Encyclopaedia Britannica; or, A dictionary of arts and sciences, compiled upon a new plan … > Volume 2, C-L

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iieflvy at grafs, or at any other time when he looks heavy:
and it is generally proper to bleed before purging.
Let your horfe always be bled by meafure, that you
may know what Quantity you take away : two or three
quarts is always enough at one time ; when you repeat it,
allow for the diforder, and the horfe’s confutation.
Let the blood, when cold, be carefully examined, both
as to colour and confiftence, whether black, florid, fl-
zey, <bc. ' r • r
Purging is often neceflary in grofs full horfes, in fome
diforders of the itomach, liver, 6c. but fliould be di¬
rected with caution. Before a purge is given to any horfe,
it is neceffary fome preparation fhould be made for it, in
order to render the operatiomnore fafe and efficacious ;
thus a horfe that is full of flefli fhould firft be bled, and
at the fame time have his diet lowered for a week, efpeci-
ally thofe that have been pampered for fale ; feveralmafh-
es of fcalded bran fnould alfo previoufly be given, in or-
der to open the bowels, and unload them of any indura¬
ted excrement; which fometimes proves an obftacle to the
working of the phyfic, by creating great ficknefs and
griping.
Let it be remembered, that a horfe is purged with dif¬
ficulty; that the phyfic generally lies twenty-four hours
in the guts before it works ; and, that the traft of bow¬
els it has to pafs through, is above thirty yards; and ly¬
ing horizontally, confequently refinous and other impro¬
per drugs may^ and often do, by their violent irritations,
occafion exceflive gripings and cold fweats, (have off the
very mucus or lining of the guts, and bring on inflamma¬
tions, which often terminate in mortifications, and death.
It is remarkable too, that the ftomach and guts of a
horfe are but thin, compared to fome other animals of
the fame bulk, and therefore muft be more liable to in¬
flammation and irritation.
Horfes kept much in the ftable, who have not the pro¬
per benefit of air, and exercife, in proportion to their
food, ftiould in fpring have a mild purge or two, after k
previous preparation by bleeding, lowering their diet, and
fcalded mafhes.
Horfes that fall off ,in their ftomach, whether it pro¬
ceeds from too full feeding, or ingendering crudities and
indigefted matter, fhould have a mild purge or two.
Horfes of a hot temperament, will not bear the com¬
mon aloetic purges ; their phyfic therefore fhould be mild
and cooling.
Purging is always found very beneficial in ftubborn dry
coughs: but mild mercurials joined with them, make them
yet more efficacious.
Horfes of a watery conftitution, who are fubjeft to
fwelled legs, that run a fharp briny ichor, cannot have the
-caufes removed any way fo effectually as by purging.
The firft purge you give to a horfe ftiould be mild, in
order to know his conftitution.
It is a miftaken notion, that if a proper prepared purge
does not work to expectation, the horfe will be injured by
it; for though it does not pafs by ftool, its operation may
-be more efficacious, as an alterative to purify the blood,
,and it may pafs by urine, or other fecretions.
purging medicines are very fuccefsfully given in final!
1 E R Y.
quantities, mixed with others; and aCt then as alte¬
ratives.
If mercurial phyfic is given, care fhould be taken that
ij^be well prepared; and warmer cloathing, and greater
circumfpeCtion is then required.
Purges fhould be given early in the morning upon an
empty Itomach : about three or four hours after the horfe
has taken it, he fhould have a feed of fcalded bran ; and
a lock or two of hay may then be put into his rack. The
fame day give him two more mafhes; but fhould he re-
fufe warm meat, he may be allowed raw bran.
All his water fhould be milk warm, and have a hand-
rul of bran fqueezed in it; but if he refules to drink
white water, give it him without bran.
Early the next morning, give him another mafh ; but
if he refufes to eat it, give him as much warm water as
he will drink: let him be properly cloathed, and rode
gently about. This fhould be done two or three times a-
day, unlefs he purges violently, once or twice will then
be fufficient: at night give him a feed of oats mixed with
bran.
During the working, a horfe fhould drink plentifully ;
but, if he will not drink warm water, he muft be indul¬
ged with cold, rather than not drink at all.
We fhall here infert fome general forms of purges,
Take fuccotrine aloes ten drams, jallap and fait of tar¬
tar each two drams, grated ginger one dram, oil of
cloves thirty drops ; make them into a ball with fy-
rup of buckthorn. -
Or,
Take aloes and cream of tartar each one ounce, jallap
two drams, cloves powdered one dram, fyrup of
buckthorn a fufficient quantity.
Or,
The following, which has an eftablifhed character a
mong fportfmtn.
Take aloes, from ten drams to an ounce and an half,
myrrh and ginger powdered each half an ounce,
faffron and oil of annifeed each half a dram.
Mr Gibfon recommends the following,
Take fuccotrine aloes ten drams, myrrh finely pow¬
dered half an ounce, faffron and frefh jallap in pow¬
der of each a dram, make them into a ftiff ball
with fyrup of rofes, then add a finall fpoonful of
rectified oil of amber.
The fuccotrine aloes fhould always be preferred to the
Barbadoes or plantation aloes ; though the latter may be
given to robuft ftrong horfes, but even then ffiould always
be prepared with the fait, or cream of tartar ; which by
opening its parts, prevents its adhefion to the coats of the
ftomach, and bowels; from whence horrid gripings, and
even death itfelf has often enfued. This caution is well
worth remarking, as many a horfe hath fallen a facrifice
to the negleCt of it.
Half an ounce of Caftile foap, to a horfe of a grofs
conftimtion, may be added to any of the above; and the
proportions may be increafed for ftrong horfes.
When mercurial phyfic is intended, give two drams of ca¬
lomel over night, mixed up with half an oui.ce of a diapente
and a little honey, and the purging ball the next-morning.