the Pulmonary Artery when the Heart compresses it self from the lungs it is carried to the left Ventricle by the Pulmonary Vein which hath Anastomoses or Communications with the Pulmonary Artery where it is perfected and made more pure then it is sent into the great Artery from whence it runs into all the parts of the body for their nourishment This is a succinct deduction of the new Opinion concerning Sanguification let us now come to those Reasons which oblige us to take blood 1. The First Reason that obliges us to blood a Horse is Plenitude Reasons for Blood letting which is nothing else but an immoderate and excessive quantity of blood there are two kinds of it one when the Vessels are so very full of blood that they can scarce contain it without bursting the other when there is more blood than is needful for the entertainment of the parts so that Nature cannot govern it omne énim nimium naturae inimicum for although there be no great fear of the Rupture of a Vein yet so great a quantity of blood rarely fails to oppress and over-heat the Body 2. The Second Reason is the excessive heat of the blood which causes it to sparkle in the Veins in this case blooding refreshes and appeases the boiling of it 3. The Third Reason that obliges us to let blood is that we may take away the corrupt Humors contained in the Veins which by their putrefaction can only produce bad effects therefore nature being eased by this evacuation doth the more easily digest the rest 4. The Fourth Reason is that when the blood hath not liberty enough to run and pass freely through its vessells blooding gives it vent and so facilitates its motion 5. The Fifth Reason is to make a revulsion by altering its course when it carries it self from one part to another with too great impetuosity and in too much bundance now in this case people either endeavour to retard its course or to pâ—cure another for it quite another way 6. The sixt and last reason for Blood-letting is to give ease and releif to any 〈◊〉 that is overcharged with Blood and which is performed by Blooding the 〈◊〉 afflicted Now although the Mass of the Blood which comprehends all that is containe in the Veins doth degenerate into Bile Phlegm or Melancholy yet nevertheless people do not scruple to take Blood for if it be Bilious it stands in need of refreshâ—â— and cooling and then it must be taken often and but a little at a time If the Veins be full of Melancholick Blood then there will be a necessity to 〈◊〉 but a little at a time and also blood seldom only to facilitate the course of the to thick Blood If the Blood be Phlegematick crude slow and Cold then it must 〈◊〉 taken in a less quantity than when it is in any other disposition Blood-letting hath also its inconveniencies when it is practised unseasonably 〈◊〉 then it maketh a revulsion of the Spirits which are the source of strength and of the Natural heat it 〈◊〉 also taketh away the aliment appointed for the nourishment 〈◊〉 the parts whence it is that a man is to consult a horse's strength to know if 〈…〉 endure blooding and also to consider if the horse be very extenuate for then he would stand more in need to be made up by good feeding then to loss his Blood Blooding is most necessary by way of prevention for all horses which people 〈◊〉 well and cause Labour little It should be done twice a year to preserve theâ— from those Diseases that proceed from that plenitude which is a burden to them The letting of Blood is very profitable for the cureing of Feavers the Farcy Mange Stroaks of all kinds for defluxious upon any part of the Body the Eyes excepted for the foundering in the Body Vertigo Head-akes and a great many other Diseases However there are some Authors who do not approve of Blooding by way of prevention saying that if people chance to neglect it at that time in which they we accustomed to practise it it would occasion some indisposition to the horse and the therefore a horse should never be bled by way of prevention but in the pale Philippo Scacco in his treatise Di Mescalzia is of this sentiment Seing Blood-letting then cures several Diseases it cannot be doubted but that it is usefull for the preservation of horses from the same Diseases and if you neglect it a any accustomed time then you are in the wrong especially if your horse be either heavy too strongly fed or out of exercise but if otherwise then you are 〈◊〉 tyed to it CHAP. LXVIII At what times Horses should be let Blood NOne I beleive call in question CHAP. LXVIII At what times horses should be bled but that there are some times in the yeâ— wherein one humor predomines more than another For example 〈◊〉 agree that it is the Blood which predominats in the Spring in the Sâ—mer Bile in Autumn Melancholy and in the Winter phlegm That which is preforme in the space of a year is renewed every six hours which is the time wherein the whole Circulation of the Blood is perfected as an infinite number of experiments have discovered and to explaine it breifly people have remarked that the Heart beats about 4000 times in an hour this motion or beating of the heart is called Systolo and Diastole which is all one with Dilatation and Compression By each Diastole the Heart attracts to it self from the Veins about half a dram of blood and by each Systole sends so much forth from it self into the Arterys all which being exactly calculate a horse will have in his Body about 50. pounds of Blood which will all pass through the two Ventricles of the heart in about six hours space by running from the Veins to the Ventricles and from the Ventricles into the great Artery and in each tour or Circulation that the Blood maketh one of the above-mentioned humors will be predominant in the manner following From midnight to six a clock in the Morning it is the Blood that predominates from six to twelve a clock in the day it is Phlegm from twelve a clock till six at night it is Bile and from six to midnight it is Melancholy This which I affirme may seem to be a Vain discourse without any kind of ground or solid foundation but you may satisfie your self by an easie experiment made after this manner Endeavour to know the temper of your horse and let us suppose him to be bilious then draw Blood of him betwixt twelve a clock in the day and six a clock at night that is to say about four and you will find that as you have made the evacuation in that time wherein Bile did predomine so you will have evecuate a great deal of Bile which will convince you of the truth of what I affirme because it will be almost all Bile whereas if you should
application of 'em and in the composition of every Medicine you must have a special regard to the restoring of their Appetite that the Remedy may not only be proper for the Cure of the Disease but agreeable to the Stomach The application of these Rules to particular cases would require an account of all the Diseases to which Horses are subject and therefore I shall at present content my self with laying down this general Observation that when a Horse abstains obstinately from all manner of Food you must use all means that are not contrary to his Distemper to make him eat lest you be forc'd at last to have recourse to violent Methods such as the usual way of pouring in his necessary Sustenance with a Horn which cannot be done without drawing up his Head with a Halter and putting him into a very uneasie posture which hinders him from breathing freely and increases the Fever when he has any I confess you may make him swallow a Draught without using the Halter but even that cannot be done without exposing him in some measure to the same Inconveniencies I cannot approve the Method of those who if a Horse abstain from eating for the space of twelve or fifteen hours and even tho' he be seiz'd with a Fever immediately give him a Quart or two of Milk with Yolks of Eggs which they imagine is sufficient to prevent all the ill effects of his preceding Abstinence But besides that a Horse may be suffer'd to fast two days without any danger this sort of Nourishment is not at all agreeable to his Stomach and even is apt to make him Sick tho' he was not so before 'T is true Milk yields good Nourishment and is easily digested but 't is subject to the common Inconveniency of the best Aliments that it quickly corrupts in a disorder'd Stomach where it curdles and occasions violent Pains and if it be not cast forth at the Mouth which a Horse cannot do since he never Vomits it hardens and produces dangerous Obstructions So that Hippocrates had reason to forbid the use of it in Diseases of the Head Fevers and some other cases tho' he recommends it on certain occasions Lac dare capite dolentibus malum malum etiam febricitantibus If that famous Author thought it inconvenient for Men who are accustom'd to it and can discharge it by Vomiting how prejudicial must it be to Horses who never taste a drop of it after they leave off Sucking and besides cannot Vomit I have made some Trials of it but always without the least Success especially when the Horses were Feverish In Stomacho aegrotantium Animalium acessit lac sed non imprimitur vitali Caraciere propterca aciditas fit putrefactiva quae non nutrit sed malum auget Those who will not be disswaded by these Reasons fromfeeding their Sick Horses with Milk may blame their own Indiscretion for the ill success of the Cure For let a Person who is in Health drink a Glass of Milk fasting and immediately Vomit it up again as some can do without the least difficulty he will find that t is already become sowre and even half coagulated or turn'd to Choose by reason of the Acid or Sharp Juice in the Stomach of all sorts of Animals For 't is a vulgar Observation that Acids have a power to curdle or coagulate Milk which therefore cannot be agreeable to the Stomach of a Sick Horse where it presently turns to Corruption and instead of nourishing him encreases his Disease 'T is true this Experiment cannot be made upon a Horse who never Vomits but it may serve for a convincing Argument that Milk is rather hurtful than profitable to a Diseas'd Horse Some give their Horses strong Flesh-Broths or Jellies which I have found by experience to be very prejudicial to 'em for it would be more proper to give em Extracts of Hay and Oats which are their usual Food The dangerousness of this Method will appear more evidently if we confider that Horses have so strong an avernon to Flesh and Fat that such Broths are apter to destroy than to restore their Appetites And all the World knows that if the Teeth of a Horse who is in perfect Health be rubb'd with Fat or Suet he will forsake his Meat much more when he is actually Sick I am not ignorant that the Fat may be taken away from Broath but still 't is plain that any sort of Broth is nauseous to a Horse and disagreeable to his Stomach and therefore ought never to be given since there are other Aliments which are more natural and in all respects more convenient I commend a very thin Broath made of Bread especially the Crum boil'd with Water and a little Salt for 't is certainly very proper Nourishment for a Horse that will neither eat Hay Oats nor Bran. I have seen some Horses drink this Liquor like Water which nourish'd 'em for a considerable time and if they should happen to loath it you may force it down their Throats with a Horn for a very little quantity will serve to sustain ' em You may also feed the Sick Horse with a Broth or Liquor which is both cheap and easily prepared and besides is of the same nature with his usual Nourishment 'T is made of Oats or cleans'd Barley well boil'd in pure Water without Butter Fat or any other mixture you must strain the Liquor from the Grains and give it him luke-warm It differs from his ordinary Food only by the boiling of the Oats or Barley which cannot make it prejudicial to a Stomach that is weaken'd by the continuance of a Disease This Method seems to be founded on Reason and agreeable to the dictates of good sence And experience will discover its usefulness Take a pound of Barley-flower well fears'd and purifi'd from the Bran boil it in about two pints of Water to a sufficient thickness then take it from the Fire and add a quarter of a pound of Sugar The quantity of Broth here prescrib'd is sufficient to sustain a Horse four and twenty Hours and must be given with a Horn. It moistens the Body when dry'd by a Feverish heat or any other cause but if the Fever be very gentle and the want of Appetite proceed from some other Cause you may add to the Broth an Ounce of the Cordial-Powder hereafter describ'd which will contribute powerfully to the recovery of his Appetite Or you may mix with the Broth an Ounce of Ever of Antimony in Powder which will make him Hungry and allay the preternatural heat of his Entrails When a Horse is troubl'd with a Fever Palpitation or unusual beating of the Heart or any other hot or violent Diseases which seldom continue long you must be careful in proportioning the quantity of his Food and neither give nor suffer him to eat too much Excessive Eating has to my certain knowledge prov'd fatal to several Horses who might have escap'd if they had been kept to a convenient that
Roses two Ounces Confection of Alkermes without Musk or Ambergrise one Ounce Treacle half a Dram Powder of Oriental Saffron six Grains Mix all the Ingredients in a Glass-Vial and give to your Horse with a Horn rinsing the Horn the Vial and your Horse's Mouth with a Mixture of the Waters of Carduus Benedictus Succory and Scabious of each an Ounce and half This Water or Julep allays the Heat of the Fever Inject a Clyster about Four a Clock in the Afternoon give the Remedy at Six and keep your Horse bridl'd till Eight The next Day at Four in the Afternoon administer one of the above-mention'd Clysters at Six let your Horse blood in the two Plate-Veins of the Thighs keeping him bridl'd two Hours after You may repeat the Dose of the Remedy two or three times but not the Bleeding without Necessity In the mean time the Horse must eat little Hay you must frequently wash his Mouth with Verjuice Salt and Honey of Roses and oftentimes inject one of the above-mention'd Clysters Since I have often observ'd that the Apothecaries ask an excessive Rate for this Remedy I thought fit to advertise those who may have Occasion to use it that the highest Price of it does not amount to above * About 6s Three Livres and Ten Sous for the Confection of Alkermes is without either Musk or Ambergrise This Remedy ought to be highly esteem'd by those who are Masters of good Horses for by the Use of it in less than a Month I cur'd Four Horses of Value after they were past Hope of Recovery For your Horses Ordinary Drink You may dissolve in a Pailful of Water the Remedy for Fevers consisting of Salt of Tartar Sal Armoniac c. describ'd in Chap. CXXXVI If that cannot be procur'd you may infuse in a Pailful of Water the Dough of a Peny-Loaf ready to be put into the Oven which makes the Water white cools the Body of the Horse and affords some Nourishment and is infinitely better than Flower which is commonly us'd on this Occasion This is an excellent Remedy for simple Fevers and almost for all Horses that are troubl'd with a violent beating in the Flanks proceeding from a hot Cause and I have even given it with good Success to Morfounded Horses when the Disease was accompany'd with a beating in the Flanks for tho' in this case hot Remedies are requir'd to strengthen Nature and enable her to expel that which offends her yet since the Fever is augmented by the heat of the Medicins we must find out and exhibit a good Remedy that strengthens without much Heat which is the peculiar Character of the above-mention'd Julep or mixture of Waters When the Fever is violent the Sick Horse either does not lie down at all or if he does starts up again immediately by reason of the difficulty of Breathing that oppresses him when he lies and therefore if in this case your Horse lie down and remain long in that Posture you may conclude him to be in a hopeful Condition nor must you reckon it a bad sign tho' he complain more when he lies than when he stands for even the soundest Horses are wont to complain when they are in that Posture This is an important remark in the case of all Horses that are extreamly Sick and a diligent observance of it will enable you to make a better Judgment of the Nature of the Distemper A Potion or Drink for a Founder'd Horse that is very Sick either with or without a Cough Take two Pints and half of the Four Cordial Waters viz. of Scorzonera Queen of the Meadows Carduus Benedictus and Scabious dissolving in the same an Ounce of Confection of Hyacinth without Musk or Ambergreece and one Treacle-Pill in Powder Give this Mixture to your Horse in the Morning and rinse the Pot and Horn with half a Pint of Wild Succory-Water which you must make him drink after you have wash'd his Mouth with it Keep him Bridl'd three Hours before and two Hours after and at Night give him the following Clyster Take Powder of Sal Polychrest an Ounce and a half Pulp of Coloquintida without the Seeds half an Ounce boil 'em in five Pints of Beer half a quarter of an Hour and in the strain'd Liquor dissolve a quarter of a Pound of good Populeum make a Clyster to be injected Lukewarm If this Remedy prove ineffectual you may conclude that your Horse's Life is in danger but if you perceive any signs of Amendment you must frequently repeat the Clyster which will very much promote the Cure I have sometimes given with Success a Dose of Stinking Pills to Horses troubl'd with this Distemper for tho' that Medicine seems at first to encrease the beating in the Flanks it quiets all those disorders afterwards tho' I must confess the same Remedy has disappointed me at other times The Lieutenant's Decoction for a Horse that is Founder'd and very Sick Take Carduus Benedictus and Hyssop of each one handful Juice of Liquorice two Ounces Roots of Gentian stampt in a Mortar one Ounce boil the Ingredients in a Pint and a half of Water for the space of half an Hour and as soon as you remove the Vessel from the Fire pour into it half a Pint of White-Wine straining out the Liquor Add as much Saffron as you can lift between your three Fingers and make a Decoction for one or two Doses according to your Horse's Strength or his Aversion to the Medicine The next Day let him Blood in the Flanks and keep him in a temperate place Since Horses in this Condition are wont to eat very little they must be nourish'd with cleans'd Barley without Butter or Fat or with Bread if you can persuade 'em to eat it or Bran c. For more particular directions in this Case you may consult the Sixth Seventh Eighth and Ninth Chapters of this Book and therefore I shall content my self at present with putting you in Mind that you must frequently put a Bit into your Horses Mouth and remember always to offer him Meat when you unbridle him CHAP. CXXV Crocus Metallorum TAke the best Crude Antimony or that which is fullest of Points and Nitre or Salt-Petre of each an equal quantity beat 'em severally to Powder and mix 'em in a Crucible Then set 'em on Fire with a Match or live Cole and as soon as the Flame is extinguish'd and the Matter cold you will find the Liver of Antimony under the Scoriae which are also of good use in certain Cases Separate the Liver and reduce it to a very fine Powder then throw it into Water and beat again in the same Mortar that which the Water cannot dissolve continuing after the same manner till the whole Matter be reduc'd to an impalpable Powder then suffer the Water to settle and you will find at the bottom a Liver-Colour'd Powder which you must continue to wash by pouring on fresh Water till the Salt of the Nitre that
tho' they continue to piss after the same manner during their Sickness Another no less fatal Sign is when the Hair of his Tail and on his Skull may be easily pluck'd off 'T is a dangerous Sign when a sick Horse either never lies down or starts up again immediately not being able to breathe freely in a lying Posture whereas if in the Declination of his Sickness he lie down and continue long in that Posture 't is a very good Sign When a sick Horse turns up the Whites of his Eyes above you may conclude that he is in Pain and that his Disease will be of long continuance From these Signs you may conjecture in the general that your Horse is sick and afterwards you must endeavour to discover his particular Distemper that you may be able to apply suitable Remedies A Disease that is known is half cur'd Morbum nôsse curationis principium I shall consider in Order the Diseases of all the Parts of the Body beginning with those of the Head not omitting the least Distemper And in particular I shall observe this Method In the first place I shall propose a short Definition of the Disease with an Account of its Causes and then having describ'd it as clearly and plainly as 't is possible to do on Paper I shall proceed to prescribe the proper Remedies CHAP. III. Of the Lampas THE Lampas is a Lump or Excrescency of Flesh about the Bigness of a Nut in the Roof of the Mouth which rises above the Teeth sometimes more and sometimes less The Horse endeavouring to eat his Oats feels a Pain in this Part so that he is forc'd to leave off Feeding Young Horses are usually troubl'd with this Distemper Assoon as you open their Mouth you may perceive the Roof of their Mouth to be higher than their Teeth which we call the Lampas It is cur'd by taking it away with an Instrument of Iron made for that Purpose and heated red hot The least Farrier's Prentice knows how to perform this Operation but you must beware lest an aukward Operator having made his Iron too hot after he has cut thro' the Thickness of the Excrescency shou'd by touching it over several times burn the Bone for then the Bone will scale and several dangerous Consequences may follow which must be avoided by taking off the Lampas at one stroak without coming over the Place again after it is cut off The Farriers at Paris make a Scruple to burn the Lampas in young Horses so long as they have any of their Colt's Teeth and 't is my Opinion that this Excrescency ought not to be taken away till they have put forth all their Teeth if it does not very much trouble 'em and hinder 'em from ' eating Of the Barbs These are small and inconsiderable Excrescences of Flesh under the Tongue like those that we see in Barbels They hinder the Horse from Drinking and may be seen by drawing the Tongue aside They are cur'd by cutting 'em off as close as may be with a pair of Cizzars and rubbing the place with Salt which heals of it self without further trouble Of the Tick. You may find a particular description of that which is called the Tick in the Five and Twentieth Chapter of the Second Part. The Remedies that are us'd against it do not always succeed Some tie a Leathern Thong of the breadth of three Fingers about the Horses Neck near his Head yet so as not to obstruct his Breath which makes him either leave off this Custom or use it very little Others cover the Brims of the Manger with Plates of Brass or Copper on which the Horse is afraid to lean his Teeth and abstains from his usual sport for some time but there are some so addicted to that Recreation that they will not be thus frighted from it At the beginning it will be sufficient to rub the brims of the Manger with some very bitter Herb or with Cow's or Dog's Dung Some cover them with a Sheep's Skin the woolly side outwards which makes the Horse desist for some time from this Custom But the surest way is to make him eat in a place where there is no Manger but only a Rack and tying him with a Buckle to the Wall to give him his Oats in a Haver-Sack or Bag which hangs at his Head by a String such as Troopers use in the Army I have seen Horses perfectly cur'd of this ill Custom by one of these means even after they were eight Years old and consequently habituated to it CHAP. IV. Of Wolve's Teeth IN this Distemper the Grinders grow either outwards or inwards so that when the Horse feeds the points of those Teeth that are higher than the rest hurt him by pricking his Flesh or Tongue and make him give over Eating This Inconvenience is of no great consequence yet it puzzles several Persons when they see a Horse forsake his Meat without any manifest cause and pine away when there is no apparent defect either in his Eyes or Hair and even when he is otherwise brisk and lively You must handle his Grinders and if you feel the points of 'em thro' his Lips take a sort of Upset of Iron which Farriers commonly use and setting his Mouth open these points will appear which you may break off with a Googe an Instrument with which every Farrier is furnish'd but you must beware lest by striking heedlesly on the Googe a good Tooth or even the whole Jaw be loosen'd To prevent this Inconvenience which may easily happen instead of using the Googe you may make the Horse champ on a great File us'd by Lock-smiths which will break off the overgrown points if they are not too big But he must chaw the File a quarter of an hour on both sides I had once a Mule one of whose Nether-Grinders grew to a prodigious length It happen'd that the upper Tooth directly opposite to it fell out and that below grew up into the void space and by degrees pierc'd the Roof of his Mouth about the thickness of ones Finger which tormented him exceedingly when he drunk I have related this Example as an extraordinary case to show that when once the Teeth exceed their due measure and are not daily worn by chewing they may grow to an extraordinary length and even cut the Roof of the Mouth I saw an old Horse one of whose great Teeth below was a whole Finger's breadth longer than the rest of his Grinders we were forc'd to cast him with a great deal of trouble before we could break it off with a Googe and his Jaw was so loosen'd by the violence of the Operation that he could not eat without much pain for fifteen days after But at length he recover'd and fed heartily which he could not do before that monstrous Tooth was broken Young Horses are as rarely subject to this Distemper as they are frequently troubled with the Lampas For the Roof of the Mouth grows lank and dry as
the Hundred thirty sixth Chapter with his ordinary Drink A Clyster for the Palpitation of the Heart accompany'd with Heat Take an Ounce and a half of Sal-Polychrest in Powder with a sufficient quantity of the five softening Herbs the Roots of Sorrel and Bugloss the Seeds of Cucumbers Gourds Citruls and Melons grosly beaten and a small quantity of Anniseed Boil the Ingredients in Water to three Quarts add a quarter of a Pound of fresh Butter four Ounces of Powder-Sugar and half a Pound of Oil of Roses Mix and make a Clyster Another cooling Clyster Boil a sufficient quantity of the softening Herbs with two Ounces of Anniseeds in Powder for half a quarter of an Hour in the Whey of Cow's Milk to two Quarts and to the strain'd Liquor add the Yolks of six Eggs a quarter of a Pound of Butter half a Pound of Honey of Violets and an Ounce of Sal-Gemmae in Powder or for want of that of common Salt Make a Clyster If you perceive no sings of an excessive Heat in your Horse's Body or if he be seiz'd with the Distemper during the Winter you must not let him Blood unless there be a great Oppression For in that case you may open the Veins of the Thighs or that in the Brisket and prepare the following Potion Some of the Clysters and Potions prescrib'd for a Palpitation accompany'd with a violent Heat may serve to cool Horses that are over-heated tho' they be not troubl'd with a Palpitation but you must take care not to cool 'em immoderately I have often advertis'd the Reader that the Constitution of Horses is different from that of Men and you may conclude that their Condition does not require cooling Remedies when after the use of those Medicines the Hair begins to bristle and stare when they lose their Appetite or are seiz'd with a shivering Fit If any of these signs appear you must lay aside the use of cold Remedies and give 'em Cordial Powders or the following Cordial Potion A Cordial Potion for the Palpitation of the Heart Take Carduus Benedictus Sage and Rosemary of each half a handful boil 'em for half an Hour in a Pint and a half of Water to the consumption of half a Pint To the strain'd Liquor add of White-Wine one Pint Juniper-Berries round Birthwort Myrrh and shavings of Ivory of each one Dram Galingal Cinnamon and Cloves of each a Scruple Saffron six Grains all in fine Powder Make your Horse drink this Potion luke-warm then walk him half an Hour and two Hours after give him the above-mention'd Clyster for the dispelling of Wind. Continue in a diligent observance of this Method according to the varietie of Seasons and other Circumstances For his ordinary Food you may give him Bran Hay and Wheat-Bread The Distemper is sometimes very violent but rarely Mortal and Horses that are once seiz'd with it are usually subject to it afterwards CHAP. CXXXIV Of Fevers A Fever in Horses is a preternatural and unusual Heat in the Body proceeding from an Ebullition or violent Fermentation of the Humours which weakens the natural Heat and renders it unfit for the regular discharge of its Functions I cannot explain its nature better than by comparing it to the Ebullition of Wine in a Cask where that Liquor is agitated heated dilated and fermented and if it be straiten'd or have no vent it breaks impetuously thro' all obstacles spreads is Steams and Vapours all around and appears so troubl'd and muddy that we cannot discern the least drop of Wine in the Vessel But after these disorderly Motions all the Impurities that were contain'd in the Wine are separated the Lees fall to the bottom a sort of Scum floats on the top and the Concavity of the Vessel is cover'd with a crusty Substance This is the true Idea and representation of a Fever When an unusual Ebullition or Fermentation happens in the Mass of the Blood from what ever cause it proceeds the Blood is agitated and put into a disorderly Motion it swells and breaks out of the Vessels that are no longer able to contain it it acquires a Heat that is obvious to Sense and fills the whole Body with Steams and Vapours which stupifie the Head and the Mixture of it is so extreamly perverted that when you open a Vein that which runs out of it seems to be corrupt Matter rather than Blood When Nature gets the Victory over her Enemy she separates and expels the impure and superfluous Humours And 't is this struggle of Nature that occasions the burning Heat extream Thirst heaviness of the Body difficulty of Breathing excessive beating of the Arteries and Heart and all that numerous Train of Symptoms which usually accompany Fevers and discover the Nature of the Distemper ' Twou'd be an Undertaking of more Labour and Ostentation than Profit to engage in a long Dissertation concerning the Causes Differences and Effects of Fevers I am resolv'd neither to give my Reader nor my self so much Trouble since few Persons are willing to employ their Time in such nice Enquiries and perhaps their want of Curiosity in this Case ought not to be esteem'd a Fault But I shall omit nothing that may serve to promote the Cure of this dangerous and oftentimes fatal Disease Some pretend to discover by a diligent Observation of the Urine the Progress of Nature in her Conflict with the Distemper and the true State of the Body But this Method is hardly practicable in the Diseases of Horses by reason of the Difficulty of procuring their Urine to make Observations of that Nature The various Distinctions of Fevers into Quotidians Tertians Quartans c. are of no Use in this Case and therefore I shall only take Notice of three Kinds of ' em A simple Fever A Simple Fever is neither attended with a Putrefaction of the Humours nor with any considerable Disorder in the Parts of the Body It proceeds from a slight Ebullition of the over-heated Blood and is easily Cur'd by reason of the few Symptoms that accompany it 'T is frequently seated in the Substance of the Heart or in the Lungs Spleen Liver or Stomach It may be Cur'd without much Difficulty by a seasonable and methodical Application of convenient Remedies A putrid or humoral Fever The second kind is accompany'd with a Putrefaction of the Humours and with a remarkable Indisposition of some part of the Body either internal or external 'T is usually Mortal and since Horses are not very subject to Fevers we may reasonably conclude that so dangerous a kind of 'em proceeds from a violent Cause only it must be acknowledg'd that Beasts have this Advantage over Men that their Natural Appetites are less inordinate and their Food more simple and agreeable to Nature Besides their Brains are not disturb'd with Drinking and their Exercise contributes to the Preservation of their Health A pestilential Fever The pestilential Fever makes a prodigious Havock in a little time It overturns and destroys the Strength of
frequentlty This Medicine will purge the Brain and make him eat of his own Accord which is absolutely the best way of Feeding afterwards you may give him moisten'd Bran with Liver of Antimony in Powder which will infallibly restore his Appetite If his Aversion to his Meat continue you must have recourse to the Horn and give him cleans'd Barley without the Addition of Butter or Salt which will nourish and moisten his Body The Barley must be boil'd in Water for the space of five Hours over a gentle Fire then strain and mix it with a convenient quantity of Sugar Take a Pound and a quarter of Barley-flower well boulted and separated from the Bran boil it in two Quarts of Water to the Consistency of thick Broth then add two Ounces of Sugar and give it to your Horse luke-warm This Draught will serve to sustain him twenty four Hours at the end of which it may be repeated If the Violence of the Distemper be not abated you may bleed your Horse a second time The continu'd Use of Clysters and frequent rubbing of the Body are always very profitable in those Cases The Knowledge of the Cause is of very great Importance for the right Management of the Cure and therefore if the Fever be occasion'd by exposing your Horse to the Cold or Night-Air you must keep him cover'd rubb his Body frequently and continue the frequent Use of Clysters If the Distemper proceed from hard Labour and violent Exercise you must boil the Water that serves for his ordinary Drink and mix it with Barley Meal feeding him with Vine Leaves if they be in Season and if you can make him eat 'em without Reluctancy or with Panado or Bread bak'd with Sugar without Fat Butter or Salt If the Fever be caus'd by unwholsome Food 't will be convenient to repeat the Bleeding and to inject Clysters compos'd of a sufficient quantity of a Decoction of the softening Herbs with a Handful of Pigeon's Dung beaten small half a Pound of salt Butter and a Pint of Emetic Wine I have always observ'd the Efficacy of Emetic Wine in Clysters but you must take care not to abuse so useful a Remedy for since Fevers are very dangerous and oftentimes Fatal 't is the usual Custom to lay the Blame of the Horse's Death on the Medicines without taking notice of the Violence of the Distemper By this Method you may certainly cure any Fever that continues simple But these Distempers degenerate oftentimes to putrid Fevers CHAP. CXXXVI Of the Cure of Putrid Fevers THis Kind of Fever commonly attacks young Horses especially those who are vigorous and of a slender Make. It may be easily known by these Signs The sick Horse hangs his Head as if he were quite stupid is hardly able to keep his Eyes open and reels as he goes by reason of the Ascent of Vapours to the Brain his Tongue and Roof of his Mouth are blackish rough and dry there is a great Heat over all his Body his Eyes are red his Breath hot and sharp and his Flanks beat violently You must immediately let him blood sometimes in the Neck Temple or Eye-Veins and sometimes in the Brisket Flanks or Veins of the Thighs The Bleeding ventilates lessens the Redundancy and facilitates the Motion of the Humours It prevents the Breaking of the Vessels allays in some measure the Ebullition tempers the Heat and by taking away part of the Cause of the Distemper gives Nature an Opportunity to subdue the rest You must allow him no more Nourishment than is just sufficient to keep him from starving Green Barley Dandelion and the Tops of Vine Leaves are very proper in this Case or for want of these a little moisten'd Bran Bread and a very small quantity of Hay For his ordinary Drink boil two Ounces of white Tartar beaten to fine Powder in two Quarts of Water for a quarter of an Hour then pour the Decoction into a Pailful of Water with a Handful of Barley Flower and let him drink as much as he pleases You may also mix the following Febrifuge with his Drink which is an excellent and cheap Remedy A Febrifuge or Remedy to drive away Fevers Put a Quart of Water with two Ounces of Salt of Tartar in a Brazen Pot with a Cover and set it over the Fire till the Salt be dissolv'd then pour the Water into a Pail and after the same manner dissolve an Ounce of Sal Armoniac beaten to Powder in another Quart of Water Mix this last Solution with the former and fill up the Pail with common Water if your Horse refuse to drink it add a little Barley Flower to qualifie the unpleasant Taste This Drink will allay the Heat of the Fever quiet and stop the Fermentation and Ebullition of the Humours provoke Urine powerfully and wonderfully ease the sick Horse And therefore you must always pour a little of this Febrifuge into the Water you give him to drink neglecting the Use of Sal Prunellae since 't is not expedient to confound Remedies and the Febrifuge excels all the rest that can be prescrib'd Take Assa-faetida and Savin both in Powder of each half an Ounce tye 'em in a Bag to your Horse's Bit and never unbridle him unless when you think fit to suffer him to eat or drink There are no other internal Remedies useful in this Case but the Cordial Waters which by Virtue of their Essential Qualities strengthen the Heart and inable it to resist the Malignity of the unnatural Heat that opposes and endeavours to destroy that which is Natural and besides by reason of their Moisture they allay and temper that internal Heat which causes the Fever Take three Pints of the Waters of Scabious Carduus Benedictus Scorzonera and Queen of the Meadows with an Ounce of the Confection of Alkermes Make your Horse drink up the whole Mixture and repeat it the next Day if need require Above all you must continue and frequently repeat the use of Clysters injecting three or four every Day if there be occasion For there is no Remedy gives greater ease and relieves the Horse more effectually A Clyster for a Fever Boil two Ounces of the Scoriae of Liver of Antimony reduc'd to fine Powder in five Pints of Whey made of Cow's Milk and after two or three brisk waums remove the Decoction from the Fire and immediately add two Heads of Coloquintida slic'd small and after 't is half cold press out the Liquor add to the straining a quarter of a Pound of Butter and inject it luke-warm This Purgative Clyster will give ease to the Horse without heating his Body Yet it must not be us'd daily but that which follows may be repeated several times every Day Another Clyster for Fevers Take a sufficient quantity of the emollient or softening Herbs and Fennel-seed beaten with an Ounce and a half of Sal-Polychrest and two handfuls of whole Barley boil 'em and add to the strain'd Liquor Oil of Roses and Violets of each
Flesh for if it be seated only in the Substance of the Hide and may be easily mov'd with your Fingers it may be cur'd without much Difficulty before it break the Skin In the Cure of the Farcin one of the most promising Signs of a speedy Recovery is when the Cords or Knots grow loose and moveable and therefore such as are naturally loose may be quickly cur'd with a very moderate degree of Care Horses that are troubl'd with the Farcin are usually brisk and lively they eat and drink as when they were in Health and discover not the least Sign of Sickness by their Actions they are as capable of enduring Labour or Travel as ever and even moderate Exercise promotes the Cure by dissipating and expelling part of the Humour that causes the Disease Some reckon up seven and others eight Sorts of this Distemper but I shall only divide it into four Kinds to which all the rest may be reduc'd The Flying Farcin This Kind of Farcin is known by certain Knots that are spread over the whole Body appearing sometimes in one place and sometimes in another and resembling the little Swellings call'd Corns in Men. 'T is call'd the Flying Farcin because it quickly over-runs those Parts that seem'd not to be infected with it before 'T is easily cur'd because it has not a fixt Seat or Root in the Emunctories The Corded Farcin The second Sort of Farcin is accompany'd with hard Swellings resembling the Ropes or Strings that run between the Flesh and the Skin along the Veins especially those of the Thighs Neck and Brisket and along the Belly These Cords are beset with Tumours or Knots which break forth into Ulcers and cast out Matter and the Colour of the Lips of these Ulcers is different according to the Variety of the corrupted Humours If the Blood predominate they are Red if it degenerate into Choler by reason of the Defect of the Liver in separating the Bile from the Mass of Humours they appear yellow if Flegm abound they are White and if there be a Redundancy of burnt black and melancholic Humours they are of a blackish Colour which is the most dangerous of all the four Cases The Farcin resembling a Hen's Fundament This is a very dangerous Farcin and difficult to be cur'd 'T is known by great Tumours or Bunches which break the Skin without voiding any Matter The Lips of the Ulcer are almost always callous and foul and of a Reddish-black Colour which is a Sign of burnt and melancholic Blood It takes its Name from the Resemblance of its Figure The internal Farcin In this Kind the Knots are seated between the Flesh and the Skin without any visible external Swelling they resemble Corns and fasten the Flesh to the Skin If the Cure be not timely begun the Disease enters into the Body and infecting the inward Parts kills the Horse Sometime the Knots are fasten'd to the inside of the Skin only and are not rooted in the Flesh they appear usually on the fore-part of the Breast and are very easily cur'd CHAP. CXL Remedies for the Farcin TO proceed methodically in the Cure of this Disease you must begin with inward Medicines before you proceed to external Applications for 't wou'd be to no Purpose to extirpate the Tumours and dry up the Ulcers while the Cause remains still in the Body and after such a fallacious and barely palliative Cure the Disease wou'd return with equal or perhaps greater Violence than before And therefore you must endeavour with all possible Diligence to correct the Acrimony of the Humours destroy the Poison that causes the preternatural Heat evacuate or extirpate all the Corruption and fortifie Nature that she may be in a Condition to execute her wonted Functions with Vigour and Alacrity 'T is the usual Custom to cure this Distemper by applying certain Roots to the Forehead putting Remedies in the Ears or hanging 'em in Bags at the Mane But tho' these Applications may stop the Course of the Humours for some time they are absolutely incapable of draining the Source of 'em and since the Farcin is usually occasion'd by corrupt and over-heated Blood the Horses that are cur'd by these Remedies are afterwards render'd obnoxious to more dangerous Distempers for this way of Curing the Farcin is not unlike to the Method of Curing Quartan Fevers with the Peruvian Bark or Jesuits Powder which only fixes the Spirits that cause the Distemper without consuming or evacuating 'em and the Fever certainly returns if the Ferment or Humour be not expell'd by convenient Purgatives The same may be said of the Farcin for those palliative Remedies perform a seeming Cure but the Corruption and poisonous Cause of the Distemper remain and afterwards degenerate to Scabs or Scratches on the Sinews or Cronet Glanders Pursiveness and several other Diseases that are more difficult to be cur'd than the Farcin it self Others apply Caustic Ointments to extirpate the foul and corrupt Flesh but tho' I have observ'd this Method to be sometimes successful as I shall afterwards shew in two Remarkable Instances I cannot be perswaded to believe that this is the true Cure of the Farcin since it reaches not the Cause of the Distemper It requires a stronger Faith to believe that a triffing Medicine put into the Ear or hung at the Mane is able to root out an inveterate Farcin than that the Sympathetic Powder cures Wounds without immediate Application And since there are not many who give Credit to the boasted Effects of that Powder I know no reason why we shou'd be oblig'd to believe the more incredible Efficacy of these Applications for the Farcin If it be objected That daily Experience confutes my Opinion and that Horses are frequently cur'd with Bags hung at the Mane or Tail and such like Toys I shall not scruple to confess that I have cur'd some Horses by the same Method But I must beg leave to continue still in my former Perswasion That this is not a true Cure since the Cause is not remov'd and the Blood remains still hot and corrupted 'T is true the Humour that fomented the Disease is diverted and as it were laid asleep for some time but it will quickly take another course and perhaps occasion greater Disorders For the Poyson is not destroy'd which besides the above-mention'd Disease may breed some internal Abscess Cramps Gout and other Distempers or putrefie and ulcerate the Lungs If when the course of the Humour is diverted and a stop put to the external malignity of the Farcin by those palliative Remedies due care were taken to attack or destroy the venemous cause of the Disease with some good specific Remedy by purifying the Blood and powerfully expelling the corrupt Humours the Cure would certainly succeed But then it must be acknowleg'd that those pretended sympathetic Remedies are altogether useless since the work is perform'd without their assistance For if the noxious Humours be evacuated and the Blood purify'd all the symptoms of
Crupper slack the Tie or Breast-plate and put some fresh straw betwixt the Saddle and Horse's back to refresh and ease him Then shake down a good deal of fresh Litter beneath him to oblige him to Stale or Piss for the most part of good Horses do alwayes Piss when they are first put in the Stable and find the Litter beneath them I shall here by the way give you an advice that will seem some what extraordinary although very good which is that during your whole journey you suffer your horse to piss as often as you find him inclin'd to it and you should also excite and invite him to it the quite contrary of which is to be practised with Mares which you are to hinder as much as possible to piss in travelling betwixt meals because their strength and vigour is thereby diminished those who have Mares may make a tryal of this and will come to acknowledge it for a truth that horses should be allowed and even excited to piss as they are riding but Mares not because they will not be the worse but rather yield their Masters the more service by it I don't alledge and recommend this practice without certainly knowing it's effect You are next to take away the old hay from the Rack and clean the Stall before him from all filthiness of Earth Sand or Poultrey dung taking also care that the Manger be not full of holes which is very common in most Inns that so the Oats which fall through may serve to feed their Fouls and if it should be very Dirty and Nastie you are then to cause wash it with warm Water Another method for horses which are full of fire and Mettal and which are worth the pains to be carefully lookt after is that after you have rid them hard and arrived at the Inn or that your horse be very warm you are immediatly at your alighting to cause unsaddle him and scrape off the sweat from his whole body with a Sweating knife or Scraper after which wipe his head and ears well with a Hair-cloath and rub his body all over with fresh straw put a covering or horse Cloath upon him and then set on the Saddle again after which cause gently lead him up and down in a mans hand for half an hour before you put him in the Stable This method is good to be practised by such as carry Grooms along with them and whose only business it is to loo◠after scrape off the sweat and dry and rub doun their horses because as for the Hostler Boyes they are very dextrous 't is true in asking drink-money but understand little thing else belonging to horses and therefore unless a man have a Groom of his own he had better make use of the former method If a man hath carried along with him any of the stinking Pills descrived in the 85 Chap Sect 3. of the second part he ma◠cause give his horse two of them with a little Claret Wine or for want of them give hi◠an English pint of Brandy if the horse hath been rid very hard and that he fear 〈◊〉 may be the worse of it for this will stop and prevent all accidents and other inconveniencies which may happen but I shall speak a little more of this hereafter If about a quarter or half a quarter of an hour before you arrive at the Inn yo◠meet with any water in which there is a good Foord or passage it will be very fit i◠cause your horse pass and repass it two or three times without either wetting his Belly or suffering him to drink when I say you should not wet his Belly I mean that you should not make him go so deep into it as that the water may come up to his Belly for to prevent and hinder his Legs to make the Water spurt and fly up about his belly and wet it is what cannot be expected neither is it of any consequence now besides that the washing him thus doth cleanse his legs of the Mud the water being cold doth bind up the humours and prevent that those which were stirred up by the whole days journey fall not down upon his Legs as being the lowest parts of his body and the most capable to receive them which will make them become stiff by causing obstructions in the Nerves which at last will quite ruine and spoil them CHAP XXX How a man should order Horses at dinner and supper while upon Travel IF it be in the summer time CHAP XXX How a man should order horses at dinner and supper while upon travel when the Waters are warm you are at your coming near to the Inn if your horse be not very warm and sweating to wash hi◠in some Water or Pond without either going so deep as his belly or suffering him to drink and it is also very good for some horses whose Legs are already a little Gourded or being fleshy are subject to Humors when a man hath not the conveniency of a Rivulet or pond upon the Road to alight about a quarter of an hour before he arrive at his Inn and lead his horse in his hand to cool him and so soon as he is come to the stable door to cause wash and bath his Legs with Well water just as it is taken from the Well which will prevent the descent of humors upon them this method is particularly excellent for such horses as have received some severe stroke upon their Legs or Hams and which never fail to swell in those parts by them they have at Dinner time or in the Evening I knew an Italian Escuyer or Riding-Master who after his Mannage whether his horses were warm or not made them swim over and again a River near by his Mannage as broad as the Seine is before the Louvre in Paris and afterwards caused dry them all over and cover them well in the stable not suffering them to eat for an hour after this he practised his whole life-time and none of his horses had ever either Collick or Vives but were alwayes the cleanest and nearest limbed could be I beleive this Example although very true won't perswade any man to do the like Your horse being tyed up to the Rack and partly dryed of his sweat or moisture which he had at first arriving although he be as yet bridled yet if he begin to draw his hay and beat no more in his Flanks you are to cause unbridle him and to wash his Bit in a pail of water that it may be carefully hung up after it is well cleaned and wipt and afterwards you may suffer him to eat his hay at pleasure Those who so soon as they arrive at the Inn suffer their horses to be unbridled by the Hostler boyes as is the common custom are deceived in so far as their horses eat only for the first quarter of an hour and then eat no more thereafter whereas if they were suffered to stand some time in the bridle
standing in such uneven stables where their hind feet were constantly ill placed have at length rendered their hind Quarters so mishapâ—t that they appeared maimed There are some people who when they see a horse that treadeth only upon his hinder Toes say that he is Roosted or Pearched in French Juché To shoe a horse which stumbleth you must shoe him quite contrary to those which tread only upon the Toes of their hind-feet for you must take down his Toe very much and also shorten it to the end he may not meet so easily with the clods and stones upon the High-wayes But if those horses which stumble have their sinews troubled their legs spoilt or if their shoulders be weak then you must have recourse to another cure than Shoeing which you will find in the 33 Chap. of the 2d part and others following where you have receipts that are all very good If your horse Over-reach you must shoe him so that the Spunge of the shoe may follow the turn of his foot as I ordered you before It is commonly a sign of Weakness when a horse is subject to Over-reach which is when with his hind-feet as he is riding he overtaketh the heels of his fore Other people after the Spanish fashion turn up their hind-feet shoes at the Toe as I told you they did the Pack or Sumpter horses Fore-feet shoes in Hilly Countreys which method is not bad for when horses over-reach they do not so easily with these pull off their fore-feet shoes it is certain that the rider is oftentimes the occasion of a horse's over-reaching because through his ignorance he knoweth not how with his Bridle-hand and by the fear of his Spurs to keep his horse Together and firm under him it 's true that an action which is constrained cannot endure long and far less the whole time of a long journey when wearyness seizeth a horse but a man should alwayes now and then Advertise his horse and if that prevent not his over-reaching you may then freely say that he wanteth Reins and Strength or that he is quite spoilt CHAP. XLV How to shoe horses which have been Foundered in the feet THere are few Horses that have been oftner foundered in the Body than once CHAP XLV How to shoe horses which have been foundered in the feet which have not some of the humour which occasioned the foundering fallen down in their feet some more and others less therefore it is necessary to cause shoe them after some certain regular method which may help and recover their feet as much as possible I shall discourse to the full of Foundering in the body in the 86 Chap. of the second part of this Work where the cures for it shall be set down at large and therefore shall in this place only offer to you one single remedy for it which is as good as it is easie and all the vertue of this cure consisteth in the hair and skin of an Ermin which is a little four footed Creature all white except the tip of its tail which is black just shaped like a Weasel only their colours differ People take the skins of those 〈◊〉 Creatures which they dry without Tanning or dressing them and whenever a hâ—â— foundered they take about the bigness of a farthing at most of the skin and hair â—â—ther and cutting it in five or six pieces make the norse swallow it in Wine 〈◊〉 or other liquor afterwards they keep the horse bridled three or four hours often times the horse with one drench will be cured also when horses have been 〈◊〉 Fatigued and that People fear their foundering they must give them amongst 〈◊〉 wet Bran or Oats when they are unbridled a dozen of the haires of a dry'd 〈◊〉 skin and that will preserve them and prevent the disease But it is to be observed that the Ermins skins which are taken in France have much vertue you must therefore get of those Ermins skins which come 〈◊〉 Muscovy undressed they are easily known because of their length for 〈◊〉 are considerably longer than the French ones these in Germany are also better 〈◊〉 the French but not so good as those of Muscovie and the further North that tâ— Ermins are taken the more vertue have their skins to cure foundered horses Oâ—â— times also although people have good enough Receipts yet if they be not time 〈◊〉 applyed before that the foundering hath seized much upon a horse's body it seldâ—â— faileth but that the humour at least a part of it by a natural propensity falleth downâ— to the Feet more or less according to the time that the horse hath been foundered 〈◊〉 fore he was taken notice to sometimes also receipts not methodically given have 〈◊〉 had a successful effect so that the whole Foundering hath fallen down into tâ—â— Feet Now the Feet into which the Foundering humour is fallen are commonly missâ—â—â— and diffigured because the point or that part of the Coffin-bone or little Foot whâ—â— is most advanced falleth down and presseth the sole and the middle of the 〈◊〉 above the Toe shrinketh in and becometh flat because of the hollowness beneath it ocasioned by the falling down of the end of the Coffine-bone and when the boneâ— the Little-foot hath fallen down after this manner and presseth the sole out wards people then say that the horse hath Crescents although that those Crescents be really the bone of the little-foot which hath left its place and fallen downwards and the under part of the Foot to wit the sole at the toe appeareth round like tâ—â— segment of a Ball and the hoof above shrinks in neither can it be otherwayes 〈◊〉 it is empty and hollow therefore a part of the Coffine-bone or Little-foot hath 〈◊〉 said fallen down and left that space wherein it stayed empty and being empty hoof at that place is not supported by any thing and therefore must of necesâ— shrink or fall in The very same happeneth to horses which have had a great Numness in the Coâ—â— called in French Petonnement du sabâ—t which is when the same Coffin-bone or Liâ—â— foot I was just now discoursing of becometh loose at the Toe and quiteth its â—â—tural situation and place The flesh which surrounded it and joyned it to the Coâ—â— dryeth up and there remaineth a void and Empty place and seing the Little-foot loose and detatched at the end next the Toe it falleth down and forceth the 〈◊〉 which covered it downwards so that the fore part of the hoof appeareth like a Câ—â—â—cent and the sole as if there were another little bone grown below the Little 〈◊〉 which pressed it downwards where there is no such thing for that Crescent 〈◊〉 thing else but the bone of the Little-foot which hath quit its natural situation 〈◊〉 the Toe and having fallen down it goeth beyond its natural bounds and make the hoof at the Toe appear of the shape of a Crescent more or less according as 〈◊〉 bone of the
little water give it thus to the horse for this mixture of the Oats will cause him to eat his straw and so to become plumpand fat without stuffing his belly with hay There are several kinds of Inventions for cutting straw therefore every man may cause do it after his own method but that which is smallest cut is the best CHAP LIV. Of the Food and Entertainment of horse of Mannage BEsides what I have already said CHAP. LIV. Of the Food and Entertamment of horses of Mannage of the ordering and entertainment 〈◊〉 horses of value which are properly the horses of Maunage there are 〈◊〉 some other things to be observed while they are actually working and 〈◊〉 they dayly ride in the mannage The most part of Overseers or Masters of Academies give their horses no 〈◊〉 the morning before their mannage and only give it them two times a day at twelve a clock and at night this method they say is good because it both saves châ—â—gâ—â— and a horse is more gentle and goes better when his belly is not too full for 〈◊〉 think the contrary especially for those which are obliged to work till twelve a 〈◊〉 because during such a long Interval their natural heat so consumes them that thâ—â— cannot be so plump and lusty as they ought to be excellent and good therefore think it is very proper to give them some Oats in the Morning This method 〈◊〉 theirs of giving their Oats at two times a day only is supportable for horses which either ride little in the Mannage or which never go to a Campaign but for these which are obliged to travel or follow the Army they should be fed at three times because it is more profitable for them disgusting them less and digesting a greâ—â— deal better 'T is true that at last there is this inconveniency that having once got â— habit to eat their Oats at three times when they come again to ride in the mannâ—â— and to have none given them in the morning their whole thoughts and attention upon their Oats so that their imagination is otherwayes taken up than with whâ— man is teaching them besides that they are too empty for performing so violent 〈◊〉 exercise Those who give their horses no Oats in the Morning make a very 〈◊〉 husbandry according to the Horse-coursers Maxim that by seeding well a 〈◊〉 gains not much but by feeding too sparingly he loses all Therefore I think it most proper to give to all kinds of horses their Oaâ—s three times a day but then the first must be by four a clock in the Morning if a 〈◊〉 design to work them at six and by three if he have a mind to ride them at five 〈◊〉 so during those two hours of interval their Oats may be half digested In fine all sorts of horses would have a regular method of feeding the 〈◊〉 those of greatest value as the most noble and delicate require the greatest 〈◊〉 There is nothing which makes a horse become so soon lean as to be long without â—â—â—ing for it diminishes his vigour and as the natural heat is never idle so whâ—◠〈◊〉 hath no subject to work upon it acts against the proper parts of the body 〈◊〉 drying them up destroying their just temperature and dissipating their 〈◊〉 substance This is an inconveniency to which these horses are subject which 〈◊〉 but one continued March of a dayes journey and which is commonly practiâ—â— by such as conduct a great Stable of horses or a considerable Equipage but that whâ—â— should be observed in this case is to be but only six or seven hours upon your jouâ—â—â—â— when you can so order it as to get it done After your horses of Mannage have ate their Oats in the Morning you are to 〈◊〉 dress them slightly by only removing the coursest dust which is upon their skin 〈◊〉 help of the brush and hair cloath if nevertheless your Groom have the time it is 〈◊〉 fit to cause dress them throughly after which he is to saddle them neatly taking 〈◊〉 that the points of the fore-bows be placed streight above the horse's 〈◊〉 which are placed near his belly opposite to the places where the girths are fastned 〈◊〉 marked in the Fig of the first plate with Numb 16. People should alwayes place great Saddles more forwards than hunting Saddles because if they are set too far back and as the Hunting Saddles commonly are their Bows which are ordinarly large and therefore troublesome to the horse will hinder the motion of his shoulders the horse being thus saddled is to have his Bridle put into his head care being alwayes taken not to pull out the hair of his fore-top as it is frequently the custom for Mal-adroit Grooms to do and after your horse hath done riding if he sweat much you are immediatly to cause lead him to the stable if you are near it and if it be at a distance then you are to take him into some shelter'd place for a short time until you have caused scrape the sweat from him But if you are near to the stable then immediatly when you have brought him to it put him upon the Snaffle or rather Masticadour and having taken off his saddle take a Sweating-knife or Scraper whereof you may see the figure in the 1. plate and holding it with both your hands and also taking care not to cut him with it scrape off all the sweat which is upon his whole body going alwayes with the hair as you scrape and make use of the knife Having scrap't off exactly his sweat rub and wipe his head very well both above and below with a good large hair-cloath because being suffered to remain moist it is many times the cause of defluxions wipe him also betwixt his fore and hind Legs and then with clean straw rub him carefully over all the body particularly beneath his belly after which cover him very well and so leave him until he be perfectly dry Those who delight extraordinarly in their horses cause rub them alwayes with straw until they be throughly dry and the method is good A horse which hath sweat much through excessive labour being exactly wipt down and covered if the Alley or walk of your stable be long enough cause lead him up and down in it for a quarter of an hour and if it be in the summer time you may cause lead him in ones hand without doors but if you have no place which is temperate and warm then suffer him to dry where he standeth Horses of mannage which have swet extremly should never be suffered to drink before they are throughly cooled and have ate some Oats for I have known many which for having drunk too soon have either dyed by it or become very sick The most part of Grooms fancy that their horses have the same impatience and inclination to drink that they themselves have which is the reason that they make alwayes so great haste to give it them
Hay that wherein there is much Clover is absolutely the best A Botte of Straw and three Measures of Oats whereof there are six as I said in the Bushel with two heaped Measures of Bran at Twelve a Clock especially and the Straw which he leaveth of the above-mentioned proportion will serve for his Litter A Hunter or Journey-Pad of a reasonable size will eat more Hay although his labour be not so violent both because they are commonly longer of Body and also that when they go to the Feilds to hunt they are a long time without eating therefore they must have more food to keep them always in good case so that people should give to them a Botte and a half of Hay a Botte of Straw and four Measures of Oats A large Galloway or Summer-Pad two Bottes of Hay in three days and each day a Botte of Straw with two Measures of Oats besides one of Bran at twelve a clock The lesser size of Galloways or Summer little Nags two Bottes of Hay in three days and the like quantity of Straw but then two Measures of Oats given at three times in the day will be abundantly sufficient As Coach-Horses are larger than any of these above-mentioned so they require a greater allowance of food therefore if they are very large five Bottes of Hay and three Bottes of Straw betwixt the two and six measures of Oats to each that is the Setier should serve them both for ten days but if they are horses only of a middle size then four Bottes of Hay and three of Straw betwixt the two and five Measures of Oats to each will serve however some people give only four of Oats but it is too small an allowance if they work much In fine I am of opinion that it is an excellent Maxim to feed well such horses as work as also these which do not for it is a true Proverb that there should be no such thing as Oats resting or not made use of A Setier of Oats will serve two of the largest size of Coach-horses ten days although they work very hard and twelve if but moderatly to the common or ordinary size of Coach horses the Setier will last twelve days between the two and to the smallest size it will serve fourteen but a man is always according to their violent moderate or very small exercise to regulate himself for the just distribution of their food When once horses are very plump and well accustomed for a long time to Hard-meat they are nourished and maintain themselves in that condition with a very little food for example I have known in Paris extraordinary large Coach-horses 〈◊〉 did not eat each of them in twenty four hours above an Botte of Hay and a 〈◊〉 straw the Setier of Oats lasted them both a fortnight and yet they were 〈◊〉 very fat and in good case It is true indeed that their labour was but moderate and quently interrupted that is they had many days of rest and before they were reducâ— this small allowance they were continually sick but thereafter kept their health 〈◊〉 well Now if any Man should offer to regulate his horse's food according to this pâ—â—tion without considering whether or not they be already in a good case or have of a long time accustomed to Hard-meat would I assure you be deceived for they only those horses which are very fat that can be maintained with so little food 〈◊〉 must they also be suffered to work too excessively The Wheat Bran which is given to Coach-horses should not be reckoned as 〈◊〉 of their food except they be either extraordinary light-belly'd very young or excessâ— over-heated in their bodies which you may easily discover by the hardness blackness of their Dung Cut-Straw is very good to be given them amongst their Oats and in other 〈◊〉 they are to be ordered as the rest of your horses Every Man who hath good horses should cause take a special care of them 〈◊〉 they are worth his pains and for that effect if he can have his choice of a Stable shall have it well aired and not at all moist for Humidity is a great enemy to 〈◊〉 and bringeth many inconveniencies along with it therefore except in a dry and 〈◊〉 foundation all stables beneath ground are moist and consequently worth 〈◊〉 the Windows should be to the North if possible and the whole Stable kept very 〈◊〉 however without Stiffling and it is upon this account that the Vaults which are tooâ—â— are unwholsome because they are almost as hot as Ovens the Manger should be 〈◊〉 three or four foot high a foot and a half broad and as much in depth provide that the Stall be full four foot high which is the greatest height it should 〈◊〉 the largest size of Horses but for the middle three foot and a half is sufficient and for 〈◊〉 least or Galloway Nags three because for this last size this height of the Manger 〈◊〉 judged abundantly sufficient for if it were heigher it would oblige them 〈◊〉 stretch too much their necks before they could reach the bottom of the manger Heck or Rack perpendicularly fixed because in those which slop forwards the 〈◊〉 and short hay falls from them and so durties the horse's head and Mane In 〈◊〉 where there are a great number of horses the best way is to have no Rack at all cause the Grooms which should be continually near them will give them their by degrees and so it will be better freed from its dust as it is just untyed and 〈◊〉 out of the Bottle which is a thing not very commonly practised for the 〈◊〉 men and Grooms do generally throw the Bottles of hay into the Rack hard tyed and without so much as the least untying or dusting it which is a bad custom 〈◊〉 cause if you cause dust it well and but give it them little by lttle it will them a great deal more good than if you should give it all at once as those lazy 〈◊〉 slothful Grooms do The measures and dimensions of a Stable within the walls are eighteen or two foot for one range of horses to wit ten foot for the length of the horse where standeth and eight or ten foot for the Alley or Walk and so proportionably 〈◊〉 Stable of two ranges there must be allowed seven foot and a half for the stanâ—â— two horses which is about eight inches for the Mid-pillar and about three 〈◊〉 inches for the place of each horse For the rest see Chap. 50. at the end A 〈◊〉 not want good models both in France and England whereby he may be instâ—â—â— in the building a convenient Stable especially in France that of Merlow in 〈◊〉 pleasure house of the Constables of Mommorancy the Kings Stables both the great and lesser the Stables of Cardinal Mazarin those of Chilly belonging to Monsieur 〈◊〉 those of Maison which are of a very odd and extraordinary fashion and many 〈◊〉 any of which patterns a man
if he stand in need of it and also what medicament is most fit for him to regular its quantity to resolve after what method it should be administrate to cause 〈◊〉 take it at a proper and seasonable time and lastly to practise exactly all the circâ—â— stances which should be observed First It is certain that the seldomer a man purge a horse it will be always the â—â—est side he chooseth for it should never be attempted without a great necessity 〈◊〉 they are easily enflamed and so much the more readily because they require great quantity of Drugs to purge them which cannot possibly be given without 〈◊〉 printing a strange heat in their bodies and which finding a disposition in their parâ— and humours doth many times either degenerate into a Feaver or leave behind 〈◊〉 great impression of its heat which is not soon extinguished The second reason why horses should not be purged except in a great necessity that the medicaments are commonly twenty four hours in their bodies before they begin to operate so that during that time they alwayes overheat or alter some of the parts seing they don't rest there without moving over-heating or irritating nature If people could act upon horses conform to the doctrine of those who disapprove purging they would certainly prevent a great many disorders because whatever precautions people may observe in preparing them for it yet they so frequently remark such considerable disorders after its operation that we may confidently conclude nature suffers a great deal by such an evacuation If we could find out remedies whereby we might so fortifie and redress nature as that she could discharge her self of her own accord through the common passages of that which were prejudicial to her and that she could either overcome and destroy these bad humours take away their malignity or fix them then certainly People might be freed from that trouble they have in purging them but for my part whatever care and diligence I have taken I have not as yet discovered these remedies and if there are some Medicaments which may perform a part of this effect yet they do it not wholly but leave the remander of the humours more attached and fastned and more difficult to be evacuate then the whole would have been had the remedy been altogether a Specifick for them Necessity hath no Law and therefore people are many times obliged to purge horses but then it should be performed by observing the Climate Season the different aspects of the Planets the disease the constitution age and if possible the very nature and disposition of the horse which being void of reason and speech cannot discover to us his distemper and far less what is fit for it The third reason for which we should observe exact precautions in purging proceeds from the difficulty of knowing the condition of the disease and the disposition of the humours which when concocted and digested by nature are easily evacuate but being crude and unprepared are rebellious and don 't yeild to the Remedy and because there are several kinds of these humours it is very fit to give here a slight description of them The division that Hippocrates maketh of the parts of Man is to be observed in all Creatures he establishes first the solid parts as the bones and flesh next the liquid parts as the Blood and humours and lastly the spirituous parts which are the Source of life the principal Organs of Action and the first Springs of all our motions The Liquid parts are those humours which are of no fixed and stable consistence they are produced of the Food which people take and after divers preparations a part of them is converted into the proper substance of the solid parts which is called Nutrition another portion of them repaires the loss and dissipation of the Spirits and the rest is rejected as useless if the food be proper right chosen and taken in time and in a just quantity if the concoction and preparation of them be made it as ought and that all the parts which contribute to digestion acquit themselves exactly well of their functions and if the unprofitable and superfluous part of them be thrown out and expelled in its due time and in just quantity through the common passages then there is formed a perfect Health which is rare in Men because their passions and the disturbance of their Body and Spirits produce a great deal of disorder from which horses are exeemed and I do really believe that the passions and irregular desires in Men are a considerable part of the cause why they have not a health so throughly and firmly established as otherwise it would yea we even see that horses without having passions are not in a perfect state of Health and that through labour which is either given them immoderatly or unseasonably or otherways by reason of bad nourishment as I shall show you more at large in the 2d part If it happen that the food be improper altered and corrupted and either taken unseasonably or in too great or small a quantity if the Digestion be out of order or if the Excretions or voidings are disordered then is the whole Oeconomy of the Body perverted its forces diminish and Diseases are brought upon it so that in this disorder it produces humours which degenerate from the excellency of the Blood and to facilitate the understanding of these according to their different Comparisons people make several kinds of divisions of them some compare them to Milk and say that the purest blood considered in the perfection of its mass answers to the intire substance of Milk and that there are three parts which compose it Bile answers to Butter Melancholly to Cheese and Phlegm to Whey those again who compare the Humours to the Elements and Seasons of the Year say that Blood corresponds to the Spring and to Air and give it the qualities of hot and moist that the Bile sembles Summer to which they give the qualities of hot and dry not formally virtually and that phlegm hath an affinity to water which is cold and moist therefore hath a conformity to Winter and to the Moon that Melancholy is cold dry and so cometh near to the nature of Earth because of the cold which is esseâ— to it The Chymists have attempted to find out a conformity betwixt the humours their own principles but seeing they have not as yet agreed about it amongst the selves it is difficult to establish any thing which may prove solid upon prince which are still controverted and debated therefore we shall have no regard to the but adhere to that which is most agreeable to the ends of Purging People should not think of purging blood considered as Blood because if it abouâ— in too great a quantity it requires evacuation by bleeding and so likwise if it be 〈◊〉 heated to give a freedom to and facilitate the motion of the Spirits and then 〈◊〉 wards it may be clarified
or four ounces of the Catholicoâ—â—â— horses Glysters described in the 76 Chap Sect. 5. of the second part and let it be given luke-warm to your horse Take an English Quart and an half An astringent orbinding Glyster of that Water wherein Smiths quench their hot Iron boyl in it two handfuls of Plantaine Knot Grass or Centinodia and white Mullain strain this decoction and mix amongst it an English quart and an half of Milk in which you shall have quenched small red hot White pebble stones for six or seven times then add to it fine Bole and Starch of each two ounces with half a dozen Yolks of Eggs you may also if you will make use of the seeds of Garden Sâ—â—â—â— White Poppy the Oyl of Roses the Oyl of Quinces and many others where with you may make a Glyster either stronger or weaker according to your intention Ane Anodyne Glyster An Anodyne Glyster is that which asswageth pain by the agreeable temper it 〈◊〉 with the nature of the parts To compose which Take three English pints of Milk and a quart of Water mix amongst it a poâ—â— of Linseed meal with the soft of a penny Loaf which must be well dissolved in it then take of the Flowrs of Camomil and Melilot and causing all boyl together 〈◊〉 or six Walmes pass it through a double linnen Cloath squeezing it very strongly afâ—â—â— which dissolve in it half a dozen Yolks of Eggs four ounces of the Oyl of Roses a Violets and half a pownd of Butter or if you have the marrow of a Hart or Deer thâ— fat of a Fox Goose or Hen they will be better than the Butter and therefore you 〈◊〉 make use of any of them in its place A man may also make an Anodyne Glyster of the broath of Tripes only adding to 〈◊〉 the herbs and dissolving therein the Anodyus before mentioned People call that Diuretick A Diuretick Glyster The five opening Roots which expells the watery humors and serosities contained in the body by Urine you shall then cause boyl the five aperient or opening 〈◊〉 Viz Smallage Fennel Asparagus Parsly and Radishes with Barley and the â—â—ent herbs and having strained the Decoction dissolve amongst it two ounces of â—â— prunella otherwayes called Chrystal Mineral or which is more proper an ounce as a half of Polychrest in powder with half a pound of common Turpentine in which yâ—â— are to dissolve three Yolks of Eggs then mixing with all some propper Electuaâ— such as the Catholicum for horses and Diaprunum solutivum or Electuary of pruns pâ—â—ing about three or four ounces together with an English pint of Emetick Wine whiâ—â— Clyster being given to your horse will cause him piss more then all the Galeâ— Diureticks A man may compose many other kinds of Glysters by the knowledge I have give him of the Simples and of the manner they are to be made use of for example whâ— you would purge Bile then you are to put in the Glysters those Electuaries whâ— purge it and so of the rest which purge the other humors as well Simples as Electuaries which are all ranked in their proper Classes You will find in the 22 Chap. Sect. 5. of the 2d part a Carminative and Purgagative Oyl to be put in Glysters which is excellent as also in the 76 Chap. Sect 5. of the said part a Catholicum for the same purpose and which is particularly composed for horses CHAP. LXVI After what manner a Glyster is to be administred to a horse THe Common Farriers CHAP LXVI How to give a Horse a Glyster don't give to horses above an English quart or three pints of Decoction for a Glyster neither have they generally a great effect for besides that the liquor is given in too small a quantity they also spare the Drugs and commonly mix nothing with the Decoctions but salted water honey and Oyl however it is not but if People would pay them as they desire they would perhaps make them good My opinion is that there is required for a Glyster at least two or three English quarts of Decoction because being in a less quantity then that it but moistens and washes little for as a horse drinks ten times more then a man and that People give also twenty times more then the doze for a man to purge him it follows that the same proportion should be observed for his Glysters A Glyster being prepared after this manner should not be given till the horses great Gut be cleared of its dung which by Farriers is called Raiking and is performed by first anointing your hand well with a little Oyl or Butter and then thrusting it up into his Fundament taking care not to scratch the Gut with your Nailes and with it drawing forth all the dung you can conveniently bring away or otherwayes thrust up into it about the bigness of a large Hens Egg of Castile Soap anoynted with Oyl to make it enter with the more ease half an hour after which the horse will empty so that using this you need not thrust up your hand to Raik him because the Soap will do it sufficiently of it self having thus Raik't or caused your horses to empty you are next to place him with his fore-parts a little lower than his Croupe and thrusting in to his Fundament a horn made for that purpose open at the small end pour into it by degrees the Glyster which must be but Milk-warm and if it should stop in the born without passing down you are to make the horse move his Tongue and then strike him gently with the palm of your hand upon the Reins which will make it enter after which you are to put your horse in the stable again tyed up to the Rack without moving him afterwards contrary to the common practice for the Farriers ordinarly cause walk a horse while the Glyster is yet in his Guts It is also fit that your horse by tyed up to the Rack two hours before he take his Glyster and that he also eat none untill he hath rendered it or about an hour after he hath taken it People should also endeavour as much as possible to give horses their Glyster with a Seringe as they do men but then it must be made so large as to contain the whole Glyster and the hollow of its pipe which enters his Fundament should be so big as that a man may put his finger into it this method is better than that with a horn for it is both quicklier done and the horse receives it better without so much as needing to be taken out of the stable and therefore as he is less moved after receiving it so he will have the less cause to render it too soon this method is at present much in fashion and with a great deal of reason seeing it is the only one that is good 〈◊〉 may see the form of such a Seringe in the upper part of the 6 Plate Those who cause walk
take blood from the same horse about four a clock in the Morning which is the time that blood predominats you will then find his blood good and but a little mixture of Bile amongst it and so of the other humors This change in the Mass of the blood is a certain token of its circulation and in effect if it had not this motion it would corrupt after the same manner as those humors that are in the Body do who either ly still or are stopt in some part of the Body and which by reason of their putrefaction are the cause and origine of many diseases And Blood did it not circulate would so much the more easily purifie in that it containes in it the principles of Corruption to wit Heat and Moisture Now this being laid down as a Principle is it not very advantagious to evacuate the humor that offends or causes any indisposition in the Horse this may no doubt be done by this Observation which is to take blood of him in that time wherein the humor which a man intends to evacuate doth most predomine in the Veins but upon the contrary Blooding will be prejudicial to him if practised at any other time because there will then be evacuate an humor which neither offends in quantity nor quality it is therefore of greatest consequence to observe exactly the time and hour in which it is most proper to Blood a horse It is also to be remarked that the Compleat Circulation of the blood is not always precisely performed each six hours because of the temper of the horse therefore supposing it to be phlegmatick in that case it will exceed the six hours but if it be Bilious then it will be accomplished in less than six and so of the rest To prevent therefore your being deceived by this I have ordered the time of Blooding to be four hours after that the humor which should prodominate in that time of circulation hath begun to change and increase for example for such horses as are Bilious at four a clock at night that so you may not be mistaken and perform a Bleeding that will be useless and unprofitable for your horse I lay down then for an infallible Rule that the Sanguine horse should be bled at four in the Morning the pituitous or Phlegmatick at ten the Bilious or fiery at four a clock in the afternoon and the Melancholick at ten at night and if till now you have performed many Bloodings which have produced bad effects it is because you did not know and make use of these Observations Blooding should be also practised as much as possible in the increase of the Moon and never when she is in the signs of Leo or Taurus when the Blood is to be taken from the Neck or if it be from any other part of the Body it is to be taken you are then to observe never to take Blood from that part which is governed by any sign while the Moon is in that sign for example in the Fore-thighs or plat Veins when the Moon is in Gemiui The letting of Blood should be also performed in a calm and clear day and which is free from clouds and fogs because the Veins being emptyed a little by the Blooding do immediatly attract into their vacuities the Air which is an univeâ— Spirit and which if pure and clear will be in no hazard of altering the blâ—â—â— but upon the contrary will fill them with pure Atoms which will rectify it whereas if be moist to open the Veins at such a time is just to mix with the blood noysce Serosities with which the Veins do many times abound Moreover you are to a serve not to let bood when the Moon is in Opposition to the Sun that is when it is 〈◊〉 Moon nor when they are in Conjunction which is new Moon nor when they 〈◊〉 in a Square which is the Quarters because in all these times Blooding prejudicial Without designing to show my abilities and skill I can assure you that before made these observationes I took sometimes blood from horses which did alone cost them their Lives and that only for once Bleeding and that since that time have performed Bloodings which have manifestly saved them and that cheifly for being caused take it at a proper and seasonable time I am therefore hopefull that having cleared this road and path some who 〈◊〉 Curious will advance and penetrate further in it and that being grounded upon true opinion which is for the Circulation of the Blood it will discover to the pâ—â—lick such secrets as have been hitherto unknown I had almost forgot to tell you that you are never to take blood from horses the Solstices nor Aequinoxes for these are times in which Nature is a kind of 〈◊〉 ferer and therefore waits for some Crisis or other extraordinary effect You are then not to incommode her at these times be cause it may produce very considerable accidents and this is to be observed not only upon the very dayes themselves but also two dayes before and as many after But if you know certainly the conâ—â—tution and temper of your horse then if he be Sanguine observe to blood him whâ— the Moon is in any of the earthly signs which are Taurus Virgo and Capricorn if 〈◊〉 be Cholerick blood him when the Moon is in a watery sign such as Cancer Scopâ— or Pisces if Melancholick when the Moon is in an Airy sign such as Geeâ—â— Libra or Aquartus and if Phlegmatick then when the Moon is in any of the fiery signs which are Aries Leo and Sagittarius I have added these circumstances purposely for the Curious who I know will please it CHAP. LXIX Of the parts of the Body wherein Horses are commonly bled WHen people blood Horses by way of prevention CHAP. LXIX Of the parts of the Body wherein horses are commonly bled they should when 〈◊〉 conveniency will allow them take it from young Horses in the 〈◊〉 or fifth day of the Moon and from old when it is three or four dâ—â— past the full young Horses as well as old are to be bled as rarely as possible 〈…〉 also the same of such Horses which pass their Aliments without being concocted as digested such as those who have much whole and undigested Oats amongst thâ—â— dung unless it be that the Horse swallow them without chawing which is frequently the custom of many Horses Neither are you to blood such Horses as are cold and phlegmatick nor those whâ—â— work in an excessive cold Countrey no more than those in other Climats in the gâ—â—â— heats and excessive colds because during that time their bodies stand more in nâ—â— to be strengthned than weakned There are some who observe very exactly what I hinted a little at in the preceâ—â—ing Chapter and they do very well in so doing when they are Masters of the time and that it is only by way of precaution that they do it which is not
of wheat straw Stepping him out twice a day to the Water and after he hath Drunk walk him up and down an hour without making him sweat that so you may bring him in Wind and it should be about two hours every day that he should be thus walked abroad in some pleasant Field wherein he takes delight if a Stallion were not thus brought in wind before he is made to Cover he would either become pursey and broken-Winded or run a great Risk of being so and were he not well fed he could not perform his Task but 〈◊〉 deceive your Mares or at least the Colts would be but pityful and very weak 〈◊〉 Sine Cerere Baccho friget Venus and although you nourish him very well yet 〈◊〉 will alwayes take him in again abundantly lean if you give him many Mares he 〈◊〉 not serve you so long and his Mane and Tail will fall away through poverty 〈◊〉 you will find difficulty enough to recover and bring him to a good condition 〈◊〉 Body for the year following you are therefore only to give him Mares according to 〈◊〉 strength that is twelve or fifteen and at most twenty Wee should in England cause cover our Mares in the beginning of June that 〈◊〉 they may Foal in May in which Month there is plenty of Grass and which will 〈◊〉 make the Mares have a greater aboundance of Milk for the better nourishing of their Foals Mares go with Foal eleven Months and as many days as they are yee old for example a Mare of nine years old will carry her Foal Eleven Months aâ—â— nine dayes and one of six eleven Months and six dayes so that a man may here by regulate himself in the Causing cover his Mares that so their Foals may 〈◊〉 brought forth at such a time of the year as there will be aboundance of Grass in the Countrey where he intends to keep his Breed It sometimes happens that Mares kill their Foals through carelesness or for hareing been entangled in the stable with their Halters or through the difficulty they have in bringing them forth To assist a Mare at her Delivery now seing you may easily by what hath been saiâ— guess near at the time when she should Foal you should therefore cause alwayes a Servant attend her that so he may assist in case of necessity and who may observe whether it be for want of strength or courage that the Mare cannot bring forth her Foal in which case he is with his hand to close her Nostrils which will make her press to have breath in making which effort she will be delivered or otherwise let him pour into her Nostrils a little Claret Wine boylâ—d with Fennel and Sallad-Oil which will also assist her to bring forth But if through misfortune it be dead in her belly then you are to endeavour to cause her bring forth the dead Foal and also preserve her life by the following remedy take of Mare or Asses Milk or for want of that Goats Milk four pound weight which is about two English Quarts three pounds of strong Claret Wine-Lees Olive Oil two pounds juice of white Onions one pownd mix all together and make it Luke warm after which give it the Mare at twice about aâ—e hour betwixt each Drench If this remedy have not effect enough then some adroit Person shall anoint his haâ—d and arm with Olive Oil and shall endeavour to pull it out either whole or in piâ—â—â—â— and if he cannot get a good hold of it then he is to ty about the Chin of the Foal a large and strong Whip-cord and so pull it forth with as much Gentleness as possible Sometimes Foals come forth with their Feet foremost in that case you are to thrust them in again and with your hand endeavour to pull forth its head at least its nose thereby to facilitate the Mares delivery I had these remedies from an old Cavalies who practised them many times upon the Stud-Mares he had a charge of it depends upon your self to make use of them or not upon necessity he was an honest and itgenuous man and he also assured me that he had by this method preserved Mares from whom although having pull'd the dead Foals they yet did not fail afterwards to bring forth very good and beautiful ones You should about the end of May or beginning of June at which time there is commonly abundauce of Grass put your Mares into an Inclusure well Pallissado'd or enclosed with hedges or a stone Wall and which may be capable to feed them the whole time the Stallion is to be with them or that they are in Season in which Inclusure or Pasture all your Mares should be put together as well those which are Barren as others Then lead forth your Stallion having first taken off his hind feet shoes to prevent thereby his hurting the Mares when he kicks or stricks out bâ—â— his Foreshoes must be kept on for the preservation of his Feet then cause him before you turn him loose amongst the Mares to cover one twice in hand to render him the more calm and Gentle after which take off his Bridle and let him go freely to the rest with whom he will become so Familiar and use them so kindly that they will at last make love to him so that not one of them will be hors'd but as they are in Season after he hath served them all he will try them again one by one and will only cover such as willingly receive him he knows very well when they desire no more his Company and when he hath perform'd his Work so that then he begins to beat at the Palissade that he may be gone at which time he is to be removed and your Mares put into a fresh inclosure These are the wise means Nature makes use of and I assure you that of twenty Mares there will not three fail whereas if you caused Cover them in hand the one half would not Hold There should be built in that inclosure wherein the Stallion runs with the Mares a little Lodge for to retire and preserve him from the scorching heats in which there should be also a Manger wherein you are to give him his Oats Pease split Beans Bread or what else he liketh best and he must be alwayes thus had a care of while he is with the Mares which will be about six or seven Weeks and there should be not only to take care of that but also to give you a particular account how your Mares are Hors'd a servant appointed to remain night and day with them for whom there should be built a little Hutt in the same Inclosure for him to lye in he is also to take care that no other horses come to them nor other Mares to your Stallion and to advertise you when any thing extraordinary happeneth but above all to take care to lead the Stallion in time of excessive heats or great sun-shine into the Lodge built
did in the second and third Fortnights to which I refer you only in this last Fortnight you shall observe these few directions following First You shall keep your heating dayes the first Week of this Fortnight but the second or last Week you shall forbear one heat and not give your Horse any five dayes before his Match but for it give him only strong and long Airings and watering Courses You shall not need this Fortnight to give him any Scouring at all and if morning and Evening during this Fortnight you burn the best Frankincence in the Stable you will find it very wholsome for your Horse and he will also mightily delight in it In this Fortnight when you give him any washt meat let it be washt either in the Whites of Eggs or a little Muskadine or Cherrie for it is most wholsome and prevents pursiveness This Fortnight give him no Hay but what he taketh out of your hand after his heats and also let that be but in little quantity and clean Dusted The last week of this Fortnight if the Horse be a foul feeder you must use the Muzzle continually but if a clean feeder then three dayes before the match is sufficient The Morning of that day before the day for the Match feed well both before and after Watering and Airing and water as at other times but before noon and afternoon diminish his Portion of meat a little as also before and after evening Airing feed as at noon and water as at other times but be sure to come earlier home then ordinary that evening from Airing For This Evening you are to Trim and Shoe your Horse and do all extraordinary things of Ornament about him providing alwayes you take care neither to hinder his feeding nor interrupt his rest for I have heard some Horsemen say that when they had shod their Horses with light shoes or plates the night before the course their Horses have taken such notice thereof that they would neither eat what they gave them nor ly down to take any rest all the night following But to have so much understanding and cunning a Horse must be old and long experienced in this exercise otherwayes he cannot make such subtile observations However to pass over other curiosities as Pletting the Main and Tail c. I do advise you that things which are of most necessity and use be alwise done this day which is the day before the match rather then upon the morning of the Course because your Horse that morning should be troubled as little by handling or otherwise as possible Late at night feed as you did in the evening and give him of what he liketh best according to his Stomack only as little bread and Beans as possible then puting on his muzzle and tossing up his Litter leave him quiet till next morning The next morning being that of the match day come to him very early and takeing off his Muzzle rub his head well right his Cloaths and then give him a pretty quantity of Oats washed as I said in the whites of Eggs Muskadine or Cherrie or if he refuse them washt give him them dry or mixt with a little Wheat after he hath eaten them if he be a slow emptier walk him abroad and in the places where he used to empty there intice him to it which when he hath done bring him home and puting on his Muzzle let him rest untill you have warning to make ready but if he be a free emptier let him ly quiet When you have warning to make ready take off his muzzle and put on his Snaffle being well washed in a little Muskadine or Cherrie but before you Bridle him if you think him too empty give him three or four mouthfuls of the washt meat last spoke of then Bridle him up and dress him afterwards Pitching the running Saddle and Girths with Shoemakers wax set it on and girt it Gently so that he may but only feel the Girths but have no straitness then lay a clean sheet over the Saddle over it his ordinary Cloaths then his Body Cloath and Breast Cloath and wisp him round with soft wisps Finally if you have a Cloath of State let it be neatly fastned above all and being ready to draw out give him half an English Pint or half a Sâ—â—ts Mutchkin of Muskadine or Cherrie and so lead him away In all your leading observe to use gentle and calm motions suffering him to smell upon any dung and in special places of advantage as where you find Rushes long Grass Heath or the like walk in and entice him to piss but if you find no such help then in some certain places where you lead him and especially near to the place where you are to mount and having accustomed him to it before break some of the straw wherewith he is wisped under him and thus intice him if you can to stale or piss also in leading if any white or thick Fome or Froth arise about his mouth with a clean napekin wipe it away and causing carrie a bottle of clean water about with you wash his mouth with it now and then When you are come to the place where you are to take his back before you uncloath rub and chaff his Leggs well then pick his feet uncloath wash his mouth with water get upon his back and adjusting your Stirrops and other things about your Body walk him softly to the starting post and there starting fair perform you your part by running him to the greatest advantage he is capable of and leave the rest to providence for although we are oblidged to use the means and helps of second causes yet it is that which decideth and determineth all even the most trivial actions any of us poor Mortals are concerned in 14ly Some other usefull Observations to be taken notice of by a keeper in sundry Accidents which befall a Race Horse during the time he is preparing for a Match THere is no unreasonable creature of pleasure subject to so many disasterous chances of Fortune as the Horse and especially the running Horse both by reason of the multiplicity of diseases belonging I may say peculiarly to him as also the violence of his exercise and nice tenderness of keeping therefore it is fit that every keeper should be Armed with such observations as may be a means for him both to prevent mischiefs and Accidents and also remide them when they do happen Therefore the first Observation I shall begin with shall be 1. Observations from Meat and Drink LET the Feeder or Keeper therefore observe if there be any Meat Drink or other nourisâ—ment which he knows to be good for him and yet the Horse refuse it that in this case he is not to force it violently upon him but by gentle means and cunning enticements to win him thereto tempting him when he is most hungry or most thirsty and if he take but a bit at a time he will soon come to take
Sect. 5. A simple Water for Gun-shot Wounds p. 176 Sect. 6. Another more compound ibid. Sect. 7. Another ibid. Sect. 8. A compound Wine for curing Wounds in a Horse ibid. CHAP. LXIII Sect. 1. Of Wounds or Hurts on the Pastern-Joint and other nervous and sinewy Parts p. 177 Sect. 2. An Anodyne Pultiss p. 178 CHAP. LXIV Sect. 1. To prevent the Madness occasion'd by the Biting of a mad Dog either in Men or any sort of Cattle p. 179 Sect. 2. An infallible Remedy for Madness occasion'd by Biting ibid. Sect. 3. Another easie Remedy p. 180 Sect. 4. Of the Biting of a venomous Beast p. 181 CHAP. LXV Sect. 1. Of Pursiveness or Shortness of Breath p. 181 Sect. 2. A Remedy for Pursiveness p. 183 Sect. 3. Another Remedy for Pursiveness p. 184 Sect. 4. Another Remedy for Pursiveness ibid. Sect. 5. The way of exhibiting Honey to Horses that are pursive or troubl'd with Disorder in the Flanks and other Distempers p. 185 Sect. 6. A Powder for Heat and Disturbance in the Flanks p. 186 Sect. 7. How to loosen a pursive Horse's Belly p. 187 Sect. 8. An excellent Powder for pursive Horses ibid. Sect. 9. Of the Cure of Pursiveness with Eggs. p. 189 Sect. 10. The Emetic or Angelic Powder for Pursiveness ibid. Sect. 11. The yellow Pills for short-winded Horses p. 190 Sect. 12. Tincture of Sulphur for short-winded Horses p. 191 CHAP. LXVI Sect. 1. Of the Cough p. 192 Sect. 2. A Powder for a Cough whether old or newly taken ibid. Sect. 3. An Electuary for a Cough caused by Preternatural Heat p. 195 Sect. 4. Other Powders for a Cough p. 196 Sect. 5. A Remedy for the Cough ibid. Sect. 6. Another Remedy ibid. Sect. 7. The English Pills for an old Cough p. 197 CHAP. LXVII Sect. 1. Of Chest-Foundering and Foundering accompany'd with a Fever p. 197 Sect. 2. A Clyster for Horses that are Chest-founder'd p. 198 l. 21 Sect. 3. A Decoction for Chest-Foundering ibid. l. 31 Sect. 4. A Remedy which purges and gives Ease to a Chest-founder'd Horse ibid. l. 57 Sect. 5. Another Decoction for Chest-Foundering p. 199 l. 10 Sect. 6. Remedies for Obstructions of the Lungs caus'd by Foundering ibid. Sect. 7. A Powder for Chest-Foundering p. 200 l. 1 Sect. 8. For a Chest-founder'd Horse that is very sick ibid. l. 10 Sect. 9. Another ibid. l. 18 Sect. 10. A Remedy for a founder'd Horse that is troubled with a Fever and very sick p. 200 Sect. 11. A Potion or Drink for a founder'd Horse that is very sick either with or without a Cough p. 201 Sect. 12. The Lieutenant's Decoction for a Horse that is founder'd and very sick ibid. Sect. 13. Crocus Metallorum p. 202 Sect. 14. Liver of Antimony ibid. CHAP. LXVIII Sect. 1. Of tyr'd Horses that pine away after hard Labour or Riding p. 204 Sect. 2. Of Sal Polychrest or fusible Sulphur p. 205 Sect. 3. A Fomentation for a lean and tyr'd Horse p. 207 Sect. 4. To loosen the Belly of a tyr'd Horse ibid. Sect. 5. A purging Remedy for a tyr'd Horse ibid. Sect. 6. The Golden Sulphur of Antimony p. 208 Sect. 7. Of a Horse tyr'd with hard Riding p. 209 Sect. 8. A purging and comforting Potion ibid. CHAP. LXIX The Method of Fattening Horses p. 209 CHAP. LXX Sect. 1. Of the Shrinking of the Sinews and Gauntness of the Belly occasion'd by Foundering of the Body and other Distempers p. 210 Sect. 2. An Anodyne Ointment ibid. CHAP. LXXI Sect. 1. Of the Anticor p. 212 Sect. 2. A comforting Potion for the Anticor p. 213 Sect. 3. Oil of Rue ibid. CHAP. LXXII Sect. 1. Of Palpitation of the Heart p. 214 Sect. 2. A Remedy for the Palpitation of the Heart ibid. Sect. 3. A Clyster for the Palpitation of the Heart p. 215 Sect. 4. A Clyster to dispel Wind. ibid. Sect. 5. A Clyster for the Palpitation of the Heart accompany'd with Heat ibid. Sect. 6. Another cooling Clyster p. 216 Sect. 7. A Cordial Potion for the Palpitation of the Heart ibid. CHAP. LXXIII Sect. 1. Of Fevers p. 216 Sect. 2. A simple Fever p. 217 Sect. 3. A putrid or humoral Fever ibid. Sect. 4. A pestilential Fever p. 217 Sect. 5. Of the Causes and Signs of a Fever p. 218 CHAP. LXXIV Sect. 1. Of the Cure of a simple Fever p. 219 Sect. 2. A Clyster ibid. CHAP. LXXV Sect. 1. Of the Cure of putrid Fevers p. 220 Sect. 2. A Febrifuge or Remedy to drive away Fevers ibid. Sect. 3. A Clyster for a Fever p. 221 Sect. 4. Another Clyster for Fevers ibid. CHAP. LXXVI Sect. 1. Of the Cure of a Pestilential Fever p. 221 Sect. 2. A Remedy p. 222 l. 3 Sect. 3. Of the Method to be observed after a Horse's Recovery from a Fever ibid. Sect. 4. A purging Remedy for a Horse after his Recovery from a Fever and generally in all other Cases p. 223 Sect. 5. An excellent Catholicum for Clysters p. 224 CHAP. LXXVII Sect 1. Of the Farcin p. 224 Sect. 2. The flying Farcy p. 226 Sect. 3. The corded Farcin ibid. Sect. 4. The Farcin resembling a Hen's Fundament p. 227 Sect. 5. The internal Farcin ibid. CHAP. LXXVIII Sect. 1. Remedies for the Farcin p. 227 Sect. 2. A Purge for the Farcin p. 228 Sect. 3. Pills for the Farcin p. 229 Sect. 4. A specifick Remedy for the Farcin ibid. Sect. 5. Another easie Method ibid. Sect. 6. To cure the Farcin by giving the Fire p. 230 Sect. 7. The Ointment of Portugal for Farcin Knots ibid. Sect. 8. A Cautery or Caustic p. 231 Sect. 9. Another ibid. Sect. 10. The Ointment of Naples which alone cures the Farcin ibid. Sect. 11. The Remedy of a German Farrier for the Farcin ibid. Sect. 12. An excellent Remedy for the Farcin p. 232 Sect. 13. Corrosive Sublimate p. 233 Sect. 14. Mercurius dulcis or sweet Sublimate ibid. CHAP. LXXIX Sect. 1. Remedies for the Farcin that resembles a Hen's Fundament p. 234 Sect. 2. Pills for the Farcin ibid. Sect. 3. The German Ptisan for the Cure of the Farcin p. 235 CHAP. LXXX Sect. 1. Of an inveterate Farcin p. 236 Sect. 2. The Decoction of Guaiacum ibid. Sect. 3. The Decoction of China ibid. Sect. 4. The Decoction of Sarsaparilla p. 237 CHAP. LXXXI Of the Farcin in the Head p. 237 CHAP. LXXXII Sect. 1. To dissolve and asswage all sorts of Swellings caus'd by the Farcin both in the Legs and other parts of the Body p. 238 Sect. 2. A resolving Ointment for Swellings occasion'd by the Farcin p. 239 l. 1. Sect. 3. A Receipt for the Farcin p. 240 Sect. 4. An easie Remedy for the Farcin ibid. CHAP. LXXXIII Sect. 1. Of the Ebullition of the Blood or Blood-running Itch. p. 241 Sect. 2. Chrystal Mineral or Sal Prunellae ibid. CHAP. LXXXIV Of the shedding of the Hair from the Head accompany'd with the Mange and of the Falling of the Hair from the rest of the Body especially about the Neck and hinder
cry out They had rather die than take such a nasty Powder With all my Heart Gentlemen you may follow your Humour but d' ye think it impossible you cou'd be cheated and have this Powder impos'd upon you instead of your dear Snuff And besides who can assure such a dainty Beau that his Apothecary has not made him swallow many a nastier Medicine to cure him of the fashionable Disease But out of pure Complaisance I shall subjoin another Remedy for Horses which their Riders may also use Take a Hare that is killâ—d in the Month of March flay her and without larding her prepare her for the Spit but do not put her upon it then dry her in an Oven so that the whole Flesh may be reduc'd to Powder which must be blown plentifully into the Horse's Nostrils for 't is very effectual to stanch the Blood that flows either out of the Nose or of a Wound Thus I have given you a very good and easie Remedy which does not smell of Ass-Turd That which follows is also very good and may be prepar'd at any time of the Year Take Bark of Pomegranates dry'd Roman Vitriol and Allom of each four Ounces reduce 'em to Powder and reserve 'em for Use This Powder stanches the Blood in any part of the Body and is excellent for all sorts of Wounds It may be kept very long without losing its Virtue CHAP. XXXVII Of the Stag's Evil or Palsie in the Jaw I Know not whether Stags are also troubl'd with this Disease as the Name seems to import but it proves oftentimes fatal to Horses 'T is a kind of Rheumatism which keeps their Neck and Jaws so stiff that they cannot move 'em not so much as to eat and besides they turn up the Whites of their Eyes from time to time as if they were just ready to expire They are also seiz'd at uncertain Intervals of time with such a violent Palpitation of the Heart and Heaving or Beating in the Flanks that you wou'd certainly conclude they cou'd not live two Hours and these Fits return sooner or later without any fix'd Order If you feel their Neck you will perceive it to be stiff and stretch'd out the Skin is dry and sometimes the whole Body is stiff and the hinder Parts as much affected by the Distemper as the fore Parts in which Case few or none escape especially if the Fever be continual as almost always it is This Disease is not absolutely Mortal when t is not an universal Rheumatism spread over all the Body or when the Horses have brought it upon themselves by violent striving and drawing against the Halter by which unruly Motions they strain and stretch the Muscles of the Neck so as to draw the Humours to ' em But that is not the usual Cause of this Distemper for 't is almost always occasion'd by the Horse's being unseasonably expos'd to Heat or Cold or by his being cool'd immediately after he has been over-heated which sudden Change stirs the redundant Humours and breeds many Obstructions that hinder the Motion of the affected Parts and cause a Pain not only in these but also in the neighbouring Parts or such as have a Communication with ' em Tho' the Beating of the Flank and Heart be very violent yet when it intermits for a considerable space of time the Horse recovers a sufficient measure of Strength to resist the Distemper but which is very dangerous the Defluxion on the Jaws is sometimes so strong that the poor starv'd Creature dies merely for want of necessary Sustenance and the natural Heat not finding any Aliments to employ its Force in their Digestion grows sometimes so violent that it inflames the Blood augments the Fever and at last kills the Horse to prevent which you must give him softening Clysters Morning and Evening let him Blood frequently and even once in two Days till you see some Signs of Amendment for upon this the Cure principally depends tho' since it must be so often repeated it will be sufficient to take every time onely half the Quantity of Blood that is usually taken from Horses For his Food mix a little Bran with a great quantity of Water that it may be as thin as Broth and leave it before him the whole Day for he will stir it with his Lips and in his best Intervals endeavour to swallow a little of it but he can very hardly or not at all eat any Hay or Straw being unable to open his Jaws and you may give him luke-warm Water to drink After the Use of Clysters and Bleeding take equal parts of Spirit of Turpentine and Aqua-Vitae mix 'em in a glass Vial and shake 'em together till they be perfectly united With this Liquor anoint his whole Neck upon the Muscles and all about the Jaws chafing the Parts very hard with your Hand to make the Liquor penetrate which will heat the Muscles that are cool'd and stiffen'd by the Defluxion and two hours after rub the same Parts with the Ointment of Marsh-Mallows chasing 'em hard as before which will not only heat the Parts but help to loosen the Jaws and supple the Neck Afterwards rub the Parts affected every Morning with the Ointment of Marsh-Mallows and every Evening with Aqua-Vitae And besides If the Disease affect the whole Body rub the Horse's Reins with Ointment of Marsh-Mallows and Spirit of Wine and cover 'em with a Cloth dipp'd in Lees of Wine heated and put his usual Cloaths above all Repeat the Anointing and Fomentation every day and let him be put into a hot Stable for being thus carefully tended he may perhaps recover if his Fever intermit You must also give him three or four good softening Clysters every day and if the disease be very violent you may inject one in the Morning consisting of two Quarts of Milk eight Yolks of Eggs and two Ounces of Sugar to sustain and in some measure satiate the Animal Hunger of the Parts that have a Communication with the great Guts The rest of the Clysters must be compos'd of softening and cooling Ingredients Some thrust a red-hot Iron thro' the Neck near the Main in three or four several places and others cut the Nerves I look upon these Methods not only as unworthy to be recommended but I think my self oblig'd to dissuade you from the Use of 'em for the Horse endures so much misery already that we ought by no means to encrease his Torments without the least Prospect of future Relief If they cou'd be made to swallow any thing it would be convenient to give 'em some Doses of the Cordial-Powder or stinking Pills or some other proper Medicine but that is impossible and you can only administer external Remedies which are seldom able to save the Horse's Life If you perceive some encouraging Signs or if the Horse be in greater danger of dying of Hunger than of his Distemper because he is unable to take any Nourishment and if there be long and frequent
together it will appear that I had reason to prescribe so many different Remedies I have seen a great number of Horses lost by the Ignorance of those who undertook to Cure 'em For those pretended Artists endeavour'd only to make 'em Stale tho' the Disease was truly a Wind-Colic On the other side most Farriers and Grooms imagine that a Horse is troubl'd with the Gripes when his Urine is supprest and that Mistake is so strongly rooted in 'em that 't is impossible to convince 'em of their Error So that when a Horse is troubl'd with a Stoppage of Urine and the Farriers pretend that the Distemper proceeds from the Gripes you may certainly conclude that they are mistaken and that the Disease is an effect of another Cause When the stoppage of Urine is occasion'd by a confirm'd Obstruction or by an Inflammation of the Neck of the Bladder you must not persist in the use of Internal Medicines to provoke Urine which would only serve to encrease the Pain and Inflammation and stifle the natural Heat by driving vast quantities of serous and flegmatic Humours into the Bladder But instead of these you may safely apply the external Remedies describ'd in this Chapter It was never observ'd hitherto that Horses were subject to the Stone or Gravel or that the stoppage of Urine that occasions this kind of Colic was ever occasion'd by Sand or Gravel Nevertheless in the Year 1668. an old Spanish Horse died in our Academy after a Sickness of some Hours during which he Sweat all over the Body To discover the Cause of so cruel a Distemper I order'd his Body to be open'd by our Farrier who found in his Kidneys a Stone that weigh'd four Pounds and two Ounces brown and shining like polish'd Marble resembling a little Dutch Cheese and of a very regular Figure for it was not the breadth of a Line thicker on one side than on the other Both its Figure and Weight have remain'd entire ever since and it has been seen by almost all the People of Paris with admiration I presented it to my good Friend Count Bertholin who made all those who saw it taken out of the Horse's Body attest the truth of the matter of Fact before a Notary He preserves it still and shows it to all those who desire a sight of it nor could I forbear relating so unusual an Accident For a Flux of Urine Having already discours'd of the Stoppage of Urine I shall proceed in the next place to give an account of the Cause and Cure of a contrary Distemper in which the Horse voids an excessive quantity of crude and undigested Urine resembling Water and at last dies not being able to support the long continuance of such an immoderate Evacuation This Flux of Urine is occasion'd by the Heat and Sharpness of the Blood and an Inflammation of the Kidneys which like Cupping-Glasses suck all the serous Humours out of the Veins and discharge 'em into the Bladder every thing that the Horse drinks passing immediately thro' his Body without the least Alteration The remote Causes of this Distemper are Immoderate and Irregular Exercise or Working of young Horses cold Rains in the beginning of Winter and eating of Oats that are Imported by Sea where being of a spongy Nature they imbibe and suck in the volatile saline Spirits that rise out of the Sea When you undertake the Cure of this Disease in the first place you must order the Horse's Diet feeding him with Bran instead of Oats and give him a cooling Clyster next day let him Blood and the day after inject another Clyster after which Bleed him again the following day The whole quantity of Blood that is taken away must not exceed four Pounds that is two at each time After you have let Blood twice and injected two Clysters boil two Quarts of Water and put it into a Pail-full of common Water with a large handful of Oriental Bole beaten to Powder Mix the whole very well and make the Horse drink it luke-warm if it be possible neither must you give him any other Liquor for his ordinary drink Morning or Evening Horses that are troubl'd with this Distemper drink excessively and some of 'em are so thirsty and their Bodies so heated that they would drink six Pail-fulls of Water every day You must not restrain 'em but let 'em have their full liberty to drink as much as they please provided the Water be prepar'd as before with boiling Water and Bole for the more they drink the sooner will they be cur'd When the Horse begins to Stale as he us'd to do when in Health and his Belly and Dung return to their natural Condition you must restore his Oats by degrees exercise him moderately at first and afterwards Ride or Work him with discretion CHAP. L. Of a Horse that Stales Blood DUring the great Heats of Summer if a Horse be ridden long and hard or over-heated by immoderate Exercise he will Piss pure Blood and this Disease is frequently Mortal especially if some Vein or large Vessel be broken which discharges the Blood into the Bladder Some Horses Piss Blood abundantly without a Fever loss of Appetite or any other appearance of Indisposition in which case the Flux of Blood proceeds only from the excessive Heat of the Kidneys and may be easily cur'd It would seem indeed that they could not long bear so vast an expence of Blood but since a little Blood will serve to tinge a great quantity of Urine 't is commonly thought that all they Piss is pure Blood whereas oftentimes the tenth part of it is not Blood and if proper Remedies be applied during the first days of the Distemper the Cure will be easily accomplish'd I shall forbear giving a particular Account of the Causes and Consequences of this Disease out of complaisance to those who are profest Enemies to Speculation and only look for Remedies in a Book of this nature Bleed the Horse and give him every Morning three Pints of White-Wine made Emetic by the Infusion of unwash'd Crocus Metallorum otherwise call'd Liver of Antimony The Nitre will give the Wine a red Colour and make it of admirable efficacy for it will both Cleanse and Heal which are the two main Scopes of the Cure Keep your Horse Bridl'd four Hours before you give him the Wine and as long after Repeat the Dose everyd ay and in six or seven Days the Flux of Blood will cease and the Horse will be in a fair way of Recovery For the Emetic Wine expels all Impurities out of the Bladder and consolidates the part which is all that can be desir'd for the Cure of this Distemper If the Pissing of Blood be accompany'd with Heat and a Palpitation of the Flanks as it usually happens give the Horse a good cooling Clyster every Evening bleed him a a second time if need require and dissolve two Ounces of Sal Polycrest in the three Pints of Emetic Wine which you were order'd
well as prevents a Swelling I cur'd a Swelling in one of the hinder Legs which had continu'd a whole Winter by charging it seven or eight times with Cows Dungs mix'd with Spirit of Wine CHAP. LXII A Honey-Charge or Remolade for a Blow or to asswage a Swelling in the Legs THO' this Charge consists of few Ingredients 't is good not only for Blows or Stroaks with another Horse's Foot and Swellings of the fore and hinder Legs but for all sorts of Swellings Bruises and Hurts in any part of the Body Mix a Pound of Wheat-flower with White-Wine to the Consistence of Gruel and boil it over a gentle Fire stirring without Intermission till the whole be united then melt a Pound of Burgundy Pitch in a Skillet adding a Pound and a half of Honey and a Pound of common Turpentine and incorporating all together which must be mix'd with the Gruel moderately hot After you have remov'd the Vessel from the Fire add two Pounds of fine Bole in powder the Oriental is best and make a Charge which must be apply'd hot and repeated till the Swelling be asswag'd They who know but one Remedy are expos'd to frequent Disappointments by missing some of the Ingredients and therefore it will not be improper to subjoin some others Another Remedy for a Swelling in the Legs occasion'd by a Blow Bathe the Part with strong Aqua-Vitae chafing it hard and then charge the whole Leg with common Honey The next day chafe the Part again with Aqua-Vitae and apply a new Charge without taking away the old Renew the Application once every Day six or seven times then send your Horse to a River or wash him well in a Pond twice every Day and the Swelling will certainly disappear in a little time Swellings have been often asswag'd by this easie Remedy Take half a Pint of good Vinegar half a Pound of Tallow and an Ounce of Flower of Brimstone Mix and anoint the Swelling till it be dissolv'd You may take away a small Tumour by applying a Mixture of common Bole Honey and Water CHAP. LXIII The Duke 's Ointment for Swellings and Bruises accompany'd with Heat and for Inflammations in any Part of the Body TAke clear and pure Linseed-Oil one Pound Flowers of Brimstone four Ounces Put 'em into a Matrass or Glass Vial with a long Neck letting it stand in a moderate Sand-heat for the Space of an Hour after which augment the Heat and keep it up to the same degree till the Flowers be perfectly dissolv'd In the mean time before the Oil grow cold lest part of the Brimstone fall to the Bottom melt a Pound of Tallow or of Boar's Grease in another Vessel with two Ounces and a half of white Wax instead of which if you can procure Horse's Grease the Remedy will be more effectual but then you must take four Ounces of Wax because Horse's Grease is not so thick as Boar's Grease The Grease and Wax being wholly melted pour in the Linseed Oil and removing the Vessel from the Fire stir the Ointment with a Slice of Alkanet Root till it be cold It resembles Ointment of Roses for tho' you may discover the Brimstone by the Smell you will hardly be able to perceive it otherwise as being so perfectly dissolv'd This Ointment is apply'd cold 't is a good Resolvent and both eases Pain and asswages all sorts of Swellings in any part of the Body tho' they be accompany'd with Heat Swellings are frequently occasion'd in the Withers Hams and other parts of the Body by Bruises Blows and other Causes so that if the Inflammation be not remov'd the Humours will flow to the Part and make the Cure very difficult but this Ointment takes away the Inflammation and dissolves the Humours that are already lodg'd in the Part. And therefore assoon as the Withers are swell'd and like to come to a Head instead of applying astringent Remedies with Bole which do more Harm than Good rub the griev'd Part with this Ointment Morning and Evening and cover it with a Lamb's Skin the woolly side inwards The continu'd Application of this Remedy does oftentimes dissolve such Tumours without Suppuration but if the Inflamtion encrease you must open the Swelling in due time with a red-hot Iron in one or more parts And thus the Cure will be perform'd safely surely and pleasantly For the Swelling of the Sheath and Stones tho' the Tumour spread it self under the Belly about the Thickness of two Fingers Bleed your Horse and rub his Sheath and the Swelling under his Belly with the Duke's Ointment every Morning and Evening then walk him softly half an hour and after some time wash off the Ointment with warm Wine and Butter When the Part is dry apply the Ointment again and above all forget not to walk the Horse half an Hour or a whole Hour and tho' the Swelling reach between his Legs even to his Brisket fear not for it will certainly be asswag'd Sometimes notwithstanding of the Application of this Ointment the Tumour will suppurate and come to Matter and you may know whether it has a tendency that way by its Softness and by the lasting Impression that it keeps when you press it with your Finger as if it were Butter in which Case you must open it in several places with a red-hot Bodkin or sharp-pointed Iron to let out the red Water then chafe the Part with the Ointment and walk the Horse If only the Sheath be swell'd the Cure is not very difficult for it may be quickly perform'd in Summer by keeping the Horse an Hour every Day in the Water and in cold Weather by anointing with the Duke's Ointment and then walking him These Tumours are occasion'd by the Heat of the Stable and Want of Exercise The same Remedy may be apply'd to all hot Swellings for it will certainly take away the Inflammation and dissolve the Humour if it be not too hard and stubborn It wonderfully helps all Swellings of the Hams or Legs occasion'd by Blows with another Horse's Foot Falls and other Accidents which are usually accompany'd with Heat by Reason of the Pain caus'd by the Contusion in the Nervous and Sinewy Parts As for Blows or Kicks on the Muscle of the Thigh which are attended with such troublesome Symptoms this Ointment will certainly promote the Cure and at least allay the Heat and Inflammation CHAP. LXIV Of Old Swellings in the Legs occasion'd by an ill-cur'd Sinew-sprain SOmetimes Sinew-Sprains or Sinew-Sprungs are so unskilfully handl'd that tho' the Pain be so far remov'd that the Lameness ceases yet the Humours gather'd in the part not being dissolv'd there remains a Swelling which grows so hard that it seems impossible to cure it without Burning Nevertheless on such Occasions I have seen the cure perform'd by the following Remedy Take of Linseed-Flower and Bean-Flower of each one * A Measure containing somewhat above a Pint. Litron the strongest Aqua-Vitae a Pint and an half Mix and boil 'em over
then take a hard Egg cut thro' the middle sprinkle it with Pepper and apply it hot tying it fast to the griev'd Part. If the Horse be not cur'd by the first Application repeat it the next Day In frosty Weather when Horses are rough-shod or their Shoes made with long Caulks they are apt to over-reach and make a hole above the Cronet or in the Pastern which is not without danger And therefore you must immediately wash the Wound with warm Vinegar then fill it with Pepper and lay over it a black restringent Charge made of Chimney-soot Vinegar and Whites of Eggs or of Bole and Vinegar or which is best of all of Lime temper'd with Water Repeat the same the next Day and the Cure will be perfected For an Over-reach by the Caulk of the Shoes fill the Hole with Gun-Powder beaten and temper'd with Spittle as they usually make Touch-Powder then set Fire to it and repeat the same the next Day In the mean time both the Foot and Wound must be carefully preserv'd from Moisture and if the Attaint be from time to time wash'd with Aqua-Vitae it will heal tho' never so deep if the Tendon be not hurt If the Cure do not proceed according to your desire melt a little of the Emplastrum divinum with Oil of Roses in a Spoon and fill the Hole with Cotton dipt in this Ointment laying a Plaister of the same over it and dressing the Horse every Day after the same manner till the Cure be perfected as it will be speedily if the Tendon or Gristle be not hurt If the Hole be deep and notwithstanding all these Remedies the Horse continue still to Halt or the Part above the Attaint be swoln the Hoof shrunk and the Foot contracted beneath you have reason to fear that the Tendon is griev'd and therefore you must carefully examine the Part with your Probe and if you find that the Hole reaches to the Tendon dress it according to the Directions that shall be given for the Quitter-Bones If the Attaint be neglected on a Journey tho' the Horse do not Halt at the first by reason of the Corruption that is generated by the Cold and Foulness of the Part the Sore may reach the Hoof in which case after one or two Applications of the Honey-Charge you must proceed to give the Fire and dress it as a Quitter-bone 'T is to be observ'd that the Sore will never Heal so long as the Horse licks it and therefore you must cover it with the Remedies that shall be describ'd in the following Chapters If the bottom of the Hole be foul tho' the Gristle be not spoil'd which you may know by searching with your Probe to hinder the Corruption from reaching thither especially if it breeds Matter or if you perceive a Swelling or Hardness above or at the side of the Part you must wash it with Warm Wine and fill the Hole with Schmit's Ointment renewing the same upon occasion If the Cure prove tedious and the Horse begin to Halt the Swelling growing big and hard and voiding Matter you must have recourse to the Chapter that treats of Quitter-bones for you may certainly conclude that the Gristle is hurt and must be extirpated or the Sore will never be cur'd CHAP. LXXX Of the Scratches THere are three Sorts of Scratches Simple Sinewy and Scratches in the Hoof commonly call'd Quitter-bones The simple Scratches are most usual being a Tumor caus'd by corrupt Humours contain'd in the Skin and the Flesh It grows in all the parts of the Pastern especially behind and the Horse voids by this Channel or Gutter all the deprav'd Humours that were gather'd in that Part. The Scratches in a Horse resemble a Corn in a Man's Foot he cannot endure you to touch the Sore and it usually makes him halt before it be suppurated that is before the Corruption be discharg'd Sometimes the Scratches are the Reliques of the Strangles or of the Impurities expell'd by Nature sometimes they proceed from Hurts and Bruises and they are also occasion'd by the Dirt and Flesh that sticks to the Pasterns which growing hot and sharp frets and corrodes the Skin The Simple or Plain Scratches are most easily cur'd and the Horse is perfectly sound when they are taken away The sinewy Scratches so call'd because they are either under above or at the Side of the Sinews may be divided into Three Kinds but the First is very rare 'T is a Tumour generated under one of the Sinews of the Pastern which hinders the Matter from running out and causes so violent a Pain that the Horse is seiz'd with a Fever and halts right down for all the softening and asswaging Remedies in the World cannot penetrate to the Swelling that lies under the Sinews and Tendons of the Pastern The Part is remote from the Heart which is the Principle of Heat and cannot by its own Force digest those crude and raw Humours so that the Horse must unavoidably suffer cruel Torments and for the most part perish This Disease is more dangerous than the Quitter-bone and the Cure is always extremely difficult The Second Sort of sinewy Scratches grows on one of the Sinews of the Pastern it swells the Pastern and Leg makes the Horse very lame and frequently sends forth a great Scab instead of corrupt Matter In this Case you must charge the Leg and apply a good softening Remedy after the Scurf is fall'n dress the Sore with Schmits Ointment or for want of that with what follows Take a pound of Honey and two Ounces of Verdigrease in fine Powder Mix and thicken 'em with a sufficient quantity of Wheat-flower adding a small Glass-full of good Spirit of Wine Apply this Ointment with flax to the Sores and dress 'em every day bathing the Leg and especially the griev'd Sinew with warm Wine mix'd with a little Butter and the Horse will grow sound There is a Third and very dangerous Kind of sinewy Scratches which breeds at the side of the Master-Sinew on the hinder-Legs and the nearer it grows to the Sinew the more malignant it is and the Cure less easie Many Horses have been incurably lam'd after a continual Application of Remedies for seven or eight Months These Scratches are very painful for they make the Horse halt right down and forsake his Meat they occasion a Fever and almost all the Horses that are troubl'd with 'em are so tormented that they cannot put their Foot to the Ground and at laft they sink under the miserable Pain Having explain'd the Three Sorts of sinewy Scratches I shall now proceed to consider the Third Member of the first Division The Third Sort of Scratches commonly call'd Quitter-bone is seated between the Cronet and Hoof and is also very dangerous because it makes the Horse cast his Hoof which much diminishes his Value for the new Hoof is hardly ever fit for Service Thus I have briefly run over the several Kinds of Scratches and I shall propose the
the Shooe and binding it on at the other end for 't is always safest and most convenient to dress an unsol'd Foot without taking off the Shooe But in some cases that method is impracticable and after you have taken out the Sole you must only tack on a Shooe with four Nails that you may examine the bottom of the Sore as often as you dress it It happen'd once as I was taking out a Sole that the Horse struggl'd so violently that the Ham-string or Sinew was strain'd and the Farrier concluded that his Thigh was broken This accident hinder'd me from removing the Dressing that was already apply'd to the Sole and from taking off the Shooe for fear of hurting the Hoof by lifting up the Foot to dress it and therefore I suffer'd it to remain without renewing the Application for the space of six Weeks after which we found the Sole so well grown that if I had not seen the Operation perform'd I should have concluded that the Sole had never been taken out and this good effect was produc'd by one application of a Remedy consisting of equal Parts of Turpentine Honey and Tarr This Example may undeceive those who imagine the Cure of an unsol'd Hoof to be very difficult for certainly if there be no other Distemper in the Part it may be perfectly heal'd with one Application But all the above-mention'd Directions are design'd for the Cure of those Distempers that occasion the taking out of the Sole CHAP. XC Of Figgs growing in a Horse's Foot AFigg is an excrescency of spongy and fibrous Flesh sometimes resembling a Wart which grows on strong high and hollow Feet that have large Heels and seldom or never on those that are weak slender and flat These Tumours are almost always seated on the top or at the side of the Frush and seldom appear in any other place if they be not occasion'd by the Farriers neglect for if they be suffer'd to grow old or dry'd with strong Ointments they take another course and spread to the corner of the Sole at the Heel the side Quarters or Toe The same Inconveniency happens when they are unskilfully dress'd in which case they stick to the Gristle or to the Bone of the Foot and afterwards rise to the Hair appearing on the Cronet and are always attended with rottenness and stink They are moisten'd and nourish'd by a Humour deriv'd from the Sinews which being destitute of the Spirits that preserv'd it in its natural Condition while it remain'd in the Sinews degenerates into a very noisome Putrefaction that can hardly be stopt for the most perfect Matter when it degenerates and is corrupted is infinitely more dangerous than another less perfect Matter and the Cure is so difficult that unless the fatal Consequences of its virulencies be prevented by well chosen and seasonably apply'd Remedies the Horse grows irrecoverably Lame The Figgs that appear on the Frush rarely occasion Lameness in the beginning but if they be either unskilfully drest dry'd or too long neglected they spread under the Sole and penetrate to the Hair sticking to the Gristle on the Bone of the Foot where they are attended with Pain tho' at the first they were free from that symptom The Cause of those Excrescencies as I intimated before is the Nervous Juice which also generates and nourishes Warts They appear either in the form of Warts when they grow on the Frush or are only distinguishable by that fibrous and spongy Flesh that appears under the Sole and corrupts part of it by the wise contrivance of Nature to discharge by that opening a part of the Matter that offends her The Figgs are usually the Sink that drains all the corrupt Humours in the Body which flowing thither in great abundance encrease the Malignitie of those Excrescencies tho' they are not the original cause of the Distemper The redundancy of those Humours is sometimes so excessive that 't is impossible either to exhaust the Source of them or to divert the Stream that flows from it so that the Figgs encrease to a prodigious bigness infecting and corrupting the whole Part and even sometimes spoiling the Bone of the Foot I have seen Gourdy Legs full of Watry Swellings and Warts which being dried were immediately succeeded by Figgs in the Foot and as soon as these were extirpated the Leg was again seiz'd with those running and noisome Sores that were cur'd with so much difficulty before The Cure was a second time attempted and no sooner perform'd but the Foot was again cover'd with Figgs and those successive Revolutions of these different kinds of Sores are peculiar to old Horses whose Legs are Gourded and cannot be reduced to their natural Shape or to those who have a Swelling in their Legs occasion'd by some remainders of the Farcin for since the corrupt Humours of the whole Body are discharg'd by the Gourdy Leg if their passage be stopt they bend their course to the Foot where they produce Figgs When a Horse has been troubl'd for some considerable time with this Infirmity his Foot becomes deform'd and grows visibly larger than the other The Figgs that appear on the Frush and are not fastn'd to the Gristle or Bone of the Foot do not make the Horse halt unless they accidentally touch the Ground so that unless the Part be carefully examin'd a Man may be easily deceiv'd Thus at Paris the Horse-Coursers never buy a Horse for Service till they lift up his Feet to see whether he be troubl'd with Figgs especially on the hinder Feet tho' all this Caution cannot save 'em from being cheated sometimes since there are some Horses that seem to be cur'd of the Figgs which at the end of three Months return with as much violence as ever Remedies for the Figg in a Horse's Foot Before you apply any Remedies to the Figgs if there be watry Sores or Swellings in the Leg you must endeavour to Cure 'em with a white Honey-Charge which will asswage the Swelling remove the Pain and dissipate the Humours that nourish the Figg and hinder the Cure To proceed with order I shall consider in the first place the Figgs that grow on the Frush which may be sometimes cur'd without taking out the Sole Pare the Foot cutting away so much of the Hoof that there may be a convenient space to reach the Sore with your Fleam or Lancet then cut the Sole about the Figgs and extirpate the very Roots of them for if you take away only the Tops the Cure will be imperfect because tho' they appear small on the out-side they are larger under the Sore but in the mean time I suppose that they are not fasten'd to the Gristle or Bone of the Foot Having laid open the Sore take two Pounds of Honey a Pint of Aqua-vitae six Ounces of Verdigrease in very fine Powder searc'd thro' a silken Sieve a like quantity of White-Vitriol beaten small four Ounces of Litharge reduc'd to very fine Powder and two Drams
of Aloes and Euphorbium in Powder with Spirit of Wine produces the same effect for the heat and sharpness of the Euphorbium is temper'd by the Aloes and the whole is render'd more effectual and as it were enliven'd by the Spirit of Wine which is also endu'd with a drying Quality Or at the second Dressing if you perceive that there is a Scale to be separated and can apply the Remedy to the Scale it self you may mix two third parts of Opium and one third part of Sublimate with Spirit of Wine and apply a little of it to the Scale covering it with a Bolster dipt in Aegyptiacum and wrapping a Restringent or Defensive about the Foot In the mean time you must charge the Leg every Day suffering the Application to remain untouch'd for the space of three Days for the Scale will be quickly separated and open a large passage which will promote the Cure When there is a Scale to be separated from the Bone of the Foot great care must be taken to prevent the growth of Proud-Flesh lest it cover the Hole that should give passage to the Scale And if the Flesh be already risen too high you may boldly apply Sublimate in Powder to consume it If you perceive that the first Application has not produc'd the intended effect strew the Proud-flesh a second time with Powder of Sublimate after which apply Sublimate mixt with Aegyptiacum to the Part binding it on with Flax and letting it remain four Days if no other reason oblige you to remove it sooner for you must at least allow a Caustic three or four Days to perform its Operation After the Scale is separated you must not at first apply any Oil or Ointment to the Bone but only a Bolster of Flax dipt in Aqua-vitae dressing it twice a Day till the Bone be cover'd with Flesh after which you may apply the most convenient Remedies There are Sinews and Ligaments that fasten the Bone of the Foot to the Bone call'd the Pivot or Pastern-Bone and the Cure is considerably retarded when one of these Sinews is prick'd You may easily discover it by the Swelling of the Master-sinew and in that case must immediately proceed to the taking out of the Sole especially if Red-Water run out of the Sore instead of Matter or if the Matter be yellow hard and stinking and if the Horse keep his Foot from the Ground all which Symptoms are certain presages of a tedious and difficult Cure Most of those Pretenders to Skill who undertake to Cure Diseas'd Horses are perswaded or at least would perswade others that they are Masters of certain Ointments that infallibly Cure all Pricks and Stubbs in a Horse's Foot meerly because they have cur'd all those who were committed to their Care which seldom or never amount to above five or six and those slightly Wounded or perhaps prick'd thro' the Foot in some of the least dangerous Parts but when the Sinew or Tendons are hurt the Cure requires a great deal of experience in the Undertaker and a nice observance of the exactest Method nor is the best Ointment in the World sufficient alone to heal the Wound If the Nail or Stub has prick'd one of the Sinews of the Foot Bone or the Bone it self tho' the Sole be taken out and the very bottom of the Sore laid bare by cutting the Frush and even tho' the Cure be attempted and carry'd on with the greatest diligence and according to the most approv'd Method it cannot be compleated without extream difficulty for the separation of a Scale is very troublesome and tedious the Wound is pester'd with Proud-Flesh and at last grows foul and corrupted and which is the worst of all those Inconveniences the Ligaments are slacken'd and infeebl'd the Bone of the Foot shakes as if it were ready to fall out and sometimes falls quite away as I have seen in more than one Instance ' Twou'd be needless to add more to convince any Man that is furnish'd with a moderate stock of good sense that without taking out the Sole altering the Remedies according to the variety of Circumstances and searching to the bottom of the Sore which is usually very large and deep 't is impossible to apply the Medicines to the Part that stands most in need of 'em and that consequently they cannot help Nature to repair her great and ruinous Losses I saw one of those Gentlemen who upon the credit of a very slender Experience pretended confidently that he had such an excellent Ointment that 't was altogether needless to proceed to the taking out of the Sole which he could not be perswaded to do tho' the Horse had already suffer'd such tormenting Pains for the space of ten or twelve Days that he durst not let his Foot touch the Ground but continu'd obstinately in the use of his boasted Ointment At last he thought fit to invite me to see his Horse extolling the wonderful efficacy of his Ointment and telling me that he never had occasion to take out a Sole and that 't was an infallible Cure for all Pricks in the Foot but confest that he was extreamly surpriz'd at the ill Success of so noble a Remedy after a constant application of it for ten or twelve Days I reply'd that if he design'd to preserve his Horse he must suffer him to be unsol'd which was done and I found all the inward part of the Sole black and bruis'd so that 't was needless to look for any other cause of the Fever that had already attack'd the Horse Four Days after I order'd a pretty large Incision to be made to discover the bottom of the Sore where I found a Scale that could not be wholly separated till twenty Days after during which time the Horse never put his Foot to the Ground the Scale was above an Inch long and half a Fingers breadth broad and I leave the Judicious Reader to determine whether it cou'd have been separated without taking out the Sole and laying bare the bottom of the Sore and whether the application of the Ointment without Manual Operation cou'd have possibly sav'd the Horse's Life for 't is plain that the Cure cou'd never be perform'd so long as the Scale remain'd in the Foot and that 't wou'd be ridiculous to imagine that it cou'd have found a passage thro' a small Hole in the Sole I cou'd alledge many Examples I have observ'd in my Practice and several Farriers in Paris who have follow'd my Directions can attest the successfulness of my Method Not along ago a Person of Quality with his Infallible Ointment for Pricks in the Foot suffer'd his Horse's Foot to be seiz'd with a Gangrene at last I order'd the Sole to be taken out and found the Foot Gangren'd after which I cur'd him but if he had not been seasonably assisted he had certainly perish'd This is the event of those magnifi'd Remedies which are only fit to amuse unexperienc'd Persons but the true Method consists in a due
from an Obstruction of the Passages by stagnating and thick flegmatick Humours 'T is to be observ'd that the Lungs consume more Nourishment than any Part of the Body since they are nourish'd only by the purest and most subtil or bilious part of the Blood as it appears evidently from the Consideration of those Animals who are desâ—â—tute of Lungs for they may be almost said to live upon nothing Thus Fishes who have no Lungs are easily fatten'd by a small quantity of Nourishment and even it seems not improbable that the Kidneys were design'd by Nature for the Evacuation of the Impurities of the Lungs for Fishes are equally destitute of both these Parts and usually Horses who are troubl'd some Days with a Flux of Urine are seiz'd with a Cough by reason of the driness of their Lungs I thought fit to insert these Remarks for the Information of those who have lean and wasted Horses for if the Lungs be affected they will hardly ever be able to fatten 'em because that Part will consume a considerable part of the Nourishment which otherwise wou'd have been turn'd to Flesh and besides 't is observ'd that all Pursive Horses stale very much during the Cure because the Impurities of the Lungs are voided that way This is a very true and curious Observation and was never mention'd by any Writer on this Subject or inserted in any Book whether French Italian German or Latin If we consider the Vessels and other spermatical Parts that enter the Composition of the Lungs they will appear to be cold and dry If we take a View of the fleshy soft and spongy Substance of the Lungs they seem to be hot and moist and if we reflect on their Lightness and aptness for Motion we can hardly forbear concluding that they are of a cold and moist Nature The Lungs are divided into several parts call'd Lobes which surround the Heart and especially into two by a double Membrane which in Humane Bodies is call'd the Midriff They are of a spongy Substance easily dilateable which sucks in the Air and expels it again with some smoaky and fuliginous Vapours by the two different Motions of Respiration This Part is fuller of Veins and Arteries than any other Part of the Body which make it so subject to Inflammations and Obstructions as the Humours are either hot and subtil or thick and heavy Pursiveness proceeds from several Causes Thus a slight Obstruction in the Lungs in the Veins or some of the Arteries may cause a shortness of Breath which is cur'd with easie Remedies The same Distemper proceeds usually from some Humours stagnating in the Passages of the Lungs in the Kidneys or in the Arteries for the free Circulation of the Blood being stopt a great quantity of it gathering together in one place presses the Ducts or Passages of Respiration and obstructs the Freedom of Breathing When the Blood is hot and boiling it quickly degenerates into Putrefaction and causes a dangerous Inflammation in that Part which must be allay'd with powerful Coolers This Obstruction is usually caus'd by flegmatick and pituitous Humours and tho' in this Case 't is not attended with such violent Symptoms as are produc'd by the other Causes of this Distemper 't is very stubborn and hardly to be conquer'd by the best Medicines for those slimy and tough Humours cannot easily be loosen'd and separated from the Parts where they stick and therefore the Cure must be attempted with cutting and attenuating Remedies And besides since the Motion of the Blood is obstructed and that Liquor depriv'd of the Advantage of Ventilation this kind of Pursiveness is quickly accompany'd with a sort of Putrefaction and some other Symptoms which seem to proceed from a hot Principle tho' the Cause of the Disease is rarely of that Nature 'T is plain that Pursiveness proceeds from a cold Principle and yet the Symptoms that attend it seem to denote the heat of the Cause tho' it be really of an opposite Nature for this Distemper is usually occasion'd by pituitous Humours and the thick Flegm which stuffs the Passages and causes a difficulty of Respiration This may serve to discover the Error of those who turn out their Pursive Horses to Grass and are usually much surpriz'd when they take 'em up with an intention to confine 'em to dry Feeding to find them shorter-winded then ever for the coldness of the Grass augments the Flegm and makes it thicker and heavier and consequently more apt to obstruct the Motion of the Blood and Air in the Lungs If it be objected that Grass has been sometimes observ'd to relieve Pursive Horses 't is reasonable to suppose that in such a Case there was an Inflammation occasion'd by a redundancy of Blood that might be cool'd and allay'd by the coldness of the Grass which moistening the Lungs might give some ease to the Horse so long as he continu'd to feed on it And after a due Consideration of this Case I am persuaded of the Justness of that General Rule which enjoyns a total abstinence from Grass to all short-winded Horses since the Benefit they receive by that sort of Nourishment lasts no longer than they actually feed on it The most dangerous kind of Pursiveness is that which is occasion'd by hard Riding and violent Labour for sometimes in such cases a Vein is open'd and the Blood falls into the Cavity of the Lungs where it putrefies and turns to Matter which for want of a Passage stagnates about the Lungs and breeds an Ulcer in ' em And the danger is so much the greater because a large Ulcer from what Cause soever it proceeds wastes and consumes the Horse to such a degree that 't is impossible to make him thrive or render him fit for Service This Distemper is usually caus'd by the heat of the Aliments by which the Horse is nourish'd as old Clover too great abundance of Hay and several other kinds of Food and the same Infirmity proceeds for want of Exercise by reason of the Multitude of Flegmatick and Corrupt Humours that are bred in a Horse's Body and in a particular manner affect the Lungs The Watering of a Horse when he is over-heated is apt to make him short-winded When this Distemper is hereditary 't is absolutely incurable for the Horse contains in his Body the Principle of the Defect which can never be corrected or remov'd by the use of Remedies A Natural Weakness of the Lungs which renders 'em susceptible of the corrupt Humours that abound in the Body can never be repair'd by Art and the same may be affirm'd of the irregular Structure or Contexture of that Part as when 't is either too narrow or fasten'd to the Sides This Distemper is curable in the beginning especially in young Horses if it be not accompany'd with a Cough Purgative Remedies are of little use in this Distemper since the Flegmatick Humours from which it usually proceeds can never be evacuated by these Medicines and the only
him in one of the folds of his Guts who imagining that it was a Musquet-Bullet came to shew it me wondring that so large a Bullet did not kill the Horse when he receiv'd the Shot These two Experiments may serve to convince the Reader that the Regulus of Antimony does not exert its Purgative force on the Body of a Horse Prepar'd Antimony may be safely given in the above-mention'd and several other cases It s principal effect is to purifie the whole Mass of the Blood by insensible Transpiration and the frequent use of it consumes the superfluous watry Humours which being Infected with Putrefaction transmit malignant Vapours to the Brain breed a slimy Matter that stops and obstructs the small Branches of the Veins and mixing with the Blood corrupts the whole Mass of it and makes it unfit for nourishing the parts of the Body The Liver of Antimony does very powerfully open the Obstructions of the Veins and Arteries and so destroys the fomenting cause of most Distempers and besides 't is endu'd with this admirable quality that it acts by way of Irradiation an unbounded Virtue peculiar to this Mineral reduc'd to Medicines by a due Preparation The same Remedy is both an excellent Preservative from all Distempers if it be given to a Horse from time to time and Cures those that are actually troubl'd with Diseases excepting such as require hot Remedies as the Strangles Glanders and Running at the Nose I am extreamly surpriz'd not to find the least mention of so noble a Remedy in the Works of so many Learned and Judicious Authors who have describ'd the Maladies of Horses It cools and refreshes the Body and those who use it will have the pleasure and satisfaction of believing on most certain and reasonable Grounds that it cannot produce any ill effect I know the ancient Physicians who were generally Enemies to Antimony endeavour'd to destroy the credit of that Remedy by affirming that 't is full of Arsenical Spirits that waste and corrode the Internal Parts and are usually attended with fatal Consequences tho' it seems at first to be administer'd with excellent Success but I must beg leave of those Gentlemen to tell 'em that at least with respect to Horses those Arsenical Spirits are only lodg'd in their Brains for I have made several Horses eat four or five Pounds of this Remedy without intermission and sometimes four or five Ounces every Day so that if there had been any Corrosive Spirits in the Antimony the Stomach and Intestines of these Animals would have certainly been bor'd like Sieves Whereas on the contrary the Horses that devour'd so large a quantity of Antimony recover'd daily grew brisk and lusty and even some that were Hide-bound and wasted were quickly fatten'd by the use of this Powder which contains no malignant Particles nor even produces any ill effect on the Body of a Horse as I might easily demonstrate by the testimony of a thousand Persons that have us'd it After so many Experiments I am so fully perswaded of the harmlesness of this Remedy that I recommend it to all my Friends and as for the Arsenical Spirits I 'm no more afraid of 'em than of the Spirits or Hobgoblins with which Children are usually scar'd If your Horse's Distemper requires hot Remedies you must abstain from the use of Liver of Antimony because it cools the Body And 't is also to be observ'd that when your Horse begins to eat it especially during the first eight or ten Days you must neither Gallop Work nor even Ride him immediately for by the use of this Remedy the Blood is put into a kind of universal Ebullition and therefore if the Horse be fatigu'd or over-ridden while the Blood continues to be so briskly mov'd he will easily become Founder'd tho' he might have escap'd that Inconveniency if he had not eaten the Liver of Antimony since the Humours and especially the Blood wou'd not have been so violently agitated In the mean time moderate Exercise is not only convenient but necessary for it obliges Nature to expel by the Pores those Vapours call'd Fuliginous Steams that infect the Blood but during the first eight or ten Days vehement Exercise is extreamly hurtful and you must always remember when your Horse sweats to wipe and dry him very carefully and to prevent his growing suddenly Cold tho' after the first Ebullition of the Blood is over you need not confine your self to so strict an observance of those Cautions CHAP. CXXVI Of Tir'd Horses that Pine away after hard Labour or Riding HOrses are usually reduc'd to a languishing condition by violent Exercise and fatiguing Marches especially in an Army and can hardly ever after recover their wonted Health and Vigour for sometimes they have good Forage whereas at other times they are obliged to eat Rye Millet unwholsome Herbs and rotten Hay sometimes they have abundance of Provender and at other times very little or none at all and besides they are sometimes forc'd to drink corrupt Water at unseasonable times not to mention the irregularity and hardness of their Marches so that if a Horse be not of a very strong Constitution and well Limb'd 't is almost impossible for him to undergo so many Fatigues 'T is not an easie Task on such occasions to direct the Intentions of the Cure to any particular Distemper but you can hardly fail of success if you take care to exhibit and apply such Remedies as are proper to strengthen the internal and refresh the external parts of the Body to expel and consume the peccant Humours that are daily gather'd either by Bleeding or universal Purgations and if you discover any particular Distemper you must have recourse to the specific Remedies that are peculiarly appropriated to your Horse's present Condition The Signs to know a Horse that has been ill us'd in the Camp are these When he Breathes there appears a sort of Canal stretching along his Belly like a Rope or Cord his Hair stares and is discolour'd his Dung is dry black and sometimes full of Worms and his Eyes are heavy he never thrives tho' he feeds heartily when you walk him he seems sullen and complains and shews none of that briskness or liveliness which is usually the effect of repose If these Signs appear in a tir'd Horse after his return from the Army or from a long Journey you must in the first place let him Blood in the Neck-Veins and afterwards proceed to exhibit some digestive Powder that promotes the Concoction of Aliments and prepares the superfluous Humours in order to their more easie and effectual Evacuation Liver of Antimony produces the effect of a Digestive Powder if two Ounces of it be given once a Day with moisten'd Bran But if your Horse has an aversion to Bran you may give him the Golden Sulphur of Antimony in Wine according to the Directions prescrib'd in Chap. CXXIX which will operate more effectually than any other Preparation of Antimony and quickly restore
a Horse in a Moment and finds so little Resistance that it comes very speedily to a Period It proceeds either from the Biting or Stinging of a venomous Creature from the Eating of poisonous Food or from the Infection of the Air which is sometimes so Violent and Contagious that it kills all the Horses in a Stable CHAP. CXXXV Of the Causes and Signs of a Fever FEvers are usually occasion'd by all those things that promote the Ebullition and Fermentation of the Humours and particularly every thing that heats the Body as violent Exercise and the use of hot Aliments especially in Summer to which we may add whatever is apt to breed Fulness or Repletion in the Body which oppresses Nature and renders her unable to subdue those rebellious Humours that stagnate in the Vessels where they are putrefy'd and fermented Sometimes a Fever proceeds from Obstructions in the excretory Passages especially those in the habit of the Body which are very numerous or by a stoppage of the free and natural Motion of the Blood that performs so many Rounds every Day passing from the Heart thro' the Arteries to the Veins and from thence returning to the Heart Thus if a Horse that is heated by hard Riding or any violent Exercise be suddenly expos'd to the cold Air or drink very cold Water the least tendency to a Fever will discover it self and actually break forth into a Distemper which perhaps lurk'd in his Body before And to conclude the least Disturbance in the natural Disposition of the Body is apt on some Occasions to produce a Fever The Signs of a Fever are these A violent Beating in the Flanks Heat of the Mouth Tongue and all the rest of the Body Swelling of the Veins and Beating of the Heart against the Sides The sick Horse breathes thick and with Difficulty reels frequently as he goes seldom lies down and when he is laid starts up suddenly because the Difficulty of Breathing is increas'd by that Posture forsakes his Meat entirely or eats only by Starts takes no notice of those who come near him nor turns his Head tho' you make a noise behind him Takes no care of himself and at last remains immoveable as if he were perfectly stupid and depriv'd of all his Senses His Lips and Ears hang down his Eyes seem sad and shining a sharp and piercing Heat is spread over all his Body and all the Symptoms of a violent Oppression of Nature appear I shall proceed to lay down some general Rules to be observ'd in the Cure of all Sorts of Fevers And first You must keep your Horse to a very spare Diet for if the Fever continue three Days without Intermission you may conclude that he is in extreme Danger and therefore he may well fast or at least be contented with a very small Quantity of Nourishment in so short a time and Hippocrates tells us in his Aphorisms That when a Disease is at the Height 't is absolutely necessary to observe a very thin Diet. Thus you may easily perceive the dangerous Errour of those who if a Horse be troubl'd with a Fever and fast twenty four Hours immediately give him Milk and Yolks of Eggs which is a very unwholsome kind of Nourishment in this Case and encreases the Distemper Besides it must be given with a Horn and the Violence of that Method of Feeding him augments the Difficulty of Breathing and disturbs him when he stands most in need of Rest You must therefore content your self with endeavouring to make him eat something of his own Accord for a small quantity of Nourishment given after this Manner will produce a better Effect than all that you can pour into his Mouth with a Horn. 'T is a Rule of great Importance in the Cure of Fevers never to exhibit a purging Medicine for in so great a Confusion of the Humors it 's impossible for Nature to evacuate those that offend her till she has separated 'em from the rest of the Mass and 't is plain that the Execution of so laborious a Work requires a considerable space of Time And besides the Operation of a purgative Medicine heats the Body and causes a Pain in the Guts which may not improbably breed an Inflammation 'T is also convenient to keep the sick Horse always bridl'd unless for so long time as must be necessarily allow'd him for Eating Of the Cure of a simple Fever If your Horse be troubl'd with a simple Fever you have no reason to dread the Event since the Cure may be easily and almost infallibly perform'd by a careful Observance of the following Method Assoon as you perceive any Signs of a Fever open the Neck-Vein on the right Side and take out about three Pounds of Blood The same Day give him the following Clyster A Clyster Boil two Ounces of Sal Polychrest and two Handfuls of whole Barley in three Quarts of Water and after one Waum add Blites Mercury Leaves of Violets and Pellitory of the Wall of each three Handfuls boil for the space of half a quarter of an Hour then remove the Decoction from the Fire and after 't is half cold strain out the Liquor and adding three Ounces of the Lenitive Electuary with a quarter of a Pound of Oil of Roses make a Clyster to be injected luke-warm An Hour after he has voided the Clyster tye a Chewing-Ball to his Bit and give him two Ounces of Powder of Liver of Antimony in a Quart of Beer or a Ptisan which may expel the Humours by Urine without heating the Body The next Day after rubb his whole Body with a Wisp of Straw or Hay to open the Pores of the Skin that the Steams or Excrements of the third Concoction may exhale which if they were suffer'd to remain in the Body wou'd oppress the Blood that stands in need of a free and unobstructed Motion His ordinary Drink may be thus prepar'd Melt four Ounces of Sal Prunellae in a sufficient quantity of Water and after 't is cold mix it with a little Flower and let your Horse drink as much as he pleases for this Drink allays the Heat of the Entrails resists Corruption and opens the Passages Besides it stops that Ebullition or Fermentation which is the usual Cause of all Fevers and evacuates the Humours by Urine which is the right Passage thro' which they shou'd be expell'd As for his Food you must give him Leaves of Succory Lettuce Dandelion or of Vines but little or no Hay and less Oats for either of these are apt to heat the Body constipate the Belly and harden the Excrements If you consider the short continuance of the Disease you will not be troubl'd at the small quantity of Nourishment that your Horse is allow'd to take If it last above three Days take Assa-faetida and Savin grossly beaten of each half an Ounce Sugar and Raspings of Liquorice of each an Ounce Tie 'em to the Bit in a Linnen Bag and make him champ upon it
four Ounces Benedicta Laxativa two Ounces or extracted Cassia three Ounces This Clyster evacuates the Impurities contain'd in the Intestines and comforts the superiour Parts You may also rub your Horse against the Hair to open the Pores and let out the Fuliginous Vapours contain'd under the Skin I have observ'd some Horses cur'd by the use of these Remedies and I have seen the same Medicines given to others without Success When the Fever continues three Days without intermission I lay aside the use of Remedies and immediately order the Horse to be thrown upon the Dunghil for I never observ'd in all my Practice that any Horse escap'd after that fatal Period tho' sometimes they linger out five or six Days longer because during the three Days of the uninterupted continuance of the Fever the Liver is quite burnt and consum'd by the violence of the Heat as it appears evidently by the Dissection of Horses that dye of a Fever CHAP. CXXXVII Of a Pestilential Fever THE Cure of this Fever is different from that of the last and is perform'd by strengthning Nature in correcting the malignity of the Poyson that causes the Disorder For the removal of the Cause is the most probable way to put an end to the Distemper For this purpose you must inject Clysters frequently and give repeated Doses of the Cordial Pills or the Electuary of Kermes observing almost the same Directions that are prescrib'd for the Cure of the Anticor I once observ'd a great Mortality of Horses in Germany few escaping that were once seiz'd with the Distemper Almost all of 'em voided a great quantity of Water at the Eyes they were troubl'd with a Fever and a strong Aversion to their Meat the tips of their Ears were cold and a certain yellow and greenish Matter dropt constantly from their Nose At first several Remedies were try'd in vain but at last I invented one that perform'd a great number of Cures As soon as the Disease appear'd the Horse was let Blood before he was suffer'd to Drink but if he had already Drunk the bleeding was delay'd till the next Day He was kept Bridl'd two or three Hours after then the following Remedy was exhibited after which he stood Bridl'd two Hours longer and a Man was order'd to walk him half an Hour Take new Treacle not above three Months old and Aloes Hepatica in Powder of each one Ounce Confection of Hyacinth and of Alkermes without Musk or Ambergreese of each half an Ounce dissolve 'em in a Decoction made with Scabious Carduus Benedictus and Speedwel of each a large handful 'T was observ'd that the Distill'd Waters of those Herbs when they cou'd be procur'd were more effectual than the Decoction The next and the following Days Clysters were Injected and if the violence of the Distemper did not abate the Remedy was repeated taking only one half of the prescrib'd Doses of the Treacle Aloes and Confections but the quantity of the Liquor was not lessen'd This Remedy cur'd all the Horses to whom it was exhibited but perhaps would not succeed so well on another occasion I order'd new Treacle to be us'd because that Medicine acquires a great deal of Heat by being long kept and all the cooling Virtue of the Opium that enters its Composition vanishes Mithridate Orvietan the Treacle Diatessaron the Electuary of Kermes the Confections of Hyacinth and Alkermes without Musk or Amber-greese are excellent Remedies against Pestilential Fevers as are also the Cordials describ'd above If the Disease be occasion'd by the Contagion of the Air as soon as you perceive your Stable to be infected remove instantly all your sound Horses without permiting 'em to enter into it again till you have perfum'd it with equal Parts of Sulphur and Salt-Petre and double quantities of Antimony and Pitch Or you may make an excellent Perfume by burning a Faggot of green Juniper-Wood the Doors and Windows being shut And you must also whiten the Walls wash the Rack and make the whole Stable clean For the biting of Venemous Beasts you may consult the Hundred and thirteenth Chapter If your Horse has swallow'd Poyson make him drink a great quantity of Oil and give him Orvietan Treacle or the Electuary of Kermes and the Cordial Pills are also proper in this case When a Horse happens to swallow Arsenic if his Stomach be void 't is impossible to prevent his Death if he be not assisted in less than an Hour for during that time the Arsenic is able to burn and utterly consume the Part to which it sticks The only Remedy in this case is to make him Drink two Pounds of good Oil-Olive to blunt and deaden the Acrimony of the Arsenic and two or three Hours after give him another Pound of the same Oil. Of the Method to be observ'd after a Horse's Recovery from a Fever When a Fever actually prevails you must not exhibit a Purgative Remedy for that wou'd be a no less preposterous attempt than if you shou'd endeavour to separate the Lees from the Wine during its Fermentation There are only two cases in which a Purging Remedy can be administer'd with safety or success in a Fever In the first place it may be given for the evacuation of corrupt Humours floating in the Stomach and Guts and it must be acknowledg'd that the removal of those Humours wou'd be advantagious to the Horse But since they are not the cause of the Disease that advantage wou'd be very inconsiderable with respect to the damage which Nature cou'd not avoid receiving by the heat and acrimony of the Remedy and by the violent and unusual Motion excited by it The other case in which Purgation is not only useful but necessary is when Nature after the agitation of the Humours during the Fever separates the corrupt from the pure Humours for she is often so weaken'd and render'd so lazy by the violence of her late Conflict that she contents her self with the Victory she has gain'd and is either unable or unwilling to attempt the utter overthrow and expulsion of her Enemy who seems to be perfectly quieted but may afterwards return to the assault with a more dangerous Fury than before As soon therefore as you perceive a remission or cessation of Arms you must take hold of that occasion to assist Nature to compleat the ruine of her Adversary 'T is true Purgatives are repugnant rather than agreeable to Nature but 't is certain she receives an accidental benefit by 'em for when they are in the Body they irritate and offend he Parts thro' which they pass and Nature perceiving those new Commotions endeavours to expel the cause of 'em and in the struggle drives forth the remainders of the Humours that not long before had almost overwhelm'd her as if the Operation of the Medicine had rouz'd her and put her in mind of her Duty You must not wait for the Marks of the Concoction and separation of the Humours from the Urine or Excrements of
this Distemper for the Farcin and put themselves to needless Trouble and Charge for the Cure of it 'T is occasion'd by a Redundancy of Blood over-heated by several Accidents and other Causes already mention'd For the thinnest and most subtil part of the Blood penetrating the Substance of the Flesh causes external Tumours resembling the Farcin And long Rest and want of Exercise are usually the occasional Causes of this Distemper by hindering the Dissipation of superfluous Humours You may easily cure this Distemper by Bleeding your Horse plentifully once or twice in the Neck-Veins These Tumours are distinguish'd from the Farcin both by the suddenness of their Appearance and of the Cure for sometimes they overspread the Body in one Night And besides they are neither hard nor fasten'd to the Flesh These Swellings are oftentimes repell'd and driven inwards by unseasonable Bleeding and the Horse is seiz'd with a Fever in which Case you must immediately give him a Clyster and an Hour after an Ounce or two of Treacle or Diatessaron in Wine which by driving out the Humour will give Ease to the Horse and at last cure him Some Horses are troubl'd from time to time with little Knots or Bunches in several parts of their Body occasion'd by the Boiling or rather excessive Heat of their Blood for the most subtle and choleric Particles being driven outwards to the external Parts of the Body form these little Tumours part of which break and disappear and the rest are dissolv'd by insensible Transpiration The general and most effectual way to cure all these Ebullitions is to mix with your Horse's Bread those Remedies that are endu'd with a Virtue to cool and purifie the Blood Thus Liver of Antimony given to the quantity of an Ounce and a half every Day will safely and quickly dissolve all those Knots and sweeten your Horse's Blood Three or four Doses of the Cinnabar-Pills are also very effectual in this Case You may prevent this Distemper by giving your Horse Sal Prunellae in his Bran which will expel those Bilious Serosities that usually cause these Symptoms and perhaps drive 'em out by the Urinary Passages The same Remedy allays the Heat of the Blood and Intrails and prevents the Farcin and other Distempers occasion'd by the Heat of the Blood For the Satisfaction of the Curious I shall insert the Preparation of Sal Prunellae which is a very useful Medicine both for Men and Horses CHAP. CL. Crystal Mineral or Sal Prunellae THis is only Nitre or Salt-Petre fix'd with Sulphur to prevent its Solution Take Salt-Petre of the fourth Solution melt it in a Crucible or Iron Pot and when you perceive that 't is entirely reduc'd to a liquid Form throw a little Brimstone upon it Assoon as the Flame ceases cast some more Brimstone into the Crucible continuing after the same manner till you have thrown in an Ounce of Flower of Brimstone for every Pound of Salt-Petre which must be kept in Fusion during the whole Operation Then take out the Salt-Petre with an Iron Spoon and put it into a little Copper Bason which being plac'd in a Pailful of cold Water the Mineral will congeal at the Bottom and appear as white as Snow An Iron Pot is more fit for this Operation than Crucibles which are usually pierc'd and crack'd with the Salt-Petre unless you can procure a good German Crucible For the better understanding of a Passage in the Beginning of the preceding Description it will not be amiss to acquaint the Reader that Salt-Petre is found congeal'd into Chrystals in the Water which is pour'd for that purpose on Lime and Plaister taken from the Ruines of old Buildings and mixt with Ashes This Water is afterwards boil'd till a Scum appear on the Top and then set in a cold place in Woodden Vessels where Chrystals of a long Figure and rusty Colour are form'd which is Salt-Petre of the first Solution Then dissolve these Chrystals in clean Water strain it thro' a Woollen Cloth boil it as before and when 't is cold the Salt-Petre of the second Solution will appear in Chrystals which are proper for the making of Gun-Powder Liver of Antimony and several other Preparations For if the Nitre were too fine and violent it wou'd carry off part of the Antimony that is mixt with it If you wou'd have your Salt-Petre more pure and refin'd dissolve it in Water filtrate boil and chrystallize as before to procure Salt-Petre of the third Solution repeating the same Operation as often as you think fit for if the Salt-Petre be not very pure 't is impossible to make fine Sal Prunellae Crystal Mineral is not only fix'd by the Sulphur but purg'd of those Arsenical Spirits of which it was full so that 't is entirely freed of all Sharpness and Malignity It purifies and cools the Blood and Intrails allays and stops the Ebullition of the Humours in Fevers powerfully opens all Obstructions opens and incides the Body of Medicines that their Virtues may be the better extracted and in one Word 't is a very cooling Remedy without Acrimony or Biting You may give an Ounce and a half of it every Day in moisten'd Bran mixt with half an Ounce of Juniper-Berries beaten or dissolve three or four Ounces of it in a Pailful of Water for your Horse's ordinary Drink and it may be also conveniently mix'd with purging Medicines Every Author extols the Virtues of this Remedy but I have only insisted on its Usefulness for Horses So Cooling a Medicine ought to be cautiously administer'd to Horses whose Constitution is different from that of Men And therefore when you give it in moisten'd Bran 't will be convenient to add half an Ounce of Juniper-Berries beaten to qualifie and correct the extreme Coldness of the Remedy which notwithstanding its great Usefulness in other Respects oftentimes destroys the Horse's Appetite and makes his Hair stare But some Horses have the Advantage of such strong Appetites that the Use of this Medicine tho' administer'd alone produces not the least ill Effect upon their Stomachs And I have made some Horses eat three or four Pounds of it without disordering their Stomachs or making 'em forsake their Meat CHAP. CLI Of the Shedding of the Hair from the Head accompany'd with the Mange And of the Falling of the Hair from the rest of the Body especially about the Neck and hinder part of the Thighs THE Heat that occasions these Disorders is not always an Effect of Distempers in the Intrails but sometimes proceeds from a Corruption of the Humours and is the more dangerous because it may degenerate into a Fever The remote Causes of this Heat are immoderate and violent Exercise too hot Nourishment such as Clover Beans c. Fatness of the Body and a hot or choleric Constitution The Signs are evident for the Hair sheds and falls off from several parts of the Body the Horse is tormented with a violent Itching and several other Symptoms are visible Marks
of an internal Heat This Distemper sometimes precedes a Cough The following Remedy is very effectual in this Case and generally useful for all over-heated Horses In the first place you may give your Horse the Cinnabar-Pills observing the necessary Directions But if those prove ineffectual prepare the following Medicine Put half a Pound of calcin'd Roch-Allom into a Matrass or long-neckt Vial with a Quart of distill'd Vinegar digest on hot Ashes till the Allom be dissolv'd after which strain the Vinegar thro' a double Cloth or brown Paper Then boil away the third Part in an Earthen Pot and afterwards set it in a cool Cellar where it will congeal into Crystals about the Sides of the Pot. Pour off the remaining Vinegar and having evaporated one half set it in a Cellar to crystallize as before Then mix these Crystals with the former and dry 'em carefully When you have occasion to cool your Horse's Body take these Crystals of Allom Sal Prunellae and Juniper-Berries of each half an Ounce beat 'em to Powder and having infus'd 'em in a Quart of White Wine during the space of a Night make your Horse drink the Infusion in the Morning keeping him bridl'd two Hours before and as long after Continue after the same Manner unless the Horse forsake his Meat for in that Case you must discontinue the Use of the Remedy and even lay it aside entirely if you perceive that his Appetite is quite lost and his Hair begins to stare For these are evident Signs that he stands not in need of cooling Medicines The best way to cool or refresh the Body of a Horse when his Stomach is injur'd by the above-mention'd Remedy is to purifie his Blood with the Liver of Antimony or some other convenient Medicine I might take this Occasion to confute the vulgar Mistakes concerning the Method of administring cooling Medicines to Horses but to avoid Repetitions I shall content my self with referring the Reader to what has been already said on that Subject and conclude this Chapter with the Case of a Horse that without the least Appearance of a Scab was tormented with a violent and almost incredible Itching in his Hide I order'd him to be let Blood twice and made him eat above six Pounds of Polychrest in moisten'd Bran giving him a Handful every Day without weighing the Doses His Stomach was not in the least disorder'd but he had so great a Looseness for twenty Days that his Excrements were as liquid as Cows Dung In the mean time I continu'd the Use of the Sal Polychrest till his Dung was reduc'd to its natural Thickness after which he was bath'd in a River and the Mange was cur'd without any external Application CHAP. CLII. Of Molten-Grease 'T IS the general Opinion of Farriers and consequently of most other Men who believe that their Authority has the Force of an Argument in a Case relating to the Art they profess that this Distemper is occasion'd by violent Exercise which over-heats the Horse to such a degree that his Fat which they also suppose to be redundant is melted in his Body and stifles him But this is a very ill-grounded Hypothesis for if you consider attentively the Causes and Symptoms of this Disease you will find your self oblig'd to conclude that it proceeds from tough and slimy Humours agitated and fermented by a sharp and subtle sort of Choler so that being extremely rarefy'd they break out of the Places where they were lodg'd by Nature and over-running the whole Body according to the Operation of Leven upon Bread ferment the rest of the Humours which being agitated and put into Motion disorder the Oeconomy of Nature emit Vapours that disturb the Brain excite a Fever by reason of the violent Agitation of the Spirits and at last by a provident struggle of Nature in order to the final Evacuation of at least part of those Humours that oppress her they are driven into the great Gut where they are mix'd with the Dung and give us occasion to judge that the Horse is troubl'd with the Disease commonly call'd Molten-Grease Fat Horses are most subject to this Distemper which is usually occasion'd by Repletion or Fulness For the Choler being agitated by violent Exercise and meeting with a Body full of Humours produces the above-mention'd Disorders 'T is a very hard Task to know but more difficult to cure this Distemper I saw a Horse that di'd after two Days Illness without giving the least Sign to help us to the Knowledge of his Disease 'T is true if the Horse be suffer'd to rest after his Grease is molten the Symptom will be more apparent The sick Horse usually forsakes his Meat lies down and rises again suddenly and looks upon his Flanks but the surest way to discover the Nature of the Disease is by putting your Hand into his Fundament for if the Excrements you draw forth be cover'd with a whitish Membrane or Film in some measure resembling Grease you may certainly conclude that his Grease is molten and proceed immediately to the Application of convenient Remedies I attempted and successfully perform'd the Cure of a Horse who was troubl'd with this Distemper in so violent a Degree that the slimy Humour he voided after the Injection of a Clyster continu'd to boil and ferment on the Floor for a very considerable time Of the Cure of Molten-Grease in the Beginning Assoon as you perceive the least Cause to suspect that your Horse's Grease is molten anoint your Hand and Arm with fresh Butter and put it into his Fundament drawing forth not only the Dung but all the slimy Humours After you have rak'd him carefully let him blood in the Neck and half an Hour after give him a Clyster made by dissolving two Ounces of Benedicta Laxativa one Ounce of Sal Gemmae or Sal Polychrest or the Scoriae of Liver of Antimony and a quarter of a Pound of Honey of Violets in two Quarts of the common Decoction adding Emetic Wine and the Urine of a sound Man of each a Pint. Then walk your Horse gently for half an Hour to provoke him to void the Clyster When the Clyster leaves off Working that is about an Hour after the injecting of it give him about half a Pint of the Juice of Housleek which is a Herb that grows on the Walls and resembles little Artichoaks mixt with a Pint of White Wine walking him gently for the space of an Hour This Juice stops the Ebullition of the Humours allays the Heat of the inward Parts and both cleanses and heals the Body if it be seasonably administer'd Afterwards you may repeat the former or some other convenient Clyster and by all means endeavour to restore your Horse's Appetite according to the Method prescrib'd in the sixth and following Chapters You may easily try an Experiment which is said to cure this Distemper effectually by giving your Horse the Blood of a Sheep warm as it comes out of the Vein I can only recommend
and hinder Parts To conclude This is a very dangerous Disease and even incurable if it be suffer'd to fix and take Root But the Danger may be prevented by a timely Application of Remedies CHAP. CLV Of Pains in the Feet after Foundering THE Pains that frequently remain after Foundering hinder the Horse from walking steadily and from setting his Foot flat upon the Ground for he treads only upon his Heel to ease the Toe The Humour that caus'd the Foundering falling down from the Leg slides between the Bone of the Foot and the Hoof and the natural Heat being as it were stifl'd by the sharp Humour the fore-part of the Foot is depriv'd of its appointed share of Nourishment and consequently is hardend dry'd and weaken'd The End of the Bone next the Toe falls down upon the Sole and shrinks so that it must necessarily be separated from the sound Part of the Bone This Separation is not the Work of one Day but notwithstanding the extreme Difficulty which attends it it may be at last happily perfected if Nature who is the best Judge of the Time and most skilful Performer of the Operation be assisted by a seasonable and regular Observance of the following Method If your Horse tread only on his Heels so that you have reason to conclude that that the fore-part of the Foot is wither'd or dry'd up and if you perceive its Hollowness by knocking upon the Hoof pluck off the Shooe and having par'd the Foot a little set on a Pantofle-Shooe such as you will find explain'd in the Chapter that treats of the Shooing of Horses that have Narrow Heels and apply the following Remedy Note That when you shooe a Horse in this Condition you must always leave the Sole as firm as may be for the Success of the Cure depends chiefly upon that and on the falling away of the dry part of the Bone which may be also promoted by the use of the following Decoction or Broth. If your Horse be troubl'd with Pains in his Feet without any Sign of the Dryness or Separation of the Bone you must only pare the Feet set on very easie Shooes and apply the following Broth. A Broth or Decoction for Pains in the Feet remaining after Foundering Take Brandy a Quart strong Vinegar a Pint and a half Oil of Bay a Pound Add a sufficient quantity of Bean-Flower and boil to the Consistency of a thick Broth stirring it perpetually over a gentle Fire Then pour it boiling hot into the Foot laying on Tow and Splints to keep it in and apply the same Broth assoon as you can endure to touch it with your Hand to the Cronet with Tow. Renew the Application thrice every twenty four Hours and if the Pain be not very inveterate the Horse will certainly recover If the fore-part of the Bone of the Foot be dry'd and fall down upon the Sole 't will be very convenient to take up the Pastern-Veins after the Application of the Broth that the Humour which is carry'd to the Foot with the Blood may be the sooner exhausted besides several other Reasons already intimated If the Foot be so extremely shrunk and dry'd up that the Horse cannot go nor almost stand you must take out the Sole and sear the End of the Bone of the Foot suffering it to fall quite away after which the Sole will grow again and the Horse may recover if you set on a Pantofle-Shooe and give the Foot time to gather strength but you must never expect that it will be good handsome or fit for Service CHAP. CLVI Of the Mange Itch or Running-Scab THis is a Disease of the Skin which makes the Hair peel and fall away and the Hide grow thick hard dry rough and even wrinkl'd in several Places Vegetius in the seventy first Chapter of the third Book of his Ars Veterinaria defines it in these Words The Scab or Mange is a loathsome and unseemly Distemper of Cattle But this is no true Definition since it explains not the Nature of the Thing defin'd Unwholsome Nourishment may occasion this Distemper which proceeds from a sharp burnt and salt Humour that is from an Acid full of sharp and corrosive Spirits and Salts The same Acid may be generated by Hunger and Fatigues and by keeping company with mangy Horses It may also be communicated to those Horses that are rubb'd with the same Curry-Combs and Brushes or Dusting-Cloths that were formerly made use of for Horses infected with this Distemper and to conclude The Mange may be an Effect of the Carelesness of the Groom in dressing his Horse or of the Neglect of seasonable Bleeding We may conclude that a Horse is troubl'd with the Mange when he rubs one part of his Body more than the rest as for Example his Joints Legs Tail and Mane in which Case you must feel the Part and if you perceive that the Hide is thicker than usually 't is a Sign that your Horse is Mangy Sometimes this Distemper is universal but for the most part it comes by degrees and appears sometimes in one Part and sometimes in another This Disease may be divided into two Kinds the dry and ulcerated Mange In the first there appears nothing upon the Skin but a sort of mealy Scales which make the Hair fall quite away The Cure is extremely difficult and usually the Cause is either Cold or Hunger The other Kind breaks out into little Swellings and Scurfs which being separated the Part remains sore and raw This is more easily cur'd than the former Kind unless when 't is seated in the Mane or Tail where it sticks very fast and can hardly be rooted out because the Hide in these Parts is so thick that the strongest Remedies can scarce force their Passage thro' it Both Kinds are cur'd with the same Remedies A Remedy for the Mange You must begin the Cure of this Distemper with the Preparation of the Humour that causes it For you must never proceed to anoint your Horse's Body till you have remov'd the internal Cause of the Humor that is driven outwards by Nature lest by inclosing and concentrating the corrupt Humour in the Body the Entrails be heated and the Noble Parts vitiated Bleeding is almost always necessary in this Case to allay the Heat of the Blood and promote its Circulation Vegetius has very prudently order'd the chusing of fit Places for letting of Blood according to the Variety of Cases and the different Parts of the Body where the Humour is lodg'd Thus for Example if the Mange appear in the Head or Neck you must let your Horse blood in the Head if in the Shoulders Breast or fore Legs bleed him in the Brisket if the Back be infected in the Flanks and if the hinder Legs or Hips be mangy you must open a Vein in the Thighs But I cannot approve the Purgation appointed by the same Author for the Roots of wild Cucumbers or Elaterium which he prescribes to be mixt with Oats leaves
Trunchions that breed in the Body of a Horse THere is no Corruption without Generation for what Nature loses in one part she regains in another Every Plant and almost every Animal is a kind of Nursery of a particular Species of Insects When the vital Heat is vitiated it becomes incapable of performing its natural task of concocting the Aliments and consequently the whole oeconomy of Nature is dissolv'd for when the Nourishment of Horses as well as of all other Animals is not perfectly digested Crudities and Humours are generated which are easily corrupted and their Putrefaction produces several sorts of Worms I have already spoken of the Worms that occasion the Colic and violent Gripings Some of 'em are white long and sharp-pointed appearing in the Horse's Dung and are not very dangerous but those that are long and small resembling great Needles are extreamly dangerous some are red short and thick of the bigness of small Beans which torment and oftentimes kill the Horse There is another sort of Worms not unlike to Wood-Lice only they have not so many Feet they are of a reddish brown Colour somewhat velvetted on the back consisting of divers Folds They abide in the Stomach and devour all the Nourishment so that tho' the Horse be a great Eater he cannot possibly thrive since his Stomach prepares Nourishment only for the Worms which sometimes by reason of their multitude pierce the Stomach in several Parts and kill the Horse with extreme Pain And I have even seen thousands of 'em in the Stomachs of dead Horses 'T is impossible to know certainly when a Horse is troubl'd with these Worms for they cause no Griping and never appear in the Dung since they always abide in the Stomach or Maw When a Horse is troubl'd with this last sort of Worms he commonly becomes lean and sluggish he looks upon his Belly or Flanks his Hair stares and whatever Nourishment he takes he never grows fat When Horses are taken up from the Grass they are subject to certain smooth or velveted Worms about half the Bigness of Catter-pillars which appear near the Fundament and are usually call'd Bots. These Insects are not dangerous for you may take 'em away with your Hand without any Medicine Remedies for the Worms The Remedies already prescrib'd for destroying the Worms that occasion a sort of Colic are good against all the various Kinds of those Insects such as the Powder describ'd in that Chapter Mercury if it be duly prepar'd is in my Opinion the most powerful and successful Enemy of Worms For it not only destroys 'em but prevents their future Growth and therefore you cannot give a better Remedy than well-prepar'd Mercurius dulcis or Cinnabar mixt with the Cordial-Powder or the Cinnabar-Pills for the very Steam of Mercury destroys the Worms You may easily kill Bots or Worms that stick about the Fundament by giving your Horse an Ounce or two of the Powder or Flower of Brimstone with moisten'd Oats Hay moisten'd with the Solution of Salt-Petre kills Worms effectually The green Leaves of a Willow or Peach-Tree chopt small and mixt with Oats are very good in this Case Half an Ounce of Savin in Powder mixt with Oats and given for ten or twelve Days together will infallibly destroy the Worms If you keep your Horse five or six Days in a Sheep-Cote without Litter all the Worms in his Body will certainly come forth by reason of the Nitre contain'd in the Sheeps-Dung but since the Cause is not remov'd you must give him the purging Medicine prescrib'd in the following Chapter The Seed of Zedoary beaten and mixt with Bran moisten'd with Wine kills all sorts of Worms Those who cannot procure compound Medicines may chuse one of the following simple Remedies which may be given with Bran or Oats The Seeds of Coriander Citrons Oranges and Lemons the Shavings of Ivory and of Hart's-Horn The Pills prescrib'd for Pursiveness in Chap. CXIX expel all sorts of Worms if one of 'em be given daily in moisten'd Bran for seven or eight Days together You may give a Horse that is troubl'd with the Worms an Ounce of Cinnabar with a like quantity of the Cordial-Powder in moisten'd Bran continuing for some time Or take four Ounces of Cinnabar and two Ounces of the Cordial-Powder and with a Pound of fresh Butter make 'em up into Pills to be given with a Quart of Wine Six Drams of Mercurius dulcis made up into two Pills with an Ounce of Treacle is an admirable Remedy in this Case The Mercury is too cold to be given alone and therefore you must add either the Cordial Powder or Treacle And besides when 't is given alone it oftentimes causes a Disturbance without any Evacuation but the Swelling of the Body that usually happens on this Occasion may be easily asswag'd with a convenient Clyster However 't is certain that it never produces any ill Effect when 't is mixt with Cordials It does not always purge and sometimes its Operation is not visible till the Horse begins to thrive after the Destruction of those pernicious Insects that wasted him Several other Remedies are good for killing Worms such as the Liver of Antimony if two Ounces of it be given every Day with moisten'd Bran or you may use the following Powder A Powder for the Worms Take the Seeds of Coriander Lettuce Rapes and Colewort of each two Ounces Zedoary an Ounce Shavings of Hart's-Horn four Ounces Mix and make a Powder The Dose is two Ounces every Day with Oats or Bran moisten'd with Wine for twelve Days together after which give your Horse a Purge to expel the Worms for after the regular Use of the Powders and other Medicines you will find Purgation extremely useful and almost always necessary for the destroying of these Insects CHAP. CLIX. Purging-Pills to destroy Worms THese Pills are of excellent Use for Horses that are troubl'd with Worms unless they be extremely lean and wasted as indeed in that Case they usually are and therefore before you proceed to purge a lean Horse you must first moisten his Body with wet Bran instead of Oats or infuse an Ounce of Polychrest and half an Ounce of Juniper-Berries beaten in a Quart of Wine for the space of one Night Next Morning give him the Wine luke-warm continuing after the same manner for some Days But if he forsake his Meat you must lay aside the Use of Sal Polychrest for some time and even entirely if his Hair begin to stare for from the Appearance of that Sign you may conclude that the Horse's Body is not over-heated and that you may safely administer the purging Remedy if his Appetite be in a good Condition Sal Polychrest is certainly an admirable Remedy to prepare the Body of a Horse for Purgation when it does not take away his Appetite and even sometimes it kills the Worms However you may afterwards give these Pills with a confident Expectation of very good Success Boil a Pound of Honey in a
is an excellent Remedy to ripen Matter in any part of the Body where the Skin is broken and when the circumstances of the Disease require the Sore to be kept open You may apply either of these Remedies according to the greatness of the Swelling Vegetius in the Eighth Chapter of his Third Book where he treats of the Swelling of the Stones orders 'em to be anointed Morning and Evening with the Powder of Burnt-Barley mixt with Hog's-Grease adding that a Dog's-Gall is of admirable efficacy in this case These Remedies are cheap and safe but I cannot recommend 'em from my own Experience CHAP. CLXIV Of the Lask Looseness or Flux of the Belly THis Disease is so frequently Mortal I mean when it attacks Horses that it ought never to be neglected when it comes without a manifest Cause But a Horse may be seiz'd with a Looseness without any considerable Danger after the drinking of cold Water in Summer or of melted Snow and after the eating of tender Grass or other Aliments and Medicines that may be rather said to produce a good Effect by loosening the Horse's Belly and expelling part of the Impurities that are lodg'd in his Body But this is not the Disease treated of in this Chapter The Lask or Flux is caus'd by the Weakness of the Stomach that cannot digest the Nourishment which consequently passes thro' the Guts and is voided at the Fundament almost without any Alteration It proceeds also from the Corruption of the Humours that are either gather'd in the Stomach or flow thither from the neighbouring Parts and by disturbing Nature in the Performance of her important Work of Concoction provoke her to a vigorous Endeavour in order to their Expulsion These Humours are not always raw and cold for oftentimes the Guts are scowr'd by an Inundation of Choler which may be call'd a Natural Clyster This kind of Flux is rarely dangerous and even not unfrequently profitable It is an ill Sign when the Aliments are voided entire without the least Mark of Digestion For 't is absolutely impossible for Nature to repair her Losses and regain her wonted Vigour without fresh Supplies of Nourishment and 't is plain that she receives not any considerable Advantage from the Nourishment when it only passes thro' the Body without undergoing any Change Besides these Internal Causes this Distemper may be occasion'd by eating too much Provender in which Case it may be easily cur'd by diminishing the usual Allowance of Food Sometimes 't is caus'd by eating mouldy or rotten Hay frozen Grass and other unwholsome Nourishment as also by drinking very cold Water and by immoderate and fatiguing Exercise This Distemper may also proceed from want of Exercise drinking immediately after the eating of a great quantity of Oats excessive Fatness feeding on Rye Straw and an ill Disposition of the whole Body To discover the Nature of the Humour that causes and foments the Disease you must consider the Excrements that are voided for if they boil and ferment upon the Ground you may conclude that the Distemper proceeds from over-heated Choler if they be white 't is a Sign of Crudity if they be watery they denote a great Weakness of the Stomach A Remedy for the Flux If the Excrements be mixt with small Pieces or Scrapings of the Guts you have reason to fear an Ulcer in those Parts which usually proves fatal if the Danger be not speedily prevented by a seasonable Cooling of the Entrails which may be effected by the following Remedy Take Barley and the Roots of Marsh-Mallows beaten of each two Ounces Powder of Sal Prunellae an Ounce Boil 'em in three Quarts of Water to one Quart The Dose is a Pint two or three times a day This Decoction allays the Inflammation of the Entrails sweetens the Acrimony of the Humors reduces the Choler to its natural State and destroys the preternatural Heat that occasions the Fever If this Distemper be caus'd by Flegm you must strengthen the Stomach evacuate the redundant Humours and bind and strengthen the relax'd Parts These Indications require the Use of the Cordial-Powder or Pills the Electuary of Kermes Treacle and other hot Remedies that are endu'd with a Virtue to strengthen and corroborate the Parts The Cure of this kind of Flux is easier than in the other Cases The Looseness of the Belly or Flux is frequently an Effect of a vigorous struggle of Nature to throw off and expel a troublesome Load of Humours But if it continue longer than three Days and be attended with the Loss of Appetite it may produce dangerous Consequences for sometimes Horses are founder'd by the long Continuance of this Distemper Therefore you must endeavour to prevent the Danger by the seasonable Application of convenient Remedies and by keeping the Horse to a regular Diet. You must not suffer your Horse to eat Oats but feed him with Bran moisten'd with Claret if he have not too strong an Aversion against it Barley parch'd on a Peel at the Fire and then ground is very good in this Case and you must also chuse the best Hay To proceed to the Use of Remedies you may begin with this scowring Clyster A Scowring Clyster Take Wheat Bran well sifted and whole Barley of each two Handfuls red Roses a Handful true Opium slic'd small half a Dram Boil 'em in Whey or steel'd Water for the space of a quarter of an Hour then add the Leaves of wild Succory Agrimony Beets white Mullein and Mercury of each one Handful In two Quarts of the Decoction dissolve the Yolks of six Eggs Honey of Roses and brown Sugar of each four Ounces Mix and make a Clyster After this Clyster has scowr'd the Guts and expell'd part of the corrupt Matter that was lodg'd in 'em you may give your Horse two Ounces of Liver of Antimony in moisten'd Bran or half an Ounce of the Golden Sulphur of Antimony persisting in this Method for a considerable Time For these Medicines strengthen the Entrails allay the Ebullition or Fermentation of the Humours and contribute very effectually to the Cure of this Distemper This done you may inject the following Clyster A Cooling and Binding Clyster Take Knot-Grass or instead of that Shepherd's Purse and white Mullein of each one Handful Leaves of Plantane two Handfuls Flowers of wild Pomegranates half a Handful the Seeds of Myrtles Lettuce and Plantane of each two Ounces Beat the Seeds and boil 'em in three Quarts of Beer or Barley-Water with half a Dram of good Opium cut into thin slices then put in the Herbs and afterwards a Handful of dry'd Roses Add to the Straining half a Pound of Honey of Roses and four Ounces of Sugar of Roses Mix and make a Clyster to be administer'd after the usual Manner A Potion for the Flux If the Flux be not stopp'd or at least abated by the above-mention'd Preparations of Antimony after these two Clysters you must give the following Potion continuing to repeat the Clysters from time to
Ounces the middle Bark of an Ash-Tree fresh and green four Ounces good Honey a quarter of a Pound and half a Pound of the Leaven'd Dough of a Rye-Loaf ready to be put into the Oven Beat the Ash-Bark and incorporate it with the rest of the Ingredients without Heat to the Consistence of a Pultiss which must be apply'd cold to the Fundament and the Application renew'd every twelve Hours If you cannot procure the green Bark you may take the dry diminishing the Dose to two Ounces and beating it to Powder Galen's cooling Cerate Album Rhasis and some other Galenical Remedies may be sometimes useful in this Case but are inferiour to the other in Efficacy It happens not unfrequently that the Distemper continues obstinately after a fruitless Tryal of all these Applications In this Case assoon as the Inflammation and great Heat are remov'd you must cut off the part of the Fundament that hangs out with a sharp Knife heated red-hot to prevent a Flux of Blood Sometimes the Fundament shrinks into its Place if the Horse be suffer'd to rest about half an Hour But falls out again if you make him trot thirty Paces which is a Sign of a Fistula And therefore you must take hold of it when it falls out and tying a strong Packthread about it cut it quite off with a red-hot Knife You must afterwards anoint the Wound every Day with Album-Rhasis till the Escarfall and then rub the Flesh with Siccativum Rubrum Many Horses have been sav'd by this Method and several Farriers at Paris have perform'd the Cure by my Directions who never saw it attempted before tho' they are otherwise very skilful in their Profession and have seen Horses cur'd of Fistula's CHAP. CLXVII Of Strains Hurts and Blows on the Houghs STrains in the Houghs are very dangerous by reason of the extream Pain occasion'd by the contusion of the Nervous Parts The Horse's Body grows dry he becomes Lean and is afterwards troubl'd with so many grievous Distempers that he grows ugly and deform'd if not irrecoverably Lame The Causes are the same with those that occasion Strains in the Hips and there is no need of enumerating a multitude of Signs in so plain a case For the Hoof is swoll'n and when you touch it the Horse shrinks and complains Bleed your Horse in the Neck and charge the whole Hoof with his own Blood mixt with Brandy As soon as the Charge is dry lay some of the Ointment of Montpelier above it and about eight or ten Hours after chafe the Part with strong Brandy without taking away the Ointment washing it always with Brandy at the same Intervals after every Application of the Ointment You may afterwards endeavour to repel the Defluxion with Astringent Remedies such as you will find describ'd in several Parts of this Book especially the Astringent Baths mention'd in the preceding Chapter If the Swelling continue notwithstanding the use of these Remedies apply the Duke's Ointment with Brandy and afterwards convenient Fomentations renewing the Applications once a Day If the Swelling ripen or turn to an Abscess open it with a red-hot Iron and proceed as in the Cure of Simple Wounds For a slight Strain 't will be sufficient to anoint the Hoof with the Ointment of Montpelter and Brandy If the Swelling be occasion'd by a Blow from another Horse bleed your Horse Charge the griev'd place with his own Blood and then chafe it with Spirit of Wine or you may chuse some of the following Remedies at your pleasure For Blows on the Houghs and other parts of the Body The Tumours that are occasion'd by these and such like Accidents are not easily dissolv'd or asswag'd If the Humour congeal in those Nervous Parts it resists the Operation of the best Remedies and the Swelling degenerates into a Curb Spavin c. and therefore to prevent those Inconveniencies as soon as the Pain is taken away and only the Swelling remains bathe the Part and charge it with thick Lees of Red-Wine mixt with a third part of good Vinegar and besides you will find severaâ— Remedies for those Swellings in the Sixtieth and following Chapters If the Tumour be inveterate and cannot be dissolv'd by these Applications you may apply the following Remedy which is very effectual A Remedy for a Swelling caus'd by a Blow Mix a Pound of Flower of Linseed with a sufficient quantity of Wine till it be reduc'd to the thickness of Broth boil it over a clear Fire stirring it about without intermission When it begins to thicken add four Ounces of common Turpentine and when that is well incorporated with the Broth put in six Ounces of melted Burgundy-Pitch Then remove the Vessel from the Fire continuing to stir the Composition till you can venture to put your Finger into it after which you must immediately apply it to the place with Flax and a Bandage and repeat the Application once in twenty four Hours If the Swelling be accompany'd with a violent Pain or if the Horse be very Lame you must endeavour to allay the Pain by the Application of the Duke's Ointment or for want of that of the preceding Remedy prepar'd with Milk instead of Wine For the Milk is Anodyne and asswages Pain but is not endu'd with the resolving Faculty of Wine and therefore as soon as the Horse ceases to Halt you must again prepare the Remedy with Wine to take away the Swelling If these Remedies be not attended with the desir'd Success you may have recourse to the Bath mention'd in Chap. LXV or to those that are describ'd in the preceding Chapter to which last you may add some of the Herbs that enter'd the Composition of the former Sometimes these Tumours degenerate into Curbs Spavins or Hough-Boney's which are sometimes cur'd by giving the Fire As soon as a Horse has receiv'd a Blow in his Body with another Horse's Foot bleed him in the Neck and bathe the place with Spirit of Wine five or six times every Day or which is more effectual anoint it with the Ointment of Montpelier and eight Hours after chafe it with Brandy repeating the Application once a Day In these cases I usually apply with very good Success the Crease of a Capon Badger or Bear anointing the Part every Day till the Swelling be dissolv'd Another Remedy for a Swelling occasion'd by a Blow or Stroke with another Horse's Foot Beat the Whites of twelve or thirteen Eggs with a large piece of Allom till they be reduc'd to a thick Froth then mix 'em with a Quart of strong Brandy a Pint of Vinegar and two Litrons of Flower incorporating 'em well without Heat Charge the place with this Mixture renewing the Application every two Hours till the Swelling be abated which usually happens in twenty four Hours Another Remedy to asswage a Swelling caus'd by a Stroke Make a thin Paste of Potter's-Clay mixt with a sufficient quantity of Vinegar boil and stir it till it thicken Then remove it from the Fire
or Gristle So that Nature endeavouring to expel what offends her bursts the Hoof in the middle of the Quarter and the Matter finds a Passage thro' the Cleft near the hairy part of the Foot This Disease is cur'd by the Method I prescrib'd for the Quitter-Bone for the corrupted Tendon must be separated since 't is no more to be reckon'd as a part of the Foot I do not say that these Clefts in the Foot are always accompany'd with Crepances but only that these Distempers are sometimes united in which Case you may reckon your Horse to be in a very dangerous if not desperate Condition CHAP. CLXXXIX Of the Numness of the Hoof. THE Name of a Distemper usually gives us a confus'd Idea of the Nature of it but the Word introduc'd by Custom to express the Disease treated off in this Chapter seems not to have the least Relation to what it signifies However I will not quarrel about Words but rather proceed to a brief Explication of the Distemper commonly known by this Name to which I shall subjoin an Account of its Signs Causes and surest Remedies after I have told you that the Cure is extremely difficult or at least very tedious In the first place you must know that there is a Bone in the Middle of the Coffin-Bone which is almost of the same Figure with the Foot but much smaller since 't is contain'd within it This is that which we usually call the Bone of the Foot Now a Horse is said to be troubl'd with this Distemper when the Bone of the Foot by reason of a Relaxation at the End opposite to the Toe leaves its Place and natural Situation and the Flesh that surrounded it and united it to the Hoof growing dry there remains a hollow or empty Space Besides the Bone of the Foot being loosen'd at one end falls down and pressing against the Sole that covers it appears in Form of a Crescent as if there were another Bone fasten'd to the Outside of the Bone of the Foot whereas it is only that Bone it self fall'n down out of its natural Place and appearing in the Figure of a Crescent which is greater or smaller as the Bone is more or less loosen'd This Bone is seldom loosen'd towards the Heel to which 't is fasten'd by two great Sinews that pass thro' it in two several Places and bind it so fast to the Foot that unless it be loosen'd by some violent Accident it never descends but towards the Toe in which Case there remains a void space that was formerly fill'd with the Flesh that surrounded the Bone before it was loosen'd so that the Coffin-Bone and the Bone of the Foot were in a manner one continu'd Body so closely were they united whereas in this Case there is a hollow Space along the Hoof towards the Toe and the Extent of that Hollowness is proportionable to the Relaxation of the Bone This Distemper may be known by these Signs The Horse halts right down he trots and even walks upon his Heels and brings down his Toes softly to the Ground without laying any stress upon 'em The Fore-part of the Foot sounds hollow when you knock upon it with your Shooing-Hammer at last it shrinks in the Middle and the Foot loses its natural Shape This Disease has some Affinity with Foundering in the Feet but is less malignant and more easily cur'd The Effects are almost the same in both Cases for when a Horse is founder'd in the Feet the Bone of the Foot is loosen'd before and forms Crescents like those describ'd in this Chapter only they are greater and appear usually on both Feet whereas this Distemper rarely attacks more than one These Crescents in either Case are only the Bone of the Foot relax'd descending from its natural Place and appearing like a Crescent without the Flesh that formerly us'd to cover it So that you must not give Credit to the Opinion of certain Farriers who imagine it to be a Bone or bony Excrescency growing upon the Bone of the Foot This Bone thus relax'd and appearing in the above-mention'd Form is at last depriv'd of Nourishment and grows as it were one extraneous or preternatural Body and consequently must either fall away or be cut out These things were necessary to be premis'd in order to a clearer understanding of the Distemper but since I have hitherto only explain'd the Effect of the Cause I shall in the next place consider the Cause it self When a Horse by reason of vehement labour is over-heated the Humours are put in Motion by this Impression of Heat and the Agitation is encreas'd by other more subtil Humours which being out of their natural Place and besides thin sharp and spirituous ferment the grosser Humours with which they are mix'd This Ebullition occasions the rising of very sharp Vapours full of a volatile and corrosive Salt which insinuating into the Parts where they find least Resistance and in their way passing thro' some places where the natural Heat is moderate being no longer agitated nor supported by the Fermentation that rais'd 'em they are condens'd into Water which is carry'd by its own Weight to the Foot where they find an easie Admittance into the spongy Flesh between the Hoof and the Bone Now this Water or Liquor retaining the sharp and corrosive Nature of its primitive Vapours and in many Respects resembling Aqua-Fortis it consumes all the Flesh that united the Hoof and the Bone and at the same time dries up and separates a vast Number of little Nerves that proceed from the Bone of the Foot and fasten it to the Hoof So that the Bone being no longer sustain'd or kept in it places by the Flesh or those little Nerves falls down towards the sore-part of the Foot forms a Crescent under the Sole and leaves the fore-part of the Hoof empty and hollow Having already explain'd the Nature of Fermentation and illustrated that Explication with clear and proper Examples I know no reasonable Objection that can be made against the Account I have given of this Distemper Only methinks I hear some confident Wou'd-be-Wits enquire who told me all these fine Stories and whether I or my Informers were ever Witnesses of those Transactions in the Body But a very moderate stock of Sense wou'd enable 'em to conceive that tho' neither I nor any Man else can pretend to have seen those internal Motions and Revolutions 't is not at all impossible that a studious Enquirer into Nature may discover the Causes by their Effects And withal I assure 'em that if they can produce a more probable Hypothesis and confirm it with more or better Experiments I will receive it in such a Manner that they themselves shall acknowledge that I am neither of a very obstinate Nature nor over-fond of my own Notions 'T will not be improper in the next place to examine the Difference between the Humour that causes this Distemper and that which causes Foundering The latter of