bathe therewith the Legs or Thighs from above the Knee and from the Cambrels downwards or for want of these Neats-foot Oyl after which chafe it in with your hands and in often so doing in all places where you see occasion you will wonderfully restore his Limbs rendring them supple and plyable There are many things to be observed from the Sweating of a Horse especially from that which proceeeds without External force occasioned by hard labour or the like for then is the Horse faint foul fed or wanteth Exercise to evaporate the abundance of watery humours which he hath contracted And especially this is to be noted when his Sweat is white and frothy like a Lather of Soap but in case of Heats and other considerable labour to create Sweat if it appear black and pearly like clear water then is the Horse in a good plight oâ— habit of Body especially if he be lively and brisk not in the least afflicted with any shaking or trembling for that infers the Sweat forced out by some Internal disorder rather than naturally evaporated And now seeing the Causes of Sickness are very material to be known that is from whence they arise that so the Skill in Curing may be the greater and the Remedies to be applied more powerfull and certain in their Operation as also the causes of health and long life Take for your better Experiment what you find in the subsequent Chapter CHAP. XVI Of the Elementary parts of a Horse's Body and of the Agreement of the Humours therewith A discourse of Corruption and Generation in which is set forth all things of that kind relating to Goodness or Badness Health or Sickness c. CErtain it is that no Man can truly pretend to Experience of this kind unless he duly weigh the Nature of Generation and Corruption for on them as on the Collumns of this Art stand what is material of this kind These two being ever consonant in the main though one Horse's body may differ in Constitution from the other for these being the Suparlative of Elementary subsistance or matter fail not to operate in their turns or as Nature disposes them in their places and degrees and therefore it will be highly convenient to discover them in their Parts and Particles As for the Body of a Horse it differs not in Elementary composition from that of a Man for of all the Elements it consists viz. Fire Air Earth and Water which are indeed the Generatives and Consumers of all Mortal things and beings And although these Elements are different in themselves yet are frequently agreeable in the Composition for the Fire though hot and dry in it self yet compounded with the other Elements in a Mortal frame or bodily composition diffuses a gentle heat to nourish and support life Though the Air is hot and moist but more participating of the latter yet does it temperate the heat of the former and gives a kind respiration and gentle breathing to refresh and exhilerate each Part and Particle The Earth though it is in it self gross and ponderous yet in this composition is it rarified and by its substantial matter composes the frame wherein the rest of the Elements cohabit and being cold and dry serves to temperate the hot and moist The Water though cold and moist in it self serves in this case to moisten and render plyable the Sublunar works of Nature and enabling them to subsist And of these four Mothers of Creation participate more immediately the four humours of which the Bodies of Animal and Rational Creatures are composed as Choler Blood Melancholy and Phlegm the first of Fire the second of Air the third of Earth and the fourth to Water And as these more or less operate so according to their qualities is the Body moved and exposed to heat cold moisture or dryness and consequently to the effects they produce for these have their principal Dominion in the Seats of Life and from thence extend their power and force to every part and member As thus Phlegm possesses the Brain Choler and Blood the Liver and Heart and Melancholy the Spleen which is the Recepticle and Conveyancer of the Excrements of the Liver all of them having distinctly and conjunctly their proper office assigned As thus the Blood is the principal nourisher of the natural frame Phlegm or Moisture renders the Members flexible and complyant in motion and use Choler causeth digestion by its Operative heat and Melancholy disposes to an Appetite and attracteth the grosser parts of Nutrimental Elements and occasioneth the disburthening of Nature It is generally agreed on by the Learned That every Organical-body is supported by four principal instrumental Members and these are held to be the Brain Heart Liver and Genitors these performing their particular offices and functions Por as the Sinews are supported by the Brain the seat of Animal Spirits the Arteries from the Heart or seat of Vital Spirits the Veins which are natural parts from the Liver so the Seminal Vessels are supported by the Genital Parts or Instruments of Generation and these conjoyntly operating are the Elementary Substitutes as participating of their Nature and consequently the Materials of Generation Thus having briefly discoursed of the Elementary parts of the Bodies of Creatures I now proceed from the four Humours Elements and Instrumental Members to the Natural faculties which in this case are the next things to be considered which are Eating Retaining Concocting and Expelling and though all the Humours are Instrumental in promoting these yet principally Nature serves her self but of only one to work upon and that is a wheyish kind of Blood generated in the Liver or attracted thereby from the purest part of such nutriment as has been concocted in the stomach and from thence conveying it self to the Liver and through the great Vein conveying nutriment into all its branches and consequently into all the parts of the Body by dispersing the Rarified blood into every part which by the help of the other Humours supports the frame of Nature As for the watery part of nourishment and that of the grosser substance the one is carried into the Bladder and the other passing into the Bowels are in the end cast out of the Body to make room for more of the like nature But moreover there are two Veins that conduct part of the purest and rarified matter into the Seminal Vessels where by the operation and contractions of the Generative parts it is refined by a gentle heat to a more spirituous quality and so in the end becomes Seed which according to the goodness or badness mixed in the Womb proves effectual or ineffectual for note that if the thin and subtil Blood be wanting to support the Seed and enliven it with heat it frequently fails in performing its office and the Horse becomes frigid and uncapable of performance and is often subject to moist diseases as the Glaunders often proceeding from the Liver and Lungs when they are infected with
hoof the narrow heels the flat hoof the broad frush and the crooked hoof and to these shooes must be purposely made and fitted and the paring be shaped accordingly The Particulars of which being uncertain or at least too tedious for this discourse I refer them to the Skilfull Farrier whose proper business it is to order and reduce them so as they may become practicable and usefull If the hoof be damaged by reason of any Nail that lurks therein not easily to be found it must by all means be looked after and taken thence and the place of its aboad or lodgment may be found by sundry means and ways but chiefly by the heat of that place more than any other or by the Horse's shrinking up his foot or strike thereon or pinch it with your Pincers The place being found pull off the shooe and open the foot gently with a Buttress or Drawing-knife and if you can come at it pull it out if not apply the Plaster I have mentioned for drawing out Thorns Stubs or Splinters Or for your more readiness this Having in the best manner laid open the Wound Take of Stone-pitch Tar Turpentine and Bees-wax of each an ounce and half a quarter of a pint of Juyce of Garlick make them over a gentle fire into a Plaster and apply them as hot as may be endured And sometimes it so happens that by long continuance the Nail in working breaks out above the hoof and in such a case apply Honey Burgundy-pitch and Powder of burnt Allom or a Poultis of Mallows Cammomoil and Groundsel fryed in Hog's Lard and beaten up with the Whites of Eggs and Rye-meal and applying it as hot as may be endured and in so often doing it will break the Skin so that the cause of the grievance may be removed but by the addition of half an ounce of Verdegrease it will bring away the Corruption and heal the Wound Critical Days and the Observation thereon AND now since it may not be amiss to say something of the Critical Days observed by many as to Health and Sickness which relate not only to humane Constitutions but those of all Creatures I shall here incert them These days are accounted such wherein are manifested Alterations in relation to Sickness or Health Life or Death And as for the Critick-day it is ever principally to be observed after the beginning of the sickness as the 3.5.7.9.11.14.17.21.28 In which days so cursarily to be observed no strong Medicines or Purgations ought to be given Nor is it convenient to let Blood unless great necessity require it And other days there are in which many Learned Men hold If Man or Beast fall sick he shall hardly escape and that not without much difficulty which are noted to be these viz. January 1.7 February 3.4 March 1.4 April 8.10 May 2.7 June 10.15 July 11.13 August 3.2 September 3.10 November 3.5 December 7.10 And many add that if any dangerous disease happen on the 10th of August 1st of December or 6th of April it will go very near to terminate in Death Now there are on the contrary other days held to be good days and that if a disease happen on them there is great hopes of recovery nay there is great hopes of succeeding in taking a Journey or any Labour wherein Man or Beast is concerned and these are held to be the 3d and 13th of January The 5th and 28th of February The 3d 22d and 30th of March. The 5th 22d and 29th of April The 4th and 28th of May. The 3d and 8th of June The 12th 13th and 15th of July The 12th of August The 1st 7th 24th and 28th of September The 4th and 15th of October The 13th and 19th of November The 23d and 26th of December And these indeed by the Antients were held in wonderfull esteem they generally taking their measures thereby as to what I have said in relation to them nor are they to be neglected or slighted by Practitioners in Physical or Chyrurgical matters either in relation to Man or Beast no nor in their undertaking relating to Labour or the like but have Some further Considerations upon the Cause of Diseases and how to Remove them Physically discussed c. The cause of a Disease proceeds principally from an effect against Nature and happens either External or Internal the External is that which is outwardly visible and consists generally of what comes by Strokes Bruises Wrenches Scalds Shot or any manner of Wound Those Internal are occult or hid within the body and consequently the less discernable and are divided into an Antecedent and Conjunction The Conjunction is that which is nearest and immediately causes the Disease and is generally held to be the Blood which causes the Phlegm nor is it reckoned the Antecedent doth actually cause the disease but procures matter and stirs it up almost to the creating a disease but between it and the disease are some Causes placed viz. abundance of humours and ill digestion and therefore these things ought to be chiefly considered before any one absolutely attempts to dispell the disease by reason diseases are first cured by removing the Cause Antecedent and after that the Cause Conjunct And as for the External diseases they ought to be known because they breed diseases Internal and very much change the blood and with much diligence are therefore to be sought out that so the Practitioner may be brought to the perfect knowledge of Internal diseases and these External diseases are not either to be avoided or amended but necessarily penetrate the body as Air infected Meat Drink Labour Sleep Watching or Wakefulness Repletion and Evacuation and some disorders that frequently happen or to be avoided as unnecessary as Bruises Strains Slips Wounds Strangling or the like As for the true cause of a disease it sometimes proceeds from corrupt matter whereof they are generated or when either the Sire or Dam is infected with any disease the corrupt quality of which flowing into the Seminal-vessels and transmitting the like to the creature generated making it hereditary and at other times it proceeds from bad usage bad feeding heats colds and many more which I have named in the first Part. And again as I have here hinted Internal diseases may proceed from External strokes bruises or the like And thus much for Physical Observations of this kind From whence I proceed to give an accurate relation of the Spirits by which the frame of Life is supported which take as followeth The Spirits what they are with their Office c. The Spirit is the Aerious and subtil substance of a Body generated of the most pure and thin Blood and is the Original mover and supporter of the Members giving them power to perform their office and is seated chiefly in the Brain and Heart from whence it delates it self by the means of the Nerves and Arteries into all parts of the body and is divided into three parts viz. Animal Vital and Natural the
Animal peculiarly claims the Brain for its seat for there it is prepared and made and from thence defuses it self insensible ways to the Eyes Ears and the like The Vital Spirit is chiefly seated in the left Ventricle of the Heart and has its passage through the Arteries being made of the Evaporation or sweet-breathing of the purest blood and is furnished with matter to rarifie it from the Air that is drawn in by the Lungs and by its motion through the frame of the body is the conservation of natural heat The Natural Spirit is ingendred in the Liver and Veins and is wonderfully instrumental in the concoction of the nutriment and turning it into blood and then is farther imployed in distributing it through the Veins that branch from the Vena cava into every part of the Body And if any of these are wasted or expulsed from its proper seat unless it speedily return there is no hopes of life And so in case of Famishing viz. When the nutriment in the stomach is spent then nature preys upon the Blood and after that upon the Humour and lastly upon the Vital Spirits at what time the Body though alive is past recovery A further Description of the External Parts c. And now the better to describe or at least make the Reader more sensible of the Chyrurgecal part of this Book I proceed to give a brief Relation of the Material parts of a Horse's Body As 1. The Members are bodies ingendred of the first commixion of the Elements Humours and Spirits because they are found to consist of a solid fleshy and spirituous Substance and these are distinguished by or divided into Eight principal Parts as Bones Sinews Ligaments Tendons Fibers Membranes and simple Flesh and Skin to which may be joyned Veins Fat Marrow Arteries Hair Hoofs and the like Now to come nearer the purpose a Bone is of substance Earthly dry and hard the better to support the frame of the Body and is it self nourished through little pores by the purest fat converted through heat into Marrow A Gristle is likewise termed a soft and plyable Bone the better to strengthen and move the Members A Ligament is a tough and more plyable kind of a Gristle holding or binding the Bones together A Tendon is the end and tail of the Arbitrary Muscles by which the Members are more easily moved A Fiber is a small thread firm and strong which Nature places in the Muscles to create a right motion or a motion every way for as the right Fibers draw forward the Transverse put back and the oblique hold fast A Membrane and a Coat differ only in this viz. A Membrane is the name of a Substance and the Coat the name of an Office for where a Membrane invests any part it is called a Coat As for the Skin it is generally called the great Membrane covering the whole Body and over-casting the frame or structure thereof and is made spongy or porus the better to purge out the Excremental moisture by sweat As for the Flesh and Fat increased by nourishment it is raised and produced from and by the purest sort of blood and nutriment And when between all these there is a concordance and agreement then is there a cheerfulness in the spirits and a harmony throughout the frame of nature As for the Materials you ought to furnish your self withall for the performance of the sundry Cures I have mentioned if you are unskilfull in knowing them or any of them As for the Herbs and Roots a Herbal will direct you and for the Minerals Gums Seeds Barks Oyls and the like you may consult some Druggist For should I go about to describe them particularly they would take up a large Volume and when that was done you not perhaps much the wiser unless the Portraictures were likewise displayed Wherefore let it suffice that I have spoken intelligibly of all things which I conceived necessary or dependant on this Subject and have according to my promise exposed to your view and left to your consideration sundry rare Receipts and Experiments never before in Print and such as I doubt not will be Approved by those that vouchsafe to try them and turn not only to their Pleasure but Advantage and be a means to preserve this Generous Creature in a state of health and strength and render him tractable and obedient to his Owner And in such hopes I remain further to serve you as opportunity or occasion will admit FINIS Advertisement There are lately Printed for and Published by Nicholas Bodington at the Golden Ball in Duck-Lane the Three usefull Books following Viz. THE Accomplished Ladies Rich Closet of Rarities or the Ingenious Gentlewoman and Servant-Maids delightfull Companion Containing many Excellent things for the Accomplishment of the Female Sex after the exactest manner and method Viz. 1 The Art of Distilling 2 Making Artificial Wines 3 Making Syrups 4 Conserving Preserving c. 5 Candying and Drying Fruits c. 6 Confectioning 7 Carving 8 To make Beautifying-Waters Oyls Pomatums Musk-balls Perfumes c. 9 Physical and Chyrurgical Receipts 10 The Duty of a Wet Nurse and to know and cure Diseases in Children c. 11 The Compleat Chamber-Maids Instructions in Pickling making Spoon-meats Washing Starching taking out Spots and Stains Scowring Gold and Silver-Lace Washing Lace and Point c. 12 The Experienced Cook-Maids Instructions for Dressing Garnishing making Sawces serving up together with the Art of Pastery 13 Bills of Fare for all seasons in the Year 14 The Accomplished Dairy-Maids Directions for making Junkets c. 15 The Judicious Midwives Directions how Women in Travail before and after Delivery ought to be used as also the Child and what relates to the preservation of them both To which is added a Second Part Containing Directions for the Guidance of a Young Gentlewoman as to her Behaviour and seemly Deportment from her Childhood to her Marriage Estate The Second Edition with many curious Additions Illustrated with Cutts Price Bound One Shilling The Pilgrim's Progress from this World to that which is to come Delivered under the Similitude of a Dream Wherein is discovered the Manner of his setting out his dangerous Journey and safe Arrival at the desired Countrey By John Bunnian Price Bound One Shilling The Pilgrim's Progress from this World to that which is to come The Second Part. Delivered under the Similitude of a Dream Wherein is set forth the Manner of Christian's Wife and Children setting out their dangerous Journey and safe Arrival at the desired Countrey By John Bunnian Price Bound One Shilling At Nicholas Bodington 's the Publisher hereof Country Chapmen or others may at very Reasonable Rates be furnished with all sorts of Books as Bibles Testaments Common-Prayer and all manner of School-books c.
as some have conjectured Wherefore I shall first point my Directions at the state of a Horse's Body in General and from thence to Particulars beginning the better to give the Reader an insight into the rest with the strong Estate or healthfull Constitution of a Horse c. As for some Horses though they are in health and good temper yet by reason of their roundness and well-compacted body the Buyer may have a lean one put upon him instead of fat one unless he be skilfull in handling and trying thereby to discover his want of flesh or feeble constitution and so a Horse that is long and full-made may seem lean to the Eye at a distance when really he is in good case or a fat Horse may likewise deceive the expectation of the Buyer by having contracted inward fatness and foulness which will require time and labour to avoid and bring away when on the contrary some Horses will be fat without and in good case yet be clean within and free from gross humours and others again though outwardly appearing lean will be inwardly gross and foul and these proceed from the Order and Constitution of the Horse c. And this is to be known upon search by demonstration sundry ways as to what is outwardly to be taken notice of First feel the Horse's Body in all the advantageous places but especially upon the Ribs and in so doing if you perceive a general softness of the flesh or looseness so that your fingers easily sink into it then conclude a foulness within or if it be hard and firm upon all but the hindmost Ribs then suspect Molten-grease within which must be voided by Purging or Scowring though at the same time the Horse appear poor and lean or else he cannot well be reduced to a good state of body and the better to make the potions opperate is to prepare him for them by Exercise that being moved and stirred it may the easier be brought away If so it happen as has in some manner been said that the Horse appear so fat and thick that the space between his Chaps is as it were closed up or the Jaws upon handling prove fleshy and full then much foulness in head and body is signified but if upon handling he happen to be thin and clean though some hard knobs or kernels be contracted yet that may rather proceed from a cold taken than from foulness c. But to come to Particulars If the Horse's Dung appear of a pale whitish yellow Colour not too hard yet so that in falling at only flats a little but does not break in sunder nor crumble and be not of a rank noisome scent then is the Body of the Horse free from inward foulness but on the contrary if it be of a black or â—nuddy colour hard like pellets yet hot and greasy it betokens foul feeding and a neglect in the keeper of not giving him a due proportion of Corn but rather feeding him with Hay in over-abundance or suffering him to feed foul by eating his Litter c. denoting he has likewise Molten-grease within him that cannot come away without some Artificial helps If the Dung be of a reddish colour and hard it signifies the Horse has been over-heated or overstrained and therefore ought to have a Clyster of cooling Simples to cool and open his Body thereby preventing Sickness or at least Costiveness If the Urin be of an Amber colour somewhat inclining to thickness of a strong yet not offensive scent then it denotes a healthfull constitution but if it be ruddy or high-coloured hot and scalding so that the Horse makes water with pain or does it by degrees then has the Horse taken hurt by being over-heated or in being ridden too soon upon being taken up from Grass If so it happen the Urin be of a high colour yet very clear like Beer well settled then is it occasioned by Heat or Inflamation caused by a surfeit If a white film or scum happen to be upon the Urin after settlement it denotes the Horse weakned by too much Venery and a Mare by too often Breeding too furious a Lust and consequently not very fit for service by reason of the weakness of the back Green Urin denotes a Consumption of the Body and that with bloody streaks or specks not much unlike to a mattery substance denotes an Ulcer or the like defect in the Kidneys And further a Lead coloured gross and cloudy Urin denotes a dangerous sickness if not Death it self And thus much as to what is to be known in relation to Health and Sickness by these Excrements And now let us consider a little if a Horse be out of order how those that attend him ought to carry themselves towards him in relation to his Diet. Let him observe in this case the disposition of the Horse and not violently thrust or intrude the Provender upon him but consider to give him what hâ— best likes and that at leasure and by degrees winning him with mildness and sweet behaviour and bewaring above all things not to give him any offence encreasing the quantity as you perceive him desirous to take it giving him white Water to drink and ply him as you see occasion with warm Mashes warming his Water with a little Bran dusted over it if the weather be cold and be sure to suffer him to be in a warm Stable with clean Litter and good Dressing If your Horse be any ways subject to Lameness beware in your Coursings or Heats you avoid craggy or stoney Ground or forcing him too much against a Hill. Other things there are to be observed of this or the like kind relating to the state of a Horse's Body as to the knowing by sundry other matters and tokens But as for them I refer you to the following Chapter CHAP. XV. Observations to be taken as to the state of a Horse's Body from the Privy-parts Limbs Feeding and many other Matters and Discourses worthy to be taken notice of by the Curious c. THE privy-Privy-parts of a Horse as to sickness and health are much to be observed and this especial notice to be taken viz. That if he be a Stone-horse his Cods hang even and his Stones well trussed up firm and round which shews him in good heart and fit for business when on the contrary if they hang long or bagging down a weak constitution is thereby implied Nor is it less to be observed by the Yard of a Gelding or Shape of a Mare But for brevities sake waving further Particulars I shall proceed to take Observations from the Limbs and what in case of defect ought to be done on that occasion In case you intend to Run or Travel your Horse if you find his Limbs stiff or not so plyable as you would have them or as ordinarily they happen to be Then to render them supple and plyant Melt Hog's-grease and Oyl of Chamomile and dipping a Wollen-cloth hot into the Liquids anoint or
putrefaction occasioned by moist Rheums and other indigested Moistures dedescending on them or Inflamations occasioned by Lumps Knots or Kernels under the Chaul proceeding from cold or immoderate labour and many times the Mourning of the Chine by a Horse's immoderate Leaping a Mare or over-straining himself in the action And this may likewise happen by his eating too much raw meat or drinking upon a suddain heat and many other ways which when I come to treat of Diseases I shall largely discourse on But first I shall proproceed to let you know how Horses ought to be used to prevent their contracting Diseases as much as in the superficial Schemes of Art the greatest Artists of this kind have allowed and the means are chiefly five as Cleansing Blood-letting Purging Sweating and Vomiting The first of these may be said to be twofold as outward and inward the first being by cleansing his external Parts by care and good dressing which ought the more diligently to be observed upon his being taken up from Grass and the time limited for that by the curious is Bartholomew-tide for then the heart of the Grass beginneth to decline And this may be done in the manner which I have often recited in what relates to Dressing nor is it at all inconsistent with Reason that the cleansing the Skin from dust and dirt and loosening it in every part by gentle rubbing should enliven the Horse and render him more sprightly so that Nature having her free course and progress without restraint may opperate in dispersing kind refreshment to every part and keep those gross humours from setling that are frequently the origiâ—al of Diseases and Grievances and if so it happen that your Horse be mirey and foul then may you use Fulling-earth Soap and other scowring Materials especially with warm Water but then having an especial care he catch not cold thereupon keeping him warm and well drying him till he be thorowly cold and in so doing you will prevent those moist Diseases wherewith he is otherwise afflicted And the better to effect this cut away all the superfluous hairs that any way anoy the body or other parts c. And so being shooed and neatly dressed I leave him to the Second Part which consists in the Internal cleansing and purging Directions for which in consideration of more immediate or particular Directions take in the following Chapter CHAP. XVII How a Horse ought to be used in general and particular as to his Physick Diet and Looking to for the preservation of him even to old Age. THough I have named what I intend to propose in the foregoing Pages yet let not the Reader considering the consequence and validity of what I shall here propose think it amiss that I select a Chapter for no other purpose and that the advantage may neither be delayed nor appear small in the Eyes of the Reader or Practitioner take a prospect of it in the following Directions As for inward Purging the measures ought to be taken from the temperature of the Horse's body and more especially in case of his retirement at such a time that no hard labour or immoderate exercise has been imposed on him And in this case if you find him costive or that in case of Evacuation nature help not as in usual cases let some one with a small Arm penetrate his Fundament and draw thence the Dung that obstructs or at least clogs the fluent or natural passage that so both the natural and artificial Motions and Causes proceeding from Drugs or composition of Purgation may opperate and perfect their intended design and may be best administred Clyster-wise But then consider the constitution of your Horse If he be fat and somewhat inclining to foulness it must be a strong potion that will effectually opperate but not so if the Horse be weak and melancholy But waving 'em here I shall speak more particularly of them in due place as also of Drinks which ought to be made and seasonably given for the preventing sickness and preservation of health and if you find the Blood coagulated which may be perceived by the trembling of the Veins and the working of it therein then it is requisite to let him Blood and give him a gentle Vomit to carry the foulness from off the stomach that may be the occasion of bad digestion and consequently of the naughtiness of the Blood Dieting him with Mashes and fine Provender from which may spring such wholsome nutriment as may create a thin and airy Blood rubbing and often anointing his Body with Hogs Lard or Ointment of Marshmallows And now to be satisfied what things mostly contribute to health take the following Opinions of the Learned viz. A good natural constitution good digestion good nourishment moderation in feeding and diet moderation in labour and sleeping moderation in leaping Mares Again wholsome Airs not laboured too soon after Grass to be kept from raw Meats not to drink nor eat being hot ever observing to walk him at the end of any Journey and not to Physick him unless you find occasion And these observances being the occasion of long life I shall endeavour for the better satisfaction of the Reader more fully to demonstrate them As for Nature good Digestion and sound Nutriment they ought to be consonant and indeed they are well proportioned when neither the moisture with its humidity is not so predominant as to quench and over-power the heat nor the extraordinary heat too suddainly consume the moisture though of necessity the latter must be of force above the former or else Digestion cannot be perfected as it ought and in that case seasonable nourishment must consequently fail Moderation in Eating is another main cause of long life as immoderate Eating is of a short one For as excess in Eating though the Provender be never so good and wholsome obstructs good digestion and contracts crudities with a bad habit of stomach so on the contrary spare Diet weakens and decays Nature and infeebles the natural powers and faculties of Life giving the heat by that means a power absolutely to subdue and conquer the Radical moisture and gives Diseases an opportunity to break in upon the infeebled body which prove many times too hard for the Farrier for in all Creatures observe that the weaker Nature is the stronger is the distemper Another cause of health and long life proceeds from moderate and kind labour for by indifferent motion digestion is much forwarded and the humours dispersed being by that means prevented from setling more than is requisite in any one place besides it is the cause that Excrements are sooner voided which by lying long in the body might occasion sickness And further observe that he be not laboured upon a full stomach so as by over-straining digestion may be hindred which should turn to nutriment and lay a foundation for Diseases by indigested Crudities being too suddainly drawn into the Veins and by that means dispersed into all parts of the Body
a Horse's Tongue and by the faintness of his breathing When a Horse is very thirsty and seems very little affected towards his Provender then has he the symtoms of a Feaver or some hot disease that afflicts the Heart and Liver or else it may signifie the Putrefaction of the Lungs but when he eats largely and desires not much water it denotes a cold Liver and that the Horse is subject to gross humours by reason the heat cannot concoct the quantity of nutriment as it ought and therefore it is not amiss to restrain him from eating altogether so much as he requires or at least to give it him by degrees that it may leasurely digest If with exceeding greediness he devour his Meat and Drink then beware he be not troubled with the diseases of the Spleen or putrefaction of the Lungs If the Breath of a Horse without travelling or other force or violence be found very hot or so much as is more than usual it denotes the symptom of some feaverish disease approaching If the left side be much swelled and there be no apparent cause then proceeds it from the disorder of the Spleen And if the Legs on that side be likewise swelled then it commonly proceeds to the Dropsey Drivelling or noisome water descending or issuing from the Mouth or Nostrils of a Horse denotes the wet Cough and if it be gellied or the like then it threatens him with the Staggers The dullness of the Countenance lolling of the Ears and hanging of the Head are signs of the Megrim or extraordinary pain in the Head. If disorderly pantings appear on the Breast Sides or any part of the Body then does the Horse labour under some sickness that afflicts the Heart or Liver If the Mouth be foul and furred and the Tongue look yellowish then the Lungs are defective and tending to a Consumption The hollowness of the Temples denotes either the Strangles or that the Horse is very old Shortness of Breath hanging of the Eye-lids and beating of the Flanks denote a Feaver A cold swelling under the Throat with a ratling in the Head signifie the approaching of the Glanders If about the Tongue-roots small knobs appear then it signifies Cold c. If the Horse offer to cough and be faint in so doing as not throughly able to bring up what he offers at then is it occasioned by the swelling or rising of the Lungs or oppressive Phlegm setled there which obstructs the Lungs in the performance of their office The stairing up of the hair and hardness of the skin with dejected looks and lankness of the belly denote the Horse foundered in the body and sometimes the Wind Colick or Stone is signified thereby as also the Yellows which are all dangerous distempers in a Horse If the skin stick to the Ribs so that it cannot be well raised then the Horse is troubled with that infirmity which we commonly call Hidebound An uneven stiffness in going denotes some Strain Wrench cold Swelling in the Joynts or foundering in the feet c. If a Horse have a spongy Wart full of blood it is an Anbury If a knotty Ulcer creeping along the Vein it is a Farcy If scabby or ulcerous on the body and about the neck it proceeds from the Mangy If it singly spread abroad and that but in one place then is it held to be the Canker The Botts or such-like Insects in the paunch or belly of a Horse you shall know by the Horse's endeavouring to strike thereat with his feet his lying down and wallowing himself and his often turning his head back and looking upon his sides If the Horse be over-covetous to lye down on thâ— right side it signifies corrupted blood setled in thâ— Cavas of the Liver and occasions extraordinary heat which by the pressure of the Liver is augmented A Horse's spreading when laid down generally denotes the approach of the Dropsey and his ofter groaning the Colick or the Heart 's being oppressed with bad blood And thus of other signs and symptoms most or the most part whereof I have in this Chapter and what has been before mentioned is effectually discussed according to the best Experimental observances that have been made From whence I shall proceed to give Directions for sundry choice Oyntments and Salves highly necessary to be kept in store and used on sundry occasions as necessity requires and other matters altogether as Material CHAP. XXIV Directions for making and preparing Oyntments Oyls Salves Waters Purgations Poultises Charges Supplements Pills Powders c. singular good in case of any Distemper or Sorrance Many of them never before made publick ALthough I have mentioned many famous Oyntments and Salves in the course of the Cures yet some there are which may indifferently serve for most Sorrances and Griefs of any kind and these I shall chiefly name and direct how to make them because they may be gotten in a readiness and thereby the party not be to seek them nor his Ingredients when the urgency of the Horse's distemper or grief requires the Application An Oyntment to search any Wound or Vlcerated Sore or any thing of the like nature Take of Bees-wax four ounces Turpentine the like quantity the Juyce of Spurg-lawrel two ounces Deer's-suet half a pint Verdegrease an ounce Allom calcined two ounces and Hog's Lard as much as will make it into an Oyntment over a gentle fire This by often using will not only search the Wound and discover dead proud or putrefied flesh but cleanse it and cause it to heal restoring the good flesh and rendering it easie to cure An Oyntment excellent good in case of Botches Boils Seabâ— or the like Sorrances Take the Juyce of green Tobacco half a pint of Deer's-suet a pound the Powder of Dandely onroots two ounces as much of Soap-makers Ashes and half a pint of the Lees of Wine make them up into an Oyntment with half a pint of Olive-oyl and an ounce of the Oyl of Petrolum To skin any Wound an excellent Oyntment Take of Dog's-grease two ounces half the quantity of black Soap of the Powder of calcined Roach-Allom two drams the Juyce of Mugwort an ounce make them into an Oyntment over a gentle fire and when the Wound begins to fill with flesh anoint it over To mollifie and asswage any Swelling an excellent Oyntment Take of Nut-oyl a quarter of a pint Neatsfoot-oyl half a pint and Linseed-oyl the like quantity add to these the Juyce of Plantane a quarter of a pint and four ounces of the Oyl of Earthworms boil them over a gentle fire to a convenient thickness and apply the Oyntment to the place grieved as warm as may be well suffered and chafe it in with your warm hand when it begins to cool An excellent Oyntment to cool and allay any Inflamation Take of the Oyl of Marshmallows half a pint the Juyce of Mandrake-root two ounces Dog's fatt four ounces or instead thereof that of Hog's lard Spermaceâ—i two ounces