# LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. S 
 
 r -at^.T. — — I 
 
 ^ ^ 
 
 I UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, f 
 
THE 
 
 FARMERS^ MRRIERY 
 
 ON THE 
 
 DISEASES OF HORSES, 
 
 WITH THEIR 
 
 SYMPTOMS, TREATMENT AND 
 
 BY A. E. SMITH, 
 
 AUBURN : 
 
 WM. J. MOSES' STEAM JOB PKESS. 
 
 1858. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Pag^ 
 
 The Pulse W 
 
 Locked Jaw 4 
 
 A Horse that has been Poisoned — Inflammation of the Kidney. 5 
 
 Diseases of the Kidney — Palsy G 
 
 Local Inflammation .' 7 
 
 Diseases of the Heart— The Healing Ointment 8 
 
 "Water Farcy— To Cure Fangbones when first Coming — Button 
 
 Farcy. . '. 9 
 
 Rheumatism 10 
 
 The Best to Physic— Common Inflammation of the Eye — 
 
 Weak Eyes 11 
 
 Fistula or Poll Evil— Hoof Bound or Tender Feet 12 
 
 Hoof Ointment— Hoof Liquid for Tender Feet— Stiff Shoulders 
 
 or Sweeney ,. 13 
 
 Hoof Evil or Thrush Grease Heels — How to make Blue 
 
 Ointment — Lung Fever 14 
 
 Diseases of the Liver or Yellow "Water 15 
 
 The Liver in a Diseased State — To Cure'VN'indgalls — Cleansing 
 
 Powders — Nasal Gleet, or Discbarge from the Eye and 
 
 Nose ! 10 
 
 Sore Mouth or Tongue, called Canker or Thrush— Groggy 
 
 Knees is called a Strain of the Back Sinews IT 
 
 Broken Knees — How to Eemove "^''arts— Spasmodic Colic 18 
 
 Inflammation of the Bowels 19 
 
 Flatulent Colic 20 
 
 Cramp 21 
 
 Founder in the first Stage— Inflammation of the Feet 22 
 
 Sick Stomach Debility— Distemper— Sprains in the Stifle 23 
 
 Pleurisy 24 
 
 "Worms— Big or Milk Leg 25 
 
 Iodine Ointment— Liquid Blister— Mange and Surfeit 26 
 
 Sprains and Eingbone Medicines— How to Cure Corns- 
 Johnston's Ointment 27 
 
 Fresh "Wounds— How to make the "White Ointment — Physic 
 
 Ball .. 28 
 
 Green Ointnieirt— Scourinfj- Lampass— Diabetes 29 
 
 To Cure Heaves— To Drive Ofif Poll Evil before it Breaks— 
 
 To Cure Eingbone when Long Standins: 30 
 
 Cutting— Chapped or Galled Shoulders -Curb 31 
 
 ,•• \ Entered, accordine to act of Coiigresp, in the year 1858, by A, E 
 Smith, in the Clerk's Oflice of the District Court r,f tlu- 
 Northern District of New-York. 
 
DISEASES OF HORSES. 
 
 The Pulse. 
 
 The pulse is a ygvj useful assistant to the practi- 
 tioner of human medicine, and much more so to the 
 Veterinary Surgeon, whose patient cannot describe 
 either the seat or degree of ailment or pain. The num- 
 ber of pulsations in any artery will give the number 
 of the beating of the heart, and so express the 
 irritation of that organ, and of the frame generally, in 
 a state of health. .The heart beats in a farmer horse 
 about thirty-six times in a minute ; in the smaller, 
 and thorough bred horse, the pulsations are forty or 
 forty-two. This is said to be the standard pulse^ 
 the pulse of health ; and where it beats naturally, 
 there can be little materially wrong. The most con- 
 venient place to feel the pulse is at the lower jaw ; 
 we must be able to press the artery against some 
 hard body, or the jaw bone, in order to ascertain the 
 manner in which the blood flows through it^ and the 
 quantity that flows* When the pulse reaches fifty, or 
 fifty-five, some degree of fever may be apprehended} 
 and proper precaution should be taken. Seventy, or 
 seventy-five, will indicate a dangerous state, and put 
 the owner and the surgeon a little on the alert. Few 
 horses long survive a pulse of one hundred ; for by 
 
this excessive action the energies of nature are speed- 
 ily worn out. When a careless, brutal fellow, goes up 
 to a horse, and hastily to him, and handles him 
 roughly, he adds ten beats a minute. A judicious 
 person will approach the patient gently, and pat and 
 soothe liirn, and even then the circulation will be a 
 little disturbed. He should note the number of the 
 pulse the second time before he leaves the stable. If 
 a quick pulse indicate irritation and fever, a slow 
 pulse will likewise characterise diseases of an oppo- 
 site description ; it accompanies the sleepy stage of 
 staggers, and every malady connected with nervous 
 energy. Some times the pulse may be hard and 
 jerking, and yet small ; this indicates a dangerous 
 state of disease ; it is an almost invariable inflamma- 
 tion of the bowels. The most experienced practitioner 
 cannot tell what quantity of blood must be abstrac- 
 ted in order to produce the desired effect ; the change 
 of the pUiSe can alone indicate when the object is 
 accomplished. Therefore, the operator should have 
 his fing-er on the pulse during the act of bleeding. 
 The lirst falter of the pulse is the signal to suspend 
 the bleeding; every drop lost afterwards may be 
 wanted. In all inflammations bleed till the pulse 
 falters. 
 
 Locked Jaw. 
 
 Symptoms. — He partly chews his food and drops 
 it, and he gulphs his water, and saliva is drivelling 
 from the mouth, the eyes are drawn deep within the 
 
sockets, the ears erect, pointed forward, and immov- 
 able. 
 
 Cure. — B eed as much as you can and have him 
 stand up. The bleeding will relax the muscles of the 
 jaw, so far as to enable a dose of physic to be given. 
 Then give eight drachms of aloes, and in two hours give 
 one drachm of opium. Take one pound of epsom salts 
 and dissolve them, and give injections every three 
 hours, till his bowels move with the physic. Keep the 
 horse well covered with blankets, and his neck as 
 warm as possible ; apply to his neck mutton tallow, 
 and bind a sheepskin around his neck if it can be had, 
 and wash his ne-k with camphor and spirits, as warm 
 as possible; keep a p;iil of gruel before him all the 
 time, and a bran mash ; do not move the horse 
 while sick. 
 
 A Horse that has been Poisoned. 
 
 Symptoms. — Of which are, loss of appetite, dis- 
 charge of saliva from the mouth, pawing, looking 
 eagerly at his flanks, rolling, profuse perspiration. 
 
 Cure. — Take ten grains of the farina of the Croton 
 nut and give as soon as possible, and drench with 
 vinegar and thin gruel, equal parts; ami the Croton 
 repeated in six hours, if it has not previously opera- 
 ted ; in six hours give three drachms of ether spirits. 
 
 Inflamination of the Kidney. 
 
 SymptoxMS. — Are, the horse looks anxiously' 
 around at his flanks, stands with his hind leo:s wide 
 
6 
 
 apart, is unwilling to lie down, straddles as he walks, 
 and sore over the loin, the urine is voided in small 
 quantities, frequently it is high colored, and some 
 times bloody. 
 
 Cure. — Bleed from three to four gallons from the 
 neck vein, physic, foment the loins with warm water, 
 then apply a mustard poultice on his loins, keep him 
 well covered ; then give one drachm of emetic tartar, 
 with one ounce of nitre, every six hours, for two or 
 three times. 
 
 Disease of the Kidnsy. 
 
 Caused by feeding dirty hay or grain, hard draw 
 ing, overloading him, or by giving too much turpen- 
 tine. 
 
 Cure.— Blister over the kidneys, and give the fol- 
 lowing pill every day : Take one ounce of rosin ; one 
 ounce of juniper berries, ground fine ; and flour, two 
 ounces ; make ail in a stiff paste ; divide into .soven 
 pills ; give one every night ; then take four ounces of 
 ginger, one ounce of powdered gentian, one ounce of 
 nitre, half ounce of crude antimony ; mix all well ; 
 give one large spoonful every morning for one 
 week. 
 
 Palsy. 
 
 SyaiptOxMS; — The stream of nervous influence is 
 sometimes stopped, and thence results palsy. On 
 inquiring, it is almost invariably found that the horse 
 had lately fallen, or had been worked exceedingly 
 
hard, or that covered with perspiration he had been 
 left exposed to cold and wet ; it commenced generally 
 in one hind leg, or perhaps both are equally affec- 
 ted ; the animal can scarcely walk, he walks on his 
 fetlocks instead of his soles ; he staggers at every mo- 
 tion ; at length he falls; he is raised with diflQculty ; 
 or he never rises again. 
 
 Cure. — Bleed till the pulse falters or the horse' 
 reels. To this should follow a dose of physic ; the 
 loins should be covered with a mustard poultice, fre- 
 quently renewed ; the patient should be warmly 
 clothed, and give mashes, and no corn in them, with 
 freqitent injections of warm water, with a small 
 quantity of soap. This will soon render it evident 
 whether the patient will recover or die; if favorable 
 symptoms appear, the horse must not be in the 
 slightest degree neglected, nor the medical treatment 
 suspended. 
 
 Local InJia77imation 
 Is characterized by redness, swelling, heat and 
 pain ; the redness proceeds from the greater quantity 
 of blood flowing through the part occasioned by the 
 increased action of the vessels ; the swelling arises 
 from the same cause, and from the deposit of fluid 
 in the neighboring substance. The natural heat of 
 the body is produced by the gradual change which 
 takes place in the blood, in passing from an arternal 
 to a venous state ; and if inflammation consist of an 
 increased flow of blood to and through the part, the 
 
ready way to abate it, is, to lessen the quantity of 
 blood. If we take away the fuel the fire will go out. 
 This is is a principle in the animal frame which should 
 never be lost sight of by the horseman — that if 
 by bleeding the process of inflammation can once be 
 checked, if it can be suspended but for a little while, 
 although it ma}'' return, it is never with the same 
 degree of violence, and in many cases it is got rid of 
 entirel}'-. Hence, the necessit}'- of bleeding early, and 
 bleeding largely, in inflammation of the lungs, or of 
 the brain, or of the bowels, is very important. 
 
 Diseases of the Heart. 
 
 The only symptoms on which dependence can be 
 placed are, a quickened and irregular respiration, a 
 bo.unding action of the heart, in an early stage of the 
 disease. It is seldom or never that this disease ex- 
 ists alone, but is combined with dropsy of the chest 
 or abdomen. This is called farcy ; many causes for it. 
 
 Cure. — Bleed two gallons from the neck vein, and 
 to quiet the pulse, take one drachm foxglove, one and 
 a half drachm of emetic tarter, and three of nitre ; and 
 for the dropsy, rowel in the breast, and move the 
 rowels every day; let the rowels stay in until the 
 swelling'goes down; keep the horse's bowels open with 
 bran mashes ; keep the bowels wet in turpentine. 
 
 The Healing Ointment. 
 Take five ounces mutton tallow, and one ounce of 
 rosin, and melt them together ; and when these get 
 
cool, take two ounces of the calamine reduced to 
 powder, and stir it in; and if the wound is not healthy, 
 add a small quantity of common turpentine. This 
 salve justly deserves the name which it has gained, 
 the Healing Ointment. 
 
 Watej^ Farcy. 
 
 This is a swelling alcng under the chest and for- 
 ward of the breast, if properly treated it soon disap- 
 pears, except that occasionall}^, at the close of some 
 serious disease, it indicates a breaking up of the con- 
 stitution. 
 
 Cure. — Bleed, rowel in the breast, move the row- 
 els every day, give boiled oats, and use the following 
 wash : 
 
 Turpentine, one gill ; linseed oil, one gill ; aqua am- 
 monia, two ounces ; tincture of iodine, half ounce. 
 Shake all well ; apply this twice a day. This liniment 
 is good for sores or swellings, or sprains. This is 
 dropsy, many causes for it; let the rowels stay in 
 until the swelling goes down. 
 
 To Cure Ringhones lohen first Coming. 
 
 Dissolve four ounces of saltpeter in a quart of soft 
 water ; add to it one ounce of turpentine ; wash with it 
 twice a day. This will, nine cases out of ten, stop 
 the growth and lameness, and not remove the hair. 
 
 Buttoi Farcy. 
 
 Cause.— Bad stabling, high feeding, and no exercise. 
 
10 
 
 Symptoms. — The limbs swell up and break out in 
 running sores. It may be readily distinguished from 
 grea>e or swelled legs ; in g: • ase there is usuall}^ 
 some cracks. 
 
 Cure. — In first stages bleed and physic ; then take 
 of gentian two ounces, ginger three ounces ; make 
 this into a stiff paste ; divide into twelve parts : add to 
 each part, separately, ten grains of arsenic ; make in- 
 to pills ; give one morning and evening, until it makes 
 his mouth sore ; then wash the sores clean. Then take ' 
 the ointment of rosin, two ounces ; one half ounce of 
 finely ground verdigris ; two ounces of turpentine ; 
 mutton tallow, one pound ; one half ounce of the oil 
 of origanum ; one half ounce of iodine ; mix all well, 
 and apply this to the wounds twice a day ; and if no 
 better in three weeks, bleed and repeat the pills ; give 
 carrots, as many as he will eat. Be careful and not 
 get the matter on a woun 1, or it will kill you. 
 
 Rheumatis7n- 
 
 It is only of late years that this hn^ been ad- 
 mitted into the list of the diseases of t!ic horse, 
 altViough it is in truth a very common *iilection ; it is 
 frequent in old horses that have been early abused, 
 and among younger ones whose powers have been 
 severely taxed. With proper treatment, the pain and 
 the lameness gradually disappear. 
 
 Symptoms. — He is heaving at the fl u ko sweating 
 profusely, dares not to rest the slightest portion of 
 its weight on the limb, or even to feourh the ground 
 with his to?. 
 
11 
 
 Cure. — Take alcohol, half pint ; oil of origanum, 
 one half ounce; cayenne, one half ounce: gum myrrh, 
 one half ounce ; one teaspoonful of lobelia, and let all 
 stand over night, then bath the part affected ; this is 
 a sure cure. 
 
 The Best to Physic. 
 A horse should be carefully prepared for the ac- 
 tion of physic by two or three bran mashes, and 
 then a less quantity of physic will do : Barbadoes 
 aloes, the dose seven drachms, half ounce of ginger, 
 one ounce of palm oil ; this is perfectly safe ; a few 
 fluid stools will be sufficient for every good purpose. 
 The horse should not be moved after the physic has 
 worked ; what physic is given should be given at 
 once. 
 
 Common Inflammation of the Eye 
 
 Inflammation of the eye may be considered under 
 two forms, the common and manageable, and the 
 specific and fatal; the common inflammation is gen- 
 erally sudden in its attack, the lids will be found 
 swelled and the eyes partially closed, and some weep- 
 ing. Cooling applications to the eye. or the ground 
 extract, or tincture of opium, with mash diet, and 
 gentle physic, will usually abate the evil. 
 
 Weak Eyes. 
 First rowel below the eye and in the jaw, then if 
 the eyes are much inflamed bleed two gallons from 
 
12 
 
 the neck vein, then use the following wash : Take of 
 sugar of lead two drachms, white vitriol one drachm, 
 laudanum one drachm, add to this one quart of soft 
 water, let it stand eight hours, and it is fit for use ; 
 wash the eye well with cold water, apply this twice 
 a day give a mild physic, keep the horse on low 
 diet. In all cases where the eyes are inflamed the 
 horse's head should be kept level with his body. 
 
 Fistula or Poll Evil. 
 
 Cause. — A bruise or stroke of some kind produces 
 fever in the muscle. Cure before it breaks, run a 
 rowel or seton from the lower part of the swelling 
 to the top throughout the enlargement then make the 
 following lotion : Take of sal ammoniac, two ounces ; 
 turpentine spirits, half pint; four ounces of linseed 
 oil, and four ounces of spirits of tar; shake all well 
 and apply it all over the swelling every day ; keep the 
 part clean, keep the bowels open witli bran mashes, 
 feed carrots. 
 
 Hoof Bound or Tender Feet. 
 
 Cause of this is fever in the feet, or founder, or 
 gravel. The symptoms are hot feet ai)d a drawing 
 in one inch from the top of the feet at the heels ; never 
 have the feet spread at the heels, nor rasped above 
 the nail holes, for it will do the feet an injury. 
 Follow the directions given here ; u=:e either the hoof 
 ointment or the hoof liquid ; apply it according to the 
 directions. For hoof bound or tender feet, apply it 
 
13 
 
 all around the top of the hoof down one inch every 
 day. If for split hoof, apply it twice a day. First, 
 have a stiff shoe on the foot, and clean the cut or 
 crack never cut or burn for it. 
 
 Hoof Ointment, 
 
 Take rosin, four ounces ; beeswax, six ounces ; lard, 
 two pounds ; melt together, pour it into a pot ; then 
 add three ounces of turpentine, two ounces of finely 
 powdered verdigris, one pound of tallow ; stir all 
 till it gets cool. This is good for cork or bruises of 
 the ^QQt. 
 
 Hoof Liquid for Tender Feet, 
 
 Ncat's-foot oil, half pint ; of either turpentine, four 
 ounces ; oil of tar six ounces ; origanum three ounces j 
 shake this well, and apply it at night, so tlie horse 
 can go to work in the morning ; he need not lose one 
 day's work ; this is the best, if the horse has been 
 lame long. 
 
 Stiff Shoulders or Sweeney 
 Rowel from the top of the shoulder blade down as 
 far as there is no pealing-. First, cut through the 
 skin, then take two thin fibres or strippings, use the 
 blunt needle, move it back and forward five or six 
 inches, draw in a tap? or seton, and the next morn- 
 ing wet it with the tincture of cantharides, do this 
 every other day, wash the part clean, let the tape 
 stay in until the matter changes to blood ; this is for 
 
14 
 
 both diseases. Let him run out, if possible ; he will 
 be well in six or eight weeks. If for Sweeney, you 
 may work him all the time. 
 
 Hoof Evil or Thrush Grease Heels. 
 
 Cause of this disease is over feed, and want of ex- 
 ercise, or standing in a filthy stable. 
 
 Symptoms well known, a discharge of offensive 
 matter from the frog of the foot and around the top 
 of the foot, often the frog of the foot will come out, 
 then 3 ou must put a stiff shoe on to keep the foot 
 from contracting. 
 
 Cure. — Bleed and physic, and poultice the foot 
 with boiled turnips, add some fine ground charcoal; 
 this must be done every night ; then wash the foot 
 clean with castile soap and water, and apply the blue 
 ointment every day ; keep the horse on a clean floor, 
 and he will be well in twelve days. 
 
 Hoio to make Blue, Ointment. 
 Take the ointment of rosin, four ounces ; half ounce 
 of finely ground verdigris ; two ounces of turpen- 
 tine ; mutton tallow, two pounds; half ounce oil of ori- 
 ganum ; half ounce of iodine ; mix all well. This is 
 one of the best medicines that can be made for 
 scratches or hoof evil. 
 
 Lung Fever. 
 
 Symptoms. — The horse is taken with a chill, he 
 breaks out in a cold clammy sweat, holds down his 
 
15 
 
 head, never offers to lay down, but groans when made 
 to move, his ears and legs are deathly cold ; the cause 
 of this is a change from warm to cold stables, or too 
 much cold water when warm. 
 
 The unfavorable symptoms arc. increased coldness 
 of the ears and feet, if that be possible, pai tial sweat'-, 
 grinding of the teeth, evident weakness staggering, 
 the animal not lying down. The favorable symp- 
 toms are, the return of a little warmth to the extremi- 
 ties, the circulation beginning again to assume its nat- 
 ural character, and next to this, the lying down qui- 
 etly and without uneasiness, showing us that he is 
 beginning to do with the auxiliary muscles ; these are 
 good symptoms, and they will rarely deceive. 
 
 Cure. — For Lung Fever, bleed till the pulse falters^ 
 and take one ounce of aconite, add to it two quarts 
 of cold water, drench him, one gill every two hours ; 
 blister him over the lungs, and at tlic breast, and 
 rowel between the fore legs ; then give him water to 
 drink that hay has been boiled in ; add to each gallon 
 of it one ounce of gum arable and half ounce of spir- 
 its of nitre ; give this every four hours, rub well, fo- 
 ment and rub the leps with alcohol and camphor 
 until they get warm, wrap his legs up in flannel, keep 
 his stall clean, and let him have plenty of air ; do not 
 move him while sick. 
 
 Disease of the Liver or Yelloio Water. 
 
 Symptoms. — The eyes run and turn yellow, the 
 base of the mouth the same, the hair and mane get 
 
16 
 
 loose, and he is often lame in the right shoulder and 
 very costive. 
 
 Cure. — Give the following ball every morning until 
 it operates upon the bowels : Take seven drachms of 
 aloes and one drachm of calomel, four drachms of gin- 
 ger, and molasses enough to make it into a ball, wrap 
 in a paper, give it ; give scalded bran and oats, grass if 
 it can be got ; when his bowels have moved, stop the 
 physic, and give one ounce of the spirits of camphor, 
 in half pint of warm water, every morning for twelve 
 days ; rowel in the breast. 
 
 The Liver in a Diseased State. 
 The Symptoms of this sudden change are, pawing, 
 shifting quite often, curling of the upper lip, sighing 
 frequently and deeply, the mouth and nostrils pale, 
 the breathing quickened, fainting and death. 
 
 Cure Windgalls. 
 Take three times as much of iodine as mercurial 
 ointment, and apply to the windgall once a day. 
 
 Cleansing Poivders. 
 
 This is used when the blood is out of order, good 
 ^0 restore lost appetite. Take half pound good gin- 
 ger, two ounces of powdered gentian, half ounce of 
 nitre, two drachms of crude antimony, mix all well ; 
 give one large spoonful evcTy day, in wet food. This 
 is perfectly safe. 
 
 Nasal Gleet J or Discharge fro7n the Eye 
 and Nose. 
 The cause of this is neglect in distemper, or over 
 
17 
 
 heat, or cold. This is a vvliito discharge from the 
 nasal, and is not contagious, and can be cured. 
 
 Cure. — Stop working him, take of alum half pound, 
 one half pound of rosin, half pound of blue vitriol, 
 grind and m^x all well, with half pound of ginger ; 
 give one large spoonful every night and morning, 
 bleed one gallon, keep him out of wet, and do not 
 work him. 
 
 Sore Mouth or Tongue^ called Canker or 
 Thimsh. 
 
 Symptoms. — The mouth runs water, the horse 
 throws his hay out of his mouth ; the cause of this is 
 often from frosty bits being put in his mouth, or by 
 eating poisonous weeds. 
 
 CuuE. — Take of borax, three drachms ; and two 
 drachms of sugar of lead ; one half ounce of alum ; 
 one pint of vinegar ; one pint of sage tea ; shake all 
 well together, and wash the mouth out every morn- 
 ing ; give no hay for twelve days. 
 
 Groggy Knees is called a Strain of the 
 Back SineiDS. 
 
 The cause of this is sprains or overdriving, or by 
 having corks and no toes on the shoes. This can be 
 cured in the first stage, but if long standing, there is 
 no cure. 
 
 Cure. — Horse shoes made thick at the toe and 
 thin at the heels ; foment the legs well with warm 
 water two or three times a day ; then lake linseed oil? 
 half pint ; alcohol, four ounces ; one ounce of camphor 
 
18 
 
 spirits ; two ounces of laudanum ; shake all well, and 
 apply to the back part of the legs every four days; 
 rub it in well. 
 
 Broken Knees 
 Is a subject of considerable importance, for many 
 horses are sadly blemished, and others are destroyed. 
 This is caused by the horse falling on the knees. 
 First, cleanse the part clear of gravel and dirt, wash 
 them with warm water ; then apply linseed meal poul- 
 tice, let the poultice remain on twelve hours, then 
 take one half pint of alcohol, one half ounce of arnica, 
 tie the knees up with coarse linen, and apply it twice 
 a day ; and if they swell in twenty four hours, bleed, 
 and keep the bowels open with bran mashes ; if they 
 do not do well, apply the poultice again ; do not use 
 the horse until he is perfectly well. 
 
 Hoio to Remove Warts. 
 Cut them out by the roots, take the hook, run it 
 through the warts, and draw and cut around them^ 
 and draw it out. If it should bleed too much, take 
 five grains of nitrate of silver, and one ounce of water, 
 wet a sponge, and merely touch the part with this 
 wash ; treat it as any fresh wound, and every time 
 you wash it scratch the scab off, so the scar will be 
 small. This is a sure cure. 
 
 Spasmodic Colic. 
 It is of much importance to distinguish between 
 
19 
 
 spasmodic colic, and inflammation of the bowels, for 
 the symptoms have considerable resemblance, al- 
 though the mode of treatment should be very differ- 
 ent. 
 
 Symptoms. — The attack of colic is usually very 
 sudden, there is often not the slightest vvarning, the 
 horse begins to shift his posture, look around at his 
 flanks, paw violently, strikes his belly with his feet, 
 and crouches in a peculiar manner, advancing, his 
 hind legs under him, he will then suddenly lie, or 
 rather fall down, and balance himself upon his back, 
 with his feet resting on his belly, but the spasm soon 
 returns. 
 
 Cure. — Bleed from two to three gallons, the belly 
 should be well rubbed with a brush or warm cloih, 
 and be careful and not bruise it. Then take one 
 half ounce of laudanum ; turpentine, one ounce ; aloes, 
 four drachms ; put in a pint of warm water, and give 
 it as soon as possible 5 give him a little exercise ; give 
 injections consisting of warm water and soap. 
 
 Spasmodic Colic is sudden in its attack, legs and 
 ears of the natural temperature, and not constant 
 pain. 
 
 Inflammation of the Bowels is gradual in its ap- 
 proach, pulse very much quickened, legs and ears 
 cold, constant pain. 
 
 Injiammation of the Boivels. 
 Symptoms. — This is a flxtal disease, it speedily runs 
 its course, and its early symptoms should be known ; 
 
20 
 
 in many cases a direct shivering fit will occur, the 
 mouth will be hot and the nose red, the animal will 
 soon express the most dreadful pain, pawing, stri- 
 king at his belly, looking wildly at his flanks, groan- 
 ing and rolling, the ears anl legs cold. 
 
 Cure. — The first and most powerful means of euro 
 will be bleeding, in fact as much as the horse can 
 bear, as soon as possible; then give seven drachms of 
 aloes ; this should be quickl}'- followed by back ra- 
 king, and injections consisting of warm water, or 
 very thin griiel. in which salts have been dissolved, 
 and too much fluid can scarcely be thrown up. If 
 the purging is more violent, and continues longer 
 than was intended, the practitioner should give gruel 
 or thin starch, or arrow root ; if twelve hours has 
 passed and the purging and the pain remain, he 
 should continue the gruel, adding to it chalk and 
 opium, repeated every six hours. 
 
 Flatulent Colic. 
 Symptoms. — This is altogether n different disease 
 from the former; the horse suddenly slackening his 
 pace, preparing to lie down or falls down, as if he 
 was shot, in the stable he paws the ground with his 
 fore feet, lies down, rolls, starts up all at once, and 
 throws himself down again with great violence, look- 
 ing wistfully at his flanks, and making many fruit- 
 less attempts to void his urine, but the real charac- 
 ter of the disease soon begins to develope itself; it 
 is in one of the large intestines, and the belly swells all 
 
21 
 
 caroiind, but mostly on the right flank ; as the disease 
 proceeds, the pain becomes more intense, the horse 
 more violent, and at length death closes the scene. 
 
 Cure. — Take chloride of lime, two ounces, dis- 
 solved in one pint of warm water ; give it as soon as 
 possible. In thirty minutes, take laudanum, half 
 ounce ; sulphuric ether, one ounce ; half pint of warm 
 water, drench with it, and if no better in thirty min 
 utes, bleed and repeat the dose ; and if no better in 
 forty minutes, take one ounce of hartshorn, put in a 
 pint of warm water, drench with it, give injections 
 consisting of warm water and soap ; do not allow 
 the horse to be moved while sick. 
 
 Crmniy, 
 
 Symptoms. — This is a sudden and painful spasm 
 of a particular muscle or set of muscles, it is gener- 
 ally observed when the horse is brought out of the 
 stable, and especially if he has been hardly worked, 
 one of the legs appear stiff, and is to a slight degree 
 dragged after the animal, after he has proceeded a 
 few steps the stiffness nearly or quite disappears, or 
 only a slight degree of lameness remains during the 
 greater part of the day. 
 
 Cure. — Take one pint of whisky, and one half 
 ounce of camphor, and apply to his leg as warm as 
 possible, and rub his leg for ten minutes, this should 
 be applied at night ; if this does not abate the evil, 
 use the rheumatism wash. 
 
22 
 
 Founder in the first Stage. 
 
 Symptoms.' — The horse is stiff, his feet are hot, 
 and often trembles, very thirsty. 
 
 Cure. — Bleed from the neck vein three gallons, or 
 until he falls, then give the following : Half ounce of 
 aloes, four drachms of gamboge, half ounce of oil of 
 sassafras, make this into a pill and give it ; give him 
 all the sassafras tea he will drink, turn up his feet 
 and fill them full of boiling hot lard, bathe his legs in 
 hot water, and rub them ; this will never fail to cure 
 in forty-eight hours. 
 
 Inflammation of the Feet. 
 
 To the attentive observer, the symptoms are 
 clearly marked, and yet there is no disease so often 
 overlooked. The earliest S3'mptoms of fever in the 
 feet are,' frequent shifting of the fore legs, but no 
 pawing, and the horse indicates great pain, shifting 
 his weight from foot to foot ; his quietness when 
 down will distinguish it from colic, or intlammation 
 of the bowels, his nose will often rest on the feet, or 
 the afifected foot. 
 
 Cuke. — The treatment will resemble that of other 
 inflammations. Bleeding, and that to its fullest ex- 
 tent, poultices of linseed meal, made very soft, should 
 cover the whole of the foot and pastern, and be fre- 
 quently renewed ; if no amendent is observed, three 
 quarts of blood should be taken from each foot oq 
 the following^ day. 
 
23 
 
 Sick Stomach Debility. 
 
 Symptoms. — The horse refuses to eat, thirsty, 
 hangs his head, reels when he walks, eyes dull. 
 
 CuRE.^Bleed one half gallon, then if he will eat 
 a mash give him one, give no hay, then give him half 
 ounce of rhubarb every night, until it moves his 
 bowels, then take of gentian root, four ounces ; 
 fenugreek, two ounces ; nitre, half ounce ; mix, and 
 give a large spoonful every day ; do not give him too 
 much to eat when his appetite returns. 
 
 Distejnper. 
 
 Symptoms.— Swelling under the jaws, can't swal- 
 low. 
 
 Cure.— Bleed two gallons, and physic ; then if a 
 tumor is found under the jaws, open it; if not, make 
 the following liniment : Turpentine, one half pint ; 
 linseed oil, half pint ; aqua ammonia, four ounces ; tinc- 
 ture of iodine, one ounce ; shake all well, apply thi? 
 to the swelling two or three times a day, make it 
 break on the outside if possible, give soft feed, turn 
 him out if possible. 
 
 Sprains in the Stifle. 
 
 Symptoms. — The horse holds up his foot, mourns 
 when moved, swells in the stifle, this is called 
 stifling, there is no such thing as the joint getting 
 out of place. 
 
 Cure. — Bleed two gallons, foment the stifle with 
 hot water, rub it dry, then use the following wash 
 
24 
 
 every night and morning: Turpentine, half pint; 
 linseed oil. half pint; aqua ammonia, four ounces; of 
 iodine, one ounce ; shake all well. 
 
 Pleurisy. 
 
 The prevailing causes of pleuris}' are the same as 
 those which produce pneumonia or inflammation of 
 the lungs, exposure to cold, or riding against a keen 
 wind. 
 
 Symptoms. — The first symptoms are followed by 
 increased heat and partial sweats, loss of appetite, a 
 low and painful cough ; if the side is pressed upon, 
 the horse will reel, with a low, painful grunt, he will 
 tremble, and ivy to get out of the way before the 
 hand touches him again, there are lAvitchings of the 
 skin on the side; this is never seen in pueumonia. 
 In both diseases the horse will look at his flanks, but 
 in pueumonia will turn himself more slowly around, 
 and long and steadfastly gaze at his side, while the 
 action of the horse with pleurisy is more sudden, 
 pneumonia is settled distress; the horse seldom lies 
 down with either disease. 
 
 Cure. — Bleed till the pulse falters, next should 
 follow a Mister on the chest and sides, then give him 
 water to drink that hay has been boiled in, add to 
 each gallon of it, one half ounce of common turpen- 
 tine, one half ounce of spirits of nitre, give this every 
 three hours, as much as \\z will drink, keep his bow- 
 els open with injections of warm water and soap, 
 keep the horse well covered, do not move him. 
 
25 
 
 Won?is. 
 
 Worms of different kinds inhabit the intestines, 
 but except when they exist in very great numbers, 
 they arc not as hurtful as is generally supposed, the 
 long white worm much resembles tlie conmion earth 
 worm, and being from six to ten inches in length, 
 inhabits the small intestines ; and if there are many 
 of them, they may consume more than can be spared 
 of the nutritive part of the food. "When the horse 
 can be spared, a strong dose of physic is good, so 
 far as the long round worm is concerned ; but a bet- 
 ter medicine, and not interfering with either the 
 feeding or work of the horse, is one drachm of emetic 
 tarter, with three ounces of ginger, made in a ball, 
 with linseed meal and molasses, and give every morn- 
 ing half an hour before the horse is fed. 
 
 A smaller, darker colored worm, called the needle 
 worm, inhabits the large intestines, hundreds of them 
 sometimes descend into the rectum, these are a more 
 serious nuisance than the former ; physic will some- 
 times bring away great numbers of these worms, but 
 when there is much irritation about the tail^ an in- 
 jection of linseed oil, or of aloes dissolved in warm 
 water, will be a more effectual remedy. The tape 
 worn> is seldom found in the horse. 
 
 Big or Milk Leg. 
 This is brought on by a hurt, a want of action m 
 the absorpt system, it is dropsy of the muscles of the 
 leg. 
 
26 
 
 Cure. — Apply the liquid blister every three hours, 
 until it blisters, then in six hours grease with soft 
 oil of any kind, then in eight hours wash the part 
 clean, and apply it again, repeat it three or four 
 times, then use the iodine ointment ; if this does 
 not jemove it all. apply the spavin medicine, this will 
 remove all. 
 
 Iodine Ointment. 
 Get one ounce of the grease of iodine, one pint of 
 alcohol, let this stand iu the sun two days, and this is 
 the tincture of iodine. Take two ounce of tincture, 
 and half pound of lard, mix well, and you have the 
 iodine ointment. 
 
 Liquid Blister. 
 
 Take alcohol, one pint; turpentine, half pint ; aqua- 
 ammonia, four ounces; oil of origanum, one ounce. This 
 is good for old swellings. Apply this every three 
 hours till it blisters ; do not repeat oftener than every 
 seven days, or it will kill the hair ; when too exten- 
 sive a blister has been employed, wash off the blister 
 with warm water, and apply warm water, with opium 
 in it ; and if the swelling is great, bleed one gallon 
 from the neck vein ; keep the bowels open with bran 
 mashes and boiled oats. 
 
 Mange and Surfeit. 
 
 Cause by running out in wet weather, over dri- 
 ving, and poor cleaning. 
 
27 
 
 SYMPTOiMs.— The horse rubs, and it is itching all 
 over, broken out in scabs. 
 
 Cure. — Bleed and physic, then take sulphur, half 
 pound, two pounds of lard, mix well, grease the part 
 affected every three days, stand the horse in the sun, 
 until all dries in ; give soft feed. 
 
 Spavins and Rlnghane Medicines. 
 Take of cantharides, two ounces ; mercurial oint- 
 ment, four ounces ; tincture of iodine, three ounces ; 
 turpentnie four ounces ; corrosive sublimate, three 
 drachms ; mix all well with two pounds of lard. 
 Follow the directions here given. If for ringbone or 
 bone spavin, cut of the hair from the part affected, 
 and merely grease the lump with the ointment, rub 
 it in well with the naked hand, in two days grease 
 the part wnth lard, and in four days wash it off in 
 soap and water, and apply the ointment again, so re- 
 peat it every four days. If for windgalls, or bog 
 spavins, or curb, apply the ointment qy^yj six days. 
 
 HoiD to Cm e Corns. 
 Take off the shoe, cut out the corns, and drop in a 
 few drops of muriatic acid, then make the shoes so 
 they will not bear on the part affected, apply the 
 hoof liquid to the hoof. To remove the fever this is a 
 sure treatment, we never knew it to fail. 
 
 Johnston^s Oint^neiit. 
 Take oil of origanum, one ounce alcohol, half pint ; 
 
28 
 
 oil of cedar, half ounce ; oil of cloves, half ounce ; tur- 
 pentine, half ounce ; olive oil, eight ounces ; shake all 
 well ; this is used for all complaints of the muscles. 
 
 Fresh Wounds, 
 
 First stop the blood by tying the arteries, or by 
 applying the following wash : Four grains of the 
 nitrate of silver, one ounce of soft water, wet the 
 wounds with this, and then draw the edges together 
 by stiches, one inch apart, then wash them, and ap- 
 ply the heel ointment, and if any swelling in twenty- 
 four hours, bleed two or three gallons fi'om the neck 
 vein. 
 
 Holo to make the White Owlmeiit. 
 
 For rheumatism, sprains, burns, swellings, bruises, 
 or any inflammation^ on man or beast, chapped hands, 
 or lips, black eyes, or any kind of bruises. Take 
 fresh butter, two pounds ; tr, of iodine, half ounce ; 
 oil of origanum, two ounces; mix this well for fifteen 
 minutes, and it is fit for use, apply it every night, 
 rub it in vrell with your hand ; if for human flesh, 
 lay on warm flannel. 
 
 Physic Ball. 
 
 Half ounce of aloes, three drachms of gamboge, 
 twenty drops of the oil of juniper, make it into a 
 pill, with a few drops of molasses, wrap it up in thin 
 paper, and grease it, draw out the tongue witli the 
 left hand, place the gag in the mouth, and run the 
 
29 
 
 pill back with the right hand, until it drops off, let 
 the head down, and give a sup of water ; first prepare 
 the horse by giving one or two mashes. 
 
 Green Ointment. 
 
 Take seven pounds of lard, a ten gallon kettle, add 
 two gallons of water, cut juniper weeds, fill them in 
 and cook them from four to six hours, slow, and 
 cook all the water out, then put in jars, add to each 
 pound of ointment one ounce of turpentine. This 
 is a cheap .and good stable ointment, good for 
 scratches, galls and cuts. 
 
 Scouring. 
 
 The best remedy is wheat flour, boiled in water to 
 the thickness of starch, and put a small quantity of 
 opium, and alum, and chalk, this should be given 
 every hour, and if no- better in six hours, the injec- 
 tion must be used, take gruel quite thick, add to it 
 four ounces of powdered chalk, one drachm of^ pow- 
 dered opium, use this every hour. 
 
 Lamp ass. 
 
 All young horses are liable to this trouble, it is 
 nothing but inflammation of the gum. 
 
 Cure. — Bleed, or scarify the gums, never burn 
 for it spoils the teeth and adds to the cause of the" 
 disease, give a bran mash, rub the gums with salt, 
 give a few carrot^;:. 
 
 Diabetes. 
 
 Too free discharge of urine, or cannot hold his 
 water. 
 
Cure. — Give one half ounce of the tincture of can- 
 tharides every morning for twelve days, and if not 
 entirely well repeat ^it again, and bleed one gallon 
 from the neck, give clean food. The cause is rotten 
 or musty hay, or grain, or too free use of turpentine. 
 Keep his bowels open with mashes and green food. 
 
 To Cure Heaves. 
 Take One pint of alcohol, put it into all the tar it 
 will cut 5 give two table spoonfuls every morning, one 
 iiour before feeding, and at night, give one drachm of 
 copperas, do this for ten or twelve mornings ; if the 
 •horse has a bad cough, use the liquid blister under 
 the jaw and at the breast, every three hours, till it 
 blisters. 
 
 To Drive Off Poll Evil before it Breaks. 
 
 Take four ounces oil of spike, one ounce of British 
 oi', one eighth oz, white vitriol, one ounce of extract 
 of mullen, and apply twice a day, shake well before 
 you apply, give the cleansing powders. To cleanse 
 the blood keep the bowels open with so^t feed. 
 
 To Cure Ringbone when Long Standiyig. 
 Take one ounce oil of spike, one half ounce of 
 British oil, one ounce oil of vitriol, one ounce of nitre, 
 one ounce spirits of turpentine, two ounces of alco- 
 hol, one gill of tanner's oil. mix all well together in 
 a junk bottle, rub it on every other day, and on the 
 other days rub on soft soapj when it cracks and runs 
 matter, stop and grease with lard. 
 
31 
 
 Cutting. 
 
 The inside of the fetlock is often bruised by the 
 shoe, or the hoof of the opposite foot. Many experi- 
 ments used to be tried to remove this, the inside 
 heel has been raised and lowered, and the outside 
 raised and lowered, and sometimes one operation has 
 succeeded, and sometimes the contrary. The most 
 successful remedj', and that which in the great ma- 
 jority of cases supersedes all others, is a shoe of 
 equal thickness from heel to toe, and having but one 
 nail, and that near the toe, on the inside of the shoe, 
 care being taken that the shoe shall not extend be- 
 yond the edge of the crust, and that the crust shall 
 be rasped a little at the quarters. There are some de- 
 fects in the natural form of the horse, which are the 
 causes of cutting, and which no contrivance will 
 remedy. 
 
 Chapped or Galled Shouldei's. 
 Cure. — Take one pint of whisky, one ounce of 
 gun powder, one drachm of calomel, let it stand over 
 night, and it is fit for use. This is a sure cure, ap- 
 ply it at night. 
 
 Curb. 
 
 Any sudden action of the limb of more than usual 
 violence may produce a curb ; curbs are generally 
 accompanied by considerable lameness at their first 
 appearance, but the swelling is not always great ; 
 they are best detected by observing the leg side- 
 
32 
 
 ways. The first object in attempting the cure is to 
 abate inflammation, and this will be most readily ac- 
 complished by cold lotions, frequently applied to the 
 part ; equal potions of spirits of wine and water, and 
 vinegar, will afford an excellent application, apply it 
 two or three times a day ; if the heat and lamenesses 
 great, it will be prudent to physic and bleed, do not 
 put them to work too soon. i 
 
 Cure. — Take one ounce oil of spike, one half ounce 
 of British oil, one ounce of oil of vitriol, one ounce 
 of nitre, one ounce spirits of turpentine, two ounces 
 of alcohol, one gill of tanner's oil, mix all well to- 
 gether in a junk bottle, rub it on every other day ; 
 on the other day rub on soft soap ; when it cracks 
 and runs matter, stop and grease with lard. 
 
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