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

564 PARR
Thefe are both very powerful remedies for this difor-
der, and can fcarce fad of fuccefs.
Of /ita Farcin or Farcy.
The true farcy is properly a diftemper of the blood-
veffels, which generally follows the tra<fl of the veins,
and, when inveterate, thickens their coats and integuments,
fo that they become like fo many chords. We (hall not de¬
scribe the different forts of farcies, feeing they are only
degiees of one and the fame diftemper; but proceed to
paint the diftemper by its Symptoms, which are pretty
manifeft to the eye.
At firft, one or more fmall fwellings, or round buds like
grapes or berries, fpring out over the veins, and are of¬
ten exquifitely painful to the touch ; in the beginning
they are hard, but foon turn into foft blifters, which
when broke difcharge an oily or bloody ichor, and turn
into very' foul and ill-difpofed ulcers. In fome horfes it
appears on the head only; in fome on the external jugu¬
lar; in others on the plate vein, and runs downwards on
the infide of the fore-arm towards the knee, and very
often upwards towards the bri/ket: in fome the farcy
ftiews itfelf on the hind-parts, about the patterns, and a-
long the large veins on the infide of the thigh, riling up¬
wards into the groin, and towards the (heath; and forae-
times the farcy makes its appearance on the flanks, and
Spreads by’degrees towards the lower belly, where it of¬
ten becomes very troublefome.
When the farcy appears on the head only, it is ealily
cured; efpecially when it is feated in the cheeks and fore¬
head, the blood-veflels being here fmall: but it is more
difficult when it affefts the lips, the noftrils, the eyes,
the kernels under the jaws, and other foft and loofe parts,
efpecially if the neck-vein becomes chorded. When it
begins on the outlide of the ftloulder or hips, the cure is
Seldom difficult: but when the farcy arifes on the plate-
vein, and that vein fwells much, and turns corded, and
■ the glands or kernels under the arm-pit are affedled, it is
hard to cure ; but more fo when the crural veins within
fide of the thigh are corded, and befet with buds, which
affeds the kernels of the groin and the cavernous body
of the yard. When the farcy begins on the pafterns or
lower limbs, it often becomes very uncertain, unlefs a
timely ftop is put to it; for the fwelling in thofe depen¬
dant parts grows fo exceffively large in fomeconftitutions.
and the limbs fo much disfigured thereby with foul fores
and callous ulcerations, that fuch a horfe is feldom fit for
anything afterwards but the meaneft drudgery : but it is
always a promifing iign, wherever the farcy happens to be
•fituate, if it fpreads no further. It is ufual to affedt
only one fide at a time; but when itpafles over to the o-
ther, it fliews great malignancy : when it arifes on the
fpines, it is then for the moft part dangerous, and is al¬
ways more fo to horfes that are fat and full of blood,
than to thofe that are in a more moderate cafe. When
the farcy is epidemical, as fometimes happens, it rifes on
feveral parts of the body at once, forms nafty foul ul¬
cers, and makes a profufe running of greeniffi bloody
matter from both noftrils ; and foon ends in a miferable
trot.
When the farcy makes its firft appearance on the head.
TER Y.
it rifes on the cheeks and temples, and looks like a net-work ,
or fmall creeping twigs full of berries. Sometimes it inflames
the eye, and fometimes little blifters or buds run along the
fide of the nofe. It arifes often on the outfide of the
ffioulder, running along the fmall veins with heat and in¬
flammation ; and fometimes a few fmall buds appear near
the withers, and on the outfide of the hip. In all thefe
appearances, the difeafe being fuperficial, and affecting
only the fmaller veflels, is eafily conquered by the follow¬
ing method, when taken in time; for the fimpleft fare}',
if negledted, may degenerate into the word fort.
T his "diftemper, then, being of an inflammatory nature,
and in a particular manner afFedling the blood veflels, muft
neceflarily require large bleeding, particularly where thfc
horfe happens to be fat and full of Wood. This always
checks the beginning of a farcy, but is of fmall fervice
afterwards; and if a horfe is low in flefli, the lofs of too
much blood fometimes proves injurious. After bleeding,
let the horfe have four ounces of cream of tartar and le¬
nitive electuary 5 which may be given every other day for
a week, to cool the blood, and open the body; and then
give nitre three ounces a-day for three weeks or a month,
and anoint the buds and fwellings with the following oint^
ment twice a-day.
Take ointment of elder four ounces, oil of turpentine
two ounces, fugar of lead half an ounce, white vi¬
triol powdered two drams; mix together in a gally-
pot.
The buds fometimes by this method are difperfed,
leaving only little bald fpots, which the hair foon covers
again. When they break and run, if the matter be thick
and well digefted, they will foon be well: but in order
to Confirm the cure, and to difperfe fome little lumps which
often remain for fome time on the (kin without hair, give
the liver of antimony for a month ; two ounces a day for
a fortnight, and then one ounce a-day for the other fort¬
night : by following this method, a farcy which affedls
only the fmall veflels, maybe (lopped in a week or ten
days, and (bon after totally eradicated.
When the farcin affedls the larger blood-veflels, the.
cure is more difficult; but let it always be attempted
early.: therefore on the plate, thigh, or neck veins ap¬
pearing chorded, bleed immediately on the oppofite fide,
and apply the following to the chorded vein.
Take oil of turpentine in a pint bottle fix ounces, oil
of vitriol three ounces; drop the oil of vitriol into
the oil of turpentine by little at a time, otherwife
the bottle will burft; when it has done fmoaking,
drop in more oil of vitriol, and fo on till all is
mixed.
This mixture is one of the bed univerfals in a begin¬
ning farcy; but where it is feated in loofe fleftiy parts, as
flanks or belly,' equal parts of the oil of vitriol and tur¬
pentine are neceffary.
Rub the parts firft with a woollen cloth ; and then ap^
ply fome of the mixture over the buds, and where-ever
there is any fwelling, twice a day. Give the cooling
phyfic every other day, and then three ounces of nitre
every day for fome time.
When the farcy begins on the flanks, or towards the
lower belly, it often takes its rife from a Angle punflure
of