the bones of the head and jaw, we should not be led to the conclusion that the disease is confined there, for the expe- rienced practitioner knows that the animal troubled with this disease will soon break down all over. He will break down first in 30 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. one leg, then in another, and finally gets stiff all over. His skin will adhere to the bone, as in hide-bound, which proves conclusively that instead of the disease being local and confined to the head and jaw it is general. Another cause, and perhaps the greatest of all, is the abuse of the animal after he is put to service. His energies are apt to be over- taxed by hard work, his feed too often is dry corn and fodder, which are heating in their tendencies, and will greatly hasten develop- ment of the disease. Horses allowed to run on a good pasture are seldom afflicted with this disease. Symptoms. — The disease first makes its ap- pearance on the frontal bone of the face, and also the under jaw. It can be readily de- tected in its first stage. Run the thumb up in the corner of the mouth to the roots of the under jaw teeth, and if there is any enlarge- ment, or swelling, of the under jaw-bone at that point, better commence treatment at once for big head. The teeth are on a per- pendicular line with the under jaw-bone of the sound horse. The skin and muscles of the head and face become fixed so that they DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 31 will not move when the lips are pulled. After a time the horse will become lame in one leg and then in the other, and later will become diseased all over, and so stiff that he can not get up when he lies down. This disease breaks down the entire frame-work to such a degree that long before the animal becomes prostrated, he can not rise at will. He will rise to his feet by first getting on his hind feet and come up then with his fore parts, which is the reverse to the natural way of ris- ing to his feet. His excrements will be hard, black, and dry, and voided with difficulty. The skin will adhere closely to the ribs ; the hair will look dry and bristling ; the appetite will remain good ; he will relish dry corn more than in health, sometimes refusing all other feed. The very thing that has contributed largely in the development of his disease is the only thing now that he is most anxious to eat. Treatment. — Bleeding is indispensable ; take three quarts or one gallon of blood from the neck vein at commencement of treatment, and ten days later repeat the bleeding, taking about three quarts of blood. Then apply th^ 32 THE FARMER 'S HORSE BOOK. Penetrating Liniment every other day until six or eight applications have been made to the enlargement on the frontal bone of the face and under jaw. Thoroughly wet the hair with the Liniment, after which dry it in with a hot iron held near, but not touching the skin. Omit treatment for live days, then resume again. Keep up this course of treat- ment as long as necessary, which will be from three to six weeks. Better continue treatment longer than might be necessary rather than stop too soon, as a relapse would prove worse than the first attack. In connection with the above treatment give Renovating Powders, one table-spoonful, or more, each day until all symptoms of lameness and stiffness have passed away, and the skin is loosened and the hair takes on that appearance it should have in health. The bowels should be kept in a healty condition by the free use of the Renovating Powders for at least two months, for the purpose of eradicating the disease en- tirely from the system. The practitioner will know more about the success he is having in the treatment of the case from the state of the bowels than from any other means. After DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 33 the constipated state of the bowels has been removed, and the excrement changed to a soft and a healthy, yellow appearance, the practitioner may consider his patient doing well, and all that is necessary is to continue the use of the remedies above named. Examine the bottoms of the feet, for by this time the raging fever may have rotted the feet. If so, they will have a rotten, chalky appearance, which should all be removed with chisel, or other like instrument, until the sound part is reached ; then thoroughly wet them with the Penetrating Liniment, drying it in with hot iron. This treatment should be kept up twice per week until the feet become sound. By no means should the animal be worked during treatment nor while convalescent, as a hard drive or other exercise will be liable to bring a relapse, which condition will be worse than the first. The patient should be well housed from inclement weather, but during fair weather give him the run of a good past- ure. Exclude all heating or stimulating food, such as dry corn and fodder. If the above treatment is faithfully carried out, it will per- 34 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. manently cure evei'v case of this disease, but if neglected too long, until the shoulders be- come enlarged at the humerous joint, or point of the shoulder, and shrunken at the top, as in big shoukler, this disfiguration is never re- moved, though the disease is entirely eradi- cated from the system. DISEASES OF THE EYE. When a horse's eyes become diseased it is oenerallv considered that it is all over with him ; he will go blind. We will first exam- ine into the cause of so many horses going- blind. Ill usage and bad stable management in many instances ; both are prolific in gener- ating disease, and work fearful consequences to eyesight; but, perhaps, a still more serious evil is the deficiency of light, which is essen- tial to the eye. It is not strange, therefore, that the eye suffers when deprived of the light, which is its natural element. Chronic diseases, especially founder and distemper, help to aggravate any unfavorable condition of the eye. But few horses would have dis- eased eyes if kept in the open air and fed on proper diet. The wonder is that so few DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 35 horses go blind, which are kept on dry and heating feed. INFLAMMATION OF THE EYE, OR HOOKS. Many persons doubt the existence of hooks. No hooks nor any thing else grow in the horse's eyes that do not belong there. The washer, as it is commonly called, is a little triangular-shaped cartilage within the inner corner of the eye, a small portion only visible. The washer, or haw, serves the valuable pur- pose to throw oif any foreign substance that might find its way into the eye, as dust, flies, or gnats. Inflammation of the haw generally proceeds from fever, accompanied by swelling of the haw to such a degree that it sometimes protrudes from its place under the lids, much to the annovance of the horse. A barbarous and useless practice is in vogue of cutting away these lumps from the eye with a knife. After such treatment the eyes frequesitly go out, and if this does not occur, the horse suffers therefrom the remainder of his life. The eye- ball is ever afterward exposed to the dust and whatever may lodge on it, with no means of throwing it off. 36 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. Treatment. — When it is ascertained that the horse is troubled with hooks, whether it be called ^' fatty hooks" or ^'bonv hooks," the eye-wash recommended in this work is all that will be needed to put in the eye. Bleed at commencement of treatment, taking three quarts of blood, and ten days later, if the eyes are not improved, bleed again, taking two quarts of blood. If the haw is projected from its place, put a twitch on the horse's n<>se, and while he is being held by an assistant, scarify the haw with a sharp knife, or lance, until it bleeds, and apply freely the eye-wash morning, noon, and night. The hooks will soon disap- pear, and the horse will be as sound as ever. Under no consideration allow the knife used to cut out the hooks. HOOF ROT. As the name implies, this is a diseased state of the bottoms of the feet. Cause — Sometimes hoof rot is the fruit of bad shoeino-; sometimes bv h/ttiifo: the shoe remain on his feet too \o\\g\ sometimes by sweeny or spavin, or other febrile complaint of long standing; or from suifering the animal DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 37 to stand through the h)ng winter months in a stable on a bed of damp and decaying manure. If the horseman would have his horse's feet al= ways sound never suifer him to stand on any other fluor than the cool, dry ground. Spn])toms. — The animal walks as though he was sweenied — steps short and limps, and while standing is continually putting forward the diseased foot, or feet, to relieve them of the burden and pain it gives him to stand on them. The feet have a dry, pumiced, or chalky appearance, which is easily dug out with knife or chisel, and will have a very offensive smell. Sometimes the ankles are swollen after stand- ing for some time. Treatment, —ThoYoughlj clean out the bot- toms of the feet of all rotten and decayed mat- ter, and use the Penetrating Liniment on the feet as directed in disease of big head and big jaw. N.AVICULAR DISEASE. This is a disease of the feet, and has given the practitioner much trouble by reason of its symptoms, resembling symptoms of other foot diseases. Usually it is slow in its external 3^ THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. developments, by reason of its being so deep seated. For a while the animal is lame ; after a time the lameness passes off, but in a few days returns ■Agm.w. In the meantime, the disease is establishing itself in the horse's feet. Causes.— Y^Q navicular joint is liable to in= juries from traveling over rough roads, or on frozen ground, often bruising the frog of the foot, from which fever and inflammation arises, causing great lameness. Sometimes an abscess is formed and will break and run for weeks, and sometimes for months. When this occurs there is a hope of the animal recovering, though this will be slow, and the anxious owner must patiently wait. Frequently this disease takes an entirely different turn. The navicular bone becomes diseased ; the frog be- comes diminished in size, and the back part of the foot begins to contract, or close, by com- ing together. Then we have what is fa- miliarly known as narrow heel. Finally it runs into club foot, which is incurable. Treatment.— ^o treatment will be of any value unless an outward development of the disease is brought about. This can sometimes be Diseases of the Horse. 39 done, and often it can not. Apply the Pene- trating Liniment to the heel and back part of the foot ; also to the bottom and frog of the foot. Make the application of the Liniment every other day — bathing in with a hot iron — until the horse is well. This treatment is in- tended to bring the matter to the surface. When this is done, and it breaks and begins to run, your horse is safe ; the cure is only a ques- tion of time. If the horse is in bad condition, bleed him at the commencement of the treat- ment, and give one table-spoonful of the Reno- vating Powder every second day until half a pound has been given. Give the horse comfortable quarters during cold weather and chilling rains, and keep him on a dry floor for six or eight hours after the Liniment has been applied, as mud and water will destroy the effects of the Liniment. FOUNDER. The first cause of founder is the diseased condition of the feet, which is aggravated by eating and drinking excessively. In an ex- perience of twenty years the author has not met with a case of founder without diseased 40 THE FARMER 'S HORSE BOOK. feet. If the feet were not diseased the horse might be very sick from overeating or drink- ing, as is often the case. But when relieved of this trouble he will not be lame. Symptoms. — The horse becomes restless, shifts his fore feet, steps short, and limps as in sweeny, but one mark or symptom always pointing out founder from that of sweeny is the foundered horse spends almost all his time lying down, which gives relief to his tender feet, while the sweenied horse spends most of his time standing on his feet, as it gives him pain in the effort to lie down. The foundered horse is very lame, especially in his fore feet, and not unfrequently in the hind feet. His back is roached up, the hind and fore feet are almost drawn together; he will not move unless forced to do so. When Ivin^* down he repeatedly grunts, and places his nose on his feet, thus pointing out the locality of his suf- fering. His pulse is very high, running up to 75 or 80. Treatment. — As the fever has by this time dried up the blood, and caused it to be thick and sluggish, it is essentially necessary to bleed freely from the neck vein. This is the DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 41 best remedy to at once reduce the fever and relieve the inflammation. Give the patient fifteen drops of Tincture of Aconite every four hours until three doses are given. Bathe the feet and legs with strong salt water as hot as the horse can bear it ; do this every two hours for the first twenty-four hours. In ad- dition to the bathing, give the horse a drench of one quart of warm salt water at commence- ment of treatment ; also examine the bottom of his feet, and give them the treatment given under hoof rot. Take a sharp knife and split the little knots found in the fetlocks, or back part of the ankle, both on the hind and fore legs ; let them bleed freely ; this will give al- most instant relief. Also wet the hair with the Penetrating Liniment at the point where the hoof and hair meet once each day for three days. But the treatment for the bottom of the feet must be continued until cured. If the above treatment is energetically and faith- fully carried out, the horse will recover in three or four days, and can be returned to moderate labor not a whit worse than be- fore. Some of the bad effects will follow in the 4 42 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. wake of the disease, so commonly found where founder was allowed to run its course. CONTRACTION OF THE HOOF, OR NARROW HEEL. It is a common opinion among horsemen that contraction of the hoof is the result of bad shoeing ; this we think is a mistake. If it were so, the trouble Avould occur oftener than it does, for the horse that is kept con- stantly shod seldom suffers with narrow heel. This is not properly a disease, but is the re- sult of a diseased state of the feet. So long as the frog and other parts of the bottom of the feet are in a healthy condition, the horny, or outside, part of the foot will remain in posi- tion ; but when the other parts of the foot be- come diseased, the frog will also become dis- eased and shrink away, allowing the outside parts at the heel to come together. The author has no confidence in any manner of shoeing recommended as a cure for narrow heel. Cure the disease that caused it, and narrow heel will pass away. Diseases oe the horse. 43 INJURIES TO THE FROG, OR STONE-BRUISE. The frog is the central portion of the foot, located at the back of the foot, making a part of the heel. It is spongy and elastic, suscep- tible to injuries from many causes. It is often injured by traveling over stony roads and frozen ground and pierced with nails. When this occurs, fever and soreness arises, termi- nating very often in deep-seated and obstinate ulcers. Pare otf with a sharp knife the out- side of the frog. If any dark spots or bruises are visible, apply the Penetrating Liniment thereto once each day for three or four days ; and if nothing worse than a bruise on the frog your horse will be well in a few days. CORNS. The author claims that during his practice he has never found, among the diseases of horses' feet, any thing he could rightly term corns, but when called upon to treat such, the so-called corns were the fruits of bad shoeing or from sutfering the shoe to remain on too long, or from some other abuse or neglect, out of which many of the diseases of the feet are 44 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. brought about, as hoof rot, narrow heel, ring- bone, navicular disease, etc. Treatment. — The horse's feet should be ex- amined by removing the shoe and paring down the outside of the hoof — cleaning out the sole, as directed in hoof rot. If there should be any appearance of blood-shot, or tenderness, which is usually found when the trouble is pronounced corns, a few applications of the Penetrating Liniment, drying in with a hot iron, will usually set matters right, but if the trouble results from some other disease of the feet, treat the patient for such disease, found in this work under its proper name. GLANDERS, The attention of the horseman is now called to one of the most troublesome diseases found in our country, and by some practitioners con- sidered incurable. This is true when the dis- ease is so far advanced that cancerous ulcers are formed in the nose of the horse to any great extent, especially if very high up in the nostril. Until this stage of the disease is reached, the horse can be successfullv treated and permanently cured. Diseases of the Horse. 45 Cause. — This is a contagious disease, differ- ing somewhat from distemper. While dis- temper is contracted at a great distance, gh\n- ders is never communicated except by coming in contact with the virus, or discharge from the nose. This is done by horses being fed in the same box, or by grazing on the same ground, wearing the same harness, being con- fined in the same stall, or confined to the same hitching rack, for whenever the glan- dered horse is permitted to stand any length of time he will leave some of the poison virus, which, coming in contact with the nose of the sound horse, will readily communicate the disease. Symptoms. — These are very obscure. In the first stage of the disease the horse will dis- charge from his left nostril a thin and almost clear matter,and as the disease advances the dis- charge will become thick and of a waxy consist- ency, changing to a darker color, and when ad- vanced to the last stage will be mixed with blood from the cancerous ulcers found in the nose. He will soon lose flesh, his hair will lose its glossy appearance, the hide will ad- here closely to the ribs, the patient will be 46 THE FARMER '5 HORSE BOOK. easily fatigued, his breathing will be hard, and he will be continually snorting to free his nostrils of the accumulating virus. The rea- son why the discharge from the nose is, in al- most every case, at the commencement of the disease confined to the left nostril has never been satisfactorily explained; nevertheless it is true whenever the pus, or virus, is commu- nicated to the glands of the throat and jaw they become inflamed and enlarged on the side from which the nostril is discharging. If the discharge is from both nostrils the glands on both sides of the jaw will be affected alike. These affected glands will adhere closely to the jaw on the affected side. The membrane of the nose will have a dark, leaden color, sometimes changing to a red color, caused by the inflammation ; finally its color will be of a purple tinge. Small ulcers, having a circular form, will begin to make their appearance on the membrane of the nose ; their outer edge will be prominent. After the disease has advanced thus far the constitution of the horse has become much im- paired. His hair, as already spoken of, is not only dead and bristly, but actually falling off. DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 47 His appetite fails, his cough increases, the discharge from his nose augments and be- comes very offensive to smell, the ulcers will increase both in size and number, and his breathing can now be heard a considerable distance. The horse coughs but little in the first stage of the glanders, but increases as the disease advances. Treatment. — The first thing is to bleed — take one gallon of blood ; follow this by a drench composed of one pint of weak tobacco juice, given warm. If this is used too freely it will make him very sick, but there is not much danger of killing him while in this con- dition. Prepare a mop by tying a piece of cloth on the end of a stick, dip it into a weak decoction of tobacco and thoroughly wash out the horse's nostrils as high up as can be done. Keep up this treatment from twenty to forty days, or as long as the case requires. Use the mop in the nose for eight or ten days. The drench should be administered every third or fourth day until four drenches are given. Grive one or two table-spoonfuls of the Renovating Powders every day for twelve days. 48 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. Notwithstanding this disease is contagious, many writers say that bad stabling, damp lo- calities, close and crowded stalls will produce it. The author can not, from personal knowl- edge, exactly agree with those writers, but he knows that such unfavorable circumstances will greatly aggravate the disease, hasten its development, and prevent a cure; hence the ne- cessity of keeping the patient in comfortable quarters. His stall should be neither too close nor too open, but w^ell ventilated. Pro- tect the patient from all inclement weather, from cold and chilly rains, and from the blasts and snows of winter ; feed him on light and relaxing diet regularly while under treatment and during convalescence. As soon as the disease is detected separate him from all other horses to quarters of his own. Do not shoot him, as is often the case, but set about at once to doctor him. If the above directions are judiciously carried out a cure may be expected in every case in the first stage of the disease. Preventive. — The first thing to be done, as already stated, is to separate the diseased horse from the others, and keep them sepa- rate until all traces of the disease in the dis- DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 49 eased horse is removed ; then set about to wash and scour the stalls, the manger, the harness — in fact, every thing upon which the diseased horse could have deposited any of the poison virus from his nostrils. The wash used in cleansing the parts above named of infection should be strongly impregnated with soap and tobacco. After this thoroughly rinse off the parts with a preparation of chlo- ride of lime prepared as follows : One quart of the chloride to six gallons of water. This cleansing should be repeated two or three times. The stall should be well fumigated with tobacco smoke and burning sulphur. The stalls should be well cleaned out before us- ing the above preparations. Better burn the harness, bridle, blanket, etc., than to run the risk of the disease spreading by using them on the healthy horse. DISTEMPER. This is another disease of the glands, though differing very materially from that of glanders, both in location and severity, for while the glandered horse suffers from can- cerous ulcers, both of the gland membranes of 50 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. the nose, the distempered horse suffers from an inflamed condition of the salivary glands, situated near the root of the tongue. This disease is highly contagious and can be com- municated some distance through the air. The young horse is more often troubled with this disease than the aged, yet no age is exempt. Symptoms. — The first symptoms are run- ning at the nose of a slimy whitish water, re- sembling very much the white of an egg, which will increase in quantity and thickness as the disease progresses. The animal will have a dry and troublesome cough, which will also increase with the disease. Soon swelling of the throat comes on, and, if not arrested, will, within a few days, either prove fatal, or break and run, after which the horse will usually recover. These symptons are accompanied with high fever and sometimes swelling of the sheath. Treatment. — The first thing to be done is to bleed in the neck vein — extracting half a gal- lon of blood, when the disease is in a mild type. But if the throat is much SAVoUen, and the fever very high, take one gallon of blood. Diseases of the horse. 51 Prepare a decoction of tobacco, and bathe his jaws, throat, neck, and breast with it. Let this bath be as warm as the horse can bear it. Do this three times each day, continuing each time for at least an hour. Apply the Penetrating Liniment once every day for two days, to the swollen parts. Then thoroughly mix together two table-spoonfuls of gum powder, one of lard, one of soft soap, two of pine tar, and one of finely pulverized gum myrrh. Dose. — One table-spoonful should be placed on the root of the horse's tongue, morning, noon, and night, for four or five days, or until the cough subsides and the swelling is reduced. The object of this is to stimulate the throat and give general relief. Some persons smoke their horse severely with tar and feathers, a practice we by no means condemn as useless or cruel, for this treatment will often increase the discharge from the nose and may prolong the forming of an abscess in the throat ; yet, this kind of treatment is too uncertain to be wholly depended upon, while other treatments more certain and equally as simple can be em- ployed, which will carry the horse success- 52 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. fully through the disease, leaving none of the chronic troubles that so often follow Ustemper to be treated in after months, and perhaps years. Instead of difficult breathing, contin- ued coughing, diseased and inflamed eyes, that are so difficult to cure, the animal can be re- turned to his former duties, not a whit worsted by the disease. An Illustrated Case, — Two years ago M. L. Grissom, of Sardis, Tenn., who is one of my neighbors, had in his charge for the crop sea- son a valuable young horse that had some months previous had distemper, and had not been properly treated for the disease. The author was called upon to visit and treat the case, which he did at the commencement of treatment, and then left him in the hands of Mr. Grissom, who faithfully carried out the treatment according to directions for two weeks or more. The horse im])roved all the time. Soon his appetite returned, his coat resumed its former glossy appearance as in health, his vital energies were restored, al- though at commencement of treatment, and for some weeks previous he could be distinctly heard breathing a distance of tAventy-five or DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 53 thirty yards, which was in a few months scarely noticeable. He was soon put to the plow, and made a full hand all the year and improved all the time, although he was for some weeks previous to treatment a downright nuisance on his owner's hands. He traded him in a few months for a full, round price. The treatment was identically the same as laid down above for distemper. For a pre- ventive and disinfectant, folloAv the direction given for glanders for the same purpose — that is, to keep the disease from spreading. NASAL GLEET. This disease is nothing more nor less than a species of chronic distemj^er, without the fever, as is always in distemper, and like dis- temper in the discharge from the nose, and generally partakes of the color of the feed. If on green pasture, its color will be green ; if on oats or corn, it will be yellow. This is caused by the food passing into the nostrils, through the nasal cavities, for these cavities have become enlarged from the disease. The water Avill also pass through them while the horse is drinking, especially if the position of 54 THE l^ARMER'S HORSE BOOK. the head is low. If the horse is in bad condi- tion the chances for his recovery are not good, but if the reverse, the practitioner may at- tack the disease with the assurance of the disease yielding to treatment, though he should remember that it will take time and patience for its accomplishment. Treatment — The treatment is the same given for distemper, except the bathing of the throat with the Penetrating Liniment, as there is now no danger of abscess forming there, but as it has now taken a chronic form the treatment will be prolonged. FARCY. The author has had but little experience in treating this disease. He regards it as an ad- vanced stage of glanders, and generally proves very obstinate to yield to treatment. How- ever, if the horse is young his chances are much better for recovery. Symptoms. — The blood having already be- come poisoned, it is diffused through the system, makes its appearance on the surface in small ulcers, which will soon discharge a fluid of a watery consistency, which is yellow DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 55 in color. In process of time the discharges will be mixed with blood, and will be very offensive to the smell. These pustules make their appearance on the legs, shoulder, and neck — sometimes to greater and sometimes to a less degree. Sometimes only a part of the legs are involved, sometimes none of them, and will appear only on the neck or shoulder. This is another contagious disease, and to prevent its spreading the patient should be isolated from other animals that are sound. Many persons, unacquainted with farcy as de- scribed above, might be led to the conclusion that common "surfeit," which will be treated of in its proper place, is almost incurable. Surfeit is often pronounced farcy by the un- learned. The treatment is the same as for glanders. BLIND STAGGERS. Cause and Symptoyns. — This disease is com- mon in the Southern States, and is confined almost exclusivelv to the corn-fed horse. The horse that has access to a good pasture is sel- dom troubled with blind staggers. He is not at- tacked by this disease so much from the quan- tity of food as the quality. The worm dust 56 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. or excrement, so commonly found on corn in the Southern States, is the cause of the dis- ease in every case that has come under the observation of the author. The s[)ecies of worm referred to inhabits the covering or shuck of the corn, while it is maturing on the stalk. When the corn becomes matured the worms leave it, but leave behind them the poisonous excrement on the corn, to be inhaled by the horse while eating. It finds a lodgment at the outlet of the lachrymal ducts, which are situated a short distance up the nose and on the back part of it. These ducts are provided by nature as an outlet for the escape of the water from the eyes after it has performed its office there. They become infianied from the effects of the dust at their outlets, which extends upward until the entire ducts are swollen inordinately, cutting off or preventing the escape of the water from the eye, consequently the water is compelled to drip from the eye. The poison in this water is at once commu- nicated to the eye, and soon causes inflamma- tion of the brain. The animal becomes un- controllable; he rears and plunges, runs DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 57 against walls or houses or any other obstruc- tion that comes in his way, often knocks him- self clown, or kills himself outright. If this should not occur he will lie prostrate on the ground, kicking with his hind feet, beating in the air with his fore feet, striking his head against the ground with such force that if the spasm, which it truly is, did not soon pass off, he would end his sufferings. These spasms will last from twenty minutes to an hour. Should they pass off while the animal is on his feet he will stand perfectly still, and his breathing will be natural. These moments will be spent seemingly in enjoyment. These are the golden moments, and the only oppor- tunity the practitioner will have for the ad- ministration of medicines or other treatment, for it is absolutely dangerous to be near, or stand in the way of the horse during the time these spasms are on him. The intervals be- tween the spasms are like the spasms them- selves — uncertain in length of duration Generally before the disease reaches this stage the animal becomes blind, sometimes in both eyes, sometimes in only one. When this is the case the horse will be found, if able to 5 58 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. stand on his feet, running round in a circle. This he will continue to do until his strength is exhausted, or until a spasm comes on. Some days before the disease reaches this stage the water will be found dripping from the eyes at short intervals. The horse will be found standing about with his head dropped, and has a sleepy, lifeless appearance. If the cra- nium or skull bone be tapped with the knuck- les it will be found to give off a flat or solid sound. The head in the region of the brain, if the hand be placed upon it, will manifest undue heat, as in fever. Treatment. — The first thing to be done is to give the horse ten ounces of Epsom salts, in sufficient warm water to dissolve it, to which add three ounces of strong tobacco juice. This will make the horse sick, the very thing we want to accomplish, for then we can proceed with further treatment. Grive this as a drench in the horse's mouth; never drench in the nostril, which subject will be treated of in its proper place. Follow this with a second drench of two ounces of laudanum in some warm water. After the horse is once put under the influence of the laudanum he must DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 59 be kept under it daily, but after the first day he will not need so much. One ounce may suffice. Having succeeded thus far, remove from the neck vein one gallon or more of blood. Give the patient every four hours twenty-five drops of Tincture of Aconite until six doses are given. Then j)repare a small piece of flexible or pliable wood or stick, about two feet long, about the size of a small pipe stem ; good hickory or white oak wood will do ; make the surface very smooth ; confine on one end of this a soft rag, confine it there by sewing it with a needle and thread. Instead of break- ing the thread off, let it extend down the full length of the stick, so if the rag should be re- moved from the stick while in the horse's nose, it can still be drawn out by the thread. The operator should dip this mop in the eye water, recommended in this work, insert it gently into the duct already described, and press it upward in the direction of the eye until it reaches near that point. When the stick is withdrawn the water will run freely from the nose. When this is accomplished the pros- pects are good for his ultimate recovery; oth- erwise he will die in a few days. 6o THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. Another important matter is to place a blis- ter over the region of the brain. This can easily be done by first wetting the hair with the Penetrating Liniment at the point where the brow band of the bridle crosses the fore- head. Place over this a cloth folded three or four times, and upon this cloth place a hot smoothing iron, and hold it there until a blis- ter is drawn. From the commencement of the treatment keep the nostrils thoroughly •cleansed by means of a mop and tobacco juice, as directed in treatment for glanders. If this is neglected the foulness from the diseased condition of the head will accumulate until it will be sufficient in itself to almost smother the patient. Much may be done as a preventive of blind stag- gers by keeping continually in the feed box finely pulverized tobacco. This makes the horse sneeze or snort, and will cause him to free his nose of the worm dust previously spoken of. These worms are more abundant on corn grown on fresh land than on old land, and they are much more numerous in the Southern States than in the Northern and Western States. DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 6i FISTULA. This disease is situated at the top of shoul- ders. The swelling is attended with high fever and inflammation. This trouble is produced by different causes. It may originate from the horse striking the top of his withers against a low door head, while passing in and out of his stable ; or, from the bite of another horse ; or, by the sad- dle pressing with undue weight on the withers. Let the cause be what it may, the result is always the same. The bruised blood accumu- lates at the seat of the disease, and if not promptly treated, will soon form into pus, which must, and will find an outlet -breaking and running for weeks and months, and some- times for years. If the disease has been neglected until it reaches this stage, it will generally be difficult to cure. However, we believe that with the remedies laid down in this book, fistula can be cured in every stage of the disease, unless it is where the horse has been butchered up by ignorant quacks who have resorted to the red- 62 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK, hot iron, arsenic, ineffectual and inhuman treatment. The author has frequently been called on to trt^at horses with fistula that had been burned so often with the hot iron that their skin had become so thick that it took days before the best known remedies could penetrate to the sensitive part. In such cases the treatment is always prolonged ; and when a cure is effected, there is alwa^^s scars and disfigurements to mark the seat of the disease. Arsenic, nor polk-root should never be in- serted into the tumor, as is often the case; this will eat away the muscles and ligaments, and if, after months of suffering, the horse is pronounced well, he is greatly disfigured, and permanently injured for life; his power and action can never be restored. Treatment. — If the Penetrating Liniment is applied every day, for a few days, previous to the formation of matter, it will cure the dis- ease, - but will not cure it after the matter forms. The hot iron need not be used; to drive liniment in in this case, the May-apple salve is the next remedy to be applied, and the only one to be relied on to effectually draw DISEASES OF THE HORSE, 63 the matter out and leave the animal perma- nently cured. This will prove slow in its action. If the practitioner is not possessed with a good share of patience and determination he had just as well abandon the case; but with pa- tience and perseverance he need not have any fears about a cure, which will take from two to four weeks, and, perhaps, as many months. Apply the May-apple salve to the tumor each morning — carefully washing itoif at night. Thoroughly cleanse the hair and skin with strong soap-suds, after which grease freely, washing it off the following morning and apply the salve again. This course of treatment will, within three or four days, cause little pustules to form all over the surface of the tumor, from which, will exude the pus, increasing in quantity until the attendant will be astonished. When this end is reached the danger is passed, and the quantity of the salve should be increased as the quantity of matter increases. Too much care can not be taken in the use of this salve at the commencement. If used too freely, it will injure, instead of 64 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. benefiting the horse. Spread it all over the surface of the tumor — using as small a quan- tity as possible, to anoint the skin. If al- lowed to remain on too long, the hair will fall off, the pores of the skin will be closed, which will prevent the salve from penetrating the tumor, and subsequent applications will do no good. But should this occur, suspend the use of the salve and substitute the Penetrating Liniment for two or three days, which will prepare the affected parts for the salve again. Keep this treatment up until the free dis- charge of pus, above described, is obtained. The use of the salve should be continued un- til the pus is all discharged and the enlarge- ment disappears. After this, keep the parts well greased with any old bacon or fried meat grease until the hair grows out again, which it will do without change of color or disfigure- ment of any kind, unless the hair and skin were destroyed before the commencement of this treatment. Bleed at the commencement of the treat- ment, taking one gallon of blood, and ten days Jater repeat the operation, taking this time half a gallon of blood. Give daily of the DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 65 Renovating Powders one table-spoonful dur- ing treatment. Examine the bottoms of the horse's feet, for by this time the raging fever has diseased them, causing them to rot. Clean them off and treat them as directed for hoof rot. An Illustrated Case. — Below we will give a case where improper and injurious remedies were used, which we hope will serve as a warning to the anxious horse owner when his horse is sick. Better give no treatment at all than to be guilty of the folly justly charge- ably in the following case : During the author's residence in the State of Alabama, a friend and neighbor of his called on him to examine a fine, black mule, then suffering with a fistula tumor of several weeks' duration, in which pus had formed, but had not broken. The author promised to put the patient under treatment the following day, with the understanding that it would take several weeks to effect a cure, but the owner did not deliver the mule to the author for treatment according to agreement, but was seen a few days later, and gave as an explana- tion for his failure to deliver the following 66 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. reasons : He said that on the same day that the author examined the mule, that a friend of his proposed to cure the mule without charge if the owner would furnish one pint of spirits of turpentine, which was done. After it was brought to boiling heat it was then poured on the tumor. By next day the swelling had all disappeared. Some months after this the owner again visited the author and informed him that his mule was strangely affected with lumps, or knots, which would suddenly rise up on the sides of his neck and about his sheath, and then suddenly disappear, only to reappear again. To the author this was not strange. The matter first formed at the top of the shoulders and should have been extracted therefrom, in- stead of driving it back for the circulation to take up and disease the whole system and end in we know not what. We have good reasons to believe that the free use of the fleam and continued use of the Renovating Powders for some weeks would have set mat- ters right again, but as our advice was not taken at the outset, we were willing for the cheap horse doctor to continue his treatment. DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 67 The anxious and excited owner soon after exchanged the once valuable mule for a small gray pony, and the author lost sight of the diseased animal. POLL EVIL. This formidable disease is essentially the same as fistula, the principal difference being in the location, for while fistula is located at the top of the shoulder, poll evil is situated at the top of the head, just back of the ears, and is not so often met with as fistula. This dis- ease is brought on or caused by a bruise or injury of some kind. Poll evil sometimes follows fistula sympathetically, when no other cause can be assigned. Its developments are the same. Treatment. — The treatment laid down for fistula must, in every particular, be carried out for poll evil. To recapitulate : Up to the time matter is formed apply the Penetrating Liniment, but after the formation of matter the May-apple salve is the proper remedy. Bleed at the commencement of treatment, and ten or twelve days afterward repeat the oper- eration. 68 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. BLOOD-SPAVIN. This disease is located at the hock, under the membrane covering that joint, and is usu- ally caused by overexercise, as hard pulling at heavy draughts. Sometimes the little oil sacks, so abundant about this joint, which contain the synovial fluid or oil from the joint, are enlarged from violent exercise, and once injured they will continue to grow and enlarge the hock, but not to the extent that they do when ruptured. This disease admits of a cure only in its first stage. If the enlargement is confined to the back part of the leg, and is above the joint, this will govern the practi- tioner in determining the first stage of the disease, but if the entire hock joint is enlarged the disease has passed into the last stage. In the first stage the little oil sacks are only en- larged, but when the hock joint is much swollen these sacks are ruptured, and the fluid escapes and will settle down around the joint, continuing to do so until there is no more room for it. Sometimes this fluid will pass down under the skin on the back part of the leg, until it reaches the ankle, Diseases of the horse. 69 Treatment.— T\iQ Penetrating Liniment should be applied to the enlargement every second day for a period of two or three weeks ; bathe in with a hot iron. If within this length of time the swelling begins to abate, continue the treatment until all traces of the disease are removed. Should the disease fail to yield to the above treatment, dispense with it and apply the Iodide of Mercury Ointment every eighth day, thoroughly rubbing it in the hair, covering the entire surface of the enlargement. The second day after this application is made follow with grease. Continue this treatment until the enlargement disappears. This dis- ease does not always lame the horse, or mate- rially injure him for service, but is unsightly and always injures the market value of the horse. Never suffer these lumps to be opened ; it will do no good, to say the least of it, but may establish an incurable and running sore. Nor should the hot iron be applied to dry up the fluid, as is sometimes done, from which high inflammation is almost sure to result, and is communicated to the joint, from which cause the disease is aggravated instead of rem- edied. 70 THE FARMER '5 HORSE BOOK, WINDGALLS. Wind-galls does not differ materially from blood spasms except in their location. Their chief seat is on or near the ankle joints, but may be found elsewhere. This is another dis- ease of the oil sacks, forming lumps or knots, thought by some to be filled with wind, but when opened for the wind to escape they were found to contain only a thick yellowish water mixed with blood. If the opening made should heal, the disease soon returns as bad as be- fore, and the action of the limb impaired and sometimes fixed and stiff. Treatment. — The same as for blood-spavin. CURB. This is a disease seldom met with, but as it is troublesome and will cause the horse to be very lame, especially when he first receives the injury, it might be well enough to point out its location and treatment. Location and Treatment. — Curb is an enlarge- ment on the back part of the hind leg, just below the hock. It is caused by hard pulling or riding, and sometimes from a blow or bruise at that point. DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 71 The best treatment is rest, and the frequent use of the Penetrating Liniment, applied to the affected part and dried in with a hot iron. This treatment should be kept up every second day until the lameness all passes away, and the enlargement diminishes. TETANUS, OR LOCKJAW. Some professional men have tried to distin- guish between tetanus and lock-jaw, but have failed to give distinctive symptoms, by which tetanus could be distinguished from lock-jaw. This disease comes on suddenly, and is accom- panied with great nervous excitement. It is brought on by wounds of various kinds. I have seen more cases of lock-jaw the fruits of a sore back than from all other causes com- bined. The author was traveling from North Ala- bama to Fostersville, Tennessee, in the year 1865, and was driving a mule and horse attached to a wagon. The horse had a large sore on his back, which was covered with a thick scab. Soon after starting on the jour- ney the scab was removed by the lines rub- bing it off. For the protection of the sore a 72 THE FARMER 'S HORSE BOOK. plaster of pine tar was applied. The sore by this time was bleeding profusely. In less than five minutes after the application of the plaster the horse was seized with lock-jaw. The horse was driven a few miles to a farm house, where preparations were made for his treatment by heating a large bottle of water, which was placed under him, and a heavy blanket was spread all over him. The warm water was then poured on him along the spi- nal column from the head to the tail, which steamed him very high. Within an hour or two the horse's jaws could be moved with the hands, and within five hours from commence- ment of treatment the patient had so far re- covered that he could eat his feed. Symptoms. — There are no symptoms point- ing to lock-jaw until the horse is attacked. His jaws are firmly set from the beginning ; his eyes sink deep in their sockets ; the muscles of the face and jaws become fixed, as well as those of the neck ; the influence is extended to all the muscles, causing them to become more or less rigid, and so contracted that the horse can not stand upon his feet. His ears become fixed, pointing upward ; the hind and DISEASES OF THE HORSE, 73 fore feet will be drawn together, his back will be roached up, and the horse will have a dis- tressed and woe-begone appearance. Treatment. — What is done must be done quickly, or death will end the horse's suffer- ing. The muscles that are so firmly fixed and contracted must be relaxed. The first thing to be done is to bleed in the neck vein, taking at least one and one half gallons of blood, provided the horse can stand upon his feet long enough. But if he should com- mence to blow and to puif at the flanks cut oif the flow of blood at once by removing the cord from around his neck. After he has re- gained his strength, which will be but a short time, replace the cord around his neck, and if the opening made by the lance has closed up; and the blood refuses to flow, a little rubbing with the finger where the vein was opened will start the blood to flowing again. As early in the treatment as possible com- mence the steaming process already described. Keep this up without intermission until the horse fully recovers. In addition to this, pro- cure from the horse's leg the little scab, or crust, to be found on the 'inside thereof near 6 74 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. the hock and knee joints; grate this as fine as possible, which can be done by rubbing it on a nutmeg grater or a common file, and, if it can be done, drench him with about one tea-spoon- ful of this powder. But if he can not be drenched, place some of this powder in his ear, and also smoke him with some of it by placing it on some coals of fire held under his nose. As soon as the horse has recovered suffi- ciently, drench him with one half pound of Epsom salts. If the steaming, described above, fails to relax the jaws, give him two grains of morphine dissolved in one pint of water. One hour later the morphine drench can be repeated, if necessary. In cases of extreme overheat, when the horse is very fat, it sometimes occurs that adi- pose matter becomes softened to such an ex- tent that it produces great nervous excite- ment and tetanus follows. When the disease is produced by this cause, the treatment should be the same as above described, except the bathing, which should be with cold water, instead of warm. When the above treatment has been perse- veringly carried out, the horse will usually Diseases of the horse. 75 get well within a few clays, but if neglected will certainly die within a few hours. Hence, the necessity of every horse owner possessing a reliable treatise on the horse and his dis- eases — giving cause and symptoms of diseases and their treatment. If such was the case, thousands of dollars would be saved annually to owners of horses. CRAMP AND RHEUMATISM. Some authors make a distinction between these two diseases, but as our object is only to give the reader our own experience, and that of others so far as we have personal knowl- edge, we will blend the two. Old horses are more subject to the disease than the young and vigorous, but no age- is entirely exempt. The horse or mule that has been overtaxed by pulling heavy loads, or' has been exposed to cold rains, especially while his blood was warm, is always a good subject for acute rheumatism ; also the pam- pered horse that has been kept continually on corn, or other heating food, for some weeks or months, without exercise, is almost sure to suffer with this disease when put to work. 76 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. Symptoms. — The horse will, after standing up all night, and having been worked the pre- vious day, be slow to move off; will show signs of soreness of the joints and muscles of his legs if they be pressed with the hand. Some horses, while standing in their stalls, will suddenly become violently cramped in their hind legs, which are sometimes drawn almost straight — caused by the contraction of the muscles — and they will continue in this position for hours at a time. Treatment. — The best thing to be done is to remove the cause. Turn the horse out on a good pasture ; stop heating his blood by feed- ing him dry corn and fodder, and give him, every second day, one table-spoonful of the Renovating Powders until all traces of the disease are removed. For sudden lameness, or cramp, bathe the horse's legs with salt water as hot as he can bear it. If the horse is in bad condition — which is seldom the case when suffering from rheumatism, for as already intimated, the ple- thoric horse is the one most subject to this disease — bleed from the neck vein according to the severity of the case. DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 77 STRING-HALT. This is a very common disease, especially with mules, and is a disease of the nerves of the hind legs and hips, but the exact location, or just which nerve is affected, is not known. Much has been written on this subject, but we find that writers differ very much in their judgment. Others, in whom we have confi- dence, have acknowledged that they knew but little about the disease, except its existence. Cause, — String-halt is, doubtless, due to an overaction of the nerves and muscles, there being some defect in their construction. When this is the case, overwork, or violent exercise, brings on an attack of involuntary action of the muscles. Symptoms. — There is a sudden jerking up of the hind legs, often striking them against the belly. These symptoms manifest themselves more clearly after the animal has been standing for some time and then moves off. Sometimes the disease will take on a worse form ; the horse will be suddenly attacked while at work. The muscles of the hind legs 78 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. and hips will be so contracted that the animal will get down while in harness and remain down for an indefinite length of time. Plowing the dam, or otherwise working her, while the colt is very young — causing him to follow, which he always does for some days or weeks, has much to do in developing this dis- ease. Treatment. — Not much can be done only for present relief. Bathe just under the hip joint and back of it with the Penetrating Liniment once each day for two or three days. Bathe the hind legs with warm salt water once each day for several days ; or with cam- phorated coal oil for four or five days. Give the patient, every second day, for fif- teen days, one fourth of a pound of sulphur. This treatment will do much to improve the general condition of the horse ; and if he is young and not taxed too heavily with labor, he will outgrow the disease. Bleeding may be resorted to, to relax the muscles in extreme cases. Give the horse a free run on a good pasture ; if this can not be done, let him have a lot to run in, except in bad weather. DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 79 SCRATCHES. This is a disease of the skin, and is confined to the feet and legs, manifesting itself on the back part of the leg near the heel. It sometimes spreads to the hock and knee joints. The hind legs are more often affected by this disease than the fore legs. Symptoms. — The legs will swell, and a yellow fluid will exude from them, sending out a very offensive odor. The hair on the affected part will be clotted together with the discharges from the sore. The skin will crack open, and the horse will manifest pain when driven through water or mud. Cause. — The horse that is allowed to stand in the stall ankle deep in mud or decompos- ing manure, and fed on dry corn, which will dry up the blood and obstruct its circulation, is very apt to have scratches. Hoof-rot will also hasten the development of the disease. Treatment. — External applications alone will do but little good. The first thing to be done is to remove the horse to clean and comforta- ble quarters. Take from him all heating feed, put him on generous and relaxing diet, bleed moderatelv at commencement of treatment. 8o THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. give him each alternate day one fourth of a pound of sulphur for fifteen days. Wash off the accumulated matter with weak soap-suds, and after the hair is dry bathe with the cam- phorated coal oil once each day for four days. If this does not dry up the disease within six or eight days, anoint the affected parts with the sulphur ointment. Treat his feet as for hoof-rot if necessary. The Penetrating Lini- ment will effectually cure scratches within four or ^\^ days, but on account of its severe effects, when applied to the diseased parts, we use it as a last resort. Apply it all over the affected parts every other day, until three applications are made ; then thoroughly grease with lard and let the patient go. Within a few days the sores will all be healed, the swelling gone, and the animal well. THRUSH. This is another disease of the feet, but is confined to the frog and heel. We know of no other cause for this disease than that given for scratches, further than an injury to the frog or heel, by traveling over rough roads or stony places. DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 8i Symptoms. — A thin, watery matter will es- cape or run out of the bottoms of the feet around the frog. And deep down between the frog and sole of the foot can be found a thick and very offensive pus, which is black and of the consistency of pine tar. Treatment. — Give the patient a dry stall, and in addition, clean out, thoroughly, the bot- toms of his feet. Wet the frog, the sole, and heel every morning with the Penetrating Lin- iment, drying it in with a hot iron. Keep this treatment up for one week, omit for four or ^YQ days, then a]3ply again. Do this until the discharges from the heel and frog have ceased. Bleeding may be dispensed with in this disease, as it is local instead of general in its nature, and seldom aifects the blood. CRACKED HEEL, OR GREASE. This is also a disease of the feet, and we know of no marks or symptoms distinguish- ing it from thrush except the opened, cracked, and dry appearance of the heel, and the extra or fungous growth of the frog, which gives it a rough, ragged appearance. Matter does not escape so freely therefrom, 82 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. in this disease as in thrush. If neglected, it will terminate in that troublesome disease known as foot evil. Therefore, it should be jjromptly treated. There is no reason to ex- pect it to get well of itself. It is often the forerunner of more trouble- some diseases. Treatment. — Apply the Penetrating Lini- ment to the diseased part every second day, for six or eight days, drying in with hot iron ; then give an interval of rest for three days, and apply again Continue this treatment until the fungous growth of the frog is de- stroyed, and the heel and frog are well. The horse should not be worked while suf- fering with this, or any other disease of the feet ; nor should he be exposed to dew, rain, or mud, while undergoing treatment. When the ground is dry the patient may be put on the pasture. Grive him sulphur in the same manner as directed for "thrush." SWELLED LEGS AND ANKLES. Some w^riters have tried to distinguish be- tween swelled legs and ankles, but have failed, so far as the cause of the disease is concerned. Diseases of the Horse. 83 All the cliiference known between these two diseases is in their location — the cause is the same in every case that has come under our observation. Treatment. — Sometimes one leg, or ankle only, will be swollen, or enlarged, by being- bruised or injured. When this is the case the treatment should be warm salt water ; and after the hair is dry, apply the Penetrating Liniment once a day until the animal is well. But when more than one leg or ankle is swelled, it is an evidence that the cause is somewhere else — generally from a diseased state of the feet, and should be treated as di- rected elsewhere in connection with such dis- eases. When the cause is removed the swelling will disappear. Hoof-rot is an accompaniment of swelled ankles and legs, and is nearly always the im- mediate cause of this disease. The horse with hoof-rot should not be allowed to run on wet pasture, where dog-fennel and other poisonous plants grow, as it will cause the horse's legs to swell to an alarming extent, ^^uch poisoning has often been mistaken for snake bite. 84 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOI^. HIDE-BOUND. This disease is the fruit of hard usage, or from some long-standing disease, where high fevers have raged that have closed the pores of the skin and dried up the blood, causing it to become thick and sluggish. The pores of the skin being closed, its oily secretions are dried up ; the hair loses the live and glossy appearance it has while the horse is in good health. Symptoms. — The hide adheres closely to the bones, ribs, neck, and legs — especially about the joints, which impedes his progress in traveling, causing him to have a slow, stum- bling gate. His repeated groanings. while un- der the saddle, indicate the pain it gives him to move. The digestive organs of such a horse have become deranged, and his excrements will be dark and hard. Treatment. — A reaction must be brought about ; the blood must be thinned and puri- fied. The bowels and stomach by this time have become diseased, sympathetically, and must receive their share of the treatment. Diseases of rtiE Horse. 85 Remove from the neck vein one gallon of blood, and fifteen days after repeat the opera- tion, taking a half gallon this time. Give the horse daily one table-spoonful of the Renovating Powders. Continue the use of the powders until his excrements are soft, and have that yellow ap- pearance common in health, and until his skin becomes loose, and his hair has a healthy aj)- pearance. This can be hastened by currying and rubbing. The bleeding will thin the blood and relax the muscles of the stomach and bowels ; the powders will give tone to them and the sys- tem generally ; will purify the blood, and act admirably on the skin, opening its pores. This treatment will cure in every case of hide-bound, if carried out according to direc- tions, though the improvement will be slow and gradual. SURFEIT. Here asrain we must difi'er with some writ- ers who contend that surfeit is only a dis- ease of the skin. Our experience will not al- low us this conclusion, for not a few horses 86 The Farmer'' s Horse Booi^. have we bled for this disease, and found their blood thick and dark; while, if only the skin was diseased, the blood would not be affected. We have cured a number of horses of sur- feit with no other treatment than the use of the fleam. Causes. — The corn fed horse is the one most often attacked with this disease, though other causes, besides high feeding, will bring on the disease, or at least, will develop it. The horse that has been driven until his blood is heated and then allowed to stand out in a drauo-ht of cold air, or is exposed to chilling rains, or al- lowed to drink freely of cold water when he is very warm, has been known to break out with surfeit in a few hours. Symptoms. — The sudden appearance of this disease, and its rapid progress, is sometimes very alarming to the inexperienced horseman, though it has never been known to prove fatal in a single instance. It should be met with prompt treatment, as the suffering manifests thetroublesouje nature of this disease b^^ the horse continually rub- bing himself until the hair drops off, and the skin becomes sore. DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 87 This disease, in its milder form, makes its appearance on the neck and shoulders ; also on the belly and between the fore legs — rising up in the form of little knots or pustules, upon which will be formed a scab or sore, that will soon break and discharge a mattery fluid that will spread if not checked. Treatment. — As already indicated, the ani- mal should be bled moderately, and given free- ly of sulphur until two pounds have been ad- ministered. Apply to the affected parts an ointment com- posed of one jDart of sulphur and three parts of lard. Two or three applications daily will dry up the sores. MANGE. This is a contagious disease, and can be communicated to other horses by the use of the same harness, saddle, or blanket, that has been used upon the diseased horse, or by rub- bing against the same stake or wall, or in any other way whereby the sound horse may come in contact with the affected animal. Cause. — In this disease we believe that both 88 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. the skin and blood is diseased. Although it is contagious, we belie v^e that it is much ag- gravated by Ulth and neglect. A lack of proper care and grooming has much to do in developing this disease. High feeding and want of exercise also contribute to its develop- ment. Treatment. — Bleeding again must be re- sorted to. Take one gallon of blood. Ex- clude from the patient's diet all heating feed. Give him clean and comfortable quarters dur- ing inclement weather ; but, when the weather is favorable keep him on the pasture. Give him daily one table-spoonful of Renovating Powders until a pound has been given. As this is a contagious di?»ease the patient should be kept away from other animals. Wash the stall, and all places where he has rubbed, with strong lime water ; this will pre- vent the disease from spreading. STIFF COMPLAINT. Old horses are the ones most subject to this disease. It is brought on by hard labor, abuse, and neglect. A horse troubled with this complaint will Diseases of the Horse. 89 stumble when there seems to be no occasion for it, and is slow in his movements. Such a horse is always dangerous to ride, and is disqualified for any service except it be in the plow or wagon. Treatment. — Blood-letting is again neces- sary. Take one gallon of blood, and at the expiration of twelve or fifteen days take half that quantity. Administer the Renovating Powders in table-spoonful doses daily until one pound has been given. Let the patient have unbroken rest for one month, or until he regains his action. Feed on generous diet, or keep him on a green pasture if it be in season. Keep him in a comfortable house if in winter. WARTS. Of these there are two kinds — blood and seed warts. The blood wart is the most troublesome, because it is hardest to remove. It makes its appearance on the hocks, ankles, ears, and sometimes on other parts of the body. The blood wart is a fungous growth, and increases in size very rapidly, and at an early stage becomes raw and is easily irri- tated and almost continually bleeding. Warts 7 go THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. seldom appear singly. When one makes its appearance, others may be expected to follow. Treatment. — For a blood wart take purified nitrate potash, pulverize fine. If the wart is raw and bleeding, sprinkle the potash all over the surface as long as any will adhere thereto. The second day after the application is made, wash oif with warm water, using a soft rag or sponge, all of the crust that has accumulated on the wart. And while it is wet from the washing, apply the potash as before. Con- tinue this treatment until the wart is eaten away, after which apply the Penetrating Lini- ment, for the purpose of destroying the roots, each alternate day until three applications are made. After this the parts should be kept well greased. Should this treatment fail after a fair trial, prepare the following: Take a strong solution, composed of caustic potash and water, and apply it to the wart by means of a little mop at morning and at night ; be careful at each application to remove the crust formed on the wart. After the wart is eaten down apply the Penetrating Liniment and follow it with an application of grease as directed above. Great care must be taken Diseases of the Horse. 91 while using the potash liquid. If it is allowed to run down upon the sound parts it will pro- duce a sore, and unnecessarily punish the ani- mal. This trouble can be avoided by greas- ing around and below the wart with any kind of grease that will thoroughly fill the hair, and allowed to extend down as low as the liquid may run. A small quantity of this solution applied to the wart will be sufficient, as it is very strong. The same treatment just laid down for blood warts will destroy seed warts. The horse troubled with warts should have his blood purified by giving him the Renovating Powders in table-spoonful doses each alternate day for two or three weeks ; or, in the absence of the powders, sulphur may be freely used. If the wart be hanging by a stem, as is often the case with seed warts, tie a small, strong cord around the stem suffi- ciently tight to stop the circulation, and the wart will die and drop off in a few days. SADDLE AND HARNESS GALLS. These sores are caused by an ill fitting sad- dle or harness, and are of frequent occurrence in warm weather. The skin will become 92 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. chafed and raw ; the hair will slip off, leaving the surface of the skin naked and bleeding. Sometimes deep-seated abscesses are formed, which, after a time, will break, discharging large quantities of pus, disqualifying the horse for service for weeks and sometimes for months. Sometimes these sores, especially upon the back and at the humerous-joint or point of the shoulder, develop into what is called a " sit-fast," which is a gristly forma- tion under the skin. Treatment. — In the first stage — that is, when the hair is first rubbed off — all that is needed to perfect a cure is to let the animal have rest and keep the parts well greased — salty grease preferred — to prevent a thick scab from forming, or remaining on too long, in which case there would be a scar, or naked spot, to remain. In the second stage of the disease, when the parts are much swollen and the inflammation is high, the Penetrating Lintment should be applied once^ each day, thoroughly wetting the surface of the inflamed and swollen part. If matter has not formed, the Penetrating Lini- ment will effectually cure in every case. But DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 93 if pus is formed, the May-apple Salve should be used. SORE NOSE AND MOUTH. This trouble originates from the horse grazing in the j^asture where poisonous weeds grow, while the vegetation is wet with dew or rain. The nose and lips become raw and sore and swollen. Treatment. — Take one pint of water, to which add two table-spoonfuls of the tincture of " Golden Seal." Wash the sores with this preparation morning and at noon, and at night grease the sores with lard, and on the follow- ing morning wash it oif and apply the solution of Golden Seal as before. Continue this treat- ment until the sores have healed and the swelling disappeared ; then grease the parts well and let the patient go. VERMIN. These little pests originate from poverty, bad stabling, and neglect of grooming. The old and enfeebled horse and also the young and feeble colt are the ones most often infested with them; but the plethoric, well-fed horse will be troubled with these pests if allowed 94 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK, to associate with the horse afflicted with them. The latter part of winter or early spring is the season when vermin are most abundant, though the feeble and emaciated horse will hold them until he improves in flesh and sheds his winter coat. Vermin are a source of great annoyance to the horse, and especially to the young colt that can not thrive while being infested with them, and often dies from no other cause. Treatment. — If the horse's condition is bad, bleed him moderately at commencement of treatment, and give him daily one table-spoon- ful of the Renovating Powders. Make an ointment of one ounce of sulphur, one half ounce of red precipitate, and four ounces of lard. Rub the horse with a small portion of this — equally distributing it as much as possi- ble — once every third day until the vermin are all destroyed, which will be only a few days. The free use of the curry-comb and brush will hasten a cure. CEREBRAL DISEASES.— APOPLEXY. This disease of the brain, or blood — for it is a diseased state of the blood which brings on DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 95 this cerebral disturbance— is caused by the blood becoming too abundant, thick, and sluggish, and a sudden determination of it to the brain brings on the attack. Symptoms. — The muscles will twitch and jerk; the eye-balls will dance and the lids will snap ; the head will be carried too low while walking, sometimes almost to the ground ; and while standing still his head will be pressed against the wall or manger. The blood ves- sels will be full and corded, and he will walk awkward, with a staggering gait, and have a high fever. His excrements will be dark and scanty ; the bowels will have a tendency to costiveness; the appetite will fail, and the pa- tient will be thirsty. All these symptoms are not present in every case, but are to a greater or less degree. The horse will grow worse from day to day, and as the disease advances will show signs of frenzy. Before a fatal termina- tion he will fall to the ground in convulsions. This disease seldom attacks the lean horse that is regularly exercised, but may be brought on any horse by an overheat or overfeeding ; though the pampered horse is the one usually attacked with apoplexy. 96 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. Treatment. — The first step in the treatment is to relieve the brain and nervous system. Blood-letting is absolutely indisj^ensable. Remove from the neck vein one gallon of blood, and one hour later, if the symptoms have not abated, repeat the operation, taking half a gallon of blood. Bathe the head in the region of the brain with the Penetrating Lini- ment ; evacuate the bowels as soon as can be done by the free use of the clyster, consisting of one pint of lard. If this does not move the bowels within half an hour, follow with an in- jection of warm soap-suds ; repeat this every half hour until the bowels are moved. Drench with one quart of moderately strong pepper tea with one table-spoonful of salt dissolved in it. Follow this with one ounce of laudanum in a little warm water. Six hours later drench with half a pint of Epsom salts. Keep the patient upon green and relaxing feed. The horse once attacked with apoplexy will be very subject to a return of the disease; he should never be overworked, but should have regular exercise, and should be sparingly fed on dry corn. Diseases of the horse. 97 EPILEPSY. This disease is seldom met with in our country. The trouble seems to originate from the same cause that apoplexy does. The symptoms are very much the same, though epilepsy comes on more suddenly than does apoplexy, and passes oif as suddenly as it comes on. Sometimes the animal beains to project the head forward. The neck will be stiff, the head elevated, and in continual mo- tion, the muscles will twitch before a spasm comes on. Sometimes the horse will show none of these symptoms, but will fall suddenly to the ground, the attack coming on so quick that the rider will scarcely have time to free himself from the stirrups and get out of the horse's way. He will lay there in great agony and groan all the while, striking with his feet. The inexperienced horseman will think that his horse will be dead within a few minutes, but to his surprise, the spasm will pass oif, and he will rise to his feet, and seemingly be as well as before the attack. He may be free from another attack for some time, but it may return as suddenly as before. 98 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. Treatment. — But little can be done for the horse afflicted with epilepsy, as there are sel- dom any symptoms sufficiently clear to warn the horseman of its approach. If the treat- ment given for apoplexy be carried out in this case, as soon as the spasm passes oif, it may and sometimes does keep them off for some days and perhaps weeks, but we place much more confidence in the care and feeding than in the treatment to prevent a return. The unfortunate owner of a fitified horse, as he is called, will never own another if he can avoid it. PARALYSIS. This form of disease is of rare occurrence. We have never seen but two or three horses that we were satisfied was afflicted with this disease. This disease is caused by some de- rangement and perhaps suspension of the nervous action, and is doubtless the result of some injury of the spinal cord, from which the hips and thighs become paralyzed. Treatment. — The patient should be bled at intervals of fifteen days apart, taking about half a gallon of blood each time, for a period f six or eight weeks. Apply the camphor- Diseases of the Horse. 99 ated coal oil to the hips and thighs every day for three days, and then apply once each week. Give the Renovatins>: Powders dailv in table- spoonful doses, until the patient fully recov- ers. BLIND TEETH. These can be found upon the upper jaw- bone of the horse, in front of the jaw teeth. Sometimes they are situated near to the jaw teeth, and sometimes a little distance from them. They are shorter than the jaw teeth, are round and peg-like shaped. They can be readily felt with the thumb or linger at the point designated. They are easily knocked out, which should be done, as they are of no service whatever to the horse and are intrud- ers. All that the operator needs to remove them is a square-ended piece of iron and ham- mer. No instrument for this purpose is better than a large ilat file. Place the end of this against the tooth, and strike the other end with a hammer. The tooth will give way readily, as it has no roots, and only rests on the jaw-bone. There is more prejudice against blind teeth than should be. They are by many considered lOO THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK, marks of unsoundness, weak eyes, and big head. It is true the horse with diseased eyes, or with big head, may or may not have blind teeth, yet blind teeth never produce these dis- eases, though we will not go so far as to say that they will not aid in the development of these diseases. They do contribute their share of fever and inflammation, combined with other causes in their development. DISEASES AND ABUSE OF THE TEETH. The teeth of the horse, as well as of man, are subject to disease and decay, but while it is hereditary in man, it is not so with the horse. As a natural consequence the teeth of the old horse must give way and become worn- out, as well as the teeth of man, for which there is no remedy. Any disease of the stomach that generates gases will cause the teeth to rot. The teeth of such horses will always be foul. There will be an accumulation upon them, especially near their roots, of a yellow coating, which will continue to increase until a crust is formed which, if not removed, will soon destroy their enamel. The gums will become sox^e and DISEASES OF THE HORSE. loi inflamed, and take on that form of disease called scurvy. As soon as the teeth are dis- covered to take on this form of disease, the cause should be promptly removed by correct- ing the diseased stomach, for which purpose change the diet of the horse from dry to green feed. Keep constantly in the feeding troughs wood ashes mixed with salt. Do not depend on giving a dose once or twice a week ; keep this continually in the trough, and let him eat his feed off of it. The disease may run on until the teeth have become coated with a hard crust, which should be removed by means of a file, after which dress the teeth with sand- paper. This treatment will be of no lasting benefit unless the acid condition of the stom- ach is corrected, h. diseased stomach is by no means the only cause of bad teeth. The use of many vile preparations, administered to the horse as medicines, is often the cause not only of permanent injury to the teeth, but also to the stomach. Prominent among them are blue-stone, arsenic, calomel, copperas, and all mineral poisons. To convince some persons of the injurious effects of these so-called remedies would be I02 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. impossible, and when we meet such persons we never throw away much of our time in argu- ing with them. To such as are willing to be instructed we would say, better administer no medicine at all to your horse than give him such as would injure him. Not only are the teeth, mouth, and stomach injured by the use of certain medicines, but the kidneys are often diseased from the same cause. Such animals will always be subject to colic pains, and often the ignorant owner will again administer medicine, the eifect of which they know nothing. There is no ap- parent swelling of the bowels when the seat of the disease is in the kidneys, and is traceable to no other cause than the administration of some of the remedies recommended by igno- rant " quacks " for the general improvement of the horse. The teeth of the old horse are never so smooth and white as the teeth of the young, unless the causes just named are present with the young. We will now dismiss this subject, as there is to be found in another part of this work a chapter devoted to the care and management DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 103 of the young colt, in which the subject of the teeth will again be discussed. LAMPAS. Young horses are more subject to this af- fliction than the aged, but none are wholly ex- empt. The young colt soon after weaning, and all through the period of teething and shedding ; the grown horse ; the old and fee- ble ; the well-kept and plethoric, are all sub- ject to this ailment. Lampas is an inflamed and swollen condi- tion of the gums and roof of the mouth. The gums often swell and protrude beyond the points of the teeth, which prevents a horse from eating his feed, especially if it be corn in the ear, or other coarse feed. Treatment, — Scarify the gums in a number of places until they bleed, after which wash the swollen parts with a weak solution of lime- water and rub them with salt. Carry the animal through this treatment for four or five days, or longer if necessary. Give him daily one table-spoonful of the Renovating Powders until ten doses are given. Give him green. I04 THE FARMER 'S HORSE BOOK, soft feed, if it can be procured ; if not, give him meal, instead of corn. The red-hot iron should never be tolerated for the purpose of burning the " lampas " out, which is often done. There is nothing in the mouth that ought to be burned out, besides the teeth are often injured by coming in con- tact with the hot iron. It is to be deplored that so many persons are found who, without discretion, care, or feeling, are willing to punish and torture the horse by such malpractice, and who have nothing better to guide them than a blind zeal or inclination for doctoring horses COLIC OF THE STOMACH. This disease is first confined to the stomach, but it often extends to the bowels. While it is confined to the stomach there is no visible swelling. The ribs that surround the stomach will not permit it to expand so as to be seen, as can be done when it is colic of the bowels. Here is where a mistake comes up, for it is a prevalent opinion among horsemen that if there is no swelling, and the animal places his nose to his side, he is troubled with " bots," and drenches are given him to make them let DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 105 go their hold. When the horse is suifering from any of the following diseases : colic of the stomach, colic of the bowels, inflammation of the kidneys or bladder, he will point out, as best he can, the seat of the disease by plac- ing his nose to his side. If it be colic of the stomach he will place his nose opposite that organ ; if the seat of the disease be farther back, he will extend his nose farther back. This is his only means of pointing out the seat of his disease, which, to the experienced practitioner, is very clear and decisive. Cause. — There are a variety of causes. Any thing that will interfere with the digestive or- gans of the horse will produce colic. Exces- sive eating and drinking are the most com- mon causes. The frequent administration of improper medicines will produce, or cause a diseased state of the stomach. Such a horse will be subject to colic. Symptoms. — The animal will manifest pain by restlessness and show a dispoistion to lie down; will place his nose against his side, and will change from one position to another. These symptoms lead the horseman to at once conclude that his horse is suifering with 8 io6 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. bots, and that he must be drenched with some- thing strong enough in its nature to make them let go their hold. Just here some grave and serious mistakes are made. The stomach of the poor, suifering animal is made the receptacle of every vile nostrum that the igno- rance of man can suggest; fuel is added to the fire continually. No amount of argument can convince some persons that the bots is not the greatest enemy that the horse has. Their argument is that they have seen the horse die with all these symptoms, and when he was opened found his stomach riddled by the bots. To this we can bear witness, so far as the stomach being eaten into holes by the bots is concerned, but at just what stage of the disease the little bots declared war against the horse, and at what time the battle commenced, we acknowledge our ignorance. But to say, as some writers do, that the bots do not harm the horse is car- rying the argument too far on our side. We are satisfied that as long as the horse is in health, and his digestive organs perform their office, the little bots are contented in their home, and will never do the horse Diseases of the Horse, 10:7 any harm until he is disturbed by a diseased state of the stomach, or by some of these so- called remedies for their destruction. In such cases we believe that the bots do hasten a fatal termination of the disease. Treatment. — The first thing to be done is to give the animal something that will correct the deranged condition of the stomach, and to relax the muscles of the same. This can read- ily be done in most cases by giving a drench of salt water as hot as the horse can bear. Bleeding from the neck vein will give relief as often as any thing we have ever tried. But should the above-named treatment fail give the patient one half ounce of asafetida and one half ounce of chloroform, mixed with four ounces of whisky. Put all this into enough warm water to make a drench, and in connec- tion give a clyster of lard or soap-suds to evacuate the bowels. The above-named treat- ment has cured in every case of colic of the stomach, otherwise known as bots, with one exception. FLATULENT COLIC. Flatulent or wind colic, as it is commonly called, is confined to the bowels. This kind io8 The FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. of colic often follows colic of the stomach, but sometimes occurs independent of it, as in con- stipation or stricture of the bowels. When stricture of the bowels takes place the most effectual and safe treatment is the process of back-raking. This is done by the operator greasing his hand and arm and gently pressing his hand into the rectum; continue to press it forward until the obstruction is reached. This should be gently removed, bringing it forward until it is all removed as far up as the hand of the operator can be extended. Sometimes a clyster will answer the purpose, which should be composed of lard or soap-suds, mixed with a small quantity of tobacco juice. Repeat the clyster every few minutes. The other treatment in this case is bleeding from the neck vein. We have relieved more horses of flatulent colic by blood-letting than by any one treatment. Another cause of flatulent colic is a diseased state of the kidneys. The fever and inflam- mation in that region is communicated to the bowels. When this is the case the remedies recommended for inflammation of the kidneys Diseases of the Horse, 109 should be made use of in connection with the treatment laid down above. Another remedy that comes to us from a reliable source for inflammation of the kid- neys is to apply wet salt on the horse's loins, opposite the kidneys. This has been known to give immediate relief. An Illustrated Case. — About the year 187:2 we were traveling a distance of seventy-five miles, and were leading a horse belonging to another man. Suddenly the horse was taken sick with flatulent colic. This occurred in one of the mountain districts of North Ala- bama, which at that date was thinly settled. There was no medicine at hand, and the dis- tance between houses was so great that it was some hours before any thing could be done for him. By that time the horse was much swol- len, and when allowed to stop would suddenly fall to the ground with violence. After a time a farm house was reached, but there was no remedy to be found there that the author had ever made use of. But something had to be done or the horse would soon die. In the absence of a regular syringe one was substituted, which was hastily manufactured iio The FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. from a large cane, and with it the horse was given an injection of about two ounces of tobacco juice. This made him very sick; he could scarcely stand upon his feet ; his muscles were relaxed, and within a few minutes the animal was fully relieved. This was our first experience with an injection of tobacco juice, but have since that time made use of it in extreme cases, when other remedies had failed, with the most satisfactory results. INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. This disease of the horse is of more fre- quent occurrence than perhaps the horseman is aware. We have been called upon to treat this disease when no amount of argument could convince the owner that there was any thing more the matter with his horse than colic. The symptoms are in some respects alike. Cause. — This disease is caused by abuse in almost every case. It can be brought on by hard work, hard riding, feeding on unwhole- some food — rotten corn, molded fodder and hay — and by the administration of poisonous drugs, such as bluestone, copperas, and S^^an- Diseases of the horse. m ish flies, all of which are administered to im- prove the condition of the horse. It is astonishing how readily some persons will administer whatever may be suggested as a remedy to improve the condition of their horse. If the horse is in health it is absolutely injurious to give him any medicine. If his appetite is bad, give him exercise and change his feed, and he will always shed his hair when the proper time comes for him to do so. Symptoms. — The horse will manifest this disease by making frequent efforts to urinate. He will stop suddenly while in the harness or under the saddle, and stretch himself out, which he may do a number of times before the flow will commence. And then it is often small in quantity and highly colored, and at times will be entirely suppressed. The patient will have a slow and awkward gait, and will straddle his hind legs as he walks. Sometimes the sheath swells; his appetite fails. He seldom lies down, unless the dis- ease has advanced, and he is in great jDain. When this stage of the disease is reached the 112 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. symptoms are sometimes mistaken for colic. The horse will roll and turn over fi^om side to side, and will rise up quickly to his feet. The fever will be high in the region of the kidneys and bladder, the pulse will be hard and quick. Treatment. — Prepare the following drench: Three ounces spirits nitre, one ounce oil of sassafras, and half an ounce oil of juniper. Divide this into three doses, and give one in the morning, one at noon, and the other at nio'ht. Grive this mixed in water. Bleed at commencement of treatment. Take from a half to one gallon of blood, according to the severity of the case. Bathe the hips and loins with strong salt water. If in winter, the water should be warm ; if in summer, it should be cold. Grive the horse green feed, if it can be procured, excluding dry corn and moldy feed of any kind. Keep him on the Renovating Powders until all traces of the disease have disap[)eared. Give one tablespoonful each day. Bathe the loins twice each day in the camphorated coal oil; or in the absence of this, apply the Penetrating Liniment once each day for three days. DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 113 INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER. This disease in its symptoms is so much like inflammation of the kidneys that the practitioner is often at a loss to diagnose the disease. There is but one way by which he can tell one disease from the other, and that is by inserting the hand into the rectum ; if the disease is in the bladder, the heat and in- flammation can be felt there ; if the trouble is at the kidneys, the fever there will betray the presence of the disease. Treatment. — The treatment is essentially the same for inflammation of the bladder as it is for inflammation of the kidneys, with the additional use of a drench twice each day for three days, composed of whortleberry leaves made into a tea, one pint at a dose. CALCULI, OR STONE IN THE BLADDER. This is a disease of both the kidneys and bladder. Having its origin in the kidneys, the stone is formed there, and while small passes into the bladder, where it continues to grow until its weight and rough surface in- flames the bladder, and is a continual annoy- 114 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. ance to the horse. They are sometimes found lodged in the neck of the bladder, almost stop- ping the flow of the urine. In such cases the bladder is too full ; the horse manifests great pain, and if there is not speedy relief will soon die. Symptoms. — The distinctive symptoms in this disease are the following : When the bladder is overcharged with urine the horse spends most of his time lying down ; the pres- sure on his bowels while down seems to give him relief. The water in the bladder can often be heard, as the water in a jug when shaken. The animal will sometimes, while lying down, extend his fore feet forward, as though he would get up, but instead of doing so he will turn back again upon his side. Regular exercise, in some cases, will be found the best means to prevent undue ac- cumulation of water in the bladder, but should not be resorted to as a means of cure while the horse is in that condition. After the urine commences to flow it will be discharged in large quantities until the bladder is emp- tied, which will, of course, give relief. Treatment. — We have but little confidence Diseases of the horse. 115 in any remedy administered to the horse after the stone is formed. The only way to free the horse of it would be to perform a very dif- ficult and hazardous surgical operation. About all that can be done safely is to give remedies to relieve and let nature do the rest, as these stones sometimes come away of them- selves. Grive daily for several weeks one table- spoonful of the Renovating Powders. To re- lieve acute attack of this disease, bleed from the neck according to the severity of the symptoms, and give the nitre preparation, same as recommended for inflammation of the bladder, then bathe the hips and loins with salt water. DIABETES. This disease is an involuntary discharge of the urine, and while there is no pain present, nor fever that can be detected, it will soon tell on the patient by reducing his flesh and destroying his vital powers. Treatment. — Give the animal rest and clean and wholesome feed. If in season, give him pasture. Put him on daily use of the Reno- vating Powders for some weeks. ii6 The Farmer's Horse Book. We will say, in this connection, that for all diseases and derangements of the urinary or- gans, whether it be of the kidneys or bladder, if the urine be bloody or thick, the general treatment laid down for the kidney and blad- der is the treatment for all urinary troubles, es]3ecially the use of the Renovating Powders, for we believe them to be the most effectual remedy for these troubles that can be admin- istered ; they are slow in their action, but sure in their effect, and always leave the horse's system much improved. FOUL SHEATH. This is a disease very common with the old horse. It accompanies gravel and other uri- nary diseases. It is often overlooked, or if noticed at all by the horseman, is regarded as a matter of no consequence. But not so ; while some horses will linger along and never get down, others will become worthless. Dis- eases of a more grave nature will be produced by this one. Symptoms. — The horse will become stiff, especially in his hind extremities ; his sheath will swell and become sore ; he will scarcely DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 117 be able to get up when down ; the water will dribble from his sheath ; and upon examina- tion, his sheath and adjacent parts are found to be covered with a black, waxey, and oiFen- sive matter ; the end of the penis, upon exami- nation, will be found to be obstructed by what is commonly called a bean. Treatment. — The sheath should be washed out with weak soap-suds ; if made too strong it will burn and irritate the parts. After the sheath has been well cleansed, and the bean in the end of the penis removed, grease with lard ; keep up the greasing for several days, or until the swelling and soreness has disap- peared. Give the horse for several weeks all the sulphur he can be induced to eat. COLT FOUNDER. This is a disease of the genital organs, and comes on during the months of pregnancy. Old mares are more subject to this disease than the young and vigorous. The mare that has once been troubled with colt founder should not be bred again, though she may ap- pear to have fully recovered, for when she conceives the old trouble will return, and grow ii8 The Farmer's horse Book. worse each time she proves with foal ; if she survives at foaling time, the offspring will be found weak and sickly, and in the majority of cases afflicted with urinary trouble, or die with scours. Symptoms. — The animal grows stiff; gets weak in the loins; can scarcely get out of the stable ; fever is very high ; the pulse runs up to sixty or seventy when the symptoms lirst make their appearance. They will grow worse until the foal is born ; the patient will often get down, unable to rise to her feet, and if raised would be unable to stand. There is high fever about the kidneys and bladder from the beginning. Treatment. — A cure is out of the question while the mare is carrying the colt. If she continues on her feet until delivery of the foal, the owner may hope for a cure. Some mares recover very soon after delivery without treat- ment of any kind, while others improve slowly under the best treatment known. When the symptoms first appear, put the patient on relaxing diet ; exclude the use of dry corn and fodder ; bathe the loins with the camphorated coal oil for some days, and if this Diseases of the horse. 119 should fail to relieve her of the weakness manifested, then apply the Penetrating Lini- ment every second day for eight or ten days ; then omit the liniment for the same length of time. After the days of omission, apply again if necessary. After the mare has delivered the colt, she should be bled once, and the Renovating Powders administered until she is well. If she should get down before delivery, she should be raised and kept in a swing until she is strong enough to stand. The best plan for that i^urpose is to provide some strong cloth, wide enough to cover the entire space between the fore and hind legs, and of sufficient length to be at each end, after it has been passed un- der the mare, attached to two rails, or poles — one at each end. Having succeeded thus far with the preparation, commence to build a rail pen around her, keeping the ends of the timbers to which the cloth is attached above the pen. 13y this means the animal can be raised to her feet as high as desired. She should be raised of sufficient height that she can rest on the cloth under her on her feet. The pen must be well staked, or she, in her I20 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. struggles, will throw it down. After this is done, erect a shed over her to protect her from the sun and rain. THUMPS. This very common ailment of the horse is caused by some obstruction, or hinderance, to the flow of the blood through the pulmonary artery that very seriously interferes with the heart's action. Cause. — It is a very prevalent opinion among horsemen that overexercise is the cause of thumps, from which opinion we differ. It is often true that the horse that has been driven too hard, or that has been ridden too freely, will have the "thumps;" and it is equally true that the horse will often have thumps that has not been exercised ; yet to be worked while suffering with an attack of the disease will increase the difficulty very much. Symptoms. — There is a throbbing of the sides and flanks so severely that it can be heard for several feet away ; this soon passes away for an indefinite length of time, to mani- fest itself again when the horse is freely exer- cised. We have never known a case of DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 121 thumps to prove fatal, yet it is claimed by- some writers that such has been the case. Some horses are very subject to the thumps, which greatly depreciates their value. Treatment. — But little can be done by medi- cating a horse. Give him a drink of cold water in which some salt has been dissolved ; this will usually stop the throbbing. Grive one tea-spoonful of oil of tar each day for three days. THE BLOOD. The blood is not the cause of diseases, yet there is scarcely a disease that the horse is subject to that does not affect the blood. Fever inflames the blood, whether it be of a local or general character. A bruise or wound on any part of the horse will generate fever, and the blood will carry it to all parts of the system. The poison that arises from such a wound is soon communicated to the blood — then the blood is said to be diseased. Treatment. — We should first find out the cause of the fever. If it has its origin or is caused by some wound or injured part, that should first be treated, and afterward the 9 122 The Farmer's Horse Book". blood should be cleansed, for while some local cause exists axd extends its influence through- out the entire circulation, it will be useless to give remedies to purify the blood. THIN BLOOD. Some diseases have a tendency to thin the blood. Among these are dysentery, scours, con- sumption, and diabetes. THICK BLOOD. When the blood is thick and circulation slow, this denotes the presence of fever. BLOOD-LETTING. Some of the modern horse doctors object to phlebotomy. They contend that it impover- ishes the blood, and some of them have gone so far as to have a horse pictured with half a dozen attendants at his side, while the horse has the appearance of being so weak and ex- hausted that he c^n hardly stand upon his feet. Such a sight has never been seen by the author, nor by the person who drew the picture, unless the horse was bled by the au- thor of such a picture, or by some other per- son who does not know any thing about treat- DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 123 ing a horse for disease. JN'either do they know enough about him or his blood, nor the treatment of diseases, to entitle them to any notice. We would have passed them by unnoticed, but for the good of others, who might be influ- enced by such, we say that no such trouble or feebleness to the horse ever grow out of bleed- ing. It is true any horse can be bled to death. If the horse is suffering with such diseases as diarrhoea, dysentery, scours, thumps, or con- sumption, he should not be bled ; such would be debilitating and harmful instead of improv- ing. But when high fevers exist, either local or general, blood-letting is beneficial. Some- times the horse can be successfully treated in fevers without bleeding, but would always be benefited by it. It reduces inflammation, re- laxes the muscles, and reduces the quantity of diseased blood, making room for new and pure blood. True, if there were not internal remedies given, the blood would soon become diseased again. Bleeding is not for the purpose of j^ur- ifying the blood, but to prepare the way for medicine to follow that will cleanse it, which 124 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. . would do more harm than good, if adminis- tered before the bleeding. The blood is too thick and sluggish, the cir- culation is slow, and can not take up the med- icine and carry it through the system ; hence the necessity of its being reduced in quantity. The horse never has too much blood if it is pure, but when it is diseased, as described above, it can be too abundant. The amount of blood to be extracted will vary in different cases; it will depend upon the nature of the disease — the stage it has reached, and the length of time it has existed. The blood will be found very dark and thick in big head, fistula, pole-evil, hide-bound, stiff complaint, lock-jaw, glanders, distemper, founder, pneumonia, and all diseases of long standing, where the inflammation is high. In acute inflammation it is seldom neces- sary to bleed more than once, but in chronic cases, as in founder, distemper, glanders, big head, and big jaw, it may be necessary to re- peat the operation a number of times, yet the quantity of blood taken should be less than in acute inflammation. We will now describe the operation of DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 125 bleeding so plainly that any person of ordi- nary understanding and courage can success- fully carry out every part of it without danger of injuring the horse. The animal suffers no pain from the operation ; the small incision made in the skin and vein may sting and smart a little, but will not cause any suifering. The phlebotomist should preiDare himself with a fleam, made for the purpose, and very sharp, and also a hard or firm stick about one inch in diameter, twelve inches long, and not too heavy. Cord the horse's neck, near his shoulders, with one end of a rope, with a slip, that in case of necessity the cord can be easily slackened. The cord should be drawn only tight enough to make the jugular vein swell out. Often the cord is drawn tighter than necessary, under which pressure the horse gets restless. Having succeeded thus far, the operator will take his place at the left side of the horse's neck, with stick in his right hand and the fleam in his left. Place the fleam on the vein, give it a gentle pressure against the skin, then with the stick give it a suflicient blow to force 126 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. it through the skin and into the vein. The blood will at once commence to flow freely, and continue until the cord is loosed, when it will stop at once. The edges of the skin, where the opening was made, should now be fastened together by means of a brass pin and a string, or piece of horse hair. One day and night is generally long enough for the pin to remain. This completes the bleeding. We have bled hundreds of horses, and have never seen any of the bad effects described in some of the little pamiDhlets styled "horse books," which only serve to misguide the reader and advertise the author's medicine. Having given the directions in reference to bleeding, we will now proceed to give direc- tions for the administration of medicine and general treatment of sick or diseased horses. THE CLYSTER. Any liquid medicine injected in the rectum is termed a clyster. This is done by the aid of a syringe. In extreme cases of lock-jaw and laryngitis the clyster is the only way that medicine can be administered, or that nutri- ment can be given. The throat is so swollen DISEASES OF THE HORSE, 127 in laryngitis, and the jaws and muscles so firmly fixed in lock-jaw, that to give any thing by drenching is out of the question. In obstinate cases of scours or dysentery, a clyster of one ounce of laudanum, in a little warm water, or one tea-cupful of tea of the common blackberry root, injected will often relieve when other remedies fail. When the animal can not eat, he may be kept alive a long time by the administration of corn-meal gruel, made very thick; or, per- haps still better, would be to boil sweet milk and thicken with flour. When nutriments are given, the clyster should always be cooked. DRENCHING. This is, by far, the most common mode of giving medicine, and, if carefully carried out, is entirely safe. We will now give the plan in detail as practiced by us, which is simple and safe, both for the operator and patient. Prepare the drench of whatever kind de- sired ; put it in a bottle large enough to con- tain the drench, then procure a stick about four feet in length ; split open the end of it with an ax until a rope can be inserted ; tie a 128 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. loop at the end of the rope as a plowman does for hand-hold ; insert one strand of the rope in the split ; wrap the rope around the stick to prevent it from coming off; place one strand of the loop in the horse's mouth, as you would the bridle bit, and let an assistant take hold of the stick and gently elevate his head until it is high enough, then turn the drench down the horse's throat. Do not pour too much into his mouth at one time ; allow him to lower his head after he has swallowed, and after he has rested a little while raise his head again and turn some more into his mouth ; keep on in this way until he has swal- lowed all that is necessary. If this course is pursued there will be no broken bridles, as is often the case when the horse is confined to a limb, and the horse will not strangle when drenched in this way. The horseman should always be kind and gentle to his horse, and especially so while drenching him. We enter our protest against drenching through the nostrils, because we have seen a number of horses injured in this way. We have seen one fine mare that was injured in this way; she was running at one of her nos- DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 129 trils as freely as if she was in the last stage of glanders ; this trouble was caused by drenching dye-yeast through the nostrils. Another case was a fine gray horse belonging to Mr. J. S. Kennedy. The animal had been drenched through the nostrils with chloroform during a spell of colic. The chloroform had penetrated the lachrymal ducts, inflaming them. The in- flammation had extended to the eyes, and he had a severe cough. When we were called to treat the case, general fever and inflammation were very high ; the pulse was as high as sev- enty. We took the case with but little hope of efl'ecting a cure, as this was a new derange- ment to us — the books being silent on this sub- ject we were left to exercise our own judg- ment. First, we bled the horse to reduce the in- flammation ; then bathed his throat with Pene- trating Liniment; washed out his nostril with a decoction of tobacco, and applied the eye wash freely to the eyes ; he was then turned over to his owner, who continued the same treatment until the horse was permanently cured. Diseases of the Throat and Lungs. LARYNGITIS. This disease is confined to the upper part of the wind-pipe and surrounding glands, and soon proves fatal if not successfully treated, which is often difficult to do, by reason of sore- ness of throat and the difficulty the horse has in swallowing. Cause. — The principal cause of laryngitis is exposure to cold and chilly rains in the latter part of winter and early spring. The sudden changes in the temperature of the weather are sufficient in themselves to produce this disease. The thoughtless owner often rides his horse until his blood is warm, then confines him to a stake or tree, takes ofi^ his saddle, and leaves the animal exposed to a cold rain till he becomes chilled. Space forbids an enumeration of the exposures the horse is subjected to, all of which are sufficient to establish disease. DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 131 Symptoms. —The first symptoms are enlarged glands with sore throat, and next swelling and tenderness of the larynx, sometimes coughing. The head projects, the nose extends forward, by reason of the swollen condition of the throat and between the under jaws, the neck becomes stiff, the breathing is short, and can be heard for some distance, the patient drinks with dif- ficulty, the entire throat is involved and so swollen that it is almost impossible for him to swallow food or medicine. To Diagnose the Disease. — Place the ear to the chest, and if there is no obstruction heard there in his respiration, proceed up the wind- pipe with the ear, and if the difficulty is at the upper end of the same, together with the preceding symptoms just described, it will be safe to pronounce it laryngitis. The air can be plainly heard to pass out at the upper end of the windpipe. Treatment. — If the disease has advanced as far as described above, it will be difficult to drench, for by this time the throat is swollen so much that the patient can scarcely breathe. What is to be done must be done quickly. Bleed copiously from the neck; let the blood 132 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. run freely until six quarts are extracted. Bathe the chest and under jaw with a strong decoction of tobacco, as hot as the animal can bear. Do this every four hours until the swelling is all gone. Bathe the throat and between the under jaw-bones with the Penetrating Liniment morning and night for the first day. After this bathe twice each day with the camphor- ated coal oil liniment. Confine to the horse's throat a poultice of boiled oats or cotton seed. If the horse can bear it, drench with the following. Take tw^o ounces of ginger and one ounce of gentian; boil them in water until the strength is all out; then give three doses, of three ounces each, of the tea, morning, noon, and night. Also mix together one ounce of chlorate of potash, three ounces tincture of golden seal, one ounce tartar emetic, and twelve ounces of water, and give one ounce of this compound morning, noon, and night. If the patient can not be drenched without strangling, give the remedies in the water he drinks. Never give him icy cold water. In this condition of the throat the horse DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 133 can not eat. Give him as much corn meal gruel as he can be induced to drink. Keep the patient in a good, warm stable, or at least where he will be out of the wind. If the bow- els be constipated, move them by giving injec- tions of warm soap-suds every half hour until they are moved. If the muscles are con- tracted, showing signs of tetanus, bathe with salt water as directed for that disease. PNEUMONIA. This is a disease of the lungs, and is caused by the animal being overheated and allowed to cool off too quick. Sometimes by allowing him to stand out in cold rains until chilled, but occasionally a change of the weather from warm to cold is sufficient of itself to bring on the disease. Sym'ptoms, — The symptoms are not always the same in every particular. Some cases that have come under our observation com- menced by the animal rolling for some hours, as with colic. Others discharged from the nose large quantities of saliva of a white and frothy appearance. But the following symptoms are always 134 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. present: After the disease has progressed for some hours the head will be drooped, the ears will j)rotrude to the right and left, the pulse will be feeble, but will run as high as sixty or seventy per minute. The animal will walk awkwardly, and sometimes stagger, the feet and ears will be very cold, the breathing will be hurried, the patient will stand with his forelegs wide apart, and as the disease pro- gresses they become more so ; he will stand upon his feet as long as he is able, and when he can no longer do so he will sink, after which he soon dies. There is a short and feeble cough from the beginning. Pneumonia often terminates in congestion of the lungs, the vessels become gorged with blood and are ruptured ; the air cells are filled with it. When this occurs the horse will die within a few hours. Sometimes the disease will linger for a long time in his system, and in such cases will ter- minate in consumption of the lungs. After death, upon examination, the lungs will be found filled with putrid matter. Acute pneumonia will run its course within a short time, often killing the horse within Diseases of the Horse. 135 twenty-four hours. The lungs of such are found after death to be ruptured, and the air cells filled with blood. Treatment. — Bathe throat, neck, and chest with a decoction of tobacco as hot as the horse can bear it. If the pulse is strong and hard, bleed, taking half a gallon of blood ; if they are weak and irregular, do not bleed, but drench with four ounces of Epsom salts in one pint of water. Prepare the following : Take equal parts of gentian and ginger, boil until the strength is out ; strain and give one half pint of this tea every six hours ; bathe the feet and legs twice each day with warm salt water ; give green feed — corn must be excluded. Let the patient have all the water he will drink. COUGHS. Coughs are caused by exposure to cold, eat- ing moldy and dusty feed, and follow distem- per, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Treatment. — If the cough orignates from foul feed, the remedy will be to give the horse sound, wholesome food, and the cough will readily stop. A cough is not always so easily 136 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. checked, but often proves obstinate. If it has its origin from some former disease the treat- ment will be tedious. Examine the little ducts, and if they are closed, or sending out matter, wash them out daily with warm to- bacco juice ; bathe the throat and chest three or four times daily with the same, and apply the camphorated coal oil to the throat once each dav for a week. If the couo-h does not stop, apply the Penetrating Liniment once each day for three days. Give daily one ta- ble-spoonful of the distemper preparation by placing it on the root of the tongue. If the cough is following some lung trouble, we know of no treatment that will do any per- manent good. Cure the disease that has caused it, and the cough will abate. BELLOWS, OR HEAVES. This disease causes difficult breathing, and generally has its origin in the lungs. We readily admit that we know of no remedy that can be relied upon to cure this disease, yet judicious care and feeding will, in most cases, relieve to some extent. Treatment. — Never give dusty hay or clover DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 137 to the bellows horse ; keep him on clear oats or some relaxing diet. Never drive or work him while his stomach is full of fodder or hay. Give every second day one table-spoonful of the oil of tar with five drops of extract of as- safoetida just before his feed is given him ; do this for ten days or longer, if the patient is not relieved within that length of time. The Pulse. — The location and condition of the pulse is of the utmost importance to the practitioner ; in some instances it is the only means by which he can tell the condition of his patient. There is nothing that will guide him so correctly in determining when to bleed, and the amount of blood to be taken, and the administration of medicine as the pulse. If the pulse are quick and throbbing, bleed free- ly ; when they are weak and the animal debil- itated, do not bleed at all. But in chronic and long standing cases, such as big head and big-jaw, founder and fistula, the pulse will be full and corded: bleed freely at intervals of fifteen days. In inflammation of the bowels they will be small and wiry: bleed copiously. The horse's pulse can be found at the lower side of the lower jaw-bone ; there can be felt 10 138 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK, at that point, running across the jaw-bone, an artery that feels like a cord the size of a com- mon pipe-stem ; by pressing the fingers gently upon this, the pulse can be felt and the num- ber of beats clearly counted, which in the horse, in health, should be from thirty-five to forty per minute. When the horse is in health the pulse is soft and slow, unless there is some excitement of muscles or nerves. Fifty to sixty beats per minute always betray the presence of fever, and when the pulse is as high as eighty a fearful state of excitement is present. In tetanus, blind staggers, and laryngitis, the pulse will sometimes reach one hundred per minute. Animal Poisons. SNAKE BITES. ;. The horse is not often snake bitten, yet it sometimes happens. The best known remedy to counteract the poison is large potions of proof whisky. One pint should be given at the commencement of treatment as a drench ; this should be done as soon as the animal is bitten. Give half a pint every hour afterward for six or eight hours. Wash the wound and inflamed parts every few minutes with the Penetrating Liniment. The symptoms are great swelling at the point bitten and the adjacent parts. The horse will refuse his feed ; will be very thirsty ; will soon manifest giddiness, and his eyes will look glassy. In the absence of whisky, give the horse three ounces of spirits of turpentine, and bathe the wound and surrounding parts with it. - I40 THE FARMER 'S HORSE BOOK. THE BORER WORM. This is the maggot of the borer fly that abounds on the great plains of the West; it is not found east of the Mississippi river. This fly follows the herds of cattle and horses without doing any injury to them until some animal receives a wound from which the blood is permitted to flow, when the flies will depos- it their eggs in the wound, and from that time on the poor animal is doomed to sufl^er great torment. Unless promptly treated, which is not easily done, the maggots will increase, both in size and number, and work their way into the flesh and under the skin ; the poor animal will lose flesh all the time, until he is at last compelled to succumb to these torment- ors to be eaten alive. Treatment. — The Penetrating Liniment is the best known remedy. Cut open the bunch containing these maggots, and freely apply the liniment, twice each day ; it will find its way to every part of the abscess, and as soon as these little pests are touched by it they will die. Not only will the liniment kill the mag- gots, but its curative and cleansing qualities, DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 141 SO well adapted to heal and cure old sores, makes it the very remedy needed in this case. INTERNAL POISON. Our object is to warn against the use of such drugs as are given to improve the condi- tion of the horse. Many of these are poison- ous, but are so slow in their effects that they are often overlooked. The owner never sus- pecting that he has unwittingly been the cause of his horse's death by drugs given previously. SPANISH FLIES. This medicine is often given during the breeding season to excite the horse. The man who is guilty of such an act should not have the patronage of respectable people. If this practice should accomplish the end sought, by exciting the horse for a short time, it will by no means increase the number of colts : such colts will be weak and deficient in form. If this practice is kept up with the horse, he will soon become useless for breeding purposes ; he will always suffer with colic, and his kid- neys will become diseased. 142 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. We know of no remedy for poison of this kind, and the man who willfully administers medicine of this kind, for the purpose named above, deserves nothing better than to lose his horse. NUX VOMICA. This is used to purify the blood and improve the general condition of the horse, but it in- jures the teeth and stomach, and causes a de- rangement of the bowels. Nux vomica may appear to improve the condition of the horse for a time, but the injurious effects that often follow its use make it altogether hazardous to give it to the horse. The injurious eft'ects manifest themselves by a hot breath, irregular pulse, the saliva is stringy, the eyes are a whitish-yellow, excess- ive flow of urine, and in the last stage convul- sions and then death. Treatment. — Give the horse a drench of lard, and one hour later eight raw eggs. Evacuate his bowels as soon as possible, by giving a clyster of lard, which should be repeated every hour until a free movement of the bow- els is obtained, Grive the animal plenty of sulphur and resin for three weeks. DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 143 COPPERAS. This injures the teeth and stomach, and for that reason should be discarded altogether in the treatment of the horse. TINCTURE OF ACONITE. This is a deadly poison, if given in over- doses, but can be given with benefit in fevers. Dose. — Twenty-five drops every four hours, until four doses are given ; and after a lapse of eight hours, give again. CREOSOTE. This medicine will prove fatal if given in overdoses, but from ten to twelve drops may be given in colic with safety. MAY APPLE. This is very drastic ; if given in large quan- tities will prove fatal, and for this reason it should never be given to the horse. If the horse should need a purgative, there are other medicines more harmless and safe that can be given. The root of the May Apple, when properly prepared into a salve, constitutes one of the best remedies where pus has formed, as in "fistula" and "poll- evil." 144 ^^^ FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. POISON OAK. This plant is found on the trunks of trees growing upon rich land ; it is more abundant on cultivated land than elsewhere. The horse will eat of the vine which seems to do him no injury, except to poison his nose, producing blisters that form into scabs. Treatment. — To one pint of water add one table-spoonful of tincture of golden seal ; wash the inflamed parts with this preparation in the morning, and grease them at night. Wash oif the grease on the following morning and bathe again with the golden seal ; repeat this daily until the sores are healed and the inflammation gone, which will require only a few days. POLK ROOT. This is a violent poison, and dangerous, if administered to the horse in any quantity, no matter how small. Give, as an antidote, one pint of grease, or sweet oil, with six eggs broken into it, as a drench. Follow this, one hour later, with a drench of half a pound of Epsom salts, dis- solved in warm water; evacuate the bowels with an injection of warm soap-suds. Care and General Treatment. This subject is one of vital importance to every horse owner, for here is laid the founda- tion for almost every ailment that horse flesh is heir to. We give, as our opinion, founded upon an experience of many years' practice and close observation, that no disease of the horse is hereditary. It is true, the mare afflicted with colt founder, gravel, and some other diseases, during pregnancy, brings her offspring into the world feeble and weak, and in a majority of cases they soon sicken and die. The fever of the mother, before the colt was born, has enfeebled him ; or, if he was well at birth and able to suck, the fevered milk of the mother would make him sick, either with kidney troubles of some character, or, if possible, worse, obstinate costiveness of the bowels, or scours. No mare, afflicted with any disease that produces during gestation, should be selected 146 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. as a brood mare. Her disease is always made worse by breeding, and, as has already been intimated, she brings a weakly colt into the world soon to sicken and die. Hence, the im- portance of selecting the most healthy and vigorous mares to raise from. Some breeders prefer the spring season as the best time to breed the mare ; while others prefer the fall season. The circumstances should have much to do with the time selected. If the mare is kept for breeding purposes alone, and does not work during the spring and summer months, and is kept upon a good pasture, we would prefer that she bring her foal in the spring ; but if she has to work dur- ing the summer on the farm, and is then allowed to rest during the autumn and winter months, we would prefer that she bring her colt late in the summer or early in the fall, for the following reasons : If the mare is allowed rest and pasture for several months after the colt is born, her milk, which is the only feed the suckling should be compelled to subsist on, will be clear of fever, and more abundant, than if she was compelled to subsist on dry feed. DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 147 It is a wonder the mare gives suck at all that has been fed only on dry corn and hay, and at the same time compelled to work hard all summer. But the greatest wonder of all is that the colt that is compelled to drink such milk should live through the sucking season. Doubtless he would not if it were not for the green grass he eats during his stay on the farm while his dam is at work in the plow. The farmer who keeps a mare for both labor and breeding purposes generally prefers that she bring her foal in the spring season. In some cases this will do, while in others it will not. Such mares are generally confined in the stable and highly fed on dry feed the last few months of pregnancy, the very thing that should not be done. If she must be fed on dry feed alone during the time she is carrying her colt, let it be in the early months. The high feeding and confinement described above are sure to create fever, of which the foal will suffer in consequence. The mare need not be made fat enough for the butcher stock to produce a good colt. It is true she should be cared for and fed all she 148 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. needs, but food should be a light and nutritious diet. DISEASES OF YOUNG COLTS. There are only two diseases common to the young colt — namely : bowel troubles and uri- nary. Costiveness of the bowels and scours are common with the colt the first few days of its life. Its urinary organs are often diseased from its birth ; this may consist of suppres- sion of the urine, or of bloody urine. Cause, — The cause of disease at so early an age of the colt can not be traced to any other cause than the diseased condition of the moth- er before the birth of the colt, or the fevered condition of her milk. Treatment. — If the trouble be suppression of the urine, examine the end of the penis, and if there is any obstruction there, which is sometimes the case, remove it by washing the affected part with warm soap-suds ; this will relieve the patient at once. If there should be found a covering of skin that prevents the flow of urine, make an opening for it with the point of a sharp knife. Bloody urine nearly always j^roves fatal to the young colt. The only safe way to treat them for this disease is \ \ DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 149 through the mother's milk ; to give medicine to the colt is extremely hazardous. Particular attention should be given to the mare in regard to feeding. Remove from her all heating feed, and give her daily one table- spoonful of the Renovating Powders ; also each morning give her one half ounce of spirits nitre in a little cold water, and at night repeat this drench. For constipation, give the mother a drench of one half pound of Epsom salts, and give the colt an injection of melted lard. For scours, the mare should be drenched with one half pint of tea, made by boiling the root of the blackberry. Give the colt a clyster of forty drops of laudanum in a little water in which one tea-spoonful of Epsom salts has been dissolved. Some horsemen have an unchangeable rule of feeding their horse the same quantity of food, whether at work or not, whether in winter or summer, which often does irrepar- able injury. There is more reason to expect the horse to thrive and enjoy health under such circumstances than his owner. We know of no better way to convince the farmer I50 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. or horseman of his mistakes in this particular than to ask him what his own needs are re- garding diet. Does he eat the same quantity of food when he is idle that he does when at hard labor? We know he does not; his sys- tem and appetite does not demand it; his stomach could not digest it if he did. It is a law of nature that we must not violate, that when our labor or exercise is light our diet must also be light, either in quantity or qual- ity. If this be true in regard to man, is it not equally true in respect to the horse ? Not only should the horseman be careful with ref- erence to the quantity of feed given at all times to his horse, but nothing is of more im- portance than the quality of feed. The horse that is fed upon molded fodder, corn, or hay, can not thrive, and will soon become diseased from the use of such food. From this kind of treatment originate obstinate and distressing coughs, inflammation of the kidneys and blad- der, indigestion and derangement of the bow- els. One ailment after another will follow until the horse dies. The water that the horse drinks is another matter of importance that is too often neg- DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 151 lected. If the food given the horse tells so soon on his system and destroys his health, will not the water he drinks from cess-pools and stagnant ponds also injure his health ? The ox, it is true, prefers the water of ponds and from the mud holes in the road, but not so with the horse. It often happens that the horse is taken from home, where pure water has been furnished him, and placed upon the road where he has access only to stagnant water, which he is apt to refuse. He will almost famish before he will drink such water. Too many farmers are ready to conclude that so long as the horse will drink from the ponds that this water is good enough. We suppose if man was placed where the poor but faithful animal is, under the control of and subject to the will of others, and was not con- sulted as to his wishes, that he would relish such water. Such treatment of our faithful servant, the horse, is wrong. Our pecuniary interest forbids such a course ; our humanity should forbid it. A man has no right to so abuse that which a merciful Creator has placed here for his benefit. 152 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. STABLE MANAGEMENT. The horse should be furnished with good, comfortable quarters to shelter him from the winter's blast. The stall should be large enough for him to turn around in and also to lie down his full length and rest himself. Often a horse is compelled to remain upon his feet all night on account of his stall being too small The stall should be kept clean; the decomposing manure should be removed every day. Nothing will bring on diseases of the feet sooner than to compel the horse to stand in filth and mire through the long win- ter months. Such treatment will cause hoof- rot, corns, contraction of the foot, or narrow- heel, grease, navicular disease, ring-bone, thrush, and scratches. There is no ailment of the horse but what is made worse by a dis- eased condition of the feet. The horse should not be confined in his stall when the w^eather is favorable. Have a lot adjacent to the stable that he may exercise himself in, if a pasture can not be provided, keep salt and wood-ashes in the feeding trough at all times ; this will correct the acidity of DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 153 the stomach and aid digestion. Some farmers consider it sufficient if the horse has access to salt every few days, but the better plan is to allow him to have it daily. The farmer is thoughtful enough to give salt to his horses, especially young colts, while on the pasture, thinking that the horse on green feed needs salt more than one on dry feed ; but it is just the reverse. True, both the corn and grass-fed horse needs salt, but if either is to be neglected, let it be the horse that is kept on green feed. PASTURING. To j)lace the horse in the open air, where the pleasant rays of the sun can fall upon him is to place him in his natural element; here he is at liberty to roam over the pasture, and feed at will, which is his chief delight — this is manifested by his actions. What horseman has not watched with pleas- ure the actions of his horse that has been con- fined in the stable for a time, and then given his liberty upon the pasture? Before he would stop to partake of the delicious grasses or clover, he would run and play as he had II 154 THE FARMER'S HORSE BOOK, not done for months past. If it gives our horse such pleasure to have his liberties for a short time, after he has faithfully and uncom- plainingly served us, is it not our duty to pro- vide him with a pasture ? Giving the animal his liberties, which he so much enjoys, is the smallest matter of consid- eration in connection with pasturing. The health of the horse, the saving in feed, with other advantages too numerous to mention, make the subject one of vital importance to every horse owner. The horse that is regularly pastured is sel- dom diseased. As a proof of this, go to the grassy plains of the far West, where the ani- mal is a stranger to corn and fodder ; and, where his only food is that provided by nat- ure. Here, in a herd of hundreds together, with no shelter to protect him from the storms of winter, we find the horse in his most per- fect state, almost clear of disease, and the age to which he often attains is almost thrice that of the stable-fed horse. I DISEASES OF THE HORSEl. 155 THE YOUNG COLT AND HIS TREATMENT. The healthy young colt will require but lit- tle attention during the sucking season — which should be about six months — this, however, depends upon conditions. If the colt is feeble and weak, or if pasture can not be provided for him, he should not be weaned until it can be furnished. When the time arrives to wean the colt, he should be removed a sufficient dis- tance from the mother that he can not hear nor see her, and he will soon forget her. The colt should now have the very best at- tention possible, especially as regards his diet. He should be provid^j. ■), I t, I ,|, |, H ,|.|. .\.\. ] I .|-i. -H 't't 'M' ■! I' ■{ t I't '{■> l''l- •!• EXTRA BRANCHES: Shorthand and Type-writing, Telegraphy and Instrumental Music. Sardis has a population of over two hundred. Its location is the most healthful in the State. Its people are moral, religious, and sociable, and their homes are thrown open to all students. We have no saloons, nor other tempta- tions to idleness and vice. Two churches, with preaching, prayer-meetings, and Sunday-school weekly. Sardis is 8 miles from Saltillo, 18 miles from Lexington, and 25 miles from Henderson. fi®= Special inducements will be offered all who contemplate purchasing property and setiling among us. Write for Catalogue and information to JOHN B. MINOR, Principal. A 100,000 FOR THE USUAL PRICE OF 25,000.. At Sardis and Lexington, Tenn, Forty years testing varieties in West Tennessee has enabled the senior proprietor to offer the very best varieties of FEUIT AND ORNAMENTAL TREES, At Remarkably Low Prices. Single or club orders promptly filled, and forwarded by freight or express. Smaller packages by mail to any office in the United States. Say, will you come or send for trees At early planting time ? Remember, they will surely please — Dear friends, fall into line. In forty years we 've learned to grow Such sorts as suit your climate best, To leave off worthless sorts you know Except enough to prove the test. Now come, or send, without delay ; Now plant, and prove it as we say. Agents Wanted. Address D. L. LITTLE, Proprietor Home Nurseries, Sardis, Xennessee. The greatest men on earth have loved To cultivate their fruits and flowers ; The great I AM of heaven above Maices sweet to them such well spent hours. The greatest Book begins, we see, By pointing out this gift to man. It ends with Everlasting Tree, With Fruits forever there on hand. D. L. L. 1