upwards of 20000 Mares you may then judge by this 〈◊〉 if they had had good and beautiful Horses for Stallions they would in place of a 〈◊〉 of such Horses as are only fit for Carriage and the Waggon have a Race of Horse prâ—per for the Wars Hunting and the Equipages of Princes and from which private â—â—â—sons as well as the Publick would draw a considerable Advantage and triple what 〈◊〉 have had till this present time But to come to the Choice of this Stallion the Duke explains the different Coâ—â—â— and Marks of Horses and exclaims extreamly against all the Conjectures that 〈◊〉 commonly draw from them making them all pass for a meer Foppery and gross â—â—dity however he advises to make choice of a Stallion and Stud-Mare which are 〈◊〉 good Colour and well Marked hereby approving what he so much else where â—â—demns by restricting the only knowledge a man can have of a good Horse to 〈◊〉 riding of him frequently himself and seeing him ride by another It 's true 〈◊〉 man would mightily deceive himself should he in buying a Stallion meerly rely 〈◊〉 on the Conjectures drawn from his Colour and other good Marks without 〈◊〉 either tryed him or knowing some other Reasons for his making choice of him but to make choice of a Horse for a Stallion whose vigour and mettle even pleases you after you have rid and tryed him although he be neither of a good colour nor well Marked is what he does not at all advise It is therefore to be observed that after having out of a particular humor to appear singular and more knowing than others declaimed against the observation of either Colour or Marks he is at last necessitate to advise the making choice of a good and beautiful Stallion which is of a good Colour and well Marked that so he may give a good tincture or dye to the Colts that are to come of him now if the Colour signifie nothing to what purpose should he advise the seeking after this good and beautiful Tincture You will see what he saith of it in the following discourse which although translated into pretty bad French from the English Copy in which it was Originally writ and that too by a Wallcon who hath committed many faults contrary to the French Dialect yet I have only changed some Words to render it the more intelligible and removed others where I judged them superfluous they being but useless repetitions and this I have done in such a manner that I am perswaded were the Duke himself to read it he would acknowledge that I had a great deal of reason for doing it having no wayes either altered the sense and meaning of the Discourse or the force and strength of Expression there are some parts in it where I have added such Remarks as I thought would be useful to the Reader they are marked in the Margin thus â— that he might with the greater ease distinguish betwixt what was realy my own and what the Author's He beginneth thus CHAP. LXXVI Of the Different Colours and Marks of Horses and which are the best and most proper for a Stallion THe most part of Horse-men who have writ upon this Subject have blubber'd and spoilt more paper to discover their Natural Philosophy CHAP. LXXVI Of the Colours and Marks which are most proper for a Stallion than to show their Art and Skill in Horse-manship especially by what they teach concerning the colours and marks of horses that so a man may come to know by them their temperature and disposition as being composed of the four Elements And therefore they would make us believe that a horse which hath such a Colour joyn'd with such a mark doth participate more of the Earth Water Air or Fire and the contrary if he prove to be of another Colour and otherwise marked But as according to the opinion of some Philosophers who deny the existence of an Elementary fire in this sublunary world there would remain but three Elements so the fundation they have laid upon the correspondence they fancy is between the Colour in horses and four Elements would prove very uncertain and Embarassing Others say that the world is nothing else but Matter put in motion so that in this case it is Motion does all The ancient Philosophers again say that our Life is preserved by a just composition or mixture of the four Elements For my part I am of opinion that our Lives are maintain'd by eating and drinking But whither the Elements do contribute any vertue to this Meat and Drink is truely what I leave to be debated by them the Chymists upon the other hand say that all things are composed of Salt Sulphur and Mercury but as my design in this place is only to write of horses I shall 〈◊〉 meddlingany further with Natural Philosophy and the rather because I have in 〈◊〉 long experience found their rules to be as false as the predictions of the 〈◊〉 Almanacks which at the Years end are frequently found to be as false as true 〈◊〉 I commonly take the very contrary of all they say and it so falls out that I 〈◊〉 many times as much Truth upon my side as they Therefore all such observation are but meer triffles and false conjectures from whence I conclude that a man shâ—â— mount and Ride the horse he intends to buy several times and I dare venture to 〈◊〉 he will give a truer judgement of him then he who reasons Philosophically upon 〈◊〉 observations taken from the Colour and Elements which in plain English is but to play 〈◊〉 Mountebank If I may be allowed to give my advice upon what the Duke 〈◊〉 of Colours and Marks I believe the conjectures which may be drawn from thâ—â— joyned to what he perscrives for the certainly knowing a horse's goodness will 〈◊〉 doubtedly give a more entire knowledge of him then if a man should only tye 〈◊〉 self to one of them But in making choise of a Stallion a man should indispenâ—â— make use of both The marks of horses whether Star Feather or what else you will are nothing 〈◊〉 so many absurdities as also what people say of white footed horses that there 〈◊〉 four good marks belonging to them and Seven bad The First good mark of 〈◊〉 feet is when a horse hath only his far fore-foot White the Second when he hath 〈◊〉 his near hind-foot White and the others are too tedious to descrive seing it 〈◊〉 look like a kind of Conjuration or Witch-craft to rehearse them although all 〈◊〉 ridiculous and false For if any of these marks prove good by chance it is nâ—◠〈◊〉 having such and such a White foot that is the cause of it but the great abundance Mettle or spirits that is in the horse The Duke is certainly in the Right to say that 〈◊〉 not the having such and such a White foot that makes a horse Succeed and prove 〈◊〉 But however a Long experience hath confirmed this Observation
if he stand in need of it and also what medicament is most fit for him to regular its quantity to resolve after what method it should be administrate to cause 〈◊〉 take it at a proper and seasonable time and lastly to practise exactly all the circâ—â— stances which should be observed First It is certain that the seldomer a man purge a horse it will be always the â—â—est side he chooseth for it should never be attempted without a great necessity 〈◊〉 they are easily enflamed and so much the more readily because they require great quantity of Drugs to purge them which cannot possibly be given without 〈◊〉 printing a strange heat in their bodies and which finding a disposition in their parâ— and humours doth many times either degenerate into a Feaver or leave behind 〈◊〉 great impression of its heat which is not soon extinguished The second reason why horses should not be purged except in a great necessity that the medicaments are commonly twenty four hours in their bodies before they begin to operate so that during that time they alwayes overheat or alter some of the parts seing they don't rest there without moving over-heating or irritating nature If people could act upon horses conform to the doctrine of those who disapprove purging they would certainly prevent a great many disorders because whatever precautions people may observe in preparing them for it yet they so frequently remark such considerable disorders after its operation that we may confidently conclude nature suffers a great deal by such an evacuation If we could find out remedies whereby we might so fortifie and redress nature as that she could discharge her self of her own accord through the common passages of that which were prejudicial to her and that she could either overcome and destroy these bad humours take away their malignity or fix them then certainly People might be freed from that trouble they have in purging them but for my part whatever care and diligence I have taken I have not as yet discovered these remedies and if there are some Medicaments which may perform a part of this effect yet they do it not wholly but leave the remander of the humours more attached and fastned and more difficult to be evacuate then the whole would have been had the remedy been altogether a Specifick for them Necessity hath no Law and therefore people are many times obliged to purge horses but then it should be performed by observing the Climate Season the different aspects of the Planets the disease the constitution age and if possible the very nature and disposition of the horse which being void of reason and speech cannot discover to us his distemper and far less what is fit for it The third reason for which we should observe exact precautions in purging proceeds from the difficulty of knowing the condition of the disease and the disposition of the humours which when concocted and digested by nature are easily evacuate but being crude and unprepared are rebellious and don 't yeild to the Remedy and because there are several kinds of these humours it is very fit to give here a slight description of them The division that Hippocrates maketh of the parts of Man is to be observed in all Creatures he establishes first the solid parts as the bones and flesh next the liquid parts as the Blood and humours and lastly the spirituous parts which are the Source of life the principal Organs of Action and the first Springs of all our motions The Liquid parts are those humours which are of no fixed and stable consistence they are produced of the Food which people take and after divers preparations a part of them is converted into the proper substance of the solid parts which is called Nutrition another portion of them repaires the loss and dissipation of the Spirits and the rest is rejected as useless if the food be proper right chosen and taken in time and in a just quantity if the concoction and preparation of them be made it as ought and that all the parts which contribute to digestion acquit themselves exactly well of their functions and if the unprofitable and superfluous part of them be thrown out and expelled in its due time and in just quantity through the common passages then there is formed a perfect Health which is rare in Men because their passions and the disturbance of their Body and Spirits produce a great deal of disorder from which horses are exeemed and I do really believe that the passions and irregular desires in Men are a considerable part of the cause why they have not a health so throughly and firmly established as otherwise it would yea we even see that horses without having passions are not in a perfect state of Health and that through labour which is either given them immoderatly or unseasonably or otherways by reason of bad nourishment as I shall show you more at large in the 2d part If it happen that the food be improper altered and corrupted and either taken unseasonably or in too great or small a quantity if the Digestion be out of order or if the Excretions or voidings are disordered then is the whole Oeconomy of the Body perverted its forces diminish and Diseases are brought upon it so that in this disorder it produces humours which degenerate from the excellency of the Blood and to facilitate the understanding of these according to their different Comparisons people make several kinds of divisions of them some compare them to Milk and say that the purest blood considered in the perfection of its mass answers to the intire substance of Milk and that there are three parts which compose it Bile answers to Butter Melancholly to Cheese and Phlegm to Whey those again who compare the Humours to the Elements and Seasons of the Year say that Blood corresponds to the Spring and to Air and give it the qualities of hot and moist that the Bile sembles Summer to which they give the qualities of hot and dry not formally virtually and that phlegm hath an affinity to water which is cold and moist therefore hath a conformity to Winter and to the Moon that Melancholy is cold dry and so cometh near to the nature of Earth because of the cold which is esseâ— to it The Chymists have attempted to find out a conformity betwixt the humours their own principles but seeing they have not as yet agreed about it amongst the selves it is difficult to establish any thing which may prove solid upon prince which are still controverted and debated therefore we shall have no regard to the but adhere to that which is most agreeable to the ends of Purging People should not think of purging blood considered as Blood because if it abouâ— in too great a quantity it requires evacuation by bleeding and so likwise if it be 〈◊〉 heated to give a freedom to and facilitate the motion of the Spirits and then 〈◊〉 wards it may be clarified
a Horse in a Moment and finds so little Resistance that it comes very speedily to a Period It proceeds either from the Biting or Stinging of a venomous Creature from the Eating of poisonous Food or from the Infection of the Air which is sometimes so Violent and Contagious that it kills all the Horses in a Stable CHAP. CXXXV Of the Causes and Signs of a Fever FEvers are usually occasion'd by all those things that promote the Ebullition and Fermentation of the Humours and particularly every thing that heats the Body as violent Exercise and the use of hot Aliments especially in Summer to which we may add whatever is apt to breed Fulness or Repletion in the Body which oppresses Nature and renders her unable to subdue those rebellious Humours that stagnate in the Vessels where they are putrefy'd and fermented Sometimes a Fever proceeds from Obstructions in the excretory Passages especially those in the habit of the Body which are very numerous or by a stoppage of the free and natural Motion of the Blood that performs so many Rounds every Day passing from the Heart thro' the Arteries to the Veins and from thence returning to the Heart Thus if a Horse that is heated by hard Riding or any violent Exercise be suddenly expos'd to the cold Air or drink very cold Water the least tendency to a Fever will discover it self and actually break forth into a Distemper which perhaps lurk'd in his Body before And to conclude the least Disturbance in the natural Disposition of the Body is apt on some Occasions to produce a Fever The Signs of a Fever are these A violent Beating in the Flanks Heat of the Mouth Tongue and all the rest of the Body Swelling of the Veins and Beating of the Heart against the Sides The sick Horse breathes thick and with Difficulty reels frequently as he goes seldom lies down and when he is laid starts up suddenly because the Difficulty of Breathing is increas'd by that Posture forsakes his Meat entirely or eats only by Starts takes no notice of those who come near him nor turns his Head tho' you make a noise behind him Takes no care of himself and at last remains immoveable as if he were perfectly stupid and depriv'd of all his Senses His Lips and Ears hang down his Eyes seem sad and shining a sharp and piercing Heat is spread over all his Body and all the Symptoms of a violent Oppression of Nature appear I shall proceed to lay down some general Rules to be observ'd in the Cure of all Sorts of Fevers And first You must keep your Horse to a very spare Diet for if the Fever continue three Days without Intermission you may conclude that he is in extreme Danger and therefore he may well fast or at least be contented with a very small Quantity of Nourishment in so short a time and Hippocrates tells us in his Aphorisms That when a Disease is at the Height 't is absolutely necessary to observe a very thin Diet. Thus you may easily perceive the dangerous Errour of those who if a Horse be troubl'd with a Fever and fast twenty four Hours immediately give him Milk and Yolks of Eggs which is a very unwholsome kind of Nourishment in this Case and encreases the Distemper Besides it must be given with a Horn and the Violence of that Method of Feeding him augments the Difficulty of Breathing and disturbs him when he stands most in need of Rest You must therefore content your self with endeavouring to make him eat something of his own Accord for a small quantity of Nourishment given after this Manner will produce a better Effect than all that you can pour into his Mouth with a Horn. 'T is a Rule of great Importance in the Cure of Fevers never to exhibit a purging Medicine for in so great a Confusion of the Humors it 's impossible for Nature to evacuate those that offend her till she has separated 'em from the rest of the Mass and 't is plain that the Execution of so laborious a Work requires a considerable space of Time And besides the Operation of a purgative Medicine heats the Body and causes a Pain in the Guts which may not improbably breed an Inflammation 'T is also convenient to keep the sick Horse always bridl'd unless for so long time as must be necessarily allow'd him for Eating Of the Cure of a simple Fever If your Horse be troubl'd with a simple Fever you have no reason to dread the Event since the Cure may be easily and almost infallibly perform'd by a careful Observance of the following Method Assoon as you perceive any Signs of a Fever open the Neck-Vein on the right Side and take out about three Pounds of Blood The same Day give him the following Clyster A Clyster Boil two Ounces of Sal Polychrest and two Handfuls of whole Barley in three Quarts of Water and after one Waum add Blites Mercury Leaves of Violets and Pellitory of the Wall of each three Handfuls boil for the space of half a quarter of an Hour then remove the Decoction from the Fire and after 't is half cold strain out the Liquor and adding three Ounces of the Lenitive Electuary with a quarter of a Pound of Oil of Roses make a Clyster to be injected luke-warm An Hour after he has voided the Clyster tye a Chewing-Ball to his Bit and give him two Ounces of Powder of Liver of Antimony in a Quart of Beer or a Ptisan which may expel the Humours by Urine without heating the Body The next Day after rubb his whole Body with a Wisp of Straw or Hay to open the Pores of the Skin that the Steams or Excrements of the third Concoction may exhale which if they were suffer'd to remain in the Body wou'd oppress the Blood that stands in need of a free and unobstructed Motion His ordinary Drink may be thus prepar'd Melt four Ounces of Sal Prunellae in a sufficient quantity of Water and after 't is cold mix it with a little Flower and let your Horse drink as much as he pleases for this Drink allays the Heat of the Entrails resists Corruption and opens the Passages Besides it stops that Ebullition or Fermentation which is the usual Cause of all Fevers and evacuates the Humours by Urine which is the right Passage thro' which they shou'd be expell'd As for his Food you must give him Leaves of Succory Lettuce Dandelion or of Vines but little or no Hay and less Oats for either of these are apt to heat the Body constipate the Belly and harden the Excrements If you consider the short continuance of the Disease you will not be troubl'd at the small quantity of Nourishment that your Horse is allow'd to take If it last above three Days take Assa-faetida and Savin grossly beaten of each half an Ounce Sugar and Raspings of Liquorice of each an Ounce Tie 'em to the Bit in a Linnen Bag and make him champ upon it
frequentlty This Medicine will purge the Brain and make him eat of his own Accord which is absolutely the best way of Feeding afterwards you may give him moisten'd Bran with Liver of Antimony in Powder which will infallibly restore his Appetite If his Aversion to his Meat continue you must have recourse to the Horn and give him cleans'd Barley without the Addition of Butter or Salt which will nourish and moisten his Body The Barley must be boil'd in Water for the space of five Hours over a gentle Fire then strain and mix it with a convenient quantity of Sugar Take a Pound and a quarter of Barley-flower well boulted and separated from the Bran boil it in two Quarts of Water to the Consistency of thick Broth then add two Ounces of Sugar and give it to your Horse luke-warm This Draught will serve to sustain him twenty four Hours at the end of which it may be repeated If the Violence of the Distemper be not abated you may bleed your Horse a second time The continu'd Use of Clysters and frequent rubbing of the Body are always very profitable in those Cases The Knowledge of the Cause is of very great Importance for the right Management of the Cure and therefore if the Fever be occasion'd by exposing your Horse to the Cold or night-Night-Air you must keep him cover'd rubb his Body frequently and continue the frequent Use of Clysters If the Distemper proceed from hard Labour and violent Exercise you must boil the Water that serves for his ordinary Drink and mix it with Barley Meal feeding him with Vine Leaves if they be in Season and if you can make him eat 'em without Reluctancy or with Panado or Bread bak'd with Sugar without Fat Butter or Salt If the Fever be caus'd by unwholsome Food 't will be convenient to repeat the Bleeding and to inject Clysters compos'd of a sufficient quantity of a Decoction of the softening Herbs with a Handful of Pigeon's Dung beaten small half a Pound of salt Butter and a Pint of Emetic Wine I have always observ'd the Efficacy of Emetic Wine in Clysters but you must take care not to abuse so useful a Remedy for since Fevers are very dangerous and oftentimes Fatal 't is the usual Custom to lay the Blame of the Horse's Death on the Medicines without taking notice of the Violence of the Distemper By this Method you may certainly cure any Fever that continues simple But these Distempers degenerate oftentimes to putrid Fevers CHAP. CXXXVI Of the Cure of Putrid Fevers THis Kind of Fever commonly attacks young Horses especially those who are vigorous and of a slender Make. It may be easily known by these Signs The sick Horse hangs his Head as if he were quite stupid is hardly able to keep his Eyes open and reels as he goes by reason of the Ascent of Vapours to the Brain his Tongue and Roof of his Mouth are blackish rough and dry there is a great Heat over all his Body his Eyes are red his Breath hot and sharp and his Flanks beat violently You must immediately let him blood sometimes in the Neck Temple or Eye-Veins and sometimes in the Brisket Flanks or Veins of the Thighs The Bleeding ventilates lessens the Redundancy and facilitates the Motion of the Humours It prevents the Breaking of the Vessels allays in some measure the Ebullition tempers the Heat and by taking away part of the Cause of the Distemper gives Nature an Opportunity to subdue the rest You must allow him no more Nourishment than is just sufficient to keep him from starving Green Barley Dandelion and the Tops of Vine Leaves are very proper in this Case or for want of these a little moisten'd Bran Bread and a very small quantity of Hay For his ordinary Drink boil two Ounces of white Tartar beaten to fine Powder in two Quarts of Water for a quarter of an Hour then pour the Decoction into a Pailful of Water with a Handful of Barley Flower and let him drink as much as he pleases You may also mix the following Febrifuge with his Drink which is an excellent and cheap Remedy A Febrifuge or Remedy to drive away Fevers Put a Quart of Water with two Ounces of Salt of Tartar in a Brazen Pot with a Cover and set it over the Fire till the Salt be dissolv'd then pour the Water into a Pail and after the same manner dissolve an Ounce of Sal Armoniac beaten to Powder in another Quart of Water Mix this last Solution with the former and fill up the Pail with common Water if your Horse refuse to drink it add a little Barley Flower to qualifie the unpleasant Taste This Drink will allay the Heat of the Fever quiet and stop the Fermentation and Ebullition of the Humours provoke Urine powerfully and wonderfully ease the sick Horse And therefore you must always pour a little of this Febrifuge into the Water you give him to drink neglecting the Use of Sal Prunellae since 't is not expedient to confound Remedies and the Febrifuge excels all the rest that can be prescrib'd Take Assa-faetida and Savin both in Powder of each half an Ounce tye 'em in a Bag to your Horse's Bit and never unbridle him unless when you think fit to suffer him to eat or drink There are no other internal Remedies useful in this Case but the Cordial Waters which by Virtue of their Essential Qualities strengthen the Heart and inable it to resist the Malignity of the unnatural Heat that opposes and endeavours to destroy that which is Natural and besides by reason of their Moisture they allay and temper that internal Heat which causes the Fever Take three Pints of the Waters of Scabious Carduus Benedictus Scorzonera and Queen of the Meadows with an Ounce of the Confection of Alkermes Make your Horse drink up the whole Mixture and repeat it the next Day if need require Above all you must continue and frequently repeat the use of Clysters injecting three or four every Day if there be occasion For there is no Remedy gives greater ease and relieves the Horse more effectually A Clyster for a Fever Boil two Ounces of the Scoriae of Liver of Antimony reduc'd to fine Powder in five Pints of Whey made of Cow's Milk and after two or three brisk waums remove the Decoction from the Fire and immediately add two Heads of Coloquintida slic'd small and after 't is half cold press out the Liquor add to the straining a quarter of a Pound of Butter and inject it luke-warm This Purgative Clyster will give ease to the Horse without heating his Body Yet it must not be us'd daily but that which follows may be repeated several times every Day Another Clyster for Fevers Take a sufficient quantity of the emollient or softening Herbs and Fennel-seed beaten with an Ounce and a half of Sal-Polychrest and two handfuls of whole Barley boil 'em and add to the strain'd Liquor Oil of Roses and Violets of each
Main and Tail white and is not much worth The Common-Sorrel which is neither Red nor Bright but as it were a Medium between both is that which most commonly goeth under the name of Sorrel without any other distinction whatsoever The Burnt-Sorrel is a Sorrel of a very deep Brown and Redish colour and should have always the Main and Tail white but they are very rarely of another colour and this is also both a beautiful and good colour The most part of Sorrel Horses except such as have their Flanks of a Pale colour and their extremities White have always a very sensible feeling of the Spurs that is that they answer them readily and are also frequently of a Cholerick constitution There are other mixt kinds of colours such as the Rubican which is when a Black or Sorrel Horse hath White hairs scattered here and there upon his body but especially upon his Flanks The Mouse-colour or Dun sufficiently explains its self there are Horses of this colour which have black lists along their Backs called Eel-backt others have their Legs and Hams listed or rayed with black after the fashion of some Mules with their Mains and Tails quite Black and others are not so some again are of a bright Dun colour and other of a very Dark but these last are the most serviceable especially if their extremities be Black The Wolfe-colour is if two kinds either Bright or somewhat Dark if it be very Bright it resembles much the Isabella colour such Horses have always or at least should have a Black list along their Backs with their extremities or Main Tail and legs black and are for the most part very good The Tiger-colour is almost the same with the Branded or black spotted Gray before mentioned only that in the Tiger colour the spots are not by far so big and large as in the Branded or Black spotted Gray There are some Horses which are called Purslain-coloured because their bodies which are white are stained here and there with strange and odd kind of Spots somewhat like those that are to be seen upon Vessels made of Purslain these are rare colours of Horses and therefore very proper for a King or General Person to appear upon in a day of publick Joy and Triumph especially if they have also the other qualifications which are required in a fine and well shapt horse to cause them to be noticed From the mixture of different colours are produced a great many others which have their denominations from that colour which they most resemble Having described the several colours and told their names we must next draw observations from them whereby we may judge of the temperature and of the humouz which predominats the which will discover to us whether the horse be of a fretful disposition dull and heavy or mettled and vigorous so that by this means knowing once the qualities of the colour a man may with the more certainty buy a Horse having always recourse and relying upon the preceeding observations and not only this but also order and regulate better the purging and dispensing of Medicaments to Horses if he be so unlucky as to have any which are either indisposed or sick notwithstanding that the Duke of Newcastle in his large book of Riding printed in French treats èn ridicule all such as regard either colour or marks wherefrom to draw any knowledge of their goodness and excellency but I believe himself is the only person who is of this opinion although he be otherwise very knowing and skilful in both Horses and Horsemanship He also laughs at those who say that a Horse is composed and nourished by the four Elements for saith he both Men and Horses receive their sustenance from Meat and Drink only in which he is most certainly in the right but then he should have considered that meats and drinks and that of what kind soever are all compounded of the four Elements Horses are composed as Men of Humours which have a certain affinity and relation to the Elements Physicians make four kinds of them by which they regulate and determine peoples constitutions which they call Sanguinian Bilous or Cholerick Phlegmatick and Melancholick I shall discourse of these at more length when I treat of the method of Purging which is near to the close of this first part and therefore it shall at present suffice that I say the Sanguine Complexion hath an affinity to Air the Bilous or Cholerick to Fire the Phlegmatick to Water and the Melancholick to Earth so that to proceed to the knowlege of what humour predomines you shall not satisfy your self with remarking only the Colour but you shall also join to this observation the consideration of the Horses principal actions and if you find that they correspond with the colour then you may with certainty conclude upon the temper and disposition of the Horse This Assinity and correspondence between the Humours and Elements being supposed you must next know in which colours it is that such and such an humour predomines which is what I am going to explain without however positively affirming it to you as a thing infallible for seing this observation may come to fail in some circumstances I don't pretend to make it pass as an infallible demonstration nor to establish thereby an assured knowledge I only discourse of it according to the experience I have had which hath very rarely deceived me but because there may be possibly some exceptions in it you are therefore to make use of it with the greater discretion Now the four principal colours which have an Affinity and Relation to the four humours in the Body and which also correspond with the Elements are these following the Black is commonly Melancholick that is the Melancholick humour predomines most in a Horse which is of this colour and prevails over the rest of the Humours if the horse which is Black have a Star in his fore-head or a white foot it is a good mark and such Horses are strong and sprightly but if he be all Coal Black and not a White spot upon him then he will be Melancholick and consequently Terrestrail Dull and ofttimes double Hearted that is he will have two Wills one to obey not being able to resist because of his being Mastered by the rules of Art and the other to refuse and disobey The Hungartans hold it for a certain truth that a Man who is mounted upon a Black Horse even although he have no White at all upon him is more succesful in War than if he were upon a Horse of any other colour I believe the ground of this may be because Black Horses are very rare and scarce in these Countries and also that they are not so well perceived at a distance by an Enemy as if they were of an other colour The Spantards have so great an esteem for Horses which are Black all over called in French Chevaux Zaines that they have a proverb which
or have his Grease molten and perhaps both therefore it is of consequence to put him somewhat in Wind before you part If those who have Equipages to Conduct do not observe these premonitions or directions they will I assure them have a great dale of dissatisfaction in their first Journeys If the Horse which you are to Travel upon be already fatigu'd weary and lean then it will be so much the worse for Horses are not very expensive to be made lean but are both chargeable and require a great dale of pains to be recovered and made fat therefore I would never begin a Journey with a Horse which were very much fatigued and low untill I had first tryed to recover him and if I found I could not succeed in it then I would buy another Having observed this precaution you are to begin with short Marches or days Journeys at first setting out and afterwards to increase them by degrees As for example the first day a man may make six French Leagues the second eight and afterwards he may Ride Ten or Twelve and even Fourteen if there be need for it But if it be in a Country where the Leagues are longer than about Paris then four Leagues will be sufficient for the first day six for the second and so you may increase them to nine or ten but if you are not much pressed it will be very fit especially to preserve a great Equipage to rest the third or fourth day of your Journey for the Horses will recover Strength and vigour by that days rest and as people say that a Man must go back to take his Race whereby he may leap the further so the Horses having with this little rest recovered their heart and mettle will perform their Journey the more pleasantly because if a Man do not thus give them a little intermission he will be necessitate to leave some Horses by the way or otherwayes render them unserviceable for any man may very well judge that where there are a great number of Horses it will be very extraordinary if there be not some of them which will not prove to be in a condition to hold out with a March especially when not accustomed to it All the time of your Journey you shall suffer your horse to drink of the first good Water you meet with after six or seven a Clock in the Morning if it be in the Summer time and after eight or nine if in Winter I call that good Water which is neither too quick and peircing nor too muddy and stinking this I say your are to do unless you design to gallop him a long time after drinking for in this case you are to forbear it and although it be very much the custom in England to Run and gallop their Horses after they have a drunk yet I think that method capable to render Horses pursy as it is also when they are rid in the mannage immediatly after they are watred the English make use of this method of galloping their Horses immediatly after drinking which they call Watering-Courses to bring them as they say in Wind which is the most pernicious and hurtful practice for Horses that a man can imagine and they are so prepossessed and bewitcht with the fancy of it even although the most part of their Horses become Pursy by it that it is not possible for a man to perswade them that it is naught and absolutely spoileth them The prejudice I find by this practice of theirs is that having put their Horses in a fair way to become pursy they sell them to us in France for sound ones and then they become pursy among our hands so that it is they who commit the folly and we pay for it You are while your Horse is a watering to interrupt his Drinking or break his Water as we say by not letting him drink all at one draught but you are to draw up his head five or six times during the time he is a Watering and even although a Horse be warm and sweating very much yet if he be not quite out of breath and that he have as yet a pretty way to Ride before he arrive at the place you design to rest and refresh for example a league or two I assure you he will be the better that you let him drink a little than if you should suffer him to take none at all it is indeed true that if the Horse be very warm and that you give him drink you should immediatly at the coming out of the water redouble your pace or make him go at a gentle trot for some time that so you may warm the water in his Belly which he hath drunk You are thus to let your horse Drink all the while you are Travelling because if he be hot or sweating when you come to Bait you must let him stand a long time before you can give him any Drink without endangering his Life and also when you take the Bridle off him his excessive Thirst will hinder him to eat so that an hour or two are elapsed before he offer to touch his Meat which is almost all the time a man can well allow for a twelve a clock's Baiting and to depart again with the horse in this condition before he hath either eat or drunk will make him but very unfit to Travel therefore common sense and reason will decide in my favours that the surest method is to let a horse drink on the Road and a little while before you arrive at the Inn as I have already ordered In other Countrys where I know not but the Air Water or Climat may contribute to make Horses agree with it I have seen the contrary practised for in Hâ—lland the Waggoneers who transport people from place to place in their Waggoâ—â— which are drawen by very good Horses carry a Pail along with them and cause theâ— Horses drink where ever they meet with Water for whether they be warm or coldâ— is all one to them and even when they arrive at their Inns although their horses 〈◊〉 all in a froth with sweat and quite out of breath they yet give them drink before the lead them to the stable I believe in France all our horses would die should we 〈◊〉 them after this manner People are obliged to make Coach-horses drink in the morning before they gâ— away because when they are once harnoist and put to the Coach it is with great dâ— ficulty that they can drink by the way and therefore they make them sometime drink by four a clock in the morning for which they are not much the better but theâ— is no help for it if in the beginning of your journey that is the first four or five daye you cause give your horse but a small quantity of Oats it will be so much the better 〈◊〉 him four or five measures a day about two sharp English Quarts eâ— measure are sufficient because if you should give him too much
Crupper slack the Tie or Breast-plate and put some fresh straw betwixt the Saddle and Horse's back to refresh and ease him Then shake down a good deal of fresh Litter beneath him to oblige him to Stale or Piss for the most part of good Horses do alwayes Piss when they are first put in the Stable and find the Litter beneath them I shall here by the way give you an advice that will seem some what extraordinary although very good which is that during your whole journey you suffer your horse to piss as often as you find him inclin'd to it and you should also excite and invite him to it the quite contrary of which is to be practised with Mares which you are to hinder as much as possible to piss in travelling betwixt meals because their strength and vigour is thereby diminished those who have Mares may make a tryal of this and will come to acknowledge it for a truth that horses should be allowed and even excited to piss as they are riding but Mares not because they will not be the worse but rather yield their Masters the more service by it I don't alledge and recommend this practice without certainly knowing it's effect You are next to take away the old hay from the Rack and clean the Stall before him from all filthiness of Earth Sand or Poultrey dung taking also care that the Manger be not full of holes which is very common in most Inns that so the Oats which fall through may serve to feed their Fouls and if it should be very Dirty and Nastie you are then to cause wash it with warm Water Another method for horses which are full of fire and Mettal and which are worth the pains to be carefully lookt after is that after you have rid them hard and arrived at the Inn or that your horse be very warm you are immediatly at your alighting to cause unsaddle him and scrape off the sweat from his whole body with a Sweating knife or Scraper after which wipe his head and ears well with a Hair-cloath and rub his body all over with fresh straw put a covering or horse Cloath upon him and then set on the Saddle again after which cause gently lead him up and down in a mans hand for half an hour before you put him in the Stable This method is good to be practised by such as carry Grooms along with them and whose only business it is to loo◠after scrape off the sweat and dry and rub doun their horses because as for the Hostler Boyes they are very dextrous 't is true in asking drink-money but understand little thing else belonging to horses and therefore unless a man have a Groom of his own he had better make use of the former method If a man hath carried along with him any of the stinking Pills descrived in the 85 Chap Sect 3. of the second part he ma◠cause give his horse two of them with a little Claret Wine or for want of them give hi◠an English pint of Brandy if the horse hath been rid very hard and that he fear 〈◊〉 may be the worse of it for this will stop and prevent all accidents and other inconveniencies which may happen but I shall speak a little more of this hereafter If about a quarter or half a quarter of an hour before you arrive at the Inn yo◠meet with any water in which there is a good Foord or passage it will be very fit i◠cause your horse pass and repass it two or three times without either wetting his Belly or suffering him to drink when I say you should not wet his Belly I mean that you should not make him go so deep into it as that the water may come up to his Belly for to prevent and hinder his Legs to make the Water spurt and fly up about his belly and wet it is what cannot be expected neither is it of any consequence now besides that the washing him thus doth cleanse his legs of the Mud the water being cold doth bind up the humours and prevent that those which were stirred up by the whole days journey fall not down upon his Legs as being the lowest parts of his body and the most capable to receive them which will make them become stiff by causing obstructions in the Nerves which at last will quite ruine and spoil them CHAP XXX How a man should order Horses at dinner and supper while upon Travel IF it be in the summer time CHAP XXX How a man should order horses at dinner and supper while upon travel when the Waters are warm you are at your coming near to the Inn if your horse be not very warm and sweating to wash hi◠in some Water or Pond without either going so deep as his belly or suffering him to drink and it is also very good for some horses whose Legs are already a little Gourded or being fleshy are subject to Humors when a man hath not the conveniency of a Rivulet or pond upon the Road to alight about a quarter of an hour before he arrive at his Inn and lead his horse in his hand to cool him and so soon as he is come to the stable door to cause wash and bath his Legs with Well water just as it is taken from the Well which will prevent the descent of humors upon them this method is particularly excellent for such horses as have received some severe stroke upon their Legs or Hams and which never fail to swell in those parts by them they have at Dinner time or in the Evening I knew an Italian Escuyer or Riding-Master who after his Mannage whether his horses were warm or not made them swim over and again a River near by his Mannage as broad as the Seine is before the Louvre in Paris and afterwards caused dry them all over and cover them well in the stable not suffering them to eat for an hour after this he practised his whole life-time and none of his horses had ever either Collick or Vives but were alwayes the cleanest and nearest limbed could be I beleive this Example although very true won't perswade any man to do the like Your horse being tyed up to the Rack and partly dryed of his sweat or moisture which he had at first arriving although he be as yet bridled yet if he begin to draw his hay and beat no more in his Flanks you are to cause unbridle him and to wash his Bit in a pail of water that it may be carefully hung up after it is well cleaned and wipt and afterwards you may suffer him to eat his hay at pleasure Those who so soon as they arrive at the Inn suffer their horses to be unbridled by the Hostler boyes as is the common custom are deceived in so far as their horses eat only for the first quarter of an hour and then eat no more thereafter whereas if they were suffered to stand some time in the bridle
people do it but the most skilful do it not and if the reasons I have given cannot satisfie you I referre it to experience which is the Mistress of Art and finally as I am not so much taken with my own opinion as to oblige all people to yeild to it so I consent that you do not beleive me but that for your fancy you spoil your horse rather then submit to reason CHAP XXXII A Charge or Bath to preserve horses Legs and prevent their spoyling either upon Travel or by hunting IF you have a horse CHAP XXXII A Bath to prevent horses legs spoiling upon Travel which is worth your care and paines to preserve his 〈◊〉 after Travel so soon as ever he is arrived in the evening and put in the Staâ—â— you shall cause make some Cow or Ox dung very thin with Vinegar so thaâ— be but of the consistence of thick Broth and adding to it a good handfull of siâ— Salt cause Rub and charge his fore-legs from the knees and hind-legs from 〈◊〉 Hams or Gambrells by chaffing them well with and against the hair that so 〈◊〉 remedy may penetrate and adhere to them and that they may be all covered 〈◊〉 with it and thus leave him till next morning neither wetting his legs nor removeâ— him out of his place but giveing him his water for that evening in a Pail The next Morning you shall cause lead him to the River if there be any thaâ— his Legs may be wash't or otherways you may cause make them clean with a wisâ— wash them with well water which is also very good this remedy is both cheap 〈◊〉 excellent is astringent and strengthens the parts oppressed and being continued 〈◊〉 renewed every Evening will preserve the Legs so neat and sound that a Horse at the end of a long Journey will as to his Legs appear as if he had not stirred out of 〈◊〉 Stable it will be somewhat difficult to perswade many people that so small and â—â—vial a thing as this can produce so wonderful an effect for the remedy is most 〈◊〉 and all those to whom I have recommended it have found a great deal of good by because this charge doth not only refresh a Horse's legs but restricts their swelling so that it is a great deal better than many of those Charges which Farriers sell at a very dear rate for the same use When the Salt is left out it is not altogether so good although it never fails even then to produce a good effect and many times when I have had no Vinegar I have made use of simple Water in it's place and the charge hath notwithstanding had a very good operation This method of chargeing and Bathing a horse's Legs was found out by a meer reasoning and the first time I made use of it it succeeded much better than I could have imagined If you have therefore big and large Horses to conduct and take care of during a long Journey and which are either to be led in the hand or otherways you are to make use of this remedy which is easy and cheap and requires but a very little pains to prepare and apply it and you will at the end of your Journey be sensible how good and profitable a thing it is You are also to grease or anoint the fore-feet of such Horses as have them brittle and dry and that at their first arrival at night although it should be with nothing else but fresh butter Oyl or swine-seame but if with the Oyntment of Roses so much the better that so the Cow dâ—ng falling down upon their hoofs may not dry them for I assure you that Cow-dung contrary to the opinion of many people spoileth a horses feet it doth indeed moisten the Sole but it dryeth up the hoof which is of a different nature from it if you observe this method you will find a great advantage by it Those who to recover their horses feet cause make a hole which they fill with moistned Cow-Dung and so keep their fore feet in it during the space of a Moneth or so do very badly because although the continual moisture which is amongst the Dung causes the hoof to grow yet it drys and shrinks in so extremely being out of that place that is spleets and breaks like Glass and the foot immediatly straitens In fine Cow Dung is good and profitable for the sole but alters Burns and spoils the hoof by drying it up too much Therefore to recover a horses feet you are rather in place of Cow-Dung to fill a hole full of wet blew clay and oblige the horse to keep his fore-feet amongst it for a moneth I will not here omit another remedy which unwearyeth and takes away the swelling of the Legs and also supples and renders them neat it is abundantly sufficient to practise it from time to time but for the preceeding charge although you should make use of it every evening I assure you you will neither lose your time nor labour The Baths which I have discoursed of in the second part composed of the Lees of Claret-Wine good Herbs and Honey do mightily refresh and supple horses Legs as also to cause rub them at your first arrival in the evening with Vinegar and Salt or Brandy or even with warm Claret-Wine in which there is dossolsed a little old Hogs Grease all this unwearies supples and refreshes horses legs But if they are swelled or gorged as it many times happens in the hind-legs of such horses which are fatigued then you are to cause wash and bath them with cold water and an hour after to cause anoint them with Honey and while the Honey is yet upon them to cauffse chaff them with good Brandy above it and without taking any of the Honey away and continuing this every day you will not only take away the swelling but strengthen and fortify his Legs upon his Travel You shall also unweary and refresh your horses Legs if you charge and bath them well with the cold Lees of Claret-wine the remedy is both good and procured at an easy rate CHAP. XXXIII How to take away the Swelling or Gourding from horses Legs and to unweary them with quench'd Cinders YOu must cause boil some water in a Kettle CHAP XXXIII How to take away the gourding from horses legs with quenched Cinders and then take from the fire the red Cinders which are made of the best wood you can procure such aâ— Vine Branches Walnut-tree Oak or Beech for the Cinders of white and soft Woods are not proper for this use no more than that which hath been long aâ— floating upon Water if nevertheless you can have no better you are to mix with this eight Ounces of the Ashes made of the burnt Lees or Dregs of Wine you may have them at the Grocers or from the common Washers throw any of the Cinders of these Woods being red hot amongst the Boyling water for the more of them yâ—â— throw
amongst it so much the better then let the Water boyl untill their remain only a third and then taking it from the fire scum off all the Char-coal You are only to make use of the Ashes of burnt lees when you can procure aâ—other wood but what is white and soft or hath long floated upon the water and it in any other case for upon the contrary it would but prove prejudicial You shall then with this Water being more than luke-warm cause Bath and it hard with ones hand your horses fore and hind Legs and Hams and then can charge them well with the remaining Ashes and let them continue upon his Legsâ— next morning without either leading him to the Water or removing him out of thâ— Stable and I assure you the very first time you make use of this remedy you 〈◊〉 perceive the good effects it hath had and your horse will next Morning have his Lâ—â— more supple and neat then you have before seen them of a long time and he 〈◊〉 be also more hearty then he was the day preceeding the application you are to continue the use of this from time to time that so you may have full satisfaction and oâ—tentment from it Here is also another very good method for the same purpose Take two Quarts good strong Vinegar put it over the fire in a pot or Skillet and when ever it begâ— to smoak throw amongst it four small shuvells full of red hot Cinders which 〈◊〉 made of Green-wood let them boyl half a quarter of an hour and then take the from the fire and let them cool a little when this stuff is luke-warm cause Bath as rub hard your Horse's fore-legs with it and if you do this every fourth day I assâ— you you will preserve your Horse's Legs sound and neat during the greatest fatâ—â— of their Journey If you have but one Horse one Quart of Vinegar will be sufficient this remedispels the humours by resolution prevents their falling down upon the Legs a so preserves them sound and neat and without gourding or swelling When you return from a long Journey or travelling this remedy may be also pâ—ctised with success by only using it every third or fourth day for some time for thâ— Bath will not only unweary and refresh the Horse but also recover his Legs When a Man hath rid a Horse extremely hard so that he fears foundering 〈◊〉 best method he can take after he hath put him in the Stable and that he hath foâ— caused lead him a little in ones hand and otherways order'd him as I have alreâ—â— directed is to take two Quarts of Vinegar with two pound of Salt and mixing the well together cold cause bath and rub hard the horse's four legs with it for about 〈◊〉 an hour then cause pour into his feet some Oyl of Bays scalding hot and upâ—â— the Oyl hot Ashes above which he is to put Hurds or Course flax with thin slicâ—â— wood or peices of whale bone fixed cross-ways above it to keep all fast and 〈◊〉 concentrate the heat but if you can have no Oyl of Bays then take either the Oyl of Walnuts Turneps or that of fishes but the Oyl of Bays is by far the best The same receipt is also good for horses which are very wearied but these immediatly preceiding are better because they are for your horses of Value such as Barbs Turks Spanish horses Hunters that are esteemed Journey-pads and fine English horses for a man would have but little to do should he cause take that care of jads or ordinary Naggs and all the Cow-dung in Flanders would not be sufficient for it far less the Cinders especially in red Char-coal and yet they are those little Naggs and Gallowayes which endure the greatest fatigues and perform the longest journeys Witness the Messengers and Posts where they don't take this care nor observe these precautions for if they did they would but last and endure too long but again fine and large horses are very soon spoiltâ—f they are not had a care of therefore people commonly say that great horses do not love great journeys thereby signifying that if they travel too much they will be soon spoilt for in effect it is not properly their imployment because they are as it were the Gentry among horses I knew a horse of Value which being Rid extraordinary hard from Paris to Foutaine-bleau they at his arrival took all the care imaginable to lead him and dry and rub him for near two full hours but they put no hot oyl into his feet neither did they give him any of the stinking pills Brandy Claret-wine and Nutmegs nor Glister he was not sensible of any prejudice by this for the time and also he was three dayes after Rid about a league and at the end of eight dayes he made two short journeyes only at a step and he appeared also to be very well and sound after his arrival but the third day thereafter when they took him to the forge to shoe they found his fore-feet in some measure round and Crown'd or elevate in the soles from the point of the frush to the Toe and his soles were so high in those parts I have mention'd that they could not fit him with any other but vaulted or hollow shoes and although he had very good feet before yet he could not now almost support himself but as a horse in whom the foundering had fallen down upon his feet and occasioned Crescents in his Soles they caused barr or stop his pastern Veines as I shall show you when I discourse of shoeing and they shoed him with Panton or Pantable shoes which is a fashion of shoes I shall discrive to you hereafter the horse was by this method made fit in fix months time to serve and although his feet were not so good as formerly yet they made use of him Now if they had observed the precautiones which I have given which are to pour scalding hot oyl of Bayes into the feet and to administer some things inwardly to him they would have been fred of this trouble at a more easy rate and the humour which fell down upon his feet would have been expelled another way CHAP XXXIV A Continuation of the directions for preserving Horses sound upon Travel Sect. 1. CHAP XXXIV A continuation of the directions for preserving horses sound upon Travel YOUR horse being as I have ordered put in the stable and unbridled I shall continue to perscrive what shall be next done for to order him methodically If you travel in Summer you are immediatly after he is unbridled to cause take off the saddle and rub him very well all along the Back where it stood with hay or shraw for it is a great deal better to unsaddle him although it were but in the time of dinner and which is a thing that few people practise only that they may save themselves the trouble of saddling again than wholy tâ— omitt it But if
and were it not for its dearth people might give six or seven Ounces of it to a horse at a time Agarick Attenuats Opens and purges gross Phlegm and also Choler it draws them from the Brain Nerves and Muscles and people might say that it would be one of the best Medicaments we have for horses were it but purgative enough it is sometimes Trochiscated or made into Troches which corrects it and it may be given from four to five Ounces which will however but purge very gently the only ill of this Remedy is that if it be not prepared into Troches it is too gentle Turbith purges but weakly gross viscuous and corrupt Phlegm it draws it from the Remote parts and is corrected with Ginger it may be given from two to four Ounces at most Hermodacts are a kind of Bulbows Roots they purge gently Phlegm visâ—â—â—â—â— Humours and draw them powerfully from the Joints they are corrected 〈◊〉 Spicknard and Cinnamon and may be given from three to four Ounces Mechoacan which is a Root so called from the Country where it groweth 〈◊〉 hath almost the same vertue as Jallap only that it is white whereas the Jallap is black Purges Phlegm and Watery Humours is good for an old Cough Colick 〈◊〉 Farcy it is corrected with Cinnamon Anniseeds and Mastick and its dose is 〈◊〉 Ounces Colocyâ—th or Coloquintida is a very light kind of fruit which purges phlegm 〈◊〉 other gross and viscuous humours from the most remote parts as the Brain Nerâ— Muscles Joynts and Lungs it is excellent for to carry away that vitrified Phleâ— which adheres to the Internal superfice of the Guts which causes violent Coliâ—â— and is a great Enemy to the Stomack and Intestines when it cleaves to them peâ—â—â—â— correct it by making it into Troches called Alâ—andal or with Oyl of Sweet Aâ—â—â—â—â— and Gum Tragacanth This is the common Purgative of the Farriers because it costs but little aâ—â— worketh strongly I have proposed a good preparation for Colocynth as you may in the 23 Chap. Sect. 3. of the 2d Part its Dose is from four to six Drams at 〈◊〉 given either in Butter Lard of Bacon or fresh Swines Seam Opoponax purges viscuous Phlegm from the remote Parts as the Joints howâ—â—â—â— it hath but a gentle operation it is corrected with Spicknard Ginger Cinnamon 〈◊〉 the Roots of Elecampane its Dose is four Ounces Gum-Sagapen or Sagarenum is somewhat of the nature of the preceeding Gum 〈◊〉 more proper for preparing and inciding or attenuating Humors than for purging Euphorbium is the gummy juice of a Tree which purges gross Phlegm and â—ther watry Humours but with such violence that I don't advise any man to give 〈…〉 his Horses inwardly by reason of its excessive Heat unless it be mixed with Cassia 〈◊〉 Example to four Ounces of Cassia add two Drams of prepared Euphorbium To prepare it you are to dissolve it either in distilled Vinegar or in the juice of Limons in Balnâ—â— Mariae or in a panful of warm Water over the fire then while it is warm pass it through a double linnen Cloath and evaporate its humidity 〈◊〉 it be dry its Dose is two or three Drams when it is thus prepared To compose a Remedy that will purge Phlegm you may take of Diacarthâ—â—â— â— Ounce A remedy to purge phlegm Agarick in Troches two Drams Turbith and Hermodacts of each an Ouâ—â—â— Spikenard Cinnamon and Ginger of each a Dram Coloquintida a Dram and 〈◊〉 make all into a Powder and mixing it with an English Quart of White Wine 〈◊〉 it to the Horse A man may also make use of the purging Pills which he will find ready prepâ—â—â—â— in the Apothecaries Shops by giving from one to two Ounces of them the 〈◊〉 which purge Phlegm are Ptlulae coâ—ciae foetidae majores Mesuae de agarico de hiera cum 〈◊〉 de sarcocolla de Colosynthide If your Horse be lean it will be more proper to give him 〈◊〉 purging Electuaries than Pills the Electuaries are the Diaphenicon or Electuary 〈◊〉 Dates the Diacarthamum Benedicta laxativa Nicolai hiera piâ—ra Galeni Electâ—â—â—â— Jndum majus Mesuae the Dose of any of these is from four to six Ounces Noâ— a man may of any number of the foresaid Medicaments which purge Phlegm â—â—pole a purgative Remedy proper for it by either mixing them with the above â—â—â—tioned Pills or Electuaries or other solid Medicaments according to their true 〈◊〉 and his own Judgement CHAP. LXI Of Medicaments which purge Melancholy SEvé possesses the first place amongst purgative Simples CHAP. LXI Of Medicaments which purge Melancholy it is a little Panchamagog or universal Purger the Physicians are so much taken with it that they make it enter into all their purgative Medicaments Fernel a Physician in Paris and one of the most skilful since Galen's time discourses thus of it in the fifth book of his Method Chap. 10. Sené purges very successfully the adust melancholick Humor Bile and gross Phlegm not immediatly from the remote parts but chiefly from the Spleen and other inward Parts from the Hypocondria and the Mesentery which is the real drain or sink of all the Excrements of the Body for there is no other Remedy which draws so powerfully the putrified and corrupt Humors from these parts or which penetrating unto the very cavities of the Veins does so well remove their old obstructions It is corrected with Spikenard Ginger and Cloves c. and its Dose is to four Ounces at most Polypody is rather a preparative than purgative people corrrect it with Liquorice and to assist its tardive Vertue with Ginger Anniseeds and Fennel it is given from eight to ten Ounces but never alone because of it self it hath not strength enough to purge a Horse Black-Hellebor is a root which purges Melancholy and other adust Humors which are opiniater or obstinate and is therefore excellent for Melancholick Constitutions it is corrected by first washing it well with Water then infusing it four hours in strong Vinegar after which it is to be dryed before a gentle fire the Dose is from six Drams to an Ounce and people may add to it Cinnamon Anniseeds and Fennel Lapis Armeniâ—s or the Armenian Stone is a stone found in the Silver-Mines both of Germany and Armenia from which last it hath derived its Name The Painters make use of it it is first beaten into fine Powder and then washt in Rose or Bugloss-waters its Dose is from four to five Ounces Lapis Lazuli or the Azure Stone is much of the nature of the former and hath the same vertues A remedy to purge Melancholy To compose a remedie which will purge Melancholy Take of the leaves of Sem an Ounce and a half Black-hellebor washt in Vinegar two Drams Crystal of Tartar half an Ounce Lapis Armenius washt six Drams Anniseeds Fennel and Cinnamon of each a Dram and a half beat all coursly and make a drench of it in an English
already said a day that fair and calm CHAP. LXX Precautions to be observen in blood-letting and if he be a young Horse that it be in the increase of the Mooâ—â—â— if old then after the Full and also take care that the Horse be tyed up early in 〈◊〉 morning to the Rack and that he neither get Water nor Combing for fear of too 〈◊〉 moving and agitating his Spirits then he is to draw with a pair of Fleems 〈◊〉 should be of a reasonable breadth for the Reason before given about three pounds blood and then to leave him tyed to the Rack for two hours After which he shal give him some scalded Bran or a Mash and seeing our Author hath not in any part of his Book given the least Directions to make one by Reason I judge that they are not much made use of in France Malt being but very scarce there because of the small quantity of Ale they drink yet since it is a mixture very good for Horses and much used in these Islands I have thought fit to set down in this place the true Method of making a good Mash as followeth Take four English Quarts or half a Peck of good well ground Malt How to make a Mash and put it into a Pailor wooden Vessel by it self then take a Gallon or four English Quarts of fair Water and set it on the fire and when it hath boiled a very little put as much of it into the Malt as will moisten it working and stirring them with a piece of flat wood after which pour in the rest of the Water and mix all very well together then cover up the Vessel closs with a double covering or some Cloaths and let it stand thus for two hours or till such time as you intend to give it to your Horse the Mash being thus made and your Horse ready to take it uncover the Vessel and with your hand stir all well together crushing and squeezing the Mai t as much as possible and when luke-warm give it the Horse to drink It must I say be little more as milk warm when he taketh it and if it should prove either too hot or too thick when you are to give it you may rectifie both by adding a little cold Water to it but be sure not so much as to make it either too cold which would turn it raw or too thin which would abate a great deal of its pleasant taste and strength You may also if you intend he should eat none of the Grain or Malt a little whereof can never do him prejudice squeeze the Liquor quite from it and so let him drink it throwing away the Malt or rather giving it to your Hogs or Cows This is the best Method I know to make a good Mash which in many cases is found to agree well with Horses especially such as are any-wise indisposed or sick and which was therefore the cause of my setting it down in this place our Author not having as I have said made the least mention of it to my knowledge in his whole Book The Germans cause gallop their Horses before blooding to the end say they that the bad blood which is as the Lee may be mixed with the good and so both drawn together but they are deceived in this because the blood is filled with Spirits which being agitate and stirred up with this kind of coursing doth immediatly evaporate in a great abundance with the most subtile part of the blood when ever the Vein is opened so that blooding after this manner is more prejudicial than profitable If those who thus cause their Horses gallop before blood-letting were perswaded of the Circulation of the Blood they would not be in so gross an Error as to believe that the Blood is with the same tranquillity in the Veins as Wine is in a Hogs-head whose Lee lyeth at bottom but would be convinced that the whole Mass of the Blood circulates as well the gross part as that which is more subtile seing then this is so there is no need of any violent agitation of it such as galloping to oblige it to come forth but rather upon the contrary the Horse should be kept calm and quiet for fear of evacuating and lossing too many of his Spirits as I have already explained Those who are very careful of their Horses cause them eat only Bran in place of Oats both the day before Blooding the day it self and the day thereafter and for these three days they should also let them rest or at least that day wherein they are bled and also give them only bran in it You are also in taking blood to regulate the quantity according as your Horse is a great feeder and as his Veins are full and stretched and accordingly as it issues forth with violence having still regard to the quality of the Disease his Strength Age and the Season It is a general Maxim that a man without very good and pressing Reasons she 〈◊〉 never make great evacuations by blood-letting because there is made by it a too 〈◊〉 dissipation of the Spirits whereby the Horse is weakned so that his Members 〈◊〉 so easily perform their functions as also there are thereby formed crudities iâ— Veins which are the Source and Origine of several Diseases CHAP. LXXI How to judge of the Quantity and Quality of Blood ALthough it is not the common Practice of Farriers to receive a Horse's 〈◊〉 into a Vessel when they open any of his Veins it is however very â—â—â—â—â—sary CHAP LXXI How to judge of the Quantity and Quality of Blood that so a man may first judge of the Quantity he takes from 〈◊〉 and afterwards of its Quality Therefore when a Man opens a Horse's Vein he should instead of letting 〈◊〉 Blood fall to the ground receive it into a convenient Vessel the contents whereof should have measured before hand to know how many pounds of Water it containâ— that so heÌ„ may proportionably draw as many pounds of Blood in the same Vessel 〈◊〉 example a Man knows how much space two English Quarts of Water take up in a Vessel the same space will be filled with four pounds of Blood for an English Quaâ—â— of Water weighs about two pound and Blood is near of equal weight with Water having drawn the quantity of Blood he designs to evacuate he shall let it fix and â—â—â—geal that he may the better judge of its quality now although Blood be somewhâ—â— lighter then Water yet the difference is so very inconsiderable that it is not 〈◊〉 noticeing You shall then when you blood a Horse observe if it run calmly and slowly 〈◊〉 without any impetuosity as also if it cleave to your fingers when you touch it 〈◊〉 cause if it do it is a sign that it is Viscuous and will be subject to occasion obstruâ—â—â—ons therefore in that case you are to Blood your Horse frequently for this kin◠〈◊〉 Blood is a sign of Repletion
leaving the due and just Proportion to your own discretion and Judgement 5ly The second Fortnights Feeding IN this Fortnight you shall do all things as in the first only whereas in the first Fortnight you give him no Oats before his Morning exercise In this second Fortnight you shall before you put on his Bridle in the Morning give him an English quart or Scots Chopin of Oats then Bridle him up and dress him as before ordered afterwards Cloath Saddle Air Water Exercise and bring him home as before shewed only you shall now put no Hay into his Rack but give it him out of your hand handfull after handfull and so leave him on his Bridle for an hour when you come to him again Rub him and after other Ceremonies sift him another English quart or Scots Chopin of Oats and set them by then take a Loaf of Bread that is three dayes old at least and made after this manner 6ly The first Bread TAke three parts of Clean Beans and one part of VVheat according to the Quantity of Bread you intend to back mix and grind them together when grinded Bolt it pretty fine and kned it up with good store of fresh Barm and Lightning but with as little Water as may be labour it very well in a Trough and break it then cover it up warm that it may swell and after wards back it in the form of big Loaves thorowly and let them soak soundly and when they are drow'n from the oven turn up their bottoms that so they may cool when they three dayes old let your horse eat of them but not sooner for new Bread is hurtfull when you give it him Chip it very well and Crumbling it pretty small mix it with his Oats you formerly sifted and set by the Proportion of Bread is left to your own discretion and then leave him till eleven a cloak about eleven a cloak give him the same Quantity of Oats and Bread and let him rest till the Afternoon at one a clock in the afternoon if you intend not to give him a heat the next day feed him with Bread and Oats as in the Forenoon and so every Meal following for that day But if you intend the next day to give him a Heat at which now I aim then you shall only give him an English quart or Scots Chopin of Oats clean sifted but no Hay and so let him rest till evening at four a cloak give him the like quantity of clean sifted Oats and after they are eaten Bridle him up Dress Cloath Sadle Air Water Exercise bring nome and order him as before shewed only give him neither Hay nor Bread amongst his Oats for that night after he hath stood about an hour upon his Bridle give him another measure of Oats and after they are eaten put a sweet and clean Muzzle upon him and thus let him rest till nine at Night Nine a clook being come give him another English Quart or Scots Chopin of clean Oats and when he hath eat them put on his Muzzle again toss up his Litter and so leave him till next Morning 7ly Of the use of Muzzles and how they are made THe use of the Muzzle being rightly made is to keep a horse from eating up his Litter from gnawing upon Boards and Mudâ—walls and indeed to keep him from eating any thing but what he receiveth from your own hands they are made sometimes of Leather and stampt full of holes but these are unsavory and unwholsome all Leather Muzzles whatsoever being indeed unpleasant besides they are too closs and hot for the Horse there are also Muzzles made of double Canvass with a round bottom and two long Square Latices Of small Tape one before each Nostirl which Latices reach down to the very bottom and go also upwards more then a hand breadth but the best Muzzles of all both for Winter and Summer are the net Muzzles made of strong Pack threed and knit very thick and closs in the bottom and then enlarged wider and wider upwards to the middle of the Horses head at which place they are bound about with a Tape and have also a Loop and string whereby they are fastned to the Horses head this much of the Muzzle and it use Your horse having stood all night in his Muzzle give him early the next Morning an English Quart or Scots Chopin of Oats rubed between your hands with some Bear or Ale and when he hath eaten them then dress and Sadle him as formerly and being ready to lead him out give him a new laid Egg or two washing his Mouth after it with a little Bear or Ale and so lead him out not forgetting also to provoke him to empty at the door then Mount and Rack him gently to the Course or Ground where you are to Heat making him by the way smell at any other horse dung you shall meet with When you are come within a little way of the Starting place dismount and take off his Body cloath and Breast cloath and girt on the Sadle again leaving your Groom to take care of his Cloaths until you shall come to him again all this being done Rack your Horse gently up to the Starting post if there be any making him smell at it that so he may both be acquainted with it and also know the beginning and ending of the Course there start him roundly and sharply and give him his heat according to the following Directions 8ly Some few things to be observed in giving of Heats IN giving of Heats you are to consider first that two in the Week are sufficient for any Horse of whatsoever Condition or State of Body Secondly That one of themshould alwayes be given upon that day of the Week in which your horse is to run his Match and that also still to be the sharpest for increasing of his Heels or Swiftness the other being only a slow Galloping over the Course more to encrease Wind and cause Sweat then to improve his Speed and therefore I would have you to order them thus Suppose your Match day is to be upon a Monday then your Heating dayes must be Mondays and Frydays and the sharper Heat to be upon the Monday because it is the day of his Match if the day be Tuesday then your Heating days are Tuesdays and Saturdays if Wednesday then Wednesdays and Saturdays by Reason of the LORD's Day if Thursday then Thursdays and Mâ—ndays and so of the rest still observing to Run him more smartly upon these Heating days of the Week in which the Match is appointed to be run then any of the other and that for the Reasons I have already given you Thirdly You shall give no Heat but in case of necessity in rain or foul weather but rather defer hours and change dayes for it is unwholsome and dangerous And therefore in case of sudden shoure and uncertain weather you shall have for your Horse a Hood loynd quite thorow to keep out the
Rain For nothing is more dangerous then cold wet falling into the ears and upon the nap of the neck and Fillets Fourthly Observe to give your Heats the weather being seasonable as Early in the morning as you can That is by the spring of day but by no means in the dark for it is to the Horse both unwholsome and unpleasant to the rider a great testimony of folly and to both an act of danger and Precipitation Fifthly and lastly When you begin your heat start your Horse roundly and sharply at near a three quarters speed and if it be upon the day of the Week which his match is to fall in then according to his strength goodness of wind and chearfulness of Spirit run him the whole course thorow and by no means do any thing in extremity or above his wind but when you find him a little yeeld then draw a little and give him ease that he may do all with pleasure and not with anguish for this manner of training will make him take delight in his labour and so the better endure it but the contrary would bread uneasiness and make his exercise become a toil but if his heating day be upon any other day of the week then that his Match is to be run upon then make him only go over the course at a slow and gentle Gallop only to increase his wind and cause sweat that so the scouring you are to give him after his heat may have some loose grease to work upon and bring away for this is the only designe of the second heat in each week otherwise were both the heats smart the Horse would not be able to hold our there being so short an intermission between them for him to rest and recover his vigour therefore you would do well not to mistake and in stead of two Heats in a week which I order the one to be smart and the other gentle you give not both with the same degree of swiftness For that is not at all my meaning and therefore I desire you would take notice to it also during the time you course him you shall observe upon what ground he runneth best as whither up hill or down hill upon smooth ground or tough upon wet or dry or upon a Level or some what rising ground and according as you find his Nature so Mannage him for your own advantage and these are the most considerable things to be observed in giving of a Heat When you have finished your Heat and gently Gallopt him up and down to rate his wind and chear his spirits you shall then the Groom being ready Ride into some warm place or corner and with your Glassing or scraping knife made either of some broken sword blade or for want of that a thin piece of old hard Oaken wood fashioned like a long bread knife with a sharp edge the shape whereof you may see in the first Plate of this book Scrape off the sweat from your horse in every part Buttocks excepted untill you can make no more arise still moving him now and then a little to keep his limbs in motion least they become stiff then with dry cloaths rub him all over afterwards take off his Sadle and having with the glassing knife also seraped his back and rubbed it near dry put on his Body cloath and Breast cloath and set on the Sadle again and girt it then mount and Gallop him gently now and then rubbing and wiping his head Neck and body as you sit upon his back Last of all walk him about the Fields to cool him and when you find him begin to dry apace then Rack him homewards sometimes Stepping and sometimes Galloping But by no means bring him to the Stable till you find him throughly dry when you are come to the stable door intice him to empty then set him up and ty him to the Rack and having either prepared it your self before or at least one for you against your coming give him one of these scourings following which you please The way to compose and make them being thus 9ly Two excellent Scourings for Running Horses any one of which may be very safely given after a Heat to bring away molten Grease or any other foulness which may be lurking in the Horses Body FOR the first take an English Pint or Scots Mutchkin of the Syrup of Roses or for want of it the like quantity of strong Honyed Water and desolve into it of Cassia Agarick and Myrrhe of each an Ounce shaking them well together in a Glass then being mul'd and made warm upon a gentle fire and the Horse newly come from his Heâ—â— as before shewed give it him luke warm For the second take an English Pint or Scots Mutchkin of Canary Mallaga or Cherrit and Pulverizing an ounce of the finest Rosin put it therein which being Incorporated add to them six ounces of Olive Oyl and an ounce and an half or two ounces of brown Sugareandie beaten to powder with an ounce of the juce of Savin or pouder of Rubarb mix all well together and warming it over a gentle fire give it the Horse Milk or Luke warm 10ly How to order him after his Scouring WHen you have given it him rub his Leggs well then take off his Sadle and if his body be dry run slightly over it with your Currie Comb after that with the French Brush and lastly rub him all over very well with a dry cloath and cloath him up warm throwing also over him if the weather be very cold a loose Blanket or Covering let him fast full two hours upon his Bridle after having taken the scouring and during that time go not out of the stable but keep him stirring now and then which will cause his Scouring to work the better After he hath fasted upon the Bridle two hours then take a handful of wheat ears and coming to him handle and feel the roots of his ears and under his cloaths nixt to his heart and upon his Flanks and if you find any new sweat arise or coldness or that his Flank beat or breast move fast then forbear to give him any thing for it is a sign that there is much foulness stirred up on which the scouring is working with a conquering quality therefore it is that the Horse is brought to a little sickness so that in this case you shall only take off his Bridle put on his Coller toss up his Litter and absent your self having made the Stable dark and quiet for other two hours which is commonly the longest that that sickness will continue but if you find him have no such indisposition then give him the ears of Wheat by three or four together and if he eat one handful give him another and so untill he eat three or four handfuls but no more then drawing his Bridle and rubbing his head well give him a little Knab of Hay well Dusted about an Hour after give him an English Quart or Scots
Chopin of clean Oats putting two or three handfuls of split Beans very well pickt amongst them and break also amongst these two or three shaves of Bread clean chipt and then leave him for two or three Hours At Evening before you dress him give him the like quantity of Oats Beans and Bread and when he hath eaten them Bridle dress and cloath him but you shall neither Sadle nor Air him abroad this evening because the Horse being foul and the Scouring as yet working in his Body after the Heat he must not get any cold water at all after he is drest and hath stood two Hours on his Bridle then wash three English Pints or three Scots mutchkins of clean Oats in Bear or Ale and give him them for this will inwardly cool him as if he had drunk Water and you are sure he can receive no prejudice by it after he hath eaten his washt meat and rested after it a little you shall at his feading times with Oats and spelt Beans Oats and Bread or all together or simply one of them according to the liking of the Horse Feed him that night in plantiful manner and leave a Knab of Hay in his Rack when you go to Bed The next day early first Feed then dress cloath Sadle Air Water and bring him home as at other times only have a more careful eye to his Emptying and observe how his Grease and Foulness wasteth at his Feeding times feed as was last shewed you only but little Hay and keep your Heating dayes and the preparation of the day before them as hath been alreadie ordered and thus you shall order him during the second Fortnight in which your horse having received four Heats Horseman like given him with four Scourings there is no doubt but his Body will be drawn inwardly pretty clean you shall therefore during the next or third Fortnight order him according to the Directions following 11ly The third Fortnights Feeding The third Fortnight you shall make his Bread finer than it was formerly As thus The Second Bread TAke of elean 〈◊〉 and fine Wheat an equal proportion of each according to the Quantity of Bead you intend to bake and grind them well together then Bolt and Knead it with Barm or Lightning and make it up as you did the former Bread with this Bread being a little stale and the Crust taken away feed your horse as before shewed for the second Fortnight puting it amongst his Beans and Oats and also observe to Dress Air heat Feed and prepare him before the heat as in the former Fortnight only with these few differences First You shall not give the heat which falleth upon the day of the Week the Match is to be run in so smartly and violently as before but with a little more ease and pleasure to the Horse that so his Body and Limbs may not be overstrained and made fore before the Match next you shall not after his heats give him any more of the former Scourings but instead thereof instantly upon the end of his heat after he is a little cooled and cloathed up and in the same place where you rub him give him a Ball as bigg as a Hens Egg of these Cordial Balls the Composition whereof is as followeth 12ly The true Receipt of Mr. Markhams famous Cordial Balls so much esteemed by the Generality of our English Farriers TAke Anniseeds Cuminseeds Fennegreek seeds Carthamus seeds Elecampain Roots and Colts foot of each two Ounces beaten and scarched very fine as also two Ounces of the flouer of Brimstone then take an Ounce of the juice of Liquorish and dissolve it one the fire in half an English Pint or half a Scots Mutchkin of White Wine which done take of the Chymical Oyl of Anniseeds one Ounce of Sallet Oyl Honey and Syrup of Sugar or for want of it Molosses of each half an English Pint or half a Scots Mutchkin then mix all these with the former Powders and with as much fine Wheat Flower as will bind and knit them together work them into a stiff Past which keep in a Gally Pot closs covered and make Balls thereof as big as a Hens Egg to give your horse as you shall find occasion for them Now for the use of these Balls because they are Cordial and have many excellent Vertues you must understand how and upon what occasions to use them if then it he to prevent sickness take a Ball and anointing it all over with fresh Butter give it your Horse in the Morning fasting in manner of a Pill then Ride him a little after it or let him stand upon his Bridle for an hour which of them you please Feeding and Watering him according to your usual Custom and do this three or four Mornings together Again if you use them to cure either a Couch or violent Cold or to satten a Horse then give them after the same manner for a week together or longer if you find it needful but if you use them in the nature of a scouring as in the case I have above told you for your running Horse then give them instantly after his Heat Lastly if you find that your Horse hath at any time taken a little cold or Rhume which you may easily know by his inward ratling then taking one of these Balls disolve it in an English Pint or Scots Mutchkin of Seck and so give it him warm which you will find a very good and effectual remedie also to disolve a Ball in warm Water and give it your Horse to drink worketh the same effect and fatteneth exceedingly to give a Horse one of these Balls in the morning before travel will prevent his too soon weatieing to give it in the Heat of Travel will refresh his Spirits and to give it after travel will help to recover weariness and prevent inward sickness they are also good upon many other occasions which would be too tedious here to rehearse therefore let what I have said suffice both as a true â—â—scription of their composition and also vertues and use 13ly The Fourth and last Fortnights Feeding For the Fourth and last Fortnight you shall make your Bread much finer then for either of the former As thus The last and finest Bread TAke three parts of fine Wheat and one part of Beans according to the Quantity of Bread you intend to bake grind and Bolt them thorow the finest 〈◊〉 you â—an get then knead it up with new strong Alt and Barm beaten toâ—â—ther and the Whites of twenty or thirty Eggs or more according to the quantity 〈◊〉 Flower you bake and be sure to put no Water at all but in place thereof some small qâ—â—ntity of new milk then work it up Bake and order it as the former and with this bâ—oâ—d having the crust cut first away and clean Oats well dryed and dressed as also 〈◊〉 pure Split Beans all mixed together or severally as you shall think fit Feed you â—orse at his ordinary Meals as you
application of 'em and in the composition of every Medicine you must have a special regard to the restoring of their Appetite that the Remedy may not only be proper for the Cure of the Disease but agreeable to the Stomach The application of these Rules to particular cases would require an account of all the Diseases to which Horses are subject and therefore I shall at present content my self with laying down this general Observation that when a Horse abstains obstinately from all manner of Food you must use all means that are not contrary to his Distemper to make him eat lest you be forc'd at last to have recourse to violent Methods such as the usual way of pouring in his necessary Sustenance with a Horn which cannot be done without drawing up his Head with a Halter and putting him into a very uneasie posture which hinders him from breathing freely and increases the Fever when he has any I confess you may make him swallow a Draught without using the Halter but even that cannot be done without exposing him in some measure to the same Inconveniencies I cannot approve the Method of those who if a Horse abstain from eating for the space of twelve or fifteen hours and even tho' he be seiz'd with a Fever immediately give him a Quart or two of Milk with Yolks of Eggs which they imagine is sufficient to prevent all the ill effects of his preceding Abstinence But besides that a Horse may be suffer'd to fast two days without any danger this sort of Nourishment is not at all agreeable to his Stomach and even is apt to make him Sick tho' he was not so before 'T is true Milk yields good Nourishment and is easily digested but 't is subject to the common Inconveniency of the best Aliments that it quickly corrupts in a disorder'd Stomach where it curdles and occasions violent Pains and if it be not cast forth at the Mouth which a Horse cannot do since he never Vomits it hardens and produces dangerous Obstructions So that Hippocrates had reason to forbid the use of it in Diseases of the Head Fevers and some other cases tho' he recommends it on certain occasions Lac dare capite dolentibus malum malum etiam febricitantibus If that famous Author thought it inconvenient for Men who are accustom'd to it and can discharge it by Vomiting how prejudicial must it be to Horses who never taste a drop of it after they leave off Sucking and besides cannot Vomit I have made some Trials of it but always without the least Success especially when the Horses were Feverish In Stomacho aegrotantium Animalium acessit lac sed non imprimitur vitali Caraciere propterca aciditas fit putrefactiva quae non nutrit sed malum auget Those who will not be disswaded by these Reasons fromfeeding their Sick Horses with Milk may blame their own Indiscretion for the ill success of the Cure For let a Person who is in Health drink a Glass of Milk fasting and immediately Vomit it up again as some can do without the least difficulty he will find that t is already become sowre and even half coagulated or turn'd to Choose by reason of the Acid or Sharp Juice in the Stomach of all sorts of Animals For 't is a vulgar Observation that Acids have a power to curdle or coagulate Milk which therefore cannot be agreeable to the Stomach of a Sick Horse where it presently turns to Corruption and instead of nourishing him encreases his Disease 'T is true this Experiment cannot be made upon a Horse who never Vomits but it may serve for a convincing Argument that Milk is rather hurtful than profitable to a Diseas'd Horse Some give their Horses strong Flesh-Broths or Jellies which I have found by experience to be very prejudicial to 'em for it would be more proper to give em Extracts of Hay and Oats which are their usual Food The dangerousness of this Method will appear more evidently if we confider that Horses have so strong an avernon to Flesh and Fat that such Broths are apter to destroy than to restore their Appetites And all the World knows that if the Teeth of a Horse who is in perfect Health be rubb'd with Fat or Suet he will forsake his Meat much more when he is actually Sick I am not ignorant that the Fat may be taken away from Broath but still 't is plain that any sort of Broth is nauseous to a Horse and disagreeable to his Stomach and therefore ought never to be given since there are other Aliments which are more natural and in all respects more convenient I commend a very thin Broath made of Bread especially the Crum boil'd with Water and a little Salt for 't is certainly very proper Nourishment for a Horse that will neither eat Hay Oats nor Bran. I have seen some Horses drink this Liquor like Water which nourish'd 'em for a considerable time and if they should happen to loath it you may force it down their Throats with a Horn for a very little quantity will serve to sustain ' em You may also feed the Sick Horse with a Broth or Liquor which is both cheap and easily prepared and besides is of the same nature with his usual Nourishment 'T is made of Oats or cleans'd Barley well boil'd in pure Water without Butter Fat or any other mixture you must strain the Liquor from the Grains and give it him luke-warm It differs from his ordinary Food only by the boiling of the Oats or Barley which cannot make it prejudicial to a Stomach that is weaken'd by the continuance of a Disease This Method seems to be founded on Reason and agreeable to the dictates of good sence And experience will discover its usefulness Take a pound of Barley-flower well fears'd and purifi'd from the Bran boil it in about two pints of Water to a sufficient thickness then take it from the Fire and add a quarter of a pound of Sugar The quantity of Broth here prescrib'd is sufficient to sustain a Horse four and twenty Hours and must be given with a Horn. It moistens the Body when dry'd by a Feverish heat or any other cause but if the Fever be very gentle and the want of Appetite proceed from some other Cause you may add to the Broth an Ounce of the Cordial-Powder hereafter describ'd which will contribute powerfully to the recovery of his Appetite Or you may mix with the Broth an Ounce of Ever of Antimony in Powder which will make him Hungry and allay the preternatural heat of his Entrails When a Horse is troubl'd with a Fever Palpitation or unusual beating of the Heart or any other hot or violent Diseases which seldom continue long you must be careful in proportioning the quantity of his Food and neither give nor suffer him to eat too much Excessive Eating has to my certain knowledge prov'd fatal to several Horses who might have escap'd if they had been kept to a convenient that
losing a part of their Virtue 't is better to mix 'em with Balls that they may be preserv'd in their intire Force Beat all the Ingredients separately reducing 'em to a gross Powder then strain 'em thro' a Hair-Sieve mix the whole Powder exactly and weigh it for you must not weigh the Drugs before they are beat and searc'd a-part The Powder may be preserv'd a long time without any diminution of its Virtue if it be press'd hard in a leathern Bag which must be kept close ty'd This is so universal a Remedy that every Man who keeps a Horse shou'd always have some of it by him especially on a Journey or in the Army where there is not Conveniency to make it for by the Use of this Medicine Horses have been frequently preserv'd from several very considerable Infirmities The Virtue of this Powder decays if it be kept too long and therefore the best way is to prepare a small Quantity of it that you may always have some of it fresh I have lately found out a way which has prov'd very successful to keep it Thirty Years in its full Strength and besides to render it portable and more effectual which are certainly very great Advantages I reduce it to Balls which are so hard that the Air cannot penetrate nor spoil 'em and a Man may carry 'em in his Pocket Portmantle or any other way that shall be most convenient It will plainly appear by the following Account of my Method that the Cordial Powder is very much improv'd by it CHAP. XVII Of the Cordial Balls or Treacle Pills TAke a Bushel of ripe and black Juniper-Berries gather'd in the End of August or the Beginning of September beat 'em and put 'em into a Kettle with eight or nine Quarts of Water Set it on the Fire to boil stirring it sometimes till it grow thick then press it out and reserve the Liquor Strain the remaining Substance thro' a Searse as they use to strain Cassia throw away the Husks and Berries and mix the strain'd Pulp with the above-mention'd Liquor Boil it again over a clear Fire stirring it from time to time till it be reduc'd to the Thickness of Broth then take it from the Fire and when 't is half cold mix it in a Mortar with the full Quantity of the Powder prescrib'd in the preceding Chapter adding a Pound of the Grains of Kermes in Powder Make up the whole Mass into Balls weighing twelve Drams each which must be dry'd on the Strainer with its Bottom turn'd upwards These Balls grow little and very hard but they must be made in Summer for they are not easily dry'd in the Winter and besides they grow mouldy if they be not kept in a Stove or Skellet After they are dry they lose not their Virtue and the Addition of the Mucilage of Juniper-Berries which serves for a Cement to unite the parts of the Powder does also very much augment its Efficacy for those Berries alone are endow'd with admirable Virtues They are good for the Stomach and Breast provoke Urine and may be justly call'd the Treacle of the Germans But the Powder may be made up into Balls without any Mucilaginous or glewy Substance after the following Manner Put the Powder into a large Mortar and mix it with a little Cordial Water of Scorzonera or such like and after you have beaten and mix'd 'em with the Pestle pour in more Water and continue to beat mix and add new Water by turns till the whole Mass be of a sufficient Consistency to be made up into Balls Those Balls may be dry'd sooner and more easily than the others but since the Mucilage of the Juniper-Berries does very much increase the Virtue of the Balls instead of that you must add half a Pound of the Berries which you may beat with the rest of the Composition when you mix it with the Water and beat it up to a Mass and it will be still more effectual as I hinted before if a Pound of Grains of Kermes be added to it When you have occasion to use the Balls you must beat 'em to a gross Powder which you may either infuse a whole Night or mix with Wine immediately before you exhibit it for if you should give the Balls whole the Horse wouâ—d perhaps void 'em as intire as he took ' em The Dose is two Balls They have the same Virtues with the Cordial Powder I have us'd 'em with very good Success and find 'em very convenient both with respect to Carriage and to the Quantity of the Dose which is always ready weigh'd I give 'em the Name of Treacle-Pills or Balls because they have all the Virtues of Treacle and are even in some respects better since there is not the least Mixture of Honey and they are compos'd of Ingredients that strengthen Nature without inflaming it They resist Corruption and destroy that superfluous Acid which is the Root of all Diseases when there is too great Abundance of it in the Body for it causes a Fermentation that cannot be allay'd or stopp'd but by the Alcali contain'd in these Ingredients And Experience will convince you that this Remedy restores Health without heating the Body too much The shivering Fits that are occasion'd by the drinking of extremely cold Water may be quickly stopt by giving one of these Balls beaten to Powder in a Pint of good Wine and the sooner if you mix 'em with Spanish Wine When a Horse forsakes his Meat on a Journey give him two of these Balls in a a Quart of Wine and after you have kept him two hours bridlâ—d he will eat assoon as you unbridle him This Remedy is not inferiour to the Lieutenant's Powder and you may also give a Dose of it by way of Prevention to preserve Horses from Diseases There are several Persons who wou'd value themselves very highly upon the Invention of such a Secret and would be very loth to communicate it to the Public The Dose of the Cordial Powder is two Ounces but since there is no Danger in exceeding the Quantity if you have not Scales by you you may give three silver Spoonfuls to large Horses and two to small ones Infuse it cold all Night in a Quart of red Wine and in the Morning give it to the Horse keeping him bridl'd four hours before and two hours after And besides you must rinse the Pot or Horn with another half Pint of Wine and give it to the Horse to wash his Mouth You may either infuse the Balls or mix 'em immediately before you give 'em and you may repeat the Dose of either the Balls or Powder every Morning for three or four Days together To a Horse troubl'd with the Cold who voids Matter or coughs you may give either of these Remedies with very good Success in a Quart of Spanish Wine Neither must you be afraid that they will heat him too much for that which is call'd Heat in Horses proceeds only from the acid or
will be red and yellowish which is a certain sign of the redundancy of Choler The inside of his Lips is yellow and his Eyes are infected with the same Colour 'T is call'd Gelbesucht or the yellow Disease by the Germans who are better acquainted with it than we and have invented a Remedy for it which a Farrier of that Nation sold for a great Summ of Money to a Frenchman who communicated it to me and I found it by experience to be very effectual for when I try'd it this was the only Disease of the Head that was known But since that time the Distemper has chang'd its Nature and the alteration of the Cause oblig'd us to search for new Remedies tho' to little purpose When a Horse is seiz'd with this Distemper he eats faintly hangs his Head and Ears his Eye is languid his Nostrils open and he is apt to stumble If these Signs do not appear the following Remedy will produce no effect for all Diseases of the Head proceed not from the same Cause and you will never be able by this Method to remove a Distemper that is not caus'd by the Overflowing of Choler The Diseases that were known by this Name in the Year 166â— and 1661. and those of 1669 1670. and the succeeding Years were not produc'd by the above-mention'd Cause and therefore could not be cur'd by the German Remedy nor could we find any other successful Medicine for more Horses died than were cur'd of those Diseases Nevertheless I have lately administer'd a Remedy in Thea with excellent Success by the use of which several Horses have been cur'd of those late contagious Distempers that were commonly call'd Diseases of the Head The Remedy for the overflowing of the Bile is as follows Take four Quarts of Spring or River Water and make a Lye with about half a Bushel of Ashes of Vine-Twigs by pouring the boiling Water four several times upon the Ashes then add a pound of good Oil Olive and a quarter of a Pound of Bay-berries in Powder Let the Horse be kept all Night Bridl'd in the Morning let him Blood plentifully in the Flank and two hours after give him two Glasses of the Remedy at the Nostrils let the Bridle remain on his Head two hours longer then unbridle him and give him some White-Water to drink and either moisten'd Bran Hay or Bread to eat after he has fed a quarter of an Hour Bridle him again and let him stand two hours after which give him a Glass of the Remedy at each Nostril two hours after unbridle him and suffer him to eat and drink a quarter of an Hour as before Continue after the same manner to give him two Glasses of the Medicine every four hours unbridling him a quarter of an Hour between every two Doses till you have us'd the whole Composition This Remedy makes the Horse cast forth Water and Snot at the Nose but it only appeases or quels the Distemper without removing the Cause For the Fix'd Salt of the Ashes being communicated to the Lye destroys the Acid that occasion'd these Disorders and produc'd the Heat with which this Disease is accompani'd and besides the Oil contributes very much to qualifie the Distemper as you may easily perceive in the making of Soap Afterwards leave the Horse in a dark place with good Litter and free from the noise of Men or Horses that he may Sleep for in this case Rest is the Sovereign Remedy As soon as you perceive that he has perfectly recover'd his Appetite walk him gently in the cool of the day about a quarter of an Hour for seven or eight days together and then purge him with the Medicine describ'd in the Twenty Sixth Chapter CHAP. XXV Another Remedy for Diseases in the Head THE Distempers that are at present known by that Name are not caus'd by the overflowing of Choler but tho' there is but little hope of Cure we ought not wholly to abandon the sick Horses For 't is some satisfaction to endeavour to give 'em ease tho' they are seldom fit for Service afterward As soon as you suspect the Horse to be seiz'd with this Distemper give him a Dose of the Lieutenant's-Powder or of the Cerdial Pills which have a vertue to resist the Poyson that Suffocates 'em and not unfrequently Cures 'em perfectly in a little time And those who are cur'd by this Method are as fit for Service as formerly And even by way of prevention you ought to give the same Powder or Balls to all your Horses and repeat 'em after three days for they who have taken these Remedies will certainly escape falling into this Disease Besides you must perfume the whole Stable and change the Pails Shovels Forks Curry-Combs and all the Furniture of the Stable But if the Horse has been sick for some time it will be convenient to try other Remedies for the Powder is only proper in the beginning and has no effect after the Disease has lasted four and twenty Hours Take the bigness of the Tag of a Point of good black Hellebore open the Skin on the Horse's Breast and put the piece of Hellebore between the Skin and the Flesh so that it may not fall out It will make the part swell as big as your Hat and draw the Fluxion thither by which means the Humour may be diverted which is carry'd from the Heart to the Brain A Remedy for the Disease of the Head call'd The Fiery-Evil As soon as your Horse begins to refuse his Oats let him Blood in the Temple-Veins and afterwards prepare the following Remedy Take of the Herb call'd Devil's-Bit and Fumitory of each one Handful Cummin-seed one Ounce Assa-faetida half an Ounce Strong Beer or White-Wine a Quart put 'em into a Pot cover'd close with a Hog's-Bladder and Paper and the Lid of the Pot over all Fit the Pot to the Balneum Mariae that is place it in a Kettle with a Straw-Rope between the bottom of the Pot and the Kettle then pour Water into the Kettle till it rise within an Inch of the top of the Pot and make the Water boil an hour over a strong Fire after which take out the Pot and when 't is somewhat cold uncover it strain out the Liquor and make the Horse drink it Blood-warm two or three hours after his Bleeding then let him stand four hours Bridl'd and at Night give him a Clyster with Sal Polycrest Next Morning Bridle your Horse and pour a Quart of strong Beer or White-Wine upon the gross substance that remain'd in the the Pot cover it as before and set it over a gentle Fire augmenting the Fire by degrees till it begin to boil Keep it boiling an hour over a naked Fire and not in a Kettle as before After 't is half cold press out the Liquor as hard as you can and throwing away the thick substance give the Liquor to the Horse to drink keeping him Bridl'd four hours after Then give him moisten'd Bran and
in the 33th Chap. half a Pound reduc'd to fine Powder or if that cannot be had the Salt commonly us'd by Chymists incorporate 'em very well together and anoint the Parts about the Eyes half a Foot round Morning and Evening for a considerable time with this Composition which will divert the Rheum and take away the Heat more effectually than other Astringents and must be us'd as long as these Causes continue but you must not anoint the Eyes with it to which other proper Remedies must be apply'd Plantane and Celandine beaten and apply'd to the Eye take away the Heat and dry up the Rheum To make the Remedy stick you must wrap it about the Horse's Poll leaving Holes in the Clout for the two Ears and another for the sound Eye for this is the only proper Bandage for those Parts A Charge to divert the Defluxion from the Eyes Bake three or four Pippins under the Ashes take out the Seeds and beat the Apples in a Marble Mortar sprinkling 'em with Rose-water or the distill'd Water of Lettuce or Succory then apply 'em to the Eye with soft Flax renewing the Charge frequently you may use rotten Apples instead of sound ones and spare the trouble of roasting and beating ' em This is an excellent Remedy for it takes away the Pain and Inflammation and gives ease for some time during which you may attack the Cause of the Distemper and endeavour to remove it by taking up the Eye-Vein and cutting the Sinew according to the Method already prescrib'd The Crust of a white Loaf hot from the Oven soak'd in Cow's Milk and apply'd warm to the Eye by way of Pultice takes away the Heat and Pain A Crust of a Loaf broil'd and soak'd in strong Aqua-Vitae if it be apply'd to the Eye and renew'd every twelve Hours is an excellent Remedy to heal a sore Eye by removing the Heat that draws down the Rheum upon the Part. 'T is said that a great Toad dry'd and apply'd to the Eye stops the Rheum and takes away the Heat but I never experienc'd the Virtue of this Remedy You must never mix any fat or oily Ingredients with the Remedies you prepare for the Eyes whether the Distemper proceed from a Rheum or Blow for they stick to the Part and cause a continual Motion of the Eye-lids which encreases the Heat Some Rheums are so easily remov'd that they may be cur'd with bathing of the Eye five or six times a day with cold Water Some Horses have naturally tender or weeping Eyes without either Rheum or Blow and even not unfrequently the Water that comes out of 'em is so sharp that it corrodes the Surface of the Skin which it touches This Infirmity may be easily cur'd by bathing the Eyes Morning and Evening with Spirit of Wine or Aqua-Vitae and moistening the Parts above and below the Eye with the same Liquor CHAP. XXIX Of Blows on the Eyes IF the Soreness of the Eye be occasion'd by a Blow Bruise or Biting you must view the Part carefully not only before you apply any Remedies but during the whole Progress of the Distemper that you be able to judge of the Greatness of the Hurt and of the Probability of the Cure and upon occasion change your Remedies applying either strong or weak Medicines according to the Urgency of the Symptoms If the Eye be very big and swoll'n and send forth Matter you may conclude that the Cure will be long because the Stroak or Biting has certainly spoil'd and corrupted some Part within the Eye which is turn'd to Matter and if that continue to run too long as for Example twelve or fifteen Days the Horse is in great danger of losing his Eye unless when he voids the Strangles by his Eyes which may be done without the least Prejudice to those Parts If when the Horse begins to open his Eye you perceive the Chrystallin Humour which was darken'd by the Blow to be cover'd with a sort of greenish Cloud 't is a dangerous Sign If red Spots like Clots of Blood appear and remain on the same Part t is properly an ill Sign denoting the Violence of the Blow and the Greatness of the Contusion and presaging the long Continuance of the Disease but it shews also the Strength of Nature in expelling that which offends the Eye If the same Part be hurt as 't is almost alway by a violent Blow the Horse will be in great danger of having his Eye mark'd with a white Spot or Pearl which sometimes is of the Bigness of a Lentil and sometimes equals a Pea being a sort of Callus produc'd by Nature to fill up the Hole made by the Stroak If during the Progress of a long and tedious Disease the Substance or Ball of the Eye grow less that part is irrecoverably lost but you must beware of Mistakes for you may fancy the Eye to be less than it was when in the Declination of the Disease the Swelling disappears and the same Part which you were accustom'd to see very big and swoll'n seems then to be diminish'd and oftentimes the Eye-lids are drawn together by the constant use of astringent Remedies and make the Eyes seem smaller tho' they be not really diminish'd When the Swelling disappears in the upper part of the Eye tho' the Parts below the Eye remain still swoln 't is a sign that the Disease abates and that the Swelling under the Eye will not continue long If the Blow be small you must immediately cut the tip of the Ear on the same side making a Wound equal to the thickness of a Half-Crown Piece and squeeze as much Blood out of it as you can This is an easie and present Remedy for the Horse will instantly open his Eye If you desire to see the Inside of the Eye whether the Soreness be occasion'd by a Blow or Rheum tho' it be shut cover the other Eye with your Hand and make the Horse walk for he will certainly open the sore Eye as wide as he can by which means you may in some measure discover the nature of the Distemper If the Blow be great you must immediately open the Vein of the Eye or Neck and take out a large quantity of Blood whereas you must never let a Horse Blood that is troubl'd only with Rheum for the Bleeding will prevent all Accidents Besides you must take care that he be fed with moisten'd Bran and a little Hay without any Oats that he be not Wrought nor expos'd to the Cold and that the Stable be not too warm The Summer-Dew and night-Night-Air are good for Diseases of the Eyes by allaying the Heat Afterwards apply a Restringent Medicine about his Eye or the Ointment describ'd in the preceding Chapter with Album Rhasis Salt of Lead c. or put into his Eye the Solution of Lapis Mirabilis in Water which is the only Sovereign Remedy and may serve instead of all others Note That you must not be weary'd by the long
continuance of those Diseases for tho' the Cure is oftentimes very tedious it will be perfected at last if you persevere in the application of convenient Remedies If you cannot procure Lapis Mirabilis take half a Pint of Plantane Fennel or Rose-Water or a third part of each or if none of these can be had the same quantity of Common Water White Copperas an Ounce and a half Powder of the Roots of Flower-de-Luce of Florence two Drams suffer 'em to stand about an hour in a Glass Bottle in a cold Infusion then wash your Horse's Eye with it two or three times a day This is a very good Remedy If after one or two Applications you perceive that it makes the Eye smart too much 't is a sign that the Infusion is too strong and therefore you may temper it with half a Glass of Water This is a very excellent and cheap Remedy and good both for Rheums and Blows I have often us'd it with Success when Lapis Mirabilis cou'd not be had All the Remedies prescrib'd for Rheums are also good for Blows the only difference is in Bleeding which is proper in the latter but hurtful in the former Cases After you have us'd Restringent Applications or Charges for some days the Disease being now at its greatest heighth take Ground-Ivy and Leaves of Celandine beat 'em and press out the Juice which being settl'd and strain'd thro' brown Paper you may put into the Horse's Eye Morning and Evening This Remedy cleanses drys and clears the Eye which otherwise might remain charg'd with a Webb or Film CHAP. XXX Of Lapis Mirabilis or the Wonderful Stone THE Effects of this Stone are exactly suitable to its Name 't is compos'd thus Take White Vitriol two Pounds Roch Allum three Pounds fine Bole-Armenic half a Pound Litharge of Gold or Silver two Ounces Reduce all the Ingredients to Powder and put 'em into a new glaz'd Earthen Pot with three Quarts of Water Boil 'em very gently over a small Fire without Smoke set equally round the Pot till the Water be wholly evaporated and the Matter at the bottom perfectly dry then remove the Pot from the Fire and suffer the Matter to cool which ought to be hard and will still grow harder the longer 't is kept Put half an Ounce of this Stone in a Glass-Bottle with four Ounces of Water it will be dissolv'd in a quarter of an hour and make the Water white as Milk when you shake the Bottle You must wash the sore Eye Morning and Evening with the Water or Solution This Liquor thus prepar'd may be kept twenty days Some Apothecaries keep this Stone in their Shops and make use of it for Men And as for me I use it for Horses nor ever seek any other Remedy for Rheums Blows or Moon-Eyes Every Man that is Master of a Horse ought to keep some of it by him for it will keep good very long and there are few Remedies for the Eyes that are not inferiour to it When this Stone is reduc'd to Powder and blown into the Eye it causes too much Pain tho' afterwards it produces good Effects and therefore I dare not advise you to make use of it till it be dissolv'd in Water lest otherwise it should occasion some considerable Disorder If you dissolve two Drams of it in three Ounces of Water it will dry a Wound or Sore and allay the Heat if you wash 'em twice a day with the Solution and apply a Linnen Clout dipt in the same to the griev'd part Take the quantity of a Walnut of this Stone and infuse it in a Bottle capable of containing an ordinary Glass or half a Pint of Water This Solution apply'd as before is excellent for Rheums and Moon-Eyes and you may fill up the Bottle with fresh Water according as you have occasion to empty it that it may be still kept full till the end of the Cure for 't is not necessary that it should be so strong at last as it was at first You must always remember to shake the Bottle before you pour any Water into the Eye If by reason of the violence of the Blow the Eye remain cover'd with a white Film after you have taken away the Heat and stopt the flowing of the Humour with proper Remedies you must in the next place endeavour to remove the white Film by the following Method After you have wash'd the Eye with Wine make one of the Assistants immediately open the Eye-lids and taking up some Wheat-Flower with your Thumb stroke the Eye gently with it This way of putting Powders into the Eye with your Thumb is a great deal better than the usual Method of Farriers who blow Powders into the Eye with a Leaden-Pipe for after you have blown 'em in two or three times the Horse is so afraid that he will do any thing rather than suffer you to serve him so again whereas if you put 'em in with your Thumb tho' they make his Eye smart extreamly he cannot so soon perceive whence the Pain comes The Wheat-Flower frequently apply'd will consume the Film But if you perceive that it has not the desir'd effect you must use White Vitriol or Sal Prunellae in fine Powder which is an excellent Remedy and consumes the Film and even a Webb without heating the Eye which is the common inconveniency of other Powders To consume a White Film on the Eye Besides the Remedies already propos'd there is nothing so effectual as Sal-Armoniac beaten and put into the Eye and constantly repeated till the Cure be compleated You must not be surpriz'd tho' the Film continue twelve or fifteen days but persist in the use of the Remedy Or Put a little Salt into your Mouth in the Morning fasting and after 't is dissolv'd wash the Horse's Eye with your Spittle This is an easie Remedy and perhaps will prove effectual Or Beat common Salt which is always at hand very fine and put it into the Eye This exceeds all other Remedies save only Sal-Armoniac Salt of Lead commonly call'd the Salt or Magistery of Saturn is an excellent Remedy to consume a white Film that is caus'd by a Rheum 'T is easily made and not very sharp and by its coldness it repels the Heat occasion'd by the Defluxion If you are desirous to know its Composition See Beguin's Elements of Chymistry Book II. Pag. 344. where you will find it describ'd And Glazer in his Treatise of Chymistry has very distinctly explain'd the way of making the Chrystallin Salt and other Preparations of Lead which are very good for the Eyes of Horses CHAP. XXXI Of Lunatic or Moon Eyes THE Eyes of those Horses that are troubl'd with this Distemper are darken'd by a Rheum at certain times of the Moon whereas at other times they appear so bright that you would conclude they were perfectly sound The Defluxion is usually most violent in the Wane of the Moon sometimes about the Full-Moon and it oftentimes ends in
accompany'd with a sort of Scab which is bigger or less according to the various degrees of the Malady The Selenders breed on the bending of the Hough they proceed from the same Causes that breed the Malenders and are known by the same signs but they happen not so frequently and are consequently more dangerous as denoting that there is a great quantity of Humours in the Hough which continually discharge upon the Leg those malignant Waters that at last rot and corrupt it We must not attempt a compleat Cure of either of these Sores but only endeavour to allay the Humour and qualifie its sharpness by the use of Alkali's which blunt and deaden the too sharp Acid for they who absolutely dry up the Sore may be justly compar'd to those who shut the door of the Sheep-coat to keep the Wolf in And therefore you must content your self with keeping the part very clean that is you must wash and scour off the filth and corruption that sticks on the Hair or Skin with Black-Soap which is an Alkali and rub the Malenders with it then wash the part with Urine or a good Lye or rub the Chink with Butter fry'd till it grow black The surest way to cure either Malenders or Selenders is to mix equal quantities of Linseed-Oil and Aqua-Vitae stirring and shaking 'em till the mixture grow white and to anoint the Sores with it once a day This will dry a little and allay the sharpness of the Humours so that the Malender will neither cause a Swelling nor Pain The same is an excellent Remedy for Coach-Horses when they begin to be troubl'd with red-Red-Waters Chinks and Mules accompany'd with Heat and Swelling Sometimes the Selenders cause a Swelling which grows hard and hinders the motion of the Hough and since the situation of the Part is very inconvenient for the Application of Remedies you must proceed to the give the Fire as I once saw done with very good Success to a Spanish Horse who was cur'd without the least ill consequence Anoint the Malenders with Oil of Nuts mixt and shaken with Water after you have rub'd 'em with Black-Soap The Ointment for the Feet describ'd in the Eighty Fifth Chapter is also very proper in this Case Album Rasis dries a Malender when it grows too big and asswages the Inflammation The Ointment of Roses is also an excellent allayer of Sharpness if it be faithfully Prepar'd for that which is commonly Sold as I intimated before is not made of Roses but consists only of Hog's-grease melted with a little White-Wax to give it a Body These Impostors stir it while 't is hot with a Root of Alkanet to dye it red and wash it afterwards in Rose-Water to make it smell of Roses Meer Tallow is not at all inferiour to this pretended Ointment with which so many People are cheated CHAP. LXIX Of Splents YOu will find a large Account of these Excrescences in the Second Part and therefore I shall content my self at present with giving this short Account of a Splent that it is a Callous hard and insensible Swelling which breeds on the Shank-Bone and spoils the shape of the Leg when it grows big The Splent is usually occasion'd by a Blow or other Hurt on the Shank-Bone which offends the Periosteum or Skin that surrounds the Bone for the Humour gathering by degrees on that part forms a Tumor or Excrescency A Horse may be also troubl'd with this Infirmity if he be over-ridden or hard wrought when he is too Young before his Legs be strong enough and his Bones of a sufficient solidity and firmness to bear the Fatigues of Travelling For by straining of that part 't is render'd subject to Defluxions or the falling down of Molten Grease and if the Humour slip between the Bone and its Membrane it breeds a hard Lump that by degrees encreases and draws its Nourishment from the Bone which I have seen full of Holes like a Sieve in that part To protect the weakest part of the Bone against the Humour Nature fences it with a Callus which we call a Splent and if the Excrescency be augmented by Travelling and ascend to the Knee it makes the Horse Halt and is more difficult to Cure than the other kind I advise those who undertake the Cure of a Splent never to consume it with violent Caustics which often scale the Bone and dry up the Sinew 'T is true these Medicines take away the Splent but they weaken the Leg so extreamly that it were better to let the Swelling remain If the Horse be old you will find the Cure very difficult and the Splent can hardly be remov'd whereas it may be easily taken away from a young Horse and in the general 't is certain that a large Splent may be sooner remov'd and with less trouble when the Horse that bears it is young than a small Excrescency in the Leg of an old Horse You shall hardly meet with one that pretends to understand Horses who will not acquaint you that he is Master of an infallible Receipt for the Farcin and another for Splents tho' upon trial you will find his performance come far short of his Promises When the Splent is an effect of the deprav'd Shape of the Shank-Bone 't is to be esteem'd a Blemish or Deformity rather than a Disease For 't is the same with that which Physicians call Apophysis and does not admit of a Cure A Remedy for the Splent Shave away the Hair and beat or rub the Swelling with the handle of a Shooing-Hammer till it be soften'd then burn three or four Hazel-sticks while the Sap is in 'em and chafe the Splent with the Juice or Water that sweats out of both ends applying it as hot as you can without burning the Part after which rub or bruise the Swelling with one of the Sticks and continue frequently to throw the hot Juice upon the Part but not so hot as to burn it rubbing it still till it grow soft Then dip a Linnen-Cloth five or six times doubl'd in the Hazel-Juice as hot as you can endure it upon your Hand and tye it on the Splent suffering it to remain four and twenty Hours In the mean time keep your Horse in the Stable without permitting him to be led or rid to Water during the space of nine Days at the end of which the Splent will be dissolv'd and the Hair will come again some time after If the Hazel be not in its full Sap it will not operate so effectually nevertheless it may be us'd but the part must be rub'd and bruis'd more strongly If the Splent be not quite taken away but only lessen'd repeat the operation a Month after Another Remedy Shave the Hair knock rub and soften the Splent as before then take a piece of the Skin of Bacon not very fat and lay it on the part with the fat side outwards Afterwards apply a flat Cautery or red-hot Iron of the bigness of a Shilling holding it
and Circumspection The Retoire is of excellent Use to asswage and dissolve any Swelling for the Red Water which it draws forth being evacuated the Tumour must needs be lessen'd The Application may be safely repeated and even when 't is not of sufficient Force to take away the Swelling it serves as a Preparative for the Fire which utterly extirpates the Tumour Thus if your Horse be troubl'd with a large Wen you must first apply a Ruptory to draw forth the most serous Humours and to rarifie those that are not extremely thick and turn 'em to a reddish Water by its Heat and after a second Application of the Retoire has produc'd all the Effects that can be expected from a Medicine of that Nature you must proceed to give the Fire which will powerfully asswage the Tumour The Retoire serves also to ripen a Kernel under the Chaul or to dissolve it when it does not tend to Suppuration and besides 't is very proper to ripen Anticors and Swellings in the Withers to remove Sit-fasts and to extirpate Wind-Galls and the Ointment of Beetles is properly a Retoire The Application is thus perform'd After you have rubb'd the Part anoint it with the Retoire laying it on very thin lest it shou'd run down and holding a hot Bar of Iron near the Part to make the Retoire sink into it This must be done two days together and the Swelling that is occasion'd in the Part will vanish of it self when the Remedy has produc'd its Effect You must only apply it once to a Wind-Gall which is too near the Sinews to bear two successive Applications but if you intend to dissolve a very hard Farcy-Knot you must rub it with the Retoire two or three days together that the Water may be sufficiently drawn forth Thus you must use this Remedy with Judgment according to the Nature of the Part and the Hardness and Largeness of the Swelling I shall afterwards have occasion to add some Observations concerning the Effects of this Remedy in treating of the Diseases which it cures and therefore I shall content my self at present with subjoining the Descriptions of two or three good Ruptories A Retoire or Dead Fire Take two Ounces of Quick-Silver quench it by degrees in a Mortar with a like quantity of Brimstone in powder and after 't is wholly deaden'd add four Ounces of old Butter an Ounce of Euphorbium in powder a Dram of Cantharides also in powder and two Ounces of Oil of Bays Mix 'em cold in the Mortar and reserve the Ointmant for Use To give you an Instance of the Manner of applying it suppose your Horse be troubl'd with a Wind-Gall you must proceed thus Shave off the Hair and anoint the Part holding a hot Bar of Iron near it and taking care that the Ointment do not touch a sound Part for it would certainly raise a Swelling then tye up your Horse so that he may not be able to reach the Swelling with his Teeth for nine days The Ointment will finish its Operation in three days and in the mean time the Horse must not stir out of the Stable nor go to Water nor be suffer'd to lie down Another Retoire Take four Ounces of Oil of Bays two Ounces of Euphorbium beaten to powder and half an Ounce of Cantharides in fine powder Mix 'em cold and apply as before Or take a quarter of a Pound of Basilicum two Ounces of Red Precipitate in fine powder and half an Ounce of Euphorbium Mix and apply as before There are so many different Preparations of Retoires that every Farrier has one distinct from the rest but in my Opinion those that I have describ'd are sufficient for any occasion whatsoever and I dare warrant their Success if they be apply'd by a skilful Hand CHAP. LXXV Of Wrenches or Luxations and Dislocations of the Pastern-Joint MAny pretend to cure these Accidents with Gesticulations and Words which are seldom attended with Success and are never without Superstition The Joint is said to be strain'd or Luxated when it slips aside with Violence and tho' it does not go out of its Place the Sinews and Ligaments that fasten it to the Pastern are stretch'd 'T is occasion'd by a Slip or false Step in uneven and rough ground and if it be neglected the Humours falling into the part grow hard and by corrupting the Sinews at last make the Horse down-right lame There are some Strains which seem at first to be very violent tho' they only make the Horse halt for five or six steps and may be cur'd by Rest alone without applying any Remedy but there are others which make the Horse irrecoverably lame all the rest of his Life And besides it happens not unfrequently that during the Cure of the strain'd Joint the contrary Foot is quite spoil'd and lam'd by being forc'd to sustain the Weight of the whole Body I have seen some Horses founder'd that were kept in the Stable by reason of a Strain and the Foundering not being perceiv'd in time fell into their Feet and made 'em incurably lame tho' the Strains were in a hopeful Condition And therefore such Accidents must never be neglected but the Cure must be begun with all possible haste by the Application of convenient Remedies Strains in the hinder-Legs are much more dangerous and stubborn than those that happen in the fore-Legs The Cure is very tedious and seldom succeeds the Horse in the mean time pines away and even after his Recovery you will oftentimes find your self oblig'd to strengthen the Part by giving the Fire And besides you must order his Shooe to be made about a finger's breadth larger than his Foot the better to sustain the Joint and ease the Sinews and Ligaments that were weaken'd by the Strain This Caution must be heedfully observ'd for it helps the Joint to recover its wonted Vigour Remedies for a Strain Assoon as a Misfortune of this Nature happens you must immediately alight and lead your Horse to a Place where he may rest without suffering the Part to cool for a due Observance of this Caution if possible will very considerably hasten the Cure Then dissolve white Vitriol to the quantity of an Egg in a Quart of cold Water and wrap the Joint about with a Linnen Cloth four times doubl'd dipt in the Water tying another Cloth above it Repeat the Application every six Hours and the Cure will be perfected in two days at most if the Remedy be apply'd before the Joint cool but if the Application of the Remedy be delay'd too long or if the Strain happen in one of the hinder Joints the Cure will require a longer time If you either dislike or cannot procure the Vitriol tho' 't is certainly an excellent Remedy chafe the Part with Spirit of Wine or Aqua-Vitae and apply the Red Honey-Charge warm with Flax about the Joint in form of a Pultiss which must be kept on the part four and twenty Hours Then chafe the part again with
then take a hard Egg cut thro' the middle sprinkle it with Pepper and apply it hot tying it fast to the griev'd Part. If the Horse be not cur'd by the first Application repeat it the next Day In frosty Weather when Horses are rough-shod or their Shoes made with long Caulks they are apt to over-reach and make a hole above the Cronet or in the Pastern which is not without danger And therefore you must immediately wash the Wound with warm Vinegar then fill it with Pepper and lay over it a black restringent Charge made of Chimney-soot Vinegar and Whites of Eggs or of Bole and Vinegar or which is best of all of Lime temper'd with Water Repeat the same the next Day and the Cure will be perfected For an Over-reach by the Caulk of the Shoes fill the Hole with Gun-Powder beaten and temper'd with Spittle as they usually make Touch-Powder then set Fire to it and repeat the same the next Day In the mean time both the Foot and Wound must be carefully preserv'd from Moisture and if the Attaint be from time to time wash'd with Aqua-Vitae it will heal tho' never so deep if the Tendon be not hurt If the Cure do not proceed according to your desire melt a little of the Emplastrum divinum with Oil of Roses in a Spoon and fill the Hole with Cotton dipt in this Ointment laying a Plaister of the same over it and dressing the Horse every Day after the same manner till the Cure be perfected as it will be speedily if the Tendon or Gristle be not hurt If the Hole be deep and notwithstanding all these Remedies the Horse continue still to Halt or the Part above the Attaint be swoln the Hoof shrunk and the Foot contracted beneath you have reason to fear that the Tendon is griev'd and therefore you must carefully examine the Part with your Probe and if you find that the Hole reaches to the Tendon dress it according to the Directions that shall be given for the Quitter-Bones If the Attaint be neglected on a Journey tho' the Horse do not Halt at the first by reason of the Corruption that is generated by the Cold and Foulness of the Part the Sore may reach the Hoof in which case after one or two Applications of the Honey-Charge you must proceed to give the Fire and dress it as a Quitter-bone 'T is to be observ'd that the Sore will never Heal so long as the Horse licks it and therefore you must cover it with the Remedies that shall be describ'd in the following Chapters If the bottom of the Hole be foul tho' the Gristle be not spoil'd which you may know by searching with your Probe to hinder the Corruption from reaching thither especially if it breeds Matter or if you perceive a Swelling or Hardness above or at the side of the Part you must wash it with Warm Wine and fill the Hole with Schmit's Ointment renewing the same upon occasion If the Cure prove tedious and the Horse begin to Halt the Swelling growing big and hard and voiding Matter you must have recourse to the Chapter that treats of Quitter-bones for you may certainly conclude that the Gristle is hurt and must be extirpated or the Sore will never be cur'd CHAP. LXXX Of the Scratches THere are three Sorts of Scratches Simple Sinewy and Scratches in the Hoof commonly call'd Quitter-bones The simple Scratches are most usual being a Tumor caus'd by corrupt Humours contain'd in the Skin and the Flesh It grows in all the parts of the Pastern especially behind and the Horse voids by this Channel or Gutter all the deprav'd Humours that were gather'd in that Part. The Scratches in a Horse resemble a Corn in a Man's Foot he cannot endure you to touch the Sore and it usually makes him halt before it be suppurated that is before the Corruption be discharg'd Sometimes the Scratches are the Reliques of the Strangles or of the Impurities expell'd by Nature sometimes they proceed from Hurts and Bruises and they are also occasion'd by the Dirt and Flesh that sticks to the Pasterns which growing hot and sharp frets and corrodes the Skin The Simple or Plain Scratches are most easily cur'd and the Horse is perfectly sound when they are taken away The sinewy Scratches so call'd because they are either under above or at the Side of the Sinews may be divided into Three Kinds but the First is very rare 'T is a Tumour generated under one of the Sinews of the Pastern which hinders the Matter from running out and causes so violent a Pain that the Horse is seiz'd with a Fever and halts right down for all the softening and asswaging Remedies in the World cannot penetrate to the Swelling that lies under the Sinews and Tendons of the Pastern The Part is remote from the Heart which is the Principle of Heat and cannot by its own Force digest those crude and raw Humours so that the Horse must unavoidably suffer cruel Torments and for the most part perish This Disease is more dangerous than the Quitter-bone and the Cure is always extremely difficult The Second Sort of sinewy Scratches grows on one of the Sinews of the Pastern it swells the Pastern and Leg makes the Horse very lame and frequently sends forth a great Scab instead of corrupt Matter In this Case you must charge the Leg and apply a good softening Remedy after the Scurf is fall'n dress the Sore with Schmits Ointment or for want of that with what follows Take a pound of Honey and two Ounces of Verdigrease in fine Powder Mix and thicken 'em with a sufficient quantity of Wheat-flower adding a small Glass-full of good Spirit of Wine Apply this Ointment with flax to the Sores and dress 'em every day bathing the Leg and especially the griev'd Sinew with warm Wine mix'd with a little Butter and the Horse will grow sound There is a Third and very dangerous Kind of sinewy Scratches which breeds at the side of the Master-Sinew on the hinder-Legs and the nearer it grows to the Sinew the more malignant it is and the Cure less easie Many Horses have been incurably lam'd after a continual Application of Remedies for seven or eight Months These Scratches are very painful for they make the Horse halt right down and forsake his Meat they occasion a Fever and almost all the Horses that are troubl'd with 'em are so tormented that they cannot put their Foot to the Ground and at laft they sink under the miserable Pain Having explain'd the Three Sorts of sinewy Scratches I shall now proceed to consider the Third Member of the first Division The Third Sort of Scratches commonly call'd Quitter-bone is seated between the Cronet and Hoof and is also very dangerous because it makes the Horse cast his Hoof which much diminishes his Value for the new Hoof is hardly ever fit for Service Thus I have briefly run over the several Kinds of Scratches and I shall propose the
Remedies for 'em in the same Order Remedies for simple Scratches The simple Scratches are cur'd by taking out the Piece of Rotten Flesh that lies between the Flesh and the Skin In order to that end take the quantity of an Egg of Leaven made of Rye-Meal two or three Heads of Garlick beaten and as much Pepper as you can lift with the Ends of three Fingers temper 'em with Vinegar and apply the Mixture to the sore place This is certainly a very good Remedy for in four and twenty hours it brings forth the corrupt Piece of Flesh without leaving any Foulness at the Bottom of the Sore If you cannot procure Rye-Leaven take Leaven made of Wheat-Dough or prepare the following Remedy Take the Bulbs of two or three Leeks or for want of these two white Onions beaten incorporate 'em with the bigness of an Egg of Hog's Lard and as much Mustard-seed as you can take up with the Ends of your Fingers Apply this Remedy to the Swelling renewing it once a day and the rotten Flesh will quickly come forth then wash the Part with Aqua-Vitae and apply to the Sore the above-mention'd Ointment of Honey and Verdigrease by which Method continu'd for some time the Cure will be speedily perfected If the Scab or Scurf that falls off be very large as sometimes it is you must cleanse the Sore with fine Flax and apply the already-mention'd Ointment which is very excellent for this Purpose or rub the Part with the Herb call'd Greater Celandine which grows always in shady places and has a yellow Juice You must beat it and squeeze out the Juice to rub the Part and bind the bruis'd Herbs upon it for there is not a more powerful Dryer in the World Or you may take out the Corrupt Flesh thus Chop two or three Onions boil 'em in Water with Mallows and Ground-sell of each one handful strain out the Water and throw it away then add a handful of raw Sorrel to the other Ingredients beat 'em all together to a Paste which must be thicken'd with Flower of Linseed to the Consistence of a Pultiss Spread it on Lint and apply it hot to the Scratches If the Tumour be very hard add a little Hog's Grease or Basilicum before you put in the Linseed and apply as before renewing the same once in four and twenty Hours if there be Occasion for one or two Applications will take out the rotten piece of Flesh leaving a Hole which must be dress'd as before Young Horses are very subject to this Kind of Scratches I shall name several Remedies that are good for it that every one may chuse which he pleases Old Oil Butter the Fat or Grease of Hens Geese Ducks and Hogs the Marrow of Stags and Oxen which may be made up with Rye-flower and Crums of Bread These are also very good and cheap Remedies and easily prepar'd and besides you may use the Plaister call'd Diachylum that of the Mucilages or Basilicum CHAP. LXXXI Of Sinewy Scratches THE above-mention'd Remedies will not produce any considerable Effect in the Cure of the first Kind of sinewy Scratches which lie so deep that they cannot ripen for the Sinews that cover 'em hinder the Operation of the Remedies The white Honey-Charge which you will find describ'd in the Hundred eighty fourth Chapter will more effectually soften the Part if you add Turpentine and Linseed and apply the Remedy round the Pastern charging the whole Leg with cold Lees of Wine to prevent the falling down of the Humours If there be any Appearance that the Swelling is dispos'd to come to a Head in any part of it you must pierce the Skin with a hot Iron round the part making eight or ten Holes according to the Largeness of the space in form of a Circle and sometimes beyond the part according to the Room you have and the Probability of drawing the Matter by opening these Passages If the Matter appear in any part apply a Rowler of soft Linnen moisten'd with Basilicum and over that a Pultiss of the white Honey-Charge as I intimated before keeping the Leg always charg'd with the Duke's Ointment or Lees of Wine and continuing to dress the Sore every day till the Scabs fall off or till you perceive that 't is fit to apply repelling Remedies for Example if the Skin between the two Holes be loosen'd from the Flesh and the Matter flow too abundantly you must lay aside the white Honey-Charge and make use of the following Remedy Heat a Pound or two of common Turpentine in an Earthen Pot by degrees stirring it all the while with a wooden Slice thicken it with very fine Soot stirring always over a gentle Fire till it be reduc'd to the Thickness of a Honey-Charge Then spread it on Flax and apply it warm to the Part but you must first wash the Sore with Aqua-Vitae This Charge is in some measure Restringent it takes away the Heat and hinders the Humours from flowing too abundantly to the griev'd Part. As often as you heat the Restringent Charge you must stir it all the while 't is near the Fire for otherwise 't will turn knotty Let the Horse feed on moisten'd Bran and make him wholly abstain from Oats This Sort of Scratches must never be neglected for all your Care and the most powerful Remedies you can apply or imagine will hardly be able to ripen it I shall in the next place proceed to propose some Remedies for the Scratches that breed upon the Sinew and tho' without any Danger make the Horse halt before the Corruption come forth You may chuse which you please Remedies for the Second Kind of Sinewy Scratches These Scratches grow in the Pastern upon the Sinew they are accompany'd with extreme Pain and make the Horse halt but yield to the effectual Operation of proper Remedies First you must rub the swoll'n Leg daily with the Duke's Ointment and afterwards bring forth the Corruption or rotten Bit of Flesh with one of the Remedies describ'd in the last Chapter as that made of Rye-flower and Garlick or that which is compos'd of Leeks and old Hog's Grease or one of those that follow Take fresh Butter and Oil-Olive of each four Ounces heat 'em with half a Pint of common Water and thicken 'em with two Ounces of Linseed-flower Then boil as if you were going to make Gruel adding a little before you take the Skellet from the fire two Ounces of Pigeon's Dung in powder and charge the Sore warm having first clipp'd off the Hair with Scizzars If that do not answer your Expectation take Leaves of Colt's-foot long Sorrel and Mallows of each one Handful bake 'em under the Embers then beat and incorporate 'em with salt Butter This Remedy being apply'd hot will draw forth the Rotten Piece of Flesh but if it fail Bake or roast four Lilly Roots under the Ashes beat and add Hen's Grease or any other convenient Grease three Ounces Linseed-Oil two Ounces the Yolks of two
second Water to dissolve the Swelling which reach'd that part dressing the Sores with Aqua-Vitae Honey and unslack'd Lime well mix'd together and at last the Horse recover'd tho' the Cure was extremely retarded by that Accident Some affirm that a Ring-bone may be cur'd before it grow big by giving the Fire without taking out the Sole if the Foot be not very dry and shrunk especially if the Vein under the Knee be taken up but Experience has convinc'd me that to proceed methodically the Cure of this Distemper must be always begun with taking out the Sole whether the Fire be given or not for the taking out of the Sole draws the Matter downwards and makes a kind of Revulsion nor is the Fire alone tho' given with all possible Care and Dexterity able to dissolve a Ring-bone I have made several Observations that will not permit me to doubt of this Truth for I have seen some Horses who after an exact Observance of the above-mention'd Method continu'd to halt as before The Sole was taken out the Skin was pierc'd with red-hot Knives reaching to the very Callus the whole Tumour was burnt the Scabs fell the Sores were fair and in a very good Condition and after all the Horse was as Lame as ever I was therefore oblig'd to order the Sole to be taken out a second time and the Frush to be cleft to the Pastern with a Fleam to widen the Heels after which some of the Horses were cur'd tho' I have met with others that recover'd not till I had taken out the Sole a third time At that time I had not found out the way of cleaving the Frush to widen the Heels and therefore I only did half my work in taking out the Sole But since I began to put that Method in Practice I never was oblig'd to take out the Sole more than once And to convince you of the Usefulness of taking out the Sole in those Cases I can assure you that I have cur'd Horses of the Ring-bone by taking out the Sole without giving the Fire applying Oil of Bay and proceeding according to the Directions mention'd in the Beginning of this Chapter in so much that the Horse went upright and was very fit for Service the Ring-bone in the mean time making no progress for above three Years but at last it was found necessary to give the Fire If you cut the part with the Fleam and then give the Fire thro' these Incisions the remaining Scar will be smaller and less unseemly than if the Skin had been pierc'd with a red-hot Knife for tho' in several other Cases ' the Skin is only sear'd till it acquire a Cherry Colour for the Cure of this Distemper you must not only pierce the Skin but penetrate the whole Tumour or Callus that sticks to the Pastern However every Man may please himself and either pierce the Skin with a red-hot Knife or cut it with a Fleam and then give the Fire thro' these Incisions 'T is true indeed the last of these Methods is the best for besides that it leaves not so great a Scar these Incisions serve to direct the Operator and he sees more plainly what he is doing than those who pierce the Skin with red-hot Knives Nevertheless I use with good Success to proceed immediately to giving the Fire and burning the Callus without making the least use of the Fleam when the Horse is of no great Value assoon as the Fire is given apply a Mixture of Turpentine Tarr and Honey laying it on warm with Flax and a Bandage and keeping the place cover'd till it be heal'd after seven or eight days when the Matter is generated you must dress it every day Sometimes after the falling of the Scab the Flesh swells and grows too fast but this Inconveniency may be prevented by washing the Sore with the second Water the vulnerary Water or the liquid Caustic and afterwards applying convenient Powders or Ointments such as that of Schmit or the Cleansing Ointment for Quitter-bones While the Sole is growing under the Foot you will seldom be troubl'd with proud Flesh and if you are you may easily consume it with Powders or even burn it with a flat Knife for provided you touch not the Skin you may burn the Flesh as much as you please without the least danger of leaving a Scar and after the falling of the Scab the Sore will appear fair and clean but both the Growth of proud Flesh may be prevented and the Cure hasten'd by keeping the Sore always cover'd with convenient Ointments CHAP. LXXXV Of the Vices of the Feet and Hoofs IN the first place I shall take notice of those Horses who have pretty handsome Feet but their Hoofs are so brittle that they are apt to break near the Holes that are made by the Nails of their Shooes And the Loss of a Shooe which usually happens on this occasion may be the Cause of the Loss of the Horse The Hardness of the Hoof if it be not accompany'd with Brittleness may be easily cur'd and is only a Defect by Accident I shall in the second Part treat of the Vices of the Feet with respect to the Figure and Shape and of the Manner of Shooing adapted to every particular Case You may easily know at first sight whether a Horse's Hoofs be brittle for they will appear all broken about the Shooe the best way is to shooe those Horses after the Full Moon and never during the Encrease contrary to the Opinion of several Persons after which you must anoint 'em every Day with the Ointment for the Feet In the Second Part I shall discourse largely of Feet that are ill-shap'd flat and form'd like Oyster-shells but since I have reason to believe that many of my Readers will not have the Curiosity to peruse those Chapters it will not be improper to say something on that Subject here By the following Method you may rectifie a flat Hoof which is commonly so weak that the Horse cannot Travel unless his Shoes be made very hollow and besides the least Sand or Gravel that enters between the Shoe and the Sole makes him so Lame that he must be kept on the Trench for some time after In the first place you must take up the Pastern Veins in four several places two in each Leg Or you may bleed him plentifully in the four Pastern Veins and delay the taking of 'em up till afterwards then set on Pantosle Shoes to widen the Heels for almost all those flat Feet have narrow Heels 'T is to be observ'd that you must by no means weaken the Sole towards the Heel when you pare the Hoof but leave it as strong as you can for otherwise these Shoes will certainly make the Horse halt You must also suffer him to rest some Days after the Shoes are set on and keep his Feet in his own Dung well moisten'd that he may be enabl'd by the Moisture to wear these Shoes without any inconvenience
Chink is open'd and gapes and when he lifts it up again the lips of the Rift are clos'd and pinch the Flesh that covers the Bone of the Foot within the Hoof in the mean time since the Periosteum or Membrane that surrounds the Bone is very tender and of a quick Sense these Chinks are accompanied with a most violent Pain and for the most part cast forth Blood You may reasonably conclude when you perceive that a Horse is troubl'd with a False Quarter that he has naturally a bad Hoof for that Distemper is only the effect of a dry and brittle Hoof or narrow Heels and besides after the Cure is perfected if you have not a perpectual Care of his Preservation he will infallibly relapse into the same Distemper Sometimes the Hoof of the hinder Foot cleaves from the Hair to the Shooe in the middle of the Toe and the Feet that are cleft after this manner are called Oxes-Feet because of their resemblance to the Foot of that Animal This Disease is not so dangerous as the former and happens more usually to Mules than to Horses To prevent these Cracks you must supple the Sole with Horses-Dung moisten'd you must also take care not to straiten his Heels when you Shoe him and anoint the Coffin-bone with the Ointment for the Feet Cows-Dung contrary to the vulgar Opinion especially of Horse-Coursers cools and moistens the Sole and at the same time dries the Hoof or rather burns it For tho' the Hoof and Sole be contiguous they are of very different Natures one being soft and the other hard Thus we see that most of the Coach-Horses that are Sold by Horse-Coursers have dry and burnt Feet by reason of the Cows-Dung with which they continually stop their Horse's Feet to make 'em grow And when a Horse comes afterwards to be Wrought all the lower part of the Foot which was kept continually in Cow's-Dung breaks off and leaves the Horse unfit for Service It must be acknowledged that the moisture of the Cow's-Dung makes the Hoof grow but 't is no less certain that the Hoof produc'd or encreas'd by this Method is not at all fit for Service for assoon as 't is taken out of the Dung in which 't was kept it breaks like an Egg-shell and can never endure the driving of a Nail 'T is true the Horse-Coursers by this means compass their Design for since they intend not to keep the Horse for Service they labour only to make his Feet seem fine and handsome tho' to the prejudice of the Buyer A Remedy for a False Quarter and Chinks or Rifts in the Hoof. Charge the whole Foot with a Remolade then set on a Pantofle-Shoe according to the Directions you will find in the Second Part in the Chapter that treats of Shooing and in the mean time you may ride your Horse on soft Ground if he be not Lame If the Chink bleed charge the Foot with a Remolade and opening the Cleft with your drawing Iron make a Border about it with Yellow Wax and drop some Aqua-Fortis into it the Border of Wax will hinder the Aqua-Fortis from reaching the Hoof and penetrating thro' the Crack will burn the quick Flesh or Membrane that occasions the Pain and Bleeding This Water has a corroding and consuming Faculty and consequently makes the Part to which 't is applied insensible which is the main thing requir'd in the present case but if the Rift do not bleed 't is not absolutely necessary to pour in Aqua-Fortis For you may make S's of Fire according to the following Directions and after the application of the Aqua-Fortis you may make an S of Fire on the Cronet without piercing the Skin and another lower down The S of Fire is made with an Iron Instrument resembling the Letter S which must be heated and applied exactly to the Cronet where the Hoof begins Another Iron must be applied lower down upon the Crack and another after that then suffer the Scab to fall off from the Cronet and the Cure will be quickly perfected if you take care to keep the Foot supple with Horse's-Dung well moisten'd or a good Remolade This Instrument is very thin and but a Finger's breadth long 'T is framed like one of those Irons with which Casks are usually mark'd and has a handle after the same fashion 'T is to be observ'd that the Skin on the Cronet must not be pierc'd when you apply the S for the Flesh would rise so high that the Swelling could not easily be asswag'd The Rift being clos'd about an Inch under the Hair you must set on the Horse's-Shoe and so turn and contrive it that the False Quarter may be open'd and that side of the Hoof forc'd outwards after which you may ride him on soft Ground but you must carefully avoid hard and stony Places The Method of Shooing Horses that are troubl'd with this Distemper is describ'd in the Forty First Chapter of the Second Part and you may also set on a Pantofle-Shoe Manag'd Horses that are not carefully kept are subject to this Distemper by reason of the driness of the Hoof or ill Shooing to remedy which inconveniency the usual way is to cut the Shooe at the Place where it touches the Rift and these Shoes are called Lunet or Moon-Shoes When a Horse wears his Shoes cut on both sides that is when both the Sponges are taken away you must suffer him to stay in the Stable till his Feet gather strength and assoon as he ceases to halt you may ride him as before but only on soft Ground I have already order'd an S of Fire to be made when the Crack bleeds The same Remedy may be us'd for all sorts of False Quarters observing always that the Skin on the Cronet must not be pierc'd and even that the S of Fire must never be applied to the Cronet unless your conveniency will permit you to suffer the Horse to remain in the Stable till the Scab be fall'n and the Sore heal'd tho' this is the only way to prevent effectually the return of the Distemper If the Cleft be small and do not make the Horse halt you need not apply the S of Fire to the Cronet but for the greater security you may apply it to the place where the Cronet ends and in two or three places along the Rift for they close and reunite the gaping sides of the Crack and contribute very much to the Cure As soon as you have given the Fire take a head of Garlick and having prick'd it with an Iron Infuse it in boiling Oil-Olive then rub the Chink with it from one end to the other dipping it often in the hot Oil that the Chink may be throughly moisten'd After two or three Days you may begin to ride your Horse if he be freed from his Lameness and the False Quarter will be afterwards heal'd if you take care to keep the Foot moist and supple The best way to preserve the Feet of Manag'd Horses
a Glass-Bottle over hot Embers adding the weight of a Golden Crown of Alkanet hung unto the Bottle by a Thred after it has stood a quarter of an Hour on the Ashes take out the Alkanet and preserve the Oil for use You may thicken the Oil to the consistency of a Balsam by a melting a little Wax in it but then its penetrating Faculty will be weaken'd When you have occasion to apply it inject it warm opening the Sore that the Oil may penetrate into it then stop the Hole with Cotton to keep it open cover it with Flax and Splents and renew the Application every Day till the Horse go upright 'T is a sure Remedy for all Pricks with Nails or Stubs it helps very effectually Cold Pains Blows Bruises Strains Cold Gout Sciatica Decay'd and Founder'd Legs if it be mixt with an equal quantity of Oil of Worms and a double quantity of Aqua-vitae and 't is also good for a Sprain in the Shoulders or Hips The Vertue of Remedies consists neither in quantity nor price of the Ingredients There are a thousand Remedies that cure a Prick with a Nail in the beginning as Turpentine alone Tallow or Sewet melted with Gum-Elemi Galbanum melted with Butter or Tallow all Balsams for Wounds and several other Medicines A Green Balsam highly esteem'd for its excellent Virtues This is that Balsam usually known at Paris by the Name of Madam Feüillet's Balsam It performs such wonderful Cures on Men that I thought my self oblig'd to insert it in this Book for the conveniency of those who have occasion to use it but it wou'd be needless to describe the Plaister that is usually apply'd with the Balsam since common Diapalma may be substituted instead of that dearer Medicine and besides 't is the Balsam alone that performs the Cure while the Plaister seems only to keep on the Dressing and hinder the Air from hurting the Sore This Balsam is an excellent Remedy for Wounds in any part of a Horse's Body and for Pricks with a Nail Stub c. Take of the Oils of Linseed Olives and Juniper-Berries of each two Ounces Turpentine of Chio and for want of that fine common Turpentine two Ounces Oil of Bay one Ounce Oil of Cloves two Drams Verdigrease beaten and strain'd thro' a Taffeta Searce three Drams White Vitriol two Drams put all the Ingredients into a Glass-Vial mix them cold by shaking the Vial from time to time during the space of a Month and keep the Balsam for use When you dress a Wound the first time wash it with warm Wine then chafe it with this Balsam which must be apply'd with Lint and cover'd with a Plaister if the Wound be deep dip your Tents in your Balsam and lay a Plaister over it When your Horse is hurt dry the Wound with Flax anoint it with the Balsam hot then strew it with the Powder of an old Rope continuing daily after the same manner without moistening the Wound which by this method will be quickly heal'd in any part of the Body For Pricks with a Nail or Stub it must be apply'd as the Oil de Merveille but since these Oils and Balsams are not so convenient for Carriage as Ointments I shall subjoin some of the most approv'd Medicines in that form beginning with one that is much celebrated and was long kept secret Mr. Sicar's Ointment for Pricks with a Nail or Stub Take of the Gum of a Pine-Tree and Gum-Elemi in Powder of each an Ounce melt 'em in a Bason or Pot stirring them over a very gentle Fire then add nine Ounces of Red-Wax beaten stirring the Substances till they be throughly Incorporated after which put in three Ounces of Venice-Turpentine and the whole being well mixt remove the Vessel from the Fire and immediately add one Ounce of Dragon's-Blood and two Ounces of Long Birthwort in very fine Powder stirring the mixture till it be half cold Then pour it on a piece of Marble or a Table rubb'd with Oil-Olive or Oil of sweet Almonds and having anointed your Hands with the same Oil make it up into Rolls of a convenient bigness wrapping them in Paper to be kept for use The Ointment ought to be reddish if it be carefully prepar'd If you have no Red-Wax the Ointment may be made thus Take of good Yellow-Wax one Pound Turpentine four Ounces Oil-Olive and Cinnabar reduc'd to very fine Powder on a dry Marble melt the Wax Turpentine and Oil stirring them carefully and after they are a little cool'd add the Cinnabar Mix and make it up in what form you please This Plaister which I call an Ointment in compliance with the common way of speaking is better old than new it may be kept thirty Years without losing its Virtue and is thus apply'd Having laid open the Sore melt a sufficient quantity of the Ointment in a Spoon with a Spoon with a little Sewet Grease Butter or Oil-Olive and apply it warm continuing after the same manner till your Horse be sound Note That the Dragon's-Blood prescrib'd in the Composition of this Ointment is the Gum of a certain Tree found in one of the Canary-Islands the Tears or Drops that distil from the Tree are of a bright red Colour and are the purest Dragon's-Blood for the Gum that is drawn out of the Tree by Incision is also call'd by the same Name but is inferiour in Vertue to the former The greatest part is brought from the East-Indies and the goodness of both is judg'd by the deepness of their Colour But the Dragon's-Blood usually sold to Farriers ought wholly to be rejected as useless since 't is only Gum-Arabic or some other common Gum dissolv'd in Water and ting'd with Brasil-Wood The Gum is boil'd slowly till it acquire a fine Colour after which 't is strain'd thro' a fine Cloth and the moisture carefully evaporated This Mixture is Sold to Farriers for true Dragon's-Blood because they are not willing to pay a reasonable price for it but it ought not to be imagin'd that the red Colour increases the Virtue of the common Gums of which 't is compos'd CHAP. XCIV Monsieur Curtis 's Ointment for Wounds Bruises or Pricks with a Nail or Stubs TAke Oil-Olive seven Pounds and mix it in a Bason or Skillet with a Pound of Ceruss and a Pound and a quarter of Litharge of Gold or Silver for they are both equally effectual with a Quart of Water mix them in a large Bason wide above and narrow at the bottom or in the form of a Sugar-Loaf and incorporate 'em Cold stirring 'em with a large and strong Wooden-Slice for a quarter of an Hour after which set the Vessel over a Char-coal Fire in a convenient Furnace and boil the Substances stirring 'em perpetually till after they have boil'd upwards towards the top of the Vessel they begin to sink not by abating the heat of the Fire which ought always to be equal and strong but by reason of the consumption of the Water that
a Cloth wrapt about it and a Bandage over all and in the space of two Days if the Oil be good it will raise little Scurfs which you must separate from the Skin and take away gently Then dress the Part as before continuing after the same manner till the Swelling be dissolv'd If this Remedy be not attended with Success your only refuge must be the Fire and therefore you must pierce the Skin with a red-hot Iron making Holes thro' the whole extent of the Swelling at the distance of a Finger's breadth from each other and half a Finger's breadth from the Cronet extending the Holes beyond the Swelling the breadth of half an Inch then charge the whole burnt Part with a mixture of Turpentine Honey and Tarr apply'd with Flax and every four Days renew the Application with the same Flax till theScabs fall off after which wash the Sores with Aqua-vitae and strew 'em with the Powder of old Ropes The Sole must be taken out and the Frush cleft four Days before you give the Fire unless you unsol'd the Horse fifteen Days or three Weeks before in order to the Application of the Oil of Bays The Powder of unslak'd Lime that enters the Composition of the above-mention'd Restringent Remedy ought to be Prepar'd thus put a piece of Lime on a Board or in a Pot and set it in a dry place where it will draw in the Air and crumble to Powder which as I order'd before must be mix'd with the Second Water or if that cannot be procur'd with Aqua-vitae and this is certainly one of the best Restringents hitherto known It has been often observ'd that after the taking out of the Sole for Surbating or a Prick with a Nail when the Sore seems to be perfectly cur'd an Imposthume appears above the Hoof in which case you must apply the Countesses Ointment to the Sore on the Cronet and charge the whole Foot with the above-mention'd Restringent for two or three such Applications will probably be sufficient to perfect the Cure This Remedy ought to be highly esteem'd for it may prevent the loss of a Horse's Foot and the Countesses Ointment is also good for soft or frothy Soles CHAP. XCVII Of the Casting of the Hoof. HOof-cast or the Casting of the Hoof is when the Coffin-Bone falls quite away and leaves the Bone of the Foot fasten'd to the Pivot or Bone of the Pastern by the Sinews that surround it cross-wise below the Bone appearing to the Eye being of a spongy or porous Substance and cover'd with Flesh This is one of the dangerous effects of Pricking with a Nail which sometimes reaches the Sinew and makes the Horse Lame Besides I saw the very Bone of the Foot fall away in two or three Pieces having been pierc'd and broken by a Nail in the Street Two other Horses lost the same Bone entirely on the like occasion and tho' they were at last cur'd they remain'd Lame ever after and only fit for the Plow and other Work of that Nature because there was no Bone left within the Coffin I would gladly be inform'd whether those Gentlemen that pretend to be Masters of never-failing Ointments could have cur'd these Horses and prevented the falling out of the Bone since I am perswaded that it was in a manner Dead and no longer a natural part of the Foot If they affirm that they could have brought away the Bone without taking out the Sole I must beg leave to dissent from them till they convince me that their Ointments are better or even as good as mine which I confess are not sufficient to perform the Work without the assistance of Manual Operation and after all not without a great deal of difficulty But these Boasters must in some measure be excus'd since they never saw any of these dangerous cases which happen no where so frequently as at Paris because the Streets are so pester'd with Dirt and Wheels A certain Person of Quality who had often tir'd me with tedious and hyperbolical Harangues in Praise of his infallible Ointment desir'd my Opinion of his Horse's Foot that was prick'd with a Nail in the Street and cou'd not be cur'd by his boasted Remedy I order'd a large Incision to be made and immediately perceiv'd that the Bone of the Foot was hurt and that there was a Scale to be separated which I drest with the Vulnerary Water and quickly cur'd the Sole After this Accident the Receipt of the Ointment that had till then been kept so secret was freely communicated to a great number of Persons which is the usual Fate of those magnify'd Remedies when they fall into the hands of Ignorant Persons I acknowledge this Digression is somewhat long but may perhaps serve to undeceive some of those who imagine that no Disease is able to resist the wonderful efficacy of a boasted Secret The Strasburg Ointment Frankfort Pills Orvietan and all the famous Secrets are at last brought to light and for my part I never scruple to communicate all that I know to the Publick and this freedom is so far from depriving me of the use of the Secrets which I impart that it secures me against Mistakes since I can always have recourse to the Book where I find them fully describ'd Of Horses who cast their Hoofs few escape irrecoverable Lameness and generally they may be turn'd away as useless since before the Hoof can be renew'd the charge of the Cure amounts to more than their Value especially at Paris and after all they are hardly fit for Service but if you resolve to attempt the Cure and try the success of the best Remedies I must acknowledge that I know no better Method than that which is prescrib'd by Signior Carolo Ruini in his Book Entitul'd Infirmita Del Cavallo and after him by Philippo Scacco in his Treatise Di Mescalzia Printed at Venice I have nothing to add to what those Gentlemen have said on this Subject especially the former only I think my self oblig'd to declare that I have always observ'd the charge of the Cure to exceed the value of the Horses and that after all they were only fit to be imploy'd in Tilling the Ground Nevertheless since there are some fine Horses whom a Man would not willingly lose without trying the success of the best Methods and who may serve for Stallions if they be not Gelt for the general satisfaction of my Readers I thought fit to subjoin the description of an excellent Ointment to restore the Hoof which I can confidently recommend as very effectual if it be duly apply'd and the use of it continu'd for a considerable time Schmit 's Ointment Take half a Pound of Rosin and a Pound of Oil-Olive melt them in a Copper-Bason Tinn'd and a quarter of an Hour after you remove the Vessel from the Fire add Mastic and Olibanum in Powder of each an Ounce and half stir the Ingredients together about half a quarter of an Hour and then add half a
Schmit's or the Doctor 's Ointment using your utmost Diligence to prevent a Gangrene in the Summer for during the Winter Wounds are not so much subject to that fatal inconveniency Lapis Mirabilis is good to resist Corruption as also the above-mention'd Vulnerary-Water and for want of that the Yellow-Water but the Spirits of Vitriol or Salt are better besides several others all these Remedies ought to be apply'd in case of Necessity when the Matter that runs out appears of a Black Colour which is one of the greatest signs of Corruption If you cannot stop the Blood after the opening of an Abscess sear the part for besides the conveniency of stanching the Flux of Blood the falling away of the Scab will promote the Cure and at last when 't is time to compleat the Cure the regular application of the Hermit's Ointment will quickly perform the Work An excellent Digestive Take fine Turpentine and Honey of each two Ounces the Yolks of four Eggs half an Ounce of Myrrh and an Ounce of Alloes in Powder mix all the Ingredients cold and you will have a Digestive that hinders the Corruption of the Flesh and takes away all the Pain occasion'd by the violence of the preceding Remedies The usual Digestive of Farriers is compos'd of Turpentine incorporated with the Yolks of Eggs to the thickness of an Ointment of a pale Citron Colour which is a good Remedy but inferior to the former When the Wound appears fair and clean and fit to be clos'd you may apply several sorts of Ointments That which follows is esteem'd good and is thus prepar'd The Hunter 's Ointment for deep Wounds Tho' I have already communicated the description of the Hermit's Ointment which is one of the most effectual Remedies for Wounds and cures 'em very speedily without the least ill Accident I thought fit also to insert that which follows since 't is a good easie and cheap Remedy Take Hog's Grease and Oil-Olive of each one pound melt the Grease in the Oil and after they have boil'd a little add two handfuls of the fresh Roots of Sharp-pointed Dock beaten and slic'd small Continue to boil for the space of half an Hour stirring from time to time after which add two handfuls of Self-heal and boil half an Hour longer then squeeze the Substances thro' a Linen Cloth in a Press and throwing away the Dreggs put the strain'd Liquor in a Bason over a gentle Fire with a pound of common Turpentine and as soon as they begin to incorporate add four Ounces of Verdigreese reduc'd to a fine Powder boiling and stirring 'em over a slow Fire then remove the Vessel from the Fire and add two Ounces of Borax beaten very small and six Ounces of unslak'd Lime in very fine Po wder stirring 'em till they be quite cold This Ointment will be of a lovely Green Colour When you have occasion to use it apply it cold to the Wounds and strew 'em with the Powder of old Ropes powdering the Tents with the same It cleanses heals consolidates and cicatrizes the Wound without hurting it Experience will convince you of its Excellency CHAP. CX Of Waters for Gun-Shot Wounds or Vulnerary Potions 'T IS not always convenient to make large Incisions in Gun-shot Wounds especially in the Army during the Heat of the Summer where there are no places to shelter the Horses either from the Sun or from Flies To discover the bottom and depth of these Wounds you must search them with a long Iron Probe placing the Horse in the same posture he was in when he receiv'd the Shot The Wounds by a Musquet Bullet are usually so deep that 't is impossible to reach the bottom of 'em with Ointments or Powders and therefore 't was necessary to invent certain Remedies in form of VVaters to be injected several times a day There is also a moistn'd Tent put into the Wound to keep it open the Hole is covered with a wet Linnen Cloth and half a pint of the same VVater is given inwardly to the Horse once a day Thus several Wounds are happily cur'd that wou'd have certainly prov'd fatal without the assistance of these Remedies 'T is true this Method is not always attended with success but at least a man has the satisfaction of thinking that his Horse did not perish by his neglect If the Horse be seiz'd with a Fever you must administer Clysters prepar'd with the Scoriae of Antimony and abstain from the inward use of the above-mention'd VVaters which are compos'd of hot Ingredients and wou'd consequently augment the heat and agitation of the humours and precipitate 'em on the wounded part But 't is frequently observ'd that very large Wounds in Horses are not accompany'd with a Fever nor must we condemn these Medicines for Horses tho' the use of 'em be almost intirely abolish'd for Men unless among the Switzers where they are still in great Credit A Simple Water for Gun-shot Wounds Take an Ounce and a half of the Raspings of round Birth-wort put it into a new Varnish'd Pot with three Quarts of small White-Wine and boil 'em over a gentle Fire to the consumption of a Quart then add six Ounces of fine Sugar and as soon as that is melted remove the Vessel from the Fire and strain out the Liquor Make the Horse drink half a Pint of this Water or rather Wine every Morning and wash or syringe the Wound with it twice every Day Another more Compound Take the Leaves of Comfrey Self-heal Speedwel and Sow-Bread slic'd small of each two handfuls Crab's-Eyes in fine Powder four Ounces put 'em into a Stew-Pot with four Quarts of the thinnest White-Wine lute on the Cover exactly and set the Pot on a gentle Fire Digest three Days after which boil half and Hour and strain out the Water or rather Wine Make the Horse drink half a Pint of it every Morning keeping him Bridl'd two Hours before and as long after wash and syringe the Wound with it and apply Tents moistenâ—d in the same Liquor This Water is more effectual than the former Another Take Mace Crab's-Eyes and Zedoary of each half an Ounce Mummy and Galingal of each three Drams Nux Vomica two Drams and half beat 'em grossly and put 'em into a large and strong Glass-Bottle slightly stopt with three Quarts of White-Wine Digest six Hours in a moderate Heat and without stirring the Iâ—quor pour out a large Glass-full every Morning to give the Horse and wash or syringe the Wound twice every twenty four Hours If this Water be too dear for a Horse it cannot be thought too chargeable for Men. A Compound Wine for curing Wounds in a Horse This Composition is more easily prepar'd and less chargeable than the former I shall insert the Names of several Vulnerary Simples that you may choose such of 'em as can be most easily procur'd but the more Ingredients you take the more effectual will your Remedy be Sow-Bread Savin Vervain Comfrey Lung-Wort Arsmart
Passages that give any hope of drawing those Humours from the Lungs are either the Kidneys Nostrils or Mouth And since all Evacuations that tend upwards are contrary to the Nature of Horses as they who are acquainted with the internal Oeconomy or Disposition of a Horse's Body will readily acknowledge 't is plain that the Cure must be perform'd by Cutting Attenuating or Diuretic Remedies When the Disease is accompany'd with a dry and often-returning Cough or when the Motion of Respiration reaches as far as the Croup and appears visibly on the Rump you may conclude the Cure to be absolutely impossible If your Horse void Flegmatick Humours by his Nostrils and Mouth you will find it a very hard Task to restore him to his Health A Remedy for Pursiveness If a diligent Observation of the various Circumstances with which the Disease is accompany'd convince you that your Horses Lungs are very much heated among all the Remedies that I propose you must choose such as are most temperate But if you perceive no sign of heat you may use the most cutting Remedies However I will endeavour to moderate and qualifie 'em all to such a degree that they may be able to loosen and remove the Obstructions of the Lungs without heating 'em and after I have propos'd the most gentle Remedies at first I shall gradually proceed to the strongest The Cure ought always to be attempted in the beginning of the Disease 'T is to be observ'd that the Horse must eat no Hay and after the ordering of his Diet you may prepare and exhibit the following Remedies Melt two pounds of Lead in a convenient Vessel and removing it from the Fire stir it till it be reduc'd to Powder then continuing to stir it without intermission add two Pounds of Brimstone in Powder and stir 'em together till they be perfectly incorporated Give your Horse an Ounce of this Powder every Day in moisten'd Bran and it will not only give him Ease but not improbably compleat the Cure if your Horse be young and the Disease not very inveterate If your Horse's Lungs be heated with a violent beating in his Flanks Sal Polychrest may give him Relief but by reason of the coldness of that Remedy 't will be convenient to add half the quantity of Juniper-Berries or Nutmegs Thus you may give him an Ounce of Sal Polychrest with half an Ounce of Nutmegs or Juniper-Berries in moisten'd Bran and continue after the same manner for a considerable time If he refuse to eat the Bran give him the Remedies in a Pint of Wine after they have stood in Infusion a whole Night keeping him bridl'd two Hours before and three Hours after every Dose and persisting in this Method for fifteen Days If his Belly be loosn'd by the continu'd use of this Remedy you may entertain more certain hopes of the Cure for so it will evacuate the offendin Humours dilute the Flegm that causes the Obstructions clear and unstop the Passages that cool the Lungs purifie the Blood and resist Corruption If the Disease be not very stubborn and desperate this Remedy will at last mitigate its Violence and since that which gives Ease may at length perfect the Cure you ought to persist in a careful Observance of this Method if you perceive that the Horse receives any benefit by it This Remedy is most proper for young Horses who oftentimes stand in need of cooling Medicines which is seldom or never the Case of those that are old Another Remedy for Pursiveness The proper time for preparing this Remedy is when the Herbs are endu'd with their entire Virtues especially when Broom begins to put out its Flowers Take Mallows White Mullein Colts-Foot Green Broom Tops of the same Year Succory Bramble Tops Bitter Succory Hysop and White Horehound of each three Handfuls Chop 'em small and put 'em into a Kettle capable of containing a Pail full of Water fill the Kettle with Water and boil the Herbs two Hours after which remove the Vessel from the Fire adding a quarter of a Pound of Juice of Liquorice and ten handfuls of Broom Flowers After 't is half cold strain out the Liquor and dissolve in it two Pounds of Honey then melt a like quantity of Brimstome in an Iron Spoon or Ladle and cast it into the Decoction and after it sinks to the Bottom take it out melt it a second time and throw it again into the Liquor repeating the same Operation five or six times that the Decoction may be impregnated with the Salt of Sulphur After you have kept your Horse bridl'd two Hours in the Morning give him a fourth part of this Potion with a Horn walking him gently half an Hour after it then give him another fourth part walking him as before the next Day make him drink the other half observing the same Directions after which suffer him to rest one Day and on the fourth renew the Potion for two Days as before which must be follow'd by a Day of repose and the same Method continu'd till he has drunk the Decoction ten Days and rested four In the Intervals he must eat neither Hay nor Oats but Bran and Straw during the use of this Remedy and you will find him if not absolutely cur'd at least very much eas'd for the Operation of the Medicine depends on the State or Degree of the Disease when it was first exhibited Another Remedy for Pursiveness The former Remedy is only proper in the Summer and therefore since Horses are troubl'd with this Distemper in other Seasons of the Year you may observe the following Method Give your Horse a sufficient quantity of White Mullein chopt small and mixt with moisten'd Oats the larger you make the Dose the more effectually it will work If he will not eat Wheat-Straw moisten his Hay and for his ordinary Drink dissolve a Pound of Honey in a Pail-full of Water for tho' at first he may seem unwilling to drink it he will quickly be reconcil'd to it I have seen Horses abstain from drinking fifty Hours together but at last thirst constraind 'em to drink the Hony'd Water The continu'd use of this Remedy will either cure the Horse or at least make him fit for Service You must give the Mullein as long as you can but 't will be sufficient to make him drink Hony'd Water for a Month more or less according to the stubbornness of the Distemper and in the mean time the Horse may be ridden CHAP. CXV The way of Exhibiting Honey to Horses that are Purfive or troubl'd with Disorders in the Flanks and other Distempers HOney is an excellent Remedy for lean Horses who are troubl'd with Disorders in the Flanks or tir'd and spent with hard Exercise for it comforts the Lungs and allays the sharpness of the Humours But since it must be given Methodically I thought fit to insert all the particular Directions that must be observ'd in those cases Some give it with Oats to Horses that are Short-Winded Nor
do I condemn this Method but 't is incomparably better to make the Horse eat it hot with Bran if he can possibly overcome his Reluctancy for there are some Horses so obstinate that 't is absolutely impossible to make 'em eat it hot and therefore you must either suffer it to cool or not heat it at all Some mix a Pound of Honey with two Pecks of Bran stirring 'em together with a little luke-warm Water Others boil two Bushels of Bran in a Kettle with a proportionable quantity of Honey and Water and give it to their Horses Both these Methods are good and the Honey prepar'd either way cures the Cough takes away the disturbance in the Flanks and fattens the Horse if he be lean and wasted after long Fatigues This is an excellent way of giving Honey you may begin with half a Pound increasing the Dose afterwards to a whole Pound and at last to two Pounds a Day one in the Morning and the other at Night and preparing the Honey according to either of the above-mention'd Methods If you wou'd have the Honey perform its Operation effectually and resolve to give a large quantity of it you must neither ride your Horse nor give him any Oats feeding him only with Bran and persisting in an exact observance of this Method till his Body be sufficiently purg'd for tho' the Honey occasion a copious Evacuation you must still continue to give him the same quantity of it till the Purgation cease provided it do not exceed six Days but if it continues to the seventh you must lay aside the use of the Honey tho' this Caution be very rarely necessary for the heat of the Evacuation seldom or never lasts above three or four Days together tho' the Horse continue still to take his usual Doses of Honey I have seen Horses eat fifty Pounds of Honey before they were throughly purg'd but at last they voided very stinking and corrupt Matter and afterwards grew very Fat This Example ought not to fright the Reader for I only mention it as an extraordinary case and if all Horses requir'd so vast a quantity of Honey the whole Indies cou'd not furnish enough for so extraordinary an Expence The only inconveniency that attends this Method is that the Worms that are in a Horse's Body are nourish'd and strengthn'd by the sweetness of the Honey and afterwards vex and torment him To destroy these troublesome Insects the usual Method is to give the Horse Rye instead of Oats during the time of his eating Honey The Rye is cast into boiling Water and immediately remov'd from the Fire then the Water is suffer'd to cool and the Rye laid on a Hurdle to drain But without engaging in so troublesome a Method after he has taken all the Honey that you intend to give him you may content your self with giving him a Dose of Aloes which will kill all the Worms in his Body You may easily destroy Worms without Purgation by giving the Horse every Day an Ounce of Filings of Steel or of fine Needles mixt with moisten'd Bran for eight or ten Days together The Steel being dissolv'd by the penetrating Acid contain'd in the Stomach the Vitriolic Particles exert their Force and insinuating themselves a mong the Aliments poyson and destroy the Worms Besides Steel is indu'd with an admirable Faculty to open and clear the Passages and consequently makes way for the Blood to nourish and fatten the Parts Any Needle-maker will furnish you with a sufficient quantity of these Filings and you may try the goodness of 'em by throwing 'em against the Flame of a Candle for they will take Fire like Gun-Powder ' Twou'd be needless to alledge any Arguments to demonstrate that the Vitriolic part of the Steel is dissolv'd and separated in the Stomach and afterwards mixt with the digested Aliments since the very Excrements of the Horse during the use of this Remedy furnish me with a convincing proof of the truth of that Assertion for they appear black shining and ting'd with the Vitriol of Steel so long as the Horse continues to take the Powder of Steel and no longer The Filings of Steel in Substance is an excellent Remedy and the laborious ways of Preparing it produce the same effect in this case as in the Preparation of Pearls destroying the efficacy of the Remedy instead of exalting its Virtues and Chymistry teaches us on several occasions that Nature is a better Preparer of Medicines than Art Any Physician may be experimentally convinc'd of this Truth by giving a Dram of the Filings of Steel every Day in some convenient Conserve to his Patients to open Obstructions and destroy Worms and the same may be given with Success to Maids that are troubl'd with the Green-Sickness Or you may give the Horse four Ounces of Powder of Cinnabar in a Pound of fresh Butter which will not leave a Worm alive in his Body and the Dose may be repeated upon occasion Mercurius Dulcis is also an excellent Remedy with a double quantity of the Cordial-Powder that is half an Ounce of Mercury mixt with an Ounce of Powder CHAP. CXVI A Powder for heat and disturbance in the Flanks THE following Powder is of excellent use for Horses that are troubl'd with disorder'd Flanks and begin to be Short-Winded tho' it does not absolutely Cure ' em To keep their Flanks fresh and cool you must give it once a Year for twenty Days together by which Method I preserv'd a Horse as fresh as a Colt for six Years who was manifestly Short-Winded but not much troubl'd with a Cough Take Bay-Berries gather'd from a Laurel-Tree of Italy or Provence Myrrh Gentian and Round Birthwort of each eight Ounces Agaric four Ounces Saffron two Drams beat each Ingredient severally to Powder then mix and searce 'em thro' a fine Hair-Sieve The Dose is a Silver-Spoonful every Morning in a Quart of White-Wine and the Horse must be kept Bridl'd an Hour before and as long after Repeat the Dose once a Day till the whole Powder be consum'd and if you have not the conveniency of giving it with a Horn you may give it in moisten'd Bran fifteen Days together or longer In the mean time the Horse may be moderately ridden but you must never make him Sweat if you can possibly avoid it if his Body be full of corrupt Humours they may hinder the Operation of the Powder Experience will convince you of the usefulness of this Remedy for Horses that are troubl'd with the Flanks before they are evidently Pursive for it cools their Flanks and perfectly allays the disturbances of those Parts and besides it gives ease for a time to those that are Short-Winded I am not ignorant that 't is the usual Method of Farriers to administer Cooling Remedies to Pursive Horses but the efficacy of this Powder which is of a very different Nature must certainly oblige 'em to own that tho' there are some signs of Heat in the Flanks the original cause or
principle of all these Disturbances is Cold that is a viscous and heavy Flegm that obstructs the Veins or the Passages of respiration And this observation may serve to deter all those who are not perfectly acquainted with the Causes and Effects of a Disease from attempting the Cure of it Purgation is very troublesome to Short-Winded Horses and therefore ought to be omitted but in cases of extream necessity you may loosen your Horses Belly without any disturbance after the following manner How to Loosen a Pursive Horse's Belly Keep your Horse two Days without Drinking and in the mean time give him his usual allowance of Food but you must not ride him then offer him a Pail-full of Water and as soon as he has swallow'd one Draught pull up his Head and restrain him from drinking more till you have pour'd two Pounds of the best Oil-Olive into the Pail after which suffer him to drink up all the Water and Oil which will loosen his Belly and supple the surface of the Guts that were dry'd by the heat occasion'd by Putrefaction Thus the Excrements or peccant Humours that were lodg'd in the Passages will be evacuated without disturbing or over-turning the oeconomy or natural disposition of the Body and the Horse will be very sensibly reliev'd supposing that you were convinc'd by certain and evident signs of the necessity of Purgation To prevent the loss of the Oil if the Horse should refuse to drink it you may make an Essay by pouring a little Oil upon the Water and offering it to the Horse for there are some Horses who will not taste it tho' at the same time they are extreamly tormented with Thirst by reason of the aversion they have for all unctuous things and therefore the surest way is to give him two Pounds of fresh and sweet Oil-Olive with a Horn keeping him Bridl'd four Hours before and as long after for thus you need not make him abstain so long from Drinking as you must do if you give him the Oil mixt with Water however you may choose which Method you like best but the last is certainly the surest After the Purgation you may repeat the use of the above-mention'd Powder which in that case will operate very powerfully and if after all the Horse continue Short-Winded you may conclude that the Cure will be very difficult if not impossible If you administer the Oil without very apparent signs of an urgent necessity you must expect to be allarm'd with the ill Consequences of a Preposterous Purgation for if your Horse be of a Choleric Constitution or have too much Fire in his Temper he will absolutely forsake his Meat and swell eight or ten Hours after the Dose in so prodigious a manner that you wou'd think he was just ready to burst But the danger is not so great as the Swelling seems to threaten and you may easily preserve your Horses Life by observing these Directions After you have walk'd him half an Hour give him a Clyster of Beer and the Scoriae of Antimony such as you will find describ'd in several parts of this Book half an Hour after walk him again for the space of an Hour and as soon as you bring him into the Stable inject another Clyster which will open your Horse's Body and produce a plentiful Evacuation for twenty four Hours nor must you be surpriz'd if he refuse to eat during that time for his Appetite will return after the Purgation is over These Disorders never happen to Horses that are of a most Constitution lazy and full of Humours in which case you may administer a Purgative Remedy safely and with good Success This diversity of Constitutions must be observ'd with a great deal of care and sagacity CHAP. CXVII An excellent Powder for Pursive Horses TAke three Pounds of Linseed and spread 'em in an Earthen Pan then put the Pan into an Oven as soon as the Bread is taken out shut the Oven and stir the Seed in the Pan once every Hour Continue after the same manner to put the Pan into the Oven immediately after the Bread is taken out till the Seeds grow dry and brittle and all their Moisture be exhal'd Then take two Pounds of Liquorice rasp'd or rather a Pound of the black Juice of Liquorice which is more effectual and almost as cheap Aniseeds half a Pound Sage and Leaves and Flowers of Hyssop dry'd of each half a Pound Carduus Benedictus and Leaves and Flowers of Lesser Centory of each four Ounces Leaves of Long Birthwort two Ounces Speedwel and Sanicle of each two handfuls Roots of Elecampane four Ounces Comfrey and Roots of Marsh-Mallows or Mallows of each two Ounces Gentian half an Ounce Missleto of the Oak two Ounces dry all the Ingredients in the Shade reduce each of 'em to Powder a-part mix 'em together carefully and preserve the Powder in a Leathern-Bag close ty'd Give the Horse every Morning two small Silver Spoonfuls of the Powder in two Measures of moisten'd Wheat-Bran making him fast an Hour and a half after it At Noon and at Night mix a Spoonful with his Oates which must be also moisten'd and in the mean time give him no Hay but only good Wheat-Straw If your Horse be not eas'd by a methodical use of this Remedy you may conclude his Disease to be incurable I thought it needless to treat particularly of the Cough because the above-mention'd Remedies cure that Symptom as well as the Distemper for which they are prescrib'd since both proceed from the same Cause I am not ignorant that the Cure proceeds more successfully when Pursiveness is the only Distemper than when 't is accompany'd with a Cough and 't is to be observ'd that either a Cough or heaving in the Flanks may be singly cur'd without much difficulty but when they are both joyn'd together they are not easily to be remov'd The successful effects of those Powders gave me occasion to consider and endeavour to discover the reason why cooling Remedies are not only useless but oftentimes hurtful in a Disease that is accompany'd with so many signs of Heat And after a tedious Examination of the Nature and Circumstances of this Distemper I was inclin'd to believe as I hinted before that its original cause is almost always Cold since it usually proceeds from tough and flegmatick Humours that obstruct both the Veins and Passages of Respiration The adventitious and accidental Heat communicated to Water by the Fire does not change or destroy its natural coldness and the same Observation may be apply'd to those cold and flegmatick Humours when they are heated by Putrefaction which occasions a Fermentation and Ebullition accompany'd with external signs of Heat tho' the Humours are still really Cold. From hence 't is plain that tho' a cooling Remedy may allay the Fermentation for some time the Disease will be afterwards more confirm'd since the Flegm that causes it is not only increas'd by the coldness of the Medicine but grows thicker
and consequently more apt to obstruct the passage of the Blood that ought to nourish and refresh the Lungs which are dry'd and corrupted for want of those usual and necessary Supplies Thus 't is evident that the cooling of the Lungs does not remove the cause of the Distemper or the obstruction of the Vessels which can never be taken away by cold Remedies and therefore we are oblig'd to have recourse to cutting and attenuating Medicines mixt with Cordials without which they are wholly ineffectual Supposing the truth of this Assertion it may be enquir'd why Hay which is naturally hot is so hurtful in this case and always encreases the Cough and the disturbance in the Flanks This difficulty may be easily remov'd by considering that Hay by reason of its Heat augments the Ebullition and Fermentation of the corrupt Humours and besides produces a greater quantity of Blood than what is usually generated by Straw which being interrupted in its Motion is putrefy'd and augments the Fermentation of the Humours It may be also alledg'd that the Water which overflows the Fields and Meadows covers the Hay with a thin and sharp Slime almost imperceptible to the Eye that dries the Lungs and occasions a Cough Besides Hay is full of a piercing Nitre that irritates and dries the Lungs whereas Straw is a Drier and less substantial Nourishment and contains a smaller quantity of that Nitre which abounds in the substance of Hay as might be easily demonstrated by a particular Analysis or Examination of its constituent Particles I submit this Hypothesis to the Judgment of the Candid Reader but since all the Observations I have hitherto had occasion to make confirm the truth of that Opinion I must beg leave to retain it till it be disprov'd either by Reason or Experience and to conclude that purely Cooling Remedies are rather hurtful than profitable in this case and that the only effectual Medicines for the Cure of this Distimper are such as are of a temperate Nature or inclin'd rather to Heat than Cold. CHAP. CXVIII Of the Cure of Pursivenss with Eggs. SInce nothing ought to be neglected for the Cure of Horses that are troubl'd with Pursiveness or an Indisposition in their Flanks you may try the Virtues of the following Remedies which tho' very common are certainly good Take a Dozen of new-laid Eggs and pour a sufficient quantity of strong Vinegar upon 'em that is till it rise an Inch above 'em leaving 'em to macerate in the Vinegar till the Shell be wholly consum'd and only the Film or Skin remain that incloses the Egg. Then having kept your Horse bridl'd all Night make him swallow all the Eggs entire one after another giving him so much of the Vinegar with every Egg that the whole may be consum'd with the Eggs. As soon as you have given him the last Egg cover him well and walk him gently for the space of two Hours then unbridle him and give him moisten'd Bran instead of Oats suffering him to eat no Hay This Vinegar loses its sharpness and I have seen it given for the Cure of Quartan Feavers with a prodigious Success And indeed 't is the Vinegar alone that performs the Cure for the Salt of the Egg-Shells is a true Alkali which having blunted and sweetn'd the Acid of the Vinegar takes hold of the Acid that causes the Disorders in the Lungs and from this Union there results a kind of Saline Substance agreeable to Nature whereas before it fretted and prick'd the Lungs by its vehement Acidity for the sweetn'd Vinegar serves only for a Vehicle to convey the Salt of the Egg-shells which quickly leaves its Menstruum and sucks up the above-mention'd Acid. 'T is plain then that this Remedy is endu'd with more excellent Vertues than the Commonness of the Ingredients seems to promise The use of it may be repeated if need require and there cannot be a more effectual and less chargeable Remedy propos'd The Emetic or Angelic Powder for Pursiveness The Angelic Powder is an excellent Preparation of Antimony call'd by Chymists Algarot Butter of Antimony Oleum Glaciale Emetic Powder and the White Eagle I shall first describe the Method of preparing it and afterwards consider its Virtues Take Corrosive Sublimate and crude Antimony of each one Pound in Powder mix 'em in a Glass Retort so large that two third parts of it may remain empty and place it in an Earthen Pot of sufficient strength to resist the Fire with a Lay of Ashes of the thickness of two Inches between the bottom of the Pot and that of the Retort Then fill the Pot with Ashes till the Retort be almost cover'd with ' em The Beak of the Retort must hang down and the Matter contain'd in it must not be above an Inch lower than the beginning of its Neck Set the Pot in a common Furnace with a very moderate heat for the space of two hours after which augment the Fire and set a Glassfull of Water under the Beak of the Retort at a considerable distance from it When the Distillation begins the Drops that fall into the Water will turn to a very White Powder if there be no Error committed in the Operation but if the Fire was too violent at first the Powder will be of a Grey Colour and of no value If the Powder be white continue the Distillation augmenting the Fire by degrees Sometimes the Liquor in its Passage thro' the Neck of the Retort congeals and stops the Distillation But if you hold a Cole for some time near the Neck and blow upon it the Butter will melt and begin again to drop into the Water Towards the end of the Operation encrease the Heat to the highest degree and after the Distillation is over and the Vessels cold pour off the Water and wash the White Powder with fresh Water so often till that which is pour'd off at last be wholly insipid Then dry the Powder and preserve it as one of the best Preparations of Antimony Note that in this Preparation the Acid Spirits of Salt and Vitriol that kept the Mercury in the Form of a Crystalline Salt call'd Corrosive Sublimate are separated by the Fire from the Mercury and united to the Reguline part of the Antimony which they raise and bring along with 'em thro' the Neck of the Retort in form of a thick Liquor In the mean time the Mercury being freed from those Spirits joins it self to the Sulphur of the Antimony and both together are sublimated in the form of Cinnabar to the top of the Retort To proceed to the Use and Virtues of this Preparation Infuse half an Ounce of the Angelical Powder all Night stirring it two or three times and in the Morning pour off the clear Wine without raising or shaking the Powder at the bottom Having kept your Horse two Hours bridl'd give him the Quart of Wine and the Powder mixt together and afterwards rinse the Pot or Horn with half a Pint of Wine
breaking 'em all together in a Mortar till they be reduc'd to a hard Mass or Paste Make Pills weighing ten Drams each and dry 'em in the Shade on a Hair Sieve turn'd upside down When you intend to give your Horse this Remedy let him have his usual Allowance of Meat and then make him swallow a whole Pill in a Pint of Red or White Wine 'T is not absolutely necessary to keep him Bridl'd before you exhibit the Medicine but 't is certainly most convenient to let him stand Bridl'd an Hour before You must always remember to walk him about an Hour after and then you may ride him and in the mean time you may either work or ride him or put him in a Coach or if not you must keep him Bridl'd two Hours after the Dose Continue after the same manner to give him a Pill once a-day till the Cough be wholly cur'd if the Distemper be inveterate the Cure will at least require twenty Doses The same Pills may be also beaten and mix'd with moisten'd Bran. They may be kept very long and never grow moudly tho' they are almost always moist Tho' your Horse be not troubl'd with the Cough to preserve him from accidental Inconveniencies you may give him one of these Pills in the Morning before Hunting or hard Riding CHAP. CXXII Of. Châ—st-Foundering and Foundering accompany'd with a Fever THis Kind of Foundering is a preternatural Heat caus'd by the Fermentation of Humours in the Guts and Passages of Respiration and is accompany'd with the same Signs that denote Pursiveness but the Symptoms are more violent Only there is this difference between these two Distempers that there are few Horses troubl'd with Pursiveness at the Age of six Years whereas there are many founder'd This Distemper is often occasion'd by riding a Horse from his Wind and beyond his Strength It frequently accompanies the Melting of the Grease and sometimes 't is occasion'd by the Application of a violent Caustic or giving the Fire too roughly for the Cure of Diseases in the Feet but in this last Case the Distemper is not dangerous since it may be easily Cur'd by injecting one or two Clysters with Sal Polychrest Sometimes this follows some other Distempers when the Humours that fomented 'em are not entirely evacuated and continue to send up sharp hot and malignant Vapours which irritate the Lungs and cause the extraordinary Motion that is observ'd in ' em Horses are also Subject to this Distemper if they be suffer'd to feed on corrupt Provender when they are Young as Grass frozen in the Meadows during the Winter which putrefies in the Body and breeds a Ferment that occasions either this or some other dangerous Distemper 'T is caus'd by an Obstruction in the Passages of the Lungs which hinders Respiration if this Obstruction be newly generated or proceed from hot and subtil Matter it may be easily cur'd by the Application of convenient Remedies if it be not accompany'd with a Fever in which Case 't is frequently Mortal The Remedies prescrib'd for the Cure of this Distemper ought to be temperate and rather inclining to Cold than Heat to allay and stop the Fermentation and Ebullition of the Humors whereas the Medicines that are prescrib'd to pursive Horses must be rather Hot than Cold. In the Cure of this Distemper we must endeavour to allay the Heat that occasions the Boiling of the Humors prescribing all the Medicines in a liquid Form to dilute and qualifie the Heat of the Ingredients The Electuary prescrib'd in the preceding Chapter for the Cough is very useful in this Case and will certainly perform the Cure if it be administer'd regularly and repeated for a considerable Time If your Horse eat heartily you may cure him of his Distemper by giving him every Day from one to two Ounces of Liver of Antimony mix'd with moisten'd Bran but if he be naturally squeamish or has lost his Appetite on this Occasion 't will be in vain to attempt this Method If the Horse be Young and not troubl'd with a Fever the surest and easiest Method of Cure is to turn him out to Grass when the Herbs begin to spring forth and to leave him in the open Fields under the Dew during the Months of April and May for the young dewy Grass will scowre his Body and open the Passages Green Barley is also an excellent Remedy for this Distemper If this Method be impracticable by reason of the Inconveniency of the Place or of the Season of the Year you may observe the following Directions Feed your Horse with Wheat-Sheaves and Barley without allowing him either Hay or Oats Let him blood in the Flanks at the New Moon and the next Day give him a softening and opening Clyster which may be thus prepar'd Take of the five opening Roots beaten that is the Roots of Grass Madder Eringo or Sea-holm Capers and Rest-Harrow of each an Ounce Sal Polychrest half an Ounce boil the Ingredients in five Pints of Water for a Quarter of an Hour after which add the five softening Herbs namely Mallows Marsh-Mallows Mercury Violets and Pellitory of the Wall of each a Handful Boil 'em a quarter of an Hour longer then strain the Decoction add half a Pound of Honey prepar'd with the Herb Mercury and inject it by way of Clystâ—â— in the Evening repeating the same five or six Days together The Day after the administring of the last Clyster take White Mullein and Coltsfoot of each two Handfuls Chop 'em and boil 'em in three Pints of Water for a quarter of an Hour with half an Ounce of Sal Polychrest in Powder Assoon as you remove the Vessel from the Fire add three Handfuls of fresh Corn-Poppy Flowers or half an Ounce of the same Flowers dry'd and covering the Pot let 'em stand in Infusion till the Liquor be half cold then strain and adding an Ounce of Juice of Liquorice give the whole Decoction to your Horse with a Horn at Night inject the Clyster and next Morning repeat the Decoction Administer the same Remedies once every two Days for the Space of twelve Days but if during that time the Horse forsake his Meat you must endeavour to restore his Appetite by making him champ on a Chewing-Ball two Hours in the Morning and as long after Dinner and forbear the Use of the Decoction till he begins to eat heartily but this Inconveniency may be prevented notwithstanding the Use of the above-mention'd Remedies by giving him two Ounces of Liver of Antimony in Bran every Day when he is not oblig'd to take the Decoction which will not only preserve his Appetite but promote the Cure If these Remedies prove ineffectual and the Disease continue for a considerable Time it may at last degenerate to Pursiveness to prevent which if your Horse be of a phlegmatic Constitution Slow and Lazy you may give him the following Remedy to expel the thick and slimy Phlegm but if he be of a dark Sorrel Colour or
fiery and full of Mettle this Medicine wou'd make him extremely sick tho' a Couple of Clysters administer'd in the Height of the Sickness might perhaps prevent the ill Effects of it if you take care in the mean time to walk him frequently And besides 't is to be observ'd that this Remedy must not be given to a Horse either in the Beginning of the Disease or when 't is accompany'd with a Fever for it wou'd purge his Life out of his Body Take two or three Pounds of Fat of Bacon cut into thin Slices steep it in Water till it be fresh changing the Water five or six times once every two Hours in the mean time take red Colewort not a headed Cabbage and white Mullein of each two large Handfuls Carduus Benedictus one Handful Chop 'em small and beat 'em to a Mash in a Mortar with the fresh Fat of Bacon Form this Mass into Pills like Tennis-Balls and roll 'em up with Powder of Liquorice that they may not stick to your Fingers when you put 'em into the Horse's Mouth After the Horse has taken six or seven of these Pills give him a little Wine with a Horn or even after every Pill if you perceive that your Horse swallows 'em with Difficulty and after he has taken all the Pills wash his Mouth with a Pint of Wine and afterwards pour it down his Throat besides which you must allow another Pint to be taken with the Pills The Horse must stand bridl'd four Hours before and as long after If this Remedy be attended with Success to compleat the Cure you must begin the former Course with the Decoctions and Clysters but if it proves ineffectual administer the following Remedy Take the Leaves of Red Colewort not headed Cabbage which is not only useless but hurtful and Carduus Benedictus of each three Handfuls White Mullein and Colt's-foot of each three Handfuls Juniper-Berries one Handful Boil 'em half an Hour in two Quarts of Water then remove the Vessel from the Fire and add to the boiling Decoction two Handfuls of fresh Corn-Poppy Flowers or one Handful of 'em dry'd Cover the Pot immediately and when 't is almost cold strain out the Liquor adding as much Saffron as is sufficient to tinge it with a yellow Colour with two Ounces of Liquid Conserve of Roses and having given your Horse a Clyster the Day before make him drink up this Decoction repeating the same Clyster in the Evening and continuing after the same manner for twelve Days if your Horse's Stomach be not disorder'd in which Case you must forbear the Use of the Remedies till his Appetite be restor'd After the twelve Days are expir'd if his Flanks be sound without any Palpitation you must not overwhelm Nature with a Heap of Remedies but allow her Time to compleat the Victory and utterly to destroy her Enemy that is already weaken'd by the Medicines Since usually the preternatural Heat which causes the Distemper is augmented by the Remedies and the internal Parts heated and wasted 't will be necessary to restore the Natural and destroy the Preternatural Heat and to remove the remaining Obstructions by giving the Horse every Day an Ounce of Sal Prunellae in Powder and two Nutmegs grated and mixt with moisten'd Bran. The Use of this Remedy must be continu'd for a long time unless the Horse forsake his Meat in which Case instead of Sal Prunellae 't will be convenient to give him two Ounces of Liver of Antimony in Powder which procures an Appetite without cooling the Body so much as the other CHAP. CXXIII Remedies for Obstructions of the Lungs caus'd by Foundering A Young Horse who had so great an Oppression in the Flanks that he was thought to be Pursive and given over for lost was perfectly cur'd by the following Remedy Take Carduus Benedictus Mossie Lung-wort chopt small of each one Handful Missleto of the Oak beaten an Ounce Roots of Marsh-Mallows and Elecampane stampt in a Mortar half an Ounce Hyssop two Handfuls boil the Ingredients about half an Hour then press out the Liquor and add half an Ounce of Juice of Liquorice an Ounce of Liquorice beaten to Powder Anniseed and Fennelseed reduc'd to fine Powder of each half an Ounce a Scruple of Saffron half a Pound of Clarify'd Honey and a Quart of White Wine Mix and make a Decoction to be given blood-warm to the Horse at two Doses who must stand bridl'd six Hours before and after you have walk'd him an Hour must be kept bridl'd four Hours longer This Decoction must be exhibited four Days together then intermit three Days and afterwards give him four Doses more This Remedy will ease him very considerably and even absolutely cure him if he be Young But if you perceive no Benefit by the Use of it you may exhibit the Purging Medicine describ'd in the preceding Chapter observing diligently all the Circumstances and Directions mention'd there And afterwards give him the following Powder which may be also given safely and with good Success without any preceding Evacuation Take three Pound of Linseed dry'd in a Furnace according to the Method describ'd in one of the preceding Chapters Gentian three Ounces Fenugreek two Ounces Elecampane an Ounce and a half Sage and Hyssop of each three Ounces Brimstone half a Pound Mix and make a Powder The Dose is two Spoonfuls mixt with Bran every Morning till the whole Powder be taken and the Horse must stand bridl'd an Hour and a half after every Dose If the Disease continue still give him a Clyster for tho' it will not perfect the Cure it may perhaps give him Ease if it be frequently repeated And afterwards suffer Nature to act for she will quickly subdue her Enemy if you assist her with a well-regulated Diet. The most dangerous Kind of these Distempers is that which is accompany'd with a Fever which not only torments the Horse extremely but makes so quick a progress that it will not admit of so long a Delay as is requir'd for the administring of the above-mention'd Remedies You must begin the Cure with one of these two Clysters Make a Decoction of the softening Herbs chopt small and dissolving half a Pound of Honey in the strain'd Liquor inject it luke-warm Or you may give one of these Clysters in the Morning and the other in the Evening if you think fit Boil an Ounce of Crocus Metallorum reduc'd to fine Powder in five Pints of Beer for half a Quarter of an Hour then suffering it to settle pour off the Liquor strain it thro' a Linnen Cloth doubl'd add a quarter of a Pound of Butter inject the whole luke-warm and the next Day exhibit the following Remedy CHAP. CXXIV A Remedy for a Founder'd Horse that is troubl'd with a Fever and very sick TAke the distill'd Waters of Carduus Benedictus and Sccbious of each six Ounces Water of the Herb call'd Queen of the Meadows Cinnamon Water and Succory Water of each four Ounces Liquid Conserve of
Roses two Ounces Confection of Alkermes without Musk or Ambergrise one Ounce Treacle half a Dram Powder of Oriental Saffron six Grains Mix all the Ingredients in a Glass-Vial and give to your Horse with a Horn rinsing the Horn the Vial and your Horse's Mouth with a Mixture of the Waters of Carduus Benedictus Succory and Scabious of each an Ounce and half This Water or Julep allays the Heat of the Fever Inject a Clyster about Four a Clock in the Afternoon give the Remedy at Six and keep your Horse bridl'd till Eight The next Day at Four in the Afternoon administer one of the above-mention'd Clysters at Six let your Horse blood in the two Plate-Veins of the Thighs keeping him bridl'd two Hours after You may repeat the Dose of the Remedy two or three times but not the Bleeding without Necessity In the mean time the Horse must eat little Hay you must frequently wash his Mouth with Verjuice Salt and Honey of Roses and oftentimes inject one of the above-mention'd Clysters Since I have often observ'd that the Apothecaries ask an excessive Rate for this Remedy I thought fit to advertise those who may have Occasion to use it that the highest Price of it does not amount to above * About 6s Three Livres and Ten Sous for the Confection of Alkermes is without either Musk or Ambergrise This Remedy ought to be highly esteem'd by those who are Masters of good Horses for by the Use of it in less than a Month I cur'd Four Horses of Value after they were past Hope of Recovery For your Horses Ordinary Drink You may dissolve in a Pailful of Water the Remedy for Fevers consisting of Salt of Tartar Sal Armoniac c. describ'd in Chap. CXXXVI If that cannot be procur'd you may infuse in a Pailful of Water the Dough of a Peny-Loaf ready to be put into the Oven which makes the Water white cools the Body of the Horse and affords some Nourishment and is infinitely better than Flower which is commonly us'd on this Occasion This is an excellent Remedy for simple Fevers and almost for all Horses that are troubl'd with a violent beating in the Flanks proceeding from a hot Cause and I have even given it with good Success to Morfounded Horses when the Disease was accompany'd with a beating in the Flanks for tho' in this case hot Remedies are requir'd to strengthen Nature and enable her to expel that which offends her yet since the Fever is augmented by the heat of the Medicins we must find out and exhibit a good Remedy that strengthens without much Heat which is the peculiar Character of the above-mention'd Julep or mixture of Waters When the Fever is violent the Sick Horse either does not lie down at all or if he does starts up again immediately by reason of the difficulty of Breathing that oppresses him when he lies and therefore if in this case your Horse lie down and remain long in that Posture you may conclude him to be in a hopeful Condition nor must you reckon it a bad sign tho' he complain more when he lies than when he stands for even the soundest Horses are wont to complain when they are in that Posture This is an important remark in the case of all Horses that are extreamly Sick and a diligent observance of it will enable you to make a better Judgment of the Nature of the Distemper A Potion or Drink for a Founder'd Horse that is very Sick either with or without a Cough Take two Pints and half of the Four Cordial Waters viz. of Scorzonera Queen of the Meadows Carduus Benedictus and Scabious dissolving in the same an Ounce of Confection of Hyacinth without Musk or Ambergreece and one Treacle-Pill in Powder Give this Mixture to your Horse in the Morning and rinse the Pot and Horn with half a Pint of Wild Succory-Water which you must make him drink after you have wash'd his Mouth with it Keep him Bridl'd three Hours before and two Hours after and at Night give him the following Clyster Take Powder of Sal Polychrest an Ounce and a half Pulp of Coloquintida without the Seeds half an Ounce boil 'em in five Pints of Beer half a quarter of an Hour and in the strain'd Liquor dissolve a quarter of a Pound of good Populeum make a Clyster to be injected Lukewarm If this Remedy prove ineffectual you may conclude that your Horse's Life is in danger but if you perceive any signs of Amendment you must frequently repeat the Clyster which will very much promote the Cure I have sometimes given with Success a Dose of Stinking Pills to Horses troubl'd with this Distemper for tho' that Medicine seems at first to encrease the beating in the Flanks it quiets all those disorders afterwards tho' I must confess the same Remedy has disappointed me at other times The Lieutenant's Decoction for a Horse that is Founder'd and very Sick Take Carduus Benedictus and Hyssop of each one handful Juice of Liquorice two Ounces Roots of Gentian stampt in a Mortar one Ounce boil the Ingredients in a Pint and a half of Water for the space of half an Hour and as soon as you remove the Vessel from the Fire pour into it half a Pint of White-Wine straining out the Liquor Add as much Saffron as you can lift between your three Fingers and make a Decoction for one or two Doses according to your Horse's Strength or his Aversion to the Medicine The next Day let him Blood in the Flanks and keep him in a temperate place Since Horses in this Condition are wont to eat very little they must be nourish'd with cleans'd Barley without Butter or Fat or with Bread if you can persuade 'em to eat it or Bran c. For more particular directions in this Case you may consult the Sixth Seventh Eighth and Ninth Chapters of this Book and therefore I shall content my self at present with putting you in Mind that you must frequently put a Bit into your Horses Mouth and remember always to offer him Meat when you unbridle him CHAP. CXXV Crocus Metallorum TAke the best Crude Antimony or that which is fullest of Points and Nitre or Salt-Petre of each an equal quantity beat 'em severally to Powder and mix 'em in a Crucible Then set 'em on Fire with a Match or live Cole and as soon as the Flame is extinguish'd and the Matter cold you will find the Liver of Antimony under the Scoriae which are also of good use in certain Cases Separate the Liver and reduce it to a very fine Powder then throw it into Water and beat again in the same Mortar that which the Water cannot dissolve continuing after the same manner till the whole Matter be reduc'd to an impalpable Powder then suffer the Water to settle and you will find at the bottom a Liver-Colour'd Powder which you must continue to wash by pouring on fresh Water till the Salt of the Nitre that
the Horse to his wonted Strength and Vigour The Stinking Pills are of excellent use in this case to prepare the Horse's Body if you give him a Dose every two Days repeating the Medicine two or three times A Clyster Boil a sufficient quantity of the five softening Herbs in two Quarts of Beer and a Pint or a Pint and a half of the Urine of a Cow or for want of that of a sound Man who drinks a great deal of Wine In the strain'd Liquor dissolve half a Pound of Honey prepar'd with the Herb Mercury and a quarter of a Pound of fresh Butter make a Clyster to be injected luke-warm in the Evening Continue the daily use of Liver of Antimony for fifteen Days and inject the Clyster once every three Days For his ordinary Drink dissolve a Pound of Honey in a Pail-full of Water give him no Oats and dissolve two or three Ounces of Polychrest in a Pail-full of Water to moisten his Hay After twenty Days lay aside the use of the Powder and Clysters and suffer the Horse to repose seven or eight Days at the end of which you may order convenient Fomentations continuing all the while to give him moisten'd Hay and Water mixt with Honey CHAP. CXXVII Of Sal-Polychrest or Fusible Sulphur 'T IS an undeniable Maxim founded on Reason that fusible Remedies are more effectual than others thus if Scammony were render'd fusible 't wou'd make an excellent Purgative and the same may be said of Tartar and several other Medicines 'T is generally acknowledg'd that Sulphur or rather the Flowers of it are the Balsam of the Lungs and 't is plain that if it be render'd fusible it will exert its force more effectually by cleansing opening purifying and even loosening the Belly since it penetrates more easily when 't is dissolv'd and is more capable of effecting the Operations that are ascrib'd to it than if it were indissoluble and lay like a heavy lump of Earth at the bottom of the Stomach 'T is thus Prepar'd Set a Crucible or Iron-Pot in the midst of a heap of live Coals till it be all over red-hot even at the bottom then cast into it with a Spoon a Mixture of Sulphur and fine Nitre both in Powder about half an Ounce of each and the Matter will take Fire and break out into a Flame as soon as it touches the Crucible As soon as the Flame disappears stir the Matter at the bottom of the Crucible and cast in the rest of the Sulphur and Nitre by Spoonfuls as before stirring the Matter at the bottom with some Iron Instrument that the Fire may penetrate it more effectually after you have cast in three or four Spoonfuls you must stir the Matter for some time and continue after the same manner till all the Sulphur and Nitre be cast into the Crucible then cover it and lay Coals on the top and every where round the sides suffering it to cool of it self After 't is cold beat the Matter to Powder which if the Operation be rightly perform'd and the Nitre very fine will be of a pale Rose-Colour if not 't will be white as Snow and fit for use or grayish and of no value Four Pounds of Matter will yield a Pound and half of Sal-Polychrest which is endu'd with qualities opposite to those of ordinary Sulphur for it dissolves in Water and grows red in the Fire without consuming That which resembles the colour of a Rose is better than the white tho' I must confess that supposing the Operation to be perform'd with the utmost exactness and the Nitre to be pure and fine 't is not always possible to produce that Rosie Colour which in some measure seems to be the effect of Chance This Remedy cools very effectually and even sometimes too powerfully for such Medicines as are moderately cold are most proper for Horses and for this reason 't is seldom or never given alone and not often internally You may correct it with Juniper-Berries or Nutmegs mixing an Ounce of the Powder with half an Ounce of the Berries or scrapings of Nutmeg in moisten'd Bran or if the Horse will not eat it so you may Infuse it all Night in a Quart of Wine and in the Morning heat it luke-warm and make the Horse drink it up fasting You may easily perceive by the first or second Dose whether your Horse's Condition requires a cooling Remedy for if not he will lose his Appetite and his Hair will bristle and stare especially in the Flanks and therefore if these signs appear you may conclude that his Body ought rather to be heated with good Cordial Powders than cool'd with Sal-Polychrest 'T is the general Opinion that sick Horses ought to be treated as Men who for the most part stand in need of cooling Medicines by reason of their Passions and inordinate Desires which together with their Intemperance heat the Blood and consequently all the Parts of the Body but Horses are free from those disorderly Motions and Vexations that disquiet Men so that their Blood and Humours are not so apt to be heated and inflam'd and consequently they stand rarely in need of cooling Remedies You may give from one to two Ounces of Polychrest in a Clyster to appease the beating of the Flanks and allay the heat of the Intestines for tho' his Dung be dry and bak'd three or four of these Clysters will reduce it to its natural Temperament and Consistency This is also an excellent Remedy for Men and might be us'd with very good Success by those who are troubl'd with a stoppage in their Lungs and spitting of Blood or to prevent the ill consequences of a fall from a high place but besides the above-mention'd Directions it must be dissolv'd in Water filter'd boil'd till there appears a Film on the top put into a Wooden Vessel and set to Crystallize in a Cellar The Crystals are of a square Figure almost like that of common Salt and must be kept in a Glass close stopt for Men but the first Preparation is sufficient for Horses 'T is also exhibited in Obstructions of the Liver Spleen Pancreas and Mesentery it loosens tough Matter and purges gently by Stool The Dose is from two to four Drams and it may be successfully given after this manner Take four Drams of Sal-Polychrest in Crystals one stalk of Liquorice beaten Flowers of double Damask Roses either fresh or dry two Pugils or instead of these Violet Flowers put 'em into an Earthen Pot with a Quart of boiling Water and let 'em stand in Infusion all Night In the Morning drink a large Glass-full of the Water and an Hour after another for it purges very gently and without heating the Body or you may make a Diet-Drink to be us'd even at Meals by dissolving half an Ounce of this Salt in two Quarts of Water I am so sensible of the excellency of this Medicine and of its usefulness to those who live in the Country at a distance from
the Method prescrib'd in the Sixth and following Chapters Since the Oil of Rue is a good and cheap Remedy it will not be improper to insert the true description of it Oil of Rue Take a Pound of Oil-Olive and two handfuls of Rue chop'd small boil 'em slowly in a Skellet and strain out the Oil throwing away the Herbs Then add two handfuls of fresh Rue and boil and strain as before Repeat the same Operation a third time and preserve the Oil which is indu'd with a Virtue to cut and digest thick and tough Humours Being dissolv'd in a Clyster it helps the Colic and asswages Pains in the Belly Kidneys and Bladder and it may be successfully us'd in outward Applications for the Cure of several cold Diseases It resolves hard and cold Tumours that resist the efficacy of ordinary Remedies but by reason of its Heat you must never use it when you have reason to fear an Inflammation CHAP. CXXXIII Of Palpitation of the Heart THE beating or palpitation of the Heart is a quick and violent Motion of that noble Part by which it endeavours to expel something that oppresses it 'T is usually occasion'd by a malignant Steam or Vapour proceeding partly from a Melancholic Humour that stagnates in the Veins and insinuates it self into the great Artery hard Riding violent Exercise corrupt Water bad Nourishment and every thing that is apt to produce Heat or Obstructions are the remote Causes of this Distemper The Palpitation of the Heart is visible to the Eye for when the Disease is violent the Heart beats with so much force against the Horse's sides that you may plainly perceive the motion of the Skin at every stroke and if you lay your Ear to the Part you may hear as it were the Blows of a Hammer within the Horse's Body on both sides together Some Horses in this Condition retain their Appetite better than others and are not troubl'd with an extraordinary beating in the Flanks Remedies that strengthen the Heart cherish and revive the Spirits dispel thick Vapours and resist their Malignity are proper in this case Bleeding is the sovereign Remedy of this Distemper and it may be safely repeated oftner than once in one Day if the violence of the Palpitation be not abated This Distemper is sometimes very vehement and impetuous but not usually Mortal unless it be accompany'd with a Fever which does not happen very often The Cure is almost always successfully perform'd by the frequently repeated use of convenient Clysters Bleeding and Cordial Remedies As for Cordials you have the Electuary of Kermes the Cordial-Powder the Lieutenants-Powder and the Cordial-Balls which must be methodically exhibited and the Dose repeated two or three times according to the violence of the Distemper If the Palpitation be accompany'd with a vehement beating in the Flanks you must give your Horse a Quart of a Cordial Mixture of the Waters of Scorzonera Scabious Carduus Benedictus and Roses with an Ounce of Confection of Hyacinth without Musk or Ambergreese and one of the Cordial Balls reduc'd to Powder rinsing the Pot and Horn with half a Pint of the same Cordial-Waters The Cordials must be repeated every Day or at least once in two Days They who cannot procure any of the above-mention'd Remedies may prepare the following Potion A Remedy for the Palpitation of the Heart Take Bugloss Bawm and Borage of each a handful boil 'em in a sufficient quantity of Water for the space of half a quarter of an Hour till the Water be reduc'd to a Pint Then removing it from the Fire add two handfuls of Sorrel and let it stand till it be cold Dissolve in the strain'd Liquor an Ounce and a half of Conserve of Roses half an Ounce of Confection of Hyacinth without Musk or Amber-greese and ten Grains of Saffron make your Horse drink it luke-warm and two Hours after give him the following Clyster A Clyster for the Palpitation of the Heart This Clyster dispels and removes Obstructions and consequently is very proper for a Horse opprest with such a Distemper as this that proceeds from Vapours and Wind. Take the five softening Herbs Mugwort Cammomil Rue and Melilot of each two handfuls Powder of Sal-Polychrest an Ounce and a half boil 'em for the space of half a quarter of an Hour in a sufficient quantity of Water to three Quarts then press out the Water and throw away the Herbs After which add to the strain'd Liquor Linseed and Fenugreek-seed beaten to Powder of each two Ounces Boil about a quarter of an Hour longer and add to the straining Oil of Bay and fresh Butter of each three Ounces Cow's Urine one Pint if it can be procur'd Repeat the Clyster every six Hours and the Potion once a Day Keep your Horse to a spare Diet feed him with moisten'd Bran give him no Oats and walk him frequently at a foot pace As soon as you perceive the Palpitation to be perfectly allay'd and your Horse restor'd to his former Health 't will be highly convenient to exhibit the following Purgative Take an Ounce and a half of Aloes for an ordinary Horse or two if he be of a very large size an Ounce of Agaric in Powder and a like quantity of Flower de luce of Florence make a Powder and give it to your Horse in a Quart of Milk keeping him Bridl'd five Hours before and four Hours after The next Day the Medicine will begin to operate and you must walk your Horse from time to time till the evacuation be stop'd after which you may give him his usual allowance of Oates This Purgation attacks and subdues the cause of the Distemper and quickly perfects the Cure A Clyster to dispel Wind. Take of the usual softening Decoction three Quarts and three or four Ounces of the Carminative and Purgative Oil prescrib'd for the second kind of Colic or a quarter of a Pound of Oil of Bay and two Ounces of Butter Mix and make a Clyster The preceding Remedy I mean both the Potion and Clyster are universally useful in all the various kinds of Palpitation but if you can certainly discover the cause of the Disease you may observe the following Directions If it be Summer and you have reason to suspect that the Distemper proceeds from the excessive Heat of the Horse's Body let him Blood in the Neck-Vein and make him stand in Water up to the Neck for an Hour during which time you may prepare this Potion Take the Waters of Scorzonera Scabious Roses and bitter Succory as much of each as a common Drinking Glass will contain Cream or Crystal of Tartar in Powder one Ounce Syrup of the Juice of Sorrel or for want of that of Violets four Ounces Mix and make a Draught And you may give him an Ounce of Sal-Polychrest in a Quart of Wine and walk him an Hour or somewhat less according to his Strength and afterwards give him one of the following Clysters You may mix the Febrifuge describ'd in
is the true Method of curing the Farcin by purifying the Blood destroying the Poyson and strengthning Nature Another easie Method Bleed your Horse abundantly and give him every Morning three Pints of Emetic Wine or Beer which some Horses will drink like Water for it tastes only of the Wine Continue the use of this Wine or Beer till your Horse be sound This is a very convenient Remedy in those Countries where Wine is cheap and for those that have Horses that drink Wine since the making it Emetic costs little or nothing and the same may be said of the Beer The Horse must eat nothing but Bran and may be moderately ridden When the Knots break strew 'em with Powder of Sublimate Hellebor Roots or apply a Caustic If your Horses Legs be swoll'n you may chafe 'em with the following Ointment If he refuse to drink the Emetic Wine or Beer pour it down his Throat with a Horn and make him fast about two Hours before and after These Methods of Cure are in my Opinion to be preferr'd before giving the Fire But for the satisfaction of several Persons who are fond of that Operation I shall briefly show the manner of performing it CHAP. CXLII To cure the Farcin by giving the Fire IF this Operation be accompany'd with good inward Remedies it may be administer'd with good Success for the cure of the Farcin To proceed methodically in the beginning of the Disease you must surround the Knots with a Line drawn with a hot Iron without piercing the Skin which frequently puts a stop to the Farcin As soon as you perceive that the Knots are full of Matter I mean such as are capable of Suppuration open 'em boldly with a red-hot Iron wheresoever they are seated not excepting even the Hough nor the Master-Sinew of the Fore-Leg For if you thrust in your Instrument no farther than till it reach the Matter you can never do the least Injury to the Part but only assist Nature to expel what offends her And the opening of the Tumour prevents those Disorders that might have been occasion'd if the Matter had been longer retain'd As soon as you have surrounded and stop'd the Cords and Knots with the Rases of Fire open a Vein taking away a great quantity of Blood and give your Horse a Purging Medicine mixt with Mercurius Dulcis or Cinnabar If afterwards new Knots appear you must let 'em ripen and if they will not come to Suppuration burn 'em with a red-hot Iron When the Scab falls off if new pieces of Flesh spring up like Mushrooms 't is a certain sign of the danger of the Distemper and difficulty of the Cure and the Flesh must be consum'd either by a repeated Application of the red-hot Iron or of one of the following Caustics When you have burnt the Knots or Swellings that come to Suppuration you must wash 'em every Day after the Scab is fall'n off with Urine and dress 'em with the Ointment of Portugal The Ointment of Portugal for Farcin-Knots Take Verdigrease and Realgar of each one Ounce Arsenic two Ounces Camphire two Drams beat the Arsenic Camphire and Verdigrease severally to a very fine Powder then mix 'em together pouring on six Ounces of Oil by degrees and incorporate 'em with the Pestle after which add the Ounce of Realgar in fine Powder Mix and make a Liquid Ointment having cleans'd the Sores and even wash'd 'em with the Second Water or hot Urine if you think fit Anoint 'em every Day with a Pensil made of Hog's Bristles dipt in the Ointment till they be dry'd up Several Horses have been cur'd by this Ointment without giving the Fire or using any other Remedy but Bleeding It serves also to cleanse and dry the Sores after the Escar occasion'd by giving the Fire is fall'n off Bleeding is useful in the beginning and end but not in the middle of the Cure After you have burnt several Knots if you find that there are some of 'em situated where you cannot safely give the Fire you may apply Caustics which will produce the same effect A Cautery or Caustic Take Powder of Sublimate mixt with Spirit of Wine and apply it to the Part where you wou'd raise an Escar Four or five Days after anoint it with Basilicum to hasten the falling away of the Escar Another Take Corrosive Sublimate and Red Precipitate of each half an Ounce Verdigrease and Vitriol of each an Ounce Powder of Cantharides half an Ounce Arsenic an Ounce incorporate 'em with four or if you wou'd have a gentler Caustic with eight Ounces of Basilicum This Caustic burns the Part to which 't is apply'd in twenty four Hours and the Scab or Escar falls off three or four Days after There are a hundred several sorts of Caustics The Caustic-Stones that are sold by Apothecaries produce the same effect but they are not strong enough for Horses In the Composition of a Caustic we must not only regard the raising of a large Scab but endeavour to prevent the Swelling Heat and other Disorders that are the usual and inconvenient effects of the ill-proportion'd Doses of the Ingredients The following Ointment raises a sufficient Escar without any considerable Swelling or Inflammation The Ointment of Naples which alone Cures the Farcin Take Realgar and Sublimate of each two Ounces Arsenic and Euphorbium of each one Ounce beat 'em to fine Powder and incorporate 'em without Heat with half a Pound of pure Oil of Bay not mixt with half the quantity of Grease as 't is Sold in many Shops at Paris Keep the Ointment in a glaz'd Pot and when you have occasion to use it open the Knots or Swellings with a Lancet and put into the Hole a little Cotton dipt in this Ointment without heating it in the least The next Day if you perceive that 't is fall'n away you must put in a little Cotton with some fresh Ointment but if it stick one Application will suffice This Ointment is also good for Warts Quitter-bones and in all cases that require the raising of an Escar An Italian Groom who communicated to me the description of this Ointment as a great Secret cur'd many Horses of the Farcin without applying any other Remedy I have seen with Amazement the unexpected Cures he perform'd before he imparted his Medicine to me and I Religiously observ'd the Promise I made him never to publish it during his Life CHAP. CXLIII The Remedy of a German Farrier for the Farcin 'T IS a very considerable conveniency to be furnish'd with variety of Remedies for dangerous Distempers for some Medicines are not duly Prepar'd and others that cannot be accus'd of that defect are nevertheless found to be ineffectual and besides every one may gratifie his Inclination in the choice of a Remedy among so great a number Whatever Method you follow in the Cure of the Farcin you must always observe the above-mention'd Directions concerning your Horse's Diet You must also Bleed him and Purge him too if
which Case 't is certainly incurable And I have already intimated that an inveterate Farcin may infect and waste the Substance of the Lungs And how a Remedy apply'd to the Fore-head put into the Ear hung at the Tail or Mane or Ointments spread on the Knots can heal an Ulcer in the Lungs I confess is very much above my Capacity to comprehend Only thus much I know and dare confidently maintain That so long as those Ulcers remain the Farcin that is caus'd and fomented by 'em must necessarily subsist From what has been said I may reasonably conclude That those Infallible Gentlemen are very little acquainted with the Nature of the Disease they pretend to cure and perhaps never made an Experiment of the Virtue of their Remedies The Farcin seems to have a very near Resemblance to the French Pox Leprosie and King's Evil. CHAP. CXLVI Of an inveterate Farcin YOU will sometimes meet with Farcins of so long a standing and so deeply rooted that the Cure is extremely difficult and even sometimes impracticable if the Substance of the Liver or Lungs be wasted and corrupted But since 't is impossible to divine whether those Parts be infected 't wou'd be a very unreasonable Inference from what I have said on this Subject to pretend that when a Horse is troubl'd with an inveterate Farcin he must be suffer'd to perish without Assistance And besides these Parts are oftentimes only heated dryed or so slightly ulcerated that they may be easily heal'd and restor'd to their wonted Temperament by the Use of convenient Remedies But I shall never advise any Man whatever Tryal he may have made of his Remedy to promise the Cure of an inveterate Farcin when the Knots send forth great Pieces of Flesh like large Mushrooms especially after an unsuccessful Application of other Remedies For such Attempts are oftentimes attended with Shame instead of Honour and Success especially when the Farcin is accompany'd with a Running at the Nose or seizes on the Kernels as it happens frequently in inveterate Farcins which degenerate into the Glanders according to the Vulgar Saying That the Farcin is Cousin-German to the Glanders Before you proceed to the Application of Remedies you may try this easie Experiment Spread about two Ounces of Assa-foetida on a Stick and wrapping a Cloth about it put it into the Horse's Mouth and make him champ upon it twenty four Hours together without suffering him to eat or drink all the while This will draw forth a prodigious Quantity of filthy Humours and if the Lungs be not consum'd or the Liver ulcerated perhaps the Horse will recover You must not be afraid of the seeming Violence of the Remedy for a Horse may fast twenty four Hours without any Danger Neither do I blame the Custom of those who put a second Stick with fresh Assa-foetida into the Horse's Mouth after twelve Hours The Decoctions of Guaiacum Sassafras Sarsaparilla and China Roots are very proper on this Occasion and may be given every Morning for seven or eight Days before Purgation For Example If the Horse's Body be full of raw tough and viscous Humours to which Inconveniency fleshy Horses are very subject the Decoction of Guaiacum will cut attenuate and prepare the Humours to be expell'd by Nature or evacuated by a Purging Remedy If the Horse be Lean and Dry full of Hot and Choleric or Melancholic Humours the Decoction of China will prepare 'em without augmenting their Heat for it may be conveniently given in a Consumption and ill Habit of Body The Decoction of Sarsaparilla is of a middle Nature between the other two The Decoction of Guaiacum is proper for those thick and bulky Dutch Horses that are over-loaded with Flesh and full of Moisture and running or watery Sores The Decoction of Guaiacum Infuse ten Ounces of the Shavings of Guaiacum Wood or for want of that of Box Wood in nine Pints of Water and after they have stood twelve Hours in Infusion on hot Ashes Boil 'em with a gentle Heat in a cover'd Vessel to the Consumption of the third Part of the Water Then strain out the Liquor and give your Horse a Quart every Day for eight Days together keeping him bridl'd three Hours before and three Hours after every Dose You may Purge him afterwards with one of the above-mention'd Remedies The Decoction of China Take four Ounces of the Roots of China cut very small put 'em into a large Glass-Bottle well stopp'd with nine Pints of Water and after they have stood fifteen Hours in Infusion boil 'em over a gentle Fire to the Consumption of one half taking care to prevent the Evaporation of the thinner Parts of the Medicine Then strain out the Liquor and give your Horse a third part of it every Morning keeping him Bridl'd two Hours before and as long after This Decoction must be drunk luke-warm and prepar'd every three Days because 't is apt to turn sowre After eight Doses 't will be convenient to exhibit a Purging Remedy The Decoction of Sarsaparilla This Decoction is prepar'd like that of China only the quantity must be larger because 't is adapted for the Preparation of thicker Humours For Example instead of four Ounces of China you must take six of Sarsaparilla Continue the use of this Decoction six or eight Days to prepare the Humours that cause and foment the Farcin and to purifie the Blood After such a Preparation the Purging Remedy operates more effectually and procures a more plentiful Evacuation whereas the Purgatives that are given without any Preparation or consist of ill chosen Ingredients increase the Distemper instead of abating it and even augment its Malignity After Purgation repeat the Decoctions to dry the habit of the Body and to drain the source of those Malignant Humours that foment the Disease This Method is also very proper for Coach-Horses that are troubl'd with the Pains or filthy Sores in their Legs for otherwise 't is hardly possible to stop the course of the Humours and dry up the source of those noisome Ulcers since they usually break forth again three Months after they are dry'd up and at last are succeeded by hard Swellings like Warts which render the Disease incurable To prevent those dangerous Relapses while your Horse is Young after you have observ'd twice or thrice his Legs to be over-run with Sores you must take two Pound of Blood from him then give him the Decoctions of Guaiacum or for want of that of Box-Wood and afterwards purge him and dry up those watry Humours If the Sores break forth again make him drink the Decoction ten Days then purge him and after the Evacuation is ceas'd and his Appetite perfectly restor'd give him the Decoction for ten Days longer which in all probability will put a final stop to the course of the Humours Instead of the Decoctions of Guaiacum China and Sarsaparilla you may exhibit two Ounces of the Powder of either of the three in a Quart of White-Wine and observe the
an Ounce or an Ounce and a half if the Horse be of a large Size Bole Armenic and Mummy of each half an Ounce Make a Potion to be given to the Horse assoon as you perceive that his Back is strain'd and apply the Oils and Ointment of Montpelier with the Addition of Powder of Galls after which bathe and foment as before Some pretend to cure a Strain in the Back in the Summer by making the Horse swim but this Method is not sufficient for the Cure of great or violent Strains You must take Care not to ride your Horse immediately after his Recovery for tho' he be not lame the least Excercise will put him in a worse Condition than before if you allow not a sufficient Time for the Back to recover its wonted Vigour To avoid this Inconveniency assoon as the Horse seems to be sound 't will be convenient to walk him to the Water and not to take his Back for a Month after the Cure of a violent Strain and a space of Time proportionably less for slight Strains and every Day when he returns from walking chafe his Back with good Brandy or Spirit of Wine If the Horse be not cur'd by the Application of the above-mention'd Remedies as it happens not unfrequently you must separate the Skin from the Flesh on the Reins or lower part of the Back that is behind the Saddle which I suppose to be little for a large Saddle covers a great part of the Reins You must I say make two or three Incisions on each side with a large Iron Slice and separate the Skin about the breadth of half a Foot on each side of the Back-Bone till you come to the Hip-Bone Then stop the Holes with Slices of Hog's-Lard of the thickness of half a Crown and two or three Fingers breadth long and broad to hinder the Skin from growing to the Flesh Rub the separated Skin with an Ointment made of equal parts of Populeum and the Ointment of Marsh-Mallows covering the whole Part with a Lamb's-Skin the woolly side inwards and laying a Saddle-Cloth over all Then hang up the Horse or fix him in such a Posture that he may not be able to stir and at Night give him a Clyster of Sal-Polychrest repeating the same every Day for eight Days together and in the mean time give him at the Mouth once a Day an Ounce of Assa-foetida in Powder mixt with a Pint of Wine After forty eight Hours uncover the sore place and you will find it very much swoll'n as it must be in order to the Cure Take out the slices of Lard and press out the reddish Water and Matter that are in the Sore putting in fresh slices of Lard and chasing the whole Part with an Ointment made of Populeum and the Ointment of Marsh-Mallows Then cover it up as before and dress it after the same manner once in forty eight Hours for the space of twelve Days after which you must not put any slices of Lard into it but only dress it with the Duke's Ointment keeping it cover'd and dressing it every Day till the Skin be re-united to the Flesh and the Sores heal'd Ten Days after you begin to lay aside the use of the slices of Lard take away the Lamb's-Skin for the Cure ought to be compleated in that time but the Horse must not stir for ten Days longer or thirty two Days after the beginning of the Cure after which you may walk him a little observing whether he continues to halt then lead him to the Water and accustom him to Travel by degrees Or instead of separating the Skin you may if you think fit give the Fire piercing the Skin with a red-hot Iron and making holes all over the same Part at the distance of an Inch from each other Then apply a good Plaister and over that two Sheets of Paper after which hang up your Horse or fix him so that he may not be able to move for the space of a Month. When the Scabs are fall'n dress the Sores with the Duke's Ointment and proceed as before These are the last Remedies in this case some prefer the latter before the former but 't is my Opinion that they are equally good if the Operation be duly perform'd tho' I must confess the last is the easiest CHAP. CLXI Of Hip-shot or a Strain in the Hips HOrses are not only obnoxious to Strains in the Back but also in other Parts of the Body as particularly in the Hips in which case they are so Lame that their Legs are not able to sustain their Body These Strains are occasion'd by Slips or Falls and the Bone that joyns the Thigh to the Body is oftentimes dislocated or remov'd out of its right place at other times the Humour contain'd in that Part and appointed by Nature for facilitating the motion of the Joint either falls out or hardens and consequently causes Pain and binders the motion of the Hip-Bone If the Hip-Bone be extreamly relax'd or put out of its place you may feel the hollow Part where the Bone was with your hand or perceive it with your Eye as the Horse moves his Legs He is also extreamly Lame and cannot sustain the weight of his Body upon the griev'd Leg. In these cases 't is the usual custom of Farriers to tye one end of a Leathern Thong about the Horse's Pastern and the other to an yielding Bush or Shrub and then by whipping the Horse to make him struggle with all his force till the Bone return to its proper place This Method is not only rarely successful but very dangerous if it be not perform'd with a great deal of Judgment and Circumspection and by a very sagacious and understanding Person and therefore 't will be safer to observe the following Directions In the first place and even tho' the former Operation has already been perform'd with success chafe the griev'd Part with a mixture of Oil of Turpentine and Spirit of Wine rubbing it in with your Hand and two Hours after apply the Ointment of Montpelier The next Day bleed your Horse and two Hours after chafe the part with the Essences and then with the Ointment of Montpelier two Hours after the Application of the Essences as before At Night if there be occasion chafe the Part again with the Essences and as soon as they have perform'd their Operation that is when you perceive that the Pain is over by the Horse's ceasing to complain cover the griev'd Hip with a Plaister made of Rosin Mastic Olibanum and Sulphur with a large quantity of Burgundy-Pitch melted together and apply'd moderately hot laying Saddle-stuffings over it and putting a Patten-Shooe on the contrary Foot to make the Horse lean on the sore side He must not be suffer'd to lye down till the Plaister fall off after which make a convenient Bath for his Hips If the Strain be not very considerable apply the same Remedies that were prescrib'd for Shoulder-sprains If there be only a
kept 'em up After they are sunk very low that is after they have boil'd about an Hour and half remove the Vessel from the Fire and add half a Pound of new Wax cut into little Bits incorporating it with the rest and afterwards two Pounds of the scrapings of an old white and clean Linen-Cloth beaten in a large Mortar and strain'd thro' a fine Searce mix this with the above-mention'd Composition stirring it till it be half Cold after which add half a Pound of fine Myrrh in Powder and two Ounces of good Aloes reduc'd to a very fine Powder stirring all together till you can endure to put your Hand into the Vessel Then having Oil'd the Table take the Composition out of the Bason with an Iron-Spoon and make it up into Rolls which must be wrapt in Paper and kept for use If the Preparation be duly made it will be black and solid This is an admirable Plaister for all Wounds and Bruises in Men for it takes away the Inflammation and Cicatrizes the Sore very speedily These Compositions ought to be call'd Plaisters by reason of their thickness but since the Name of Ointment is better known in the World I thought fit to retain it notwithstanding the Impropriety of the Expression Having found the Sore in a Horse's Foot melt some of the Ointment in a Spoon with an equal quantity of Oil-Olive or Butter to keep it from burning and put it hot into the Wound with Cotton over it continuing after the same manner till the Cure be perfected This Ointment allays and takes away the Inflammation in two or three Applications and asswages the Pain sooner than any other Ointment or Oil whatsoever It covers the Bones with Flesh in any part of the Body in two or three times Dressing if it be mixt with an equal quantity of Oil of Roses and after the same manner 't is also apply'd to Wounds If there be occasion for Suppuration it draws all Impurities out of the Sore after which you may apply a more powerful drying Ointment or convenient Powders For Wounds in Horses mix it with a somewhat greater quantity of Oil or Butter that it may be Liquid and having wip'd the Wound with Flax and put a little of the Ointment upon it with a Pencil cover it gently with Flax to preserve it from the Air without pressing the Wound This Ointment heals the deepest and largest Wounds in a little time I cannot forbear admonishing the Reader that he ought to set a high esteem on this Ointment for tho' I have try'd many I never found one so effectual the charge of the whole Dose or a Pound of the Ointment amounts only to Half a Crown and it never loses its Virtue it allays the Heat and Inflammation in the Wound and even in all the Neighbouring Parts I have oftentimes seen Horses halt above three Months after they were perfectly cur'd of Pricks with large Nails by reason of their weakness which was so great that those who had the care of 'em were forc'd to walk 'em gently every Day in soft Grounds to strengthen their Feet for if they had been suffer'd to remain in the Stable their Weakness would have continu'd much longer This happens only when the Wound in the Foot occasions the falling away of Scales from the Bone of the Foot or when the Sinew is Prick'd in which case the Cure is so tedious that the Horse must be kept in the Stable for the space of five or six Months If such an accident happen to a Coach-Horse you may make him Harrow but as for other Horses you must walk 'em in your Hand thro' till'd Grounds and by degrees their strength will return and they will be as fit for Service as ever But if you grow weary and are loth to continue so troublesome a Method you will certainly lose your Horse It happens not unfrequently when by reason of a dangerous Prick with a Nail or Stub a Horse remains two or three Months without putting his Foot to the Ground when the Wound is cur'd the Shoulder is found to be shrunk or dry'd or one of the Hips sunk lower than the other so that the latter Infirmity is more dangerous than the former since 't is often absolutely incurable especially the sinking or falling down of one of the Hips and therefore the surest way is to charge the Shoulder to prevent these Disorders Tho' I cannot follow the Multitude in imagining that the Cure of these Accidents depends wholly on the application of a good Ointment yet since 't is impossible to perform a Cure without the use of some Remedies I shall subjoin the description of another which is reputed and I have found to be very good that the Reader may have the conveniency of chusing which he believes to be most effectual Bartholomew's Ointment for Pricks with a Nail or Stub and for Bleymes Take of Oil-Olive a Pound Sugar half a Pound thick Red-Wine a Quart Leaves of Rosemary and Roman Nettles of each four Ounces put 'em all together in a glaz'd Earthen Pot so that one half may remain empty fitting on its Cover and luting the Junctures with Dough or Paste then boil the Ingredients over a small Char-coal-Fire for the space of six Hours and after they are half cold strain 'em thro' a Linen-Cloth and add six Ounces of new Wax cut into small pieces after which suffer the Ointment to cool and if you use green Herbs it will be of the same Colour 'T is apply'd after the same manner as other Ointments being melted in a Spoon with a little Oil-Olive or Butter to keep it from burning CHAP. XCV A Hot or Burning Balsam for Wounds Bruises and Cold Pains as also for Pricks with a Nail or Stubs MIx half an Ounce of Camphire in Powder with a Pint of excellent Spirit of Wine put them into a large Matrass capable of containing three Pints cover'd with a Vessel of Rencounter exactly luted on Let the Spirit circulate in Balneo Mariae till the Camphire be dissolv'd after which take out the Matrass and after it is cold unlute the Vessel of Rencounter and put two Ounces of Yellow-Amber beaten into the Matrass then fit the Rencounter on again and place the Matrass in Balneo Mariae as before where it must stand two Days and two Nights and after it is cold take out the Balsam which must be kept in a well-stopt Glass-Vial Observe that the Water in Balneo Mariae must not actually boil but ought to be as hot as it possibly can be without boiling The Yellow-Amber that approaches nearest to a white Colour is commonly the most perfect and fittest for this Composition Having laid open the Hole or Wound pour in a little of this Balsam cold stop the Hole with Cotton and renew the Application every Day till your Horse be perfectly Sound as he will be in a little time This is an excellent Remedy for decay'd and batter'd Legs if you chase 'em once