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

FARR
* The following, when it can be afforded, is a very gen-
.tde and effe<5hial purge, particularly for fine delicate hor-
fes ; and if prepared with the Indian rhubarb, will not be
expen five.
Take of the fined fuccotrine aloes one ounce, rhu¬
barb powdered half an ounce or fix drams, ginger
grated one dram; make 'into a bail with fyrup of
rofes.
The following purging drink may be given with the
ntmoft fafety; it may be quickened, or made ftronger, by
adding an ounce more fenna, or two drams of jalap.
Take fenna two ounces, infufe it in a pint of boiling
water two hours, with three drams of fait of tartar;
pour off, and diffolve in it four ounces of dauber’s
falts, and two or three of cream of tartar.
This iaft phyfic is cooling, eafy, and quick in its ope¬
ration ; and greatly preferable in all inflammatory cafes
to any other purge, as it paffes into the blood, and ope¬
rates alfo by urine.
When horfes lofe their apetites after purging, it is ne-
ceffary to give them a warm ftomach drink, made of an
infufion of chamomile flowers, annifceds and faffron : or
the cordial ball may be given for that purpofe.
Should the purging continue too long; give an ounce
of dtofcordium in an Englifh pint 6f Port wine, and re¬
peat it once in twelve hours, if the purging continues.
Plenty of gum Arabic water fhould alfo be given ; and in
cafe of violent gripes, fat broth glyltets, or tripe liquor,
fhould be often thrown up, with an hundred drops of
laudanum in each.
The arabic folution may be thus prepared.
Take of gum arabic and tragacanth of each four
ounces, juniper-berries and carraway-feeds of each
an ounce, cloves bruifed half an ounce; fimmer
gently in a gallon of water, til] the gums are diffol-
ved : give a quart at a time in half a pail of water;
but if he will not take it freely this way, give it him
often in a horn.
When a purge, does not work, bin makes the horle
fwell, and refufe his food and’water, which is Jbmetimes
the effeft of bad drugs, or catching cold, warm diuretics
are the only remedy; of which the following are recom¬
mended.
Take a pint of white wine, nitre one ounce; mix with
it a dram of camphire, diffolved in a little re&i-
fied fpirit of wine ; then add two drams of oil of
juniper, and the fame quantity of unreftified oil of
amber, and four ounces of honey, or fyrup of
marfhmallows.
When a^horfe fwells much with phyfic, do not fuffer
him to be rode about till he has fome vent; but rather
kad him gently in hand, till fpme evacuation is obtained.
As it is obferved, that horfes more willingly take fweet
and palatable things, than thofe that are bitter and of an
ill tafte; care (hould be taken, that the latter are given in
balls; and that their drinks are always contrived to be as
little naufeous as pofiible, and fweetened either with ho¬
ney or liquorice. Thofe that are prepared with grofs
powders, are by no means fo agreeable to.ahorfe, as thofe
made by infufion ,; as the former often clam the mouth,
irritate the membranes about the palate and throat, and
Von. II. No. 49. 2
I E R Y, 545
frequently occafion the cough they are intended to pre¬
vent.
Balls Ihould be of an oval fliape,. and not exceed the
fize of a pullet’s egg; when the dofe is larger, it Ihould
be divided into two ; and they Ihould be dipt in oil, to
make them flip down the eafier.
As we have given fome general forms of purges, we
fliall obferve the fame rule in regard to glyfters, with
fome few cantions and remarks.
Let it be obferved then, that, before the adminiftring
emollient clyfters in coftive diforders, a fmall hand, well
oiled, (hould be paffed up the horfe’s fundament, in order
to bring away any hardened dung, which otherwife would
be an obftacle to the glyfter’s paffage
A bag and pipe of a proper form, is to be preferred to
a fyringe, which throws up the glyfter with fo much
force, that it often furprifes a horfe, and makes him re-
jedt it as fall as it goes in ; whereas the liquor, when
preffed gently from the bag, gives him no furprize or un-
eafinefs, but paffes eafily up into the bowels, where it
will fometimes remain a long time, and be extremely
ufeful, by cooling and relaxing them; and will fdme-
times incorporate fo with the dung, as not eafily to be
dillinguiflied from the other contents of the guts Thefe
emollient glyfters are extremely ferviaable in moft fevers,
and greatly preferable to purging bnes; which in general
'are too pungent, and ftimulate too much, efpecially if
aloes are a part of the compofition.
Nutritive glyfters are very neceflary, and often fave a
''horfe from ftarving, when his jaws are fo locked up by
convulfions that nothing can'be conveyed by the mouth.
They (hould not exceed a quart or three pints at a
time, but be often repeated : nor (hould they be too fat;
but made of (heeps heads, trotters, or any other meat-
broths, milk pottage, rice-milk drained, and many other
fuch nouri(hing things. For an emollient glyfter, take the
following.
Take marftvmallows and chamomile flowers each a
large handful, bay berries and fweet fennel feeds
bruifed each an ounce ; boil in a gallon of water to
three quarts, pour off into a pan, and diffolve in it
half a pound of treacle, and a pint of lint-feed oil,
or any common oil.
To make it more laxative, add four ounces of lenitive
electuary, or the fame quantity of cream of tartar, or
common purging falts.
Purging Gl)Jier.
Take two or three handful of marftimallows, fenna
one ounce, bitter apple half an ounce, bay berries
and annifeed bruifed each an ounce, fait of tartar
half an ounce; boil a quarter of an hour in three
quarts of water; pour off, and add four ounces of
fyrup of buckthorn, and half a pint of oil.
This giyfter will purge a horfe pretty brilkly ; and may
be given fuccefsfully, when an immediate difcharge is
wanting ; efpecially in fome fevers with inflamed lungs,
or other diforders. which require fpeedy relief
But it is neceffary to caution againft a folution of
courfe aloes for this purpofe, as it has been found, to
.gripe horfes violently, and excite feverilh, and fometimes
5 X convulflve