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
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
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-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
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
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 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
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-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
the Wane of the Moon 't is of shorter continuance and less violent for the Humours decrease with the Moon and the Horse recovers speedily If these Observations be not attentively consider'd by those who undertake the Cure of Horses they will hardly be able to make a certain Judgment concerning the length and dangerousness of their Distempers or to prescribe a successful Method of Cure This Assertion is grounded on a certain knowledge of the Causes The way of curing a Cold is the same with that which I prescrib'd for the Strangles For you must cover the Horse's Neck with a Furr'd Skin keep him warm give him the Electuary of Kermes put Baggs with Assa-Foetida into his Mouth thrust Feathers into his Nose Syringe him and proceed in all other respects as in the Cure of the Strangles If you perceive that your Horse has not wholly lost his Appetite you may give him the Cordial Powder every three days or rather the Electuary of Kermes And when the Disease is attended with a total loss of Appetite you cannot give a better Remedy than that Electuary in a Pint of Spanish Wine once in two days if he has not a Fever or if he have a Fever you may give him the Cordial Waters with Clysters both before and after The Arman describ'd Chap. VII is very good in this case It may be given five or six times in the day tying it to the Bit and will be found to be a Sovereign Remedy Take the sick Horse's Urine while 't is yet hot mix it with an equal quantity of Wine about a Pint or a Pint and half of each and make him drink it all up then cover him and let him stand Bridl'd two hours Repeat the same several times If you cannot have his Urine hot take a Pint of Flesh-Broath without Fat or Salt and as much Wine mix 'em for a Draught Repeat the same three or four days and if he Sweat not after the first Dose add to the Draught an Ounce of the Cordial-Powder and cover him well Continue after the same manner for some days For a Cold accompany'd with a violent Cough Take Honey of Roses and Juice of Liquorice of each four Ounces Fenugreek-seed Grains of Paradice Cummin-seed Cinnamon Cloves Ginger Gentian Birthwort-roots Anni-seed and Coriander-seed of each two Drams Reduce all the hard Ingredient into Powder and give the whole to the sick Horse in a Pint of White-Wine with six Ounces of carduus-benedictus-Carduus-Benedictus-Water Let not this Composition offend those who are only pleas'd with Cooling Remedies for Horses must not be us'd like Men. If you cool 'em too much when they are troubl'd with this Distemper you will stifle em and therefore beware of purely cooling Medicines You will quickly be sensible of the good effects of This which contains many hot Ingredients but since they are agreeable to the nature of Horses they do not inflame 'em and cause only so much Heat as is necessary to strengthen the Parts Experience will convince you of the Truth of my Assertion for the Remedy will succeed and I shall take occasion hereafter to demonstrate that there is need of a great deal of Prudence to administer cooling Remedies to a Horse with safety and success You must also walk him frequently in the Sun-shine if it be Summer and observe the same directions that I prescrib'd in the case of Want of Appetite Chap. VI. and also in the Chapters of the Strangles A Draught for a Cold join'd with a Palpitation or Beating in the Flank When the sick Horse is troubl'd with a Cough a vehement Beating in his Flank and even Palpitation of the Heart you cannot assist him more effectually than by giving him two Clysters and then the following Draught after he has stood two hours in the Morning with a watering Bit in his Mouth 'T is composâ—d of the Waters of Scorzonera Carduus Benedictus Scabious Roses and bitter Succory of each half a Pint Give the Horse a Quart of these Waters with an Ounce of Zedoary and two Drams of Saffron both in fine Powder then rinse the Horn with the half Pint that remains and make him drink that also After which let him stand four hours with a Waterbit in his Mouth and as soon as you unbridle him lay moisten'd Bran before him leaving him to eat at his pleasure till Night and then give him a good Clyster with an Ounce and an half of Sal Polychrest Take Assa-foetida and Powder of Savin of each half an Ounce and tie 'em in a Bag to the Bit let the Horse stand two hours then unbridle him and after two hours more put in the Bag again For besides that this Bag gives him an Appetite it eases his Head by making him void a great quantity of Water and bitter Flegm Instead of the Zedoary and Saffron you may mix an Ounce of the Confection of Hyacinth without Musk or Amber-grise with the Cordial Waters and the same may be repeated two or three times if need require and if you found any Benefit by the first Dose for that which gives Ease may if continu'd perfect the Cure The main part of the Cure consists in giving the Horse one or two softening Clysters with Sal Polychrest every day A Softening Clyster Take Leaves of Mallows Violets Herb-Mercury Pellitory of the Wall of each three Handfuls Annis-seeds one Ounce or a Handful of green Fennel if it be in the Summer let 'em boil half an hour in a large Pot or Kettle in three Quarts of Water for a little Horse or four for a large one adding an Ounce and a half or two Ounces of Liver of Antimony in fine Powder After the Decoction is half-cold press it out and add to the strain'd Liquor four Ounces of Lenitive Electuary and a Quarter of a Pound of fresh Butter Mix and make a Clyster which must be injected after you have rakâ—d the Horse then put him again into the Stable and let him stand half and hour bridl'd If these Remedies be apply'd with Prudence when the Occasion requires and without either Rashness or Negligence the Horse will certainly be eas'd by 'em unless the Disease be extremely violent CHAP. XVI The Vniversal Cordial-Powder TAke Sassafras Zedoary Elecampane Gentian Carlin-Thistle Angelica Cubebs Spanish Scorzâ—nera Master-Wort and Marsh-Mallows of each half a Pound Birth-Wort round and long Bay-Berries Bark of Oranges and Citrons Savin of each four Ounces Cardamoms Liquorice Myrrh Shavings of Hart's-Horn and Ivory Coriander-Seed Seeds of Carraway Cummin Annise and Fennel of each two Ounces Cinnamon an Ounce Cloves Nutmeg and Oriental Saffron of each half an Ounce all fresh and gather'd in due time for a Root dug up in Summer is of no Value and therefore they must be gather'd in the Spring when they begin to shoot forth or about the time of Advent before the Frost The Medicine will be more effectual if you add a Pound of the Grains of Kermes but since they cannot be kept without
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
follows the course of the Moon or to the other which wasts and destroys the Eye I have borrow'd this Observation from a Treatise concerning Horses compos'd by one John Taquet who expresly affirms that the loss of the Foals Eyes is not occasion'd by the substance of the Oats which may be suppos'd to heat 'em but only by their straining too hard in chewing that hard sort of Food And to prevent these fatal Consequences he advises those who have Foals to cause their Oats to be ground or stamp'd by which means he says they will grow strong and lusty without the least danger of Rheums or any other Infirmity of the Eyes Since I never found this Remark in any other Author I thought fit to insert it here submitting it intirely to the Reader 's Judgment Some Horses become Moon-Ey'd at the Age of Eight or Ten Years who were always very sound before which is an Infirmity entail'd on 'em by their Sire And besides when young Horses are overtaken by a great Storm in the Fields they are oftentimes either render'd Lunatic or struck Blind with the Thunder and Lightning Hard work hastens the total Blindness of a Moon-Ey'd Horse and besides Heat and extream Cold are equally prejudicial to him To conclude This Infirmity usually ends in the loss of one or both Eyes for the best Remedies are not always successful and we may justly call that a good Medicine which is found to be effectual on several Occasions tho' it be not always Infallible CHAP. XXXVI Of Haemorrhagy or Bleeding HAEmorrhagy is a voiding of Blood by the Nose or Mouth occasion'd by a redundancy of the Blood mixt with a Liquor full of Spirits and Salt which makes the Blood boil and ferment till the Vessels not being able to contain it some of the Veins burst and disgorge the Blood thro' the Nose and the mixture of that Salt Juice with the Blood is caus'd by unusual Fatigues in hot Weather The redundancy of the Blood may also proceed from too much Feeding or it may be deprav'd and vitiated or its Boiling may be occasion'd by violent Exercise which opens the Mouths of some Veins from which it gushes out impetuously either by the Nose or Mouth To convince you that a Liquor full of Spirits and Salt is apt to make the Blood boil and ferment it will be sufficient to inform you that if you mix either the Spirit of Wine Vitriol Hartshorn or Soot with the Blood that is taken out of the Vein while 't is hot you will immediately perceive a violent Ebullition whereas Salt of Tartar and the Solution of Allum trouble and precipitate the Blood and none but such as are wholly Ignorant of the Internal Motions and Methods of Nature will deny that there are such Liquors full of Salt and Spirits in the Bodies of Horses If the Bleeding be not stop'd it may either kill the Horse or extreamly weaken him because Nature is quite spent and exhausted by such an excessive Expence of Blood and Spirits When such Accidents happen the Horses remain unfit for Service a great while after but they seldom die unless they be also seiz'd with a Fever which does not usually happen Since these Accidents seldom or never happen but in very hot Weather every Rider whose Horse is fat or rather fiery and full of Mettle who ' out of Wind should keep him in and restrain him at the first and endeavour by all prudent Methods to prevent the Disorders that are occasion'd by Bleeding or perhaps some other more dangerous Distemper And 't is certain that in such cases the most present Remedy is always the best Assoon as you perceive the Blood to issue out of the Horse's Nose or Mouth or both you must immediately let him Blood in the Flanks or the Plate-Veins of the Thighs or rather in the Neck if you cannot take Blood enough out of the other Parts then take a large quantity of Knot-grass call'd in Latin Centinodia because at its perfect Growth it has a hundred Knots on one Stalk which is a Specific Remedy to stanch Blood beat it to a Mash and fill the Horse's Nostrils with it binding also some of it to his Temples and Reins where the Saddle ends and even to his Stones if he be not gelt This is a very common Herb but if you cannot find it take Nettles and apply 'em after the same manner You may also put the Horse into Water up to his Flanks and let him stand in it two Hours if it be Summer which is the usual time in which these Accidents happen If you are not in a convenient place to plunge him into Water cover his Head and Back with a Cloth seven or eight times doubld and dipp'd in Oxycrate or Vinegar and Water keep him in the Stable with his Head upright not suffering him to lie down and from time to time throw cold Water on his Cods or Sheath the next Day bleed him again and give him cooling Clysters Some Horses have been troubld with voiding of Blood six or seven Days together but it did not run so violently at last as at the Beginning and they were cur'd by the above-mentiond Remedies CLYSTERS The following Clyster will help to allay the boiling of the Blood if the Horse be also let Blood Take Mallows and Marsh-Mallows of each one handful Plantane two handfuls Succory Lettuce and Purslane of each one handful boil 'em in five Pints of Water with an Ounce and a half of Sal Polychrest in Powder and add to the strainâ—d Liquor a quarter of a Pound of the Ointment Populeon without Verdigrease which some Cheats mix with it to give it a fine green Colour or if you mistrust that take a quarter of a Pound of true Unguentum rosatum not Grease wash'd with Rose-water and colour'd with Alkanet Make a Clyster to be injected after you have rak'd the Horse If the Blood continue still to flow take Plantane Leaves beaten and mix'd with Male Frankincense Aloes or Myrrh and put 'em into his Nostrils holding his Nose up as if you were going to give him a Drench Then cover his Head Back and Reins with a Cloth five or six times doubl'd and dipp'd in Oxycrate as you were taught before and throw cold Water frequently on his Sheath and Stones if he has any Sometimes the Blood flows so violently out of the Nostrils that it cannot be so soon stopp'd in which Case you may use the following Powder which is easily prepar'd Take the Dung of a Stone-Ass dry it in the Shade till it may be reduc'd to Powder and blow it plentifully into the Horseâ—s Nose thro' a Glass-Pipe Trunk or Reed This will quickly stench the Blood The same Powder is of admirable Use for Men that are apt to bleed at the Nose who may carry some of it in a Box and snuff it up at the Nose I have often seen the Effect of it and it smells only of dry Herbs but some nice Sparks will
Fellow may hurt the great Gut with his Nails the safest way is to thrust a large Tallow Candle or rather a Piece of Soap into his Fundament which will be quickly dissolv'd and bring out with it the Excrements contain'd in the great Gut When you have either taken out or rotted the Vives an hour after you have given the above-mention'd Draught it will be convenient to administer the following Clyster to divert the Defluxion and make an entire Revulsion A Clyster for the Vives Boil five Pints of Beer with an Ounce and a half of Sal Polychrest in fine Powder remove it from the fire add two Ounces of Oil of Bay and inject it blood-warm If Beer cannot be had take equal Quantities of Wine and Water Another Take the five opening Roots of each one handful beat 'em grosly and boil 'em in three Quarts of Water for a quarter of an hour add the softening Herbs Mallows Violets herb-Mercury and Pellitory of the Wall of each one handful boil 'em again as before then strain out the Liquor and add a Pint of Emetic Wine or the same quantity of the Infusion of Crocus Metallorum Honey of the Herb-Mercury half a Pound fresh Butter four Ounces Oil of Rue describâ—d in the CXXXIId Chapter two Ounces Make a Clyster to be injected after you have rak'd your Horse Or you may make a very good Clyster by boiling two Ounces of Liver of Antimony in fine Powder over a strong fire for half a quarter of an hour in a common Decoction then strain out the Liquor and add half a Pound of Honey and a quarter of a Pound of Oil. Another Remedy for the Vives Give your Horse an Ounce of Orvietan or rather of Treacle in a Quart of Red-Wine or in a Pint of Aqua-Vitae if the Disease be violent and at the same time prepare a Clyster of the softening Herbs with an Ounce and a half of Liver of Antimony in Powder adding to the strainâ—d Liquor two Ounces of Orvietan or the same quantity of Treacle with a quarter of a Pound of fresh Butter Thus you must give Treacle both above and below and you will â—arely meet with any Instance of this Distemper that will not yield to this Remedy You will find in the XLVIIIth Chapter the Description of a Remedy compos'd of the Spirits of Nitre and Wine distill'd together till they be thorowly united which is very useful in this Case if it be administer'd according to the Directions prescrib'd in that Chapter All Horses have a sort of Knob like a Chesnut hard as Horn above the Knees and under the Hams cut off a little of this and casting it into a Chafing-Dish make a Horse receive the Fume of it at his Nose covering his Head with a Bag. CHAP. XXXIX Of the Colic Fret or Gripes THis Disease is occasion'd by the Sharpness of the Humours which boil and ferment in the Entrails by reason of some Salt and Spirituous Liquor that falls into those Parts and sometimes it proceeds from Wind or Crudities which Nature is not able to digest You may conclude that a Horse is troubl'd with this Distemper when he tumbles tosses lies down and starts up again suddenly for tho' it may attack a Horse that is not troubl'd with the Vives yet the Vives never appear without the Colic It will not be improper to give a large Account of this Distemper since 't is not only dangerous but sometimes fatal to Horses Clysters are very effectual in this Case especially one sort of 'em which shall be particularly describ'd To accommodate my Discourse to the Capacity of the Reader I shall divide the Colic into several Kinds according to the various Causes from which it may proceed and after the Description of every kind subjoin its proper Remedies Qui bene distinguit bene docet CHAP. XL. Of the First Kind of Colic I Shall first consider that sort of Colic which is occasion'd by eating too much Provender for the Stomach being unable to digest so large a quantity of Food is fill'd with Crudities which in a manner stifle the natural Heat tho' not without a considerable Struggle which raises windy Vapours that either fall upon the Guts or remain in the Stomach causing violent Pains in whatever part they attack This defect of Digestion rarely proves Mortal unless as it has been sometimes observ'd the Horse be so gluttonous as to eat till he burst when he meets with a convenient Opportunity A great quantity of Rye eaten unboil'd is apt to occasion these Pains by reason of its Windiness Wheat is not so dangerous because more easily digested Beans that are usually given to Horses to fatten 'em breed this Distemper if they be eaten in too great abundance and the same effect is produc'd by too large a quantity of Oats eaten at one time The Cure of this sort of Colic is perform'd by assisting Nature to digest the Aliments after you have empty'd the Guts with a convenient Clyster for you must never give Vomits to Horses because instead of easing them they overturn the whole Oeconomy of Nature and never procure Vomiting The Clyster must be compos'd of a Decoction that is endu'd with a vertue to discuss Wind to which you must add a Quart of Emetic Wine or a convenient quantity of the Infusion of Crocus Metallorum Assoon as the Clyster is rejected make the Horse drink a Pint of Aqua-Vitae with an Ounce of Treacle and as much Saffron as you can lift with the ends of your Fingers If the Distemper continue after the use of these Remedies walk him abroad in his Cloaths without suffering him to lie down and after you have put him up in the Stable hold a Warming-Pan full of live Coals under his Belly for a quarter of an hour or half an hour keeping him well cover'd Since Orvietan is not always to be had it will not be improper to give a faithful description of it for it may be profitably given to Men to Horn'd Cattle and especially to Horses It must be prepar'd by a skilful Apothecary CHAP. XLI Of Orvietan TAke of Sage Rue Rosemary and Goat's-Rue of each one handful Carduus Benedictus Dittany of Crete Roots of Masterwort Bohemian Angelica Bistort Birthwort round and long white or bastard Dittany Galingal Gentian Costmary Aromatic-reed and Parsley-seed of each one Ounce Bay-berries and Juniper-berries of each half an Ounce Cinnamon Cloves and Nutmeg of each three Drams Seal'd Earth prepar'd with Vinegar and old Treacle of each one Ounce Powder of Vipers four Ounces Walnuts cleans'd and dry'd Crum of Wheat-Bread dry'd of each eight Ounces clarifi'd Honey seven Pounds Make an Electuary according to Art Chop the Walnuts and beat 'em with the Bread then strain 'em thro' a Searce turn'd upside down adding the Powders and other Ingredients and at last the Treacle and Honey which serve instead of Leven to ferment the rest This is the exact description of Orvietan which I dare warrant
together it will appear that I had reason to prescribe so many different Remedies I have seen a great number of Horses lost by the Ignorance of those who undertook to Cure 'em For those pretended Artists endeavour'd only to make 'em Stale tho' the Disease was truly a Wind-Colic On the other side most Farriers and Grooms imagine that a Horse is troubl'd with the Gripes when his Urine is supprest and that Mistake is so strongly rooted in 'em that 't is impossible to convince 'em of their Error So that when a Horse is troubl'd with a Stoppage of Urine and the Farriers pretend that the Distemper proceeds from the Gripes you may certainly conclude that they are mistaken and that the Disease is an effect of another Cause When the stoppage of Urine is occasion'd by a confirm'd Obstruction or by an Inflammation of the Neck of the Bladder you must not persist in the use of Internal Medicines to provoke Urine which would only serve to encrease the Pain and Inflammation and stifle the natural Heat by driving vast quantities of serous and flegmatic Humours into the Bladder But instead of these you may safely apply the external Remedies describ'd in this Chapter It was never observ'd hitherto that Horses were subject to the Stone or Gravel or that the stoppage of Urine that occasions this kind of Colic was ever occasion'd by Sand or Gravel Nevertheless in the Year 1668. an old Spanish Horse died in our Academy after a Sickness of some Hours during which he Sweat all over the Body To discover the Cause of so cruel a Distemper I order'd his Body to be open'd by our Farrier who found in his Kidneys a Stone that weigh'd four Pounds and two Ounces brown and shining like polish'd Marble resembling a little Dutch Cheese and of a very regular Figure for it was not the breadth of a Line thicker on one side than on the other Both its Figure and Weight have remain'd entire ever since and it has been seen by almost all the People of Paris with admiration I presented it to my good Friend Count Bertholin who made all those who saw it taken out of the Horse's Body attest the truth of the matter of Fact before a Notary He preserves it still and shows it to all those who desire a sight of it nor could I forbear relating so unusual an Accident For a Flux of Urine Having already discours'd of the Stoppage of Urine I shall proceed in the next place to give an account of the Cause and Cure of a contrary Distemper in which the Horse voids an excessive quantity of crude and undigested Urine resembling Water and at last dies not being able to support the long continuance of such an immoderate Evacuation This Flux of Urine is occasion'd by the Heat and Sharpness of the Blood and an Inflammation of the Kidneys which like Cupping-Glasses suck all the serous Humours out of the Veins and discharge 'em into the Bladder every thing that the Horse drinks passing immediately thro' his Body without the least Alteration The remote Causes of this Distemper are Immoderate and Irregular Exercise or Working of young Horses cold Rains in the beginning of Winter and eating of Oats that are Imported by Sea where being of a spongy Nature they imbibe and suck in the volatile saline Spirits that rise out of the Sea When you undertake the Cure of this Disease in the first place you must order the Horse's Diet feeding him with Bran instead of Oats and give him a cooling Clyster next day let him Blood and the day after inject another Clyster after which Bleed him again the following day The whole quantity of Blood that is taken away must not exceed four Pounds that is two at each time After you have let Blood twice and injected two Clysters boil two Quarts of Water and put it into a Pail-full of common Water with a large handful of Oriental Bole beaten to Powder Mix the whole very well and make the Horse drink it luke-warm if it be possible neither must you give him any other Liquor for his ordinary drink Morning or Evening Horses that are troubl'd with this Distemper drink excessively and some of 'em are so thirsty and their Bodies so heated that they would drink six Pail-fulls of Water every day You must not restrain 'em but let 'em have their full liberty to drink as much as they please provided the Water be prepar'd as before with boiling Water and Bole for the more they drink the sooner will they be cur'd When the Horse begins to Stale as he us'd to do when in Health and his Belly and Dung return to their natural Condition you must restore his Oats by degrees exercise him moderately at first and afterwards Ride or Work him with discretion CHAP. L. Of a Horse that Stales Blood DUring the great Heats of Summer if a Horse be ridden long and hard or over-heated by immoderate Exercise he will Piss pure Blood and this Disease is frequently Mortal especially if some Vein or large Vessel be broken which discharges the Blood into the Bladder Some Horses Piss Blood abundantly without a Fever loss of Appetite or any other appearance of Indisposition in which case the Flux of Blood proceeds only from the excessive Heat of the Kidneys and may be easily cur'd It would seem indeed that they could not long bear so vast an expence of Blood but since a little Blood will serve to tinge a great quantity of Urine 't is commonly thought that all they Piss is pure Blood whereas oftentimes the tenth part of it is not Blood and if proper Remedies be applied during the first days of the Distemper the Cure will be easily accomplish'd I shall forbear giving a particular Account of the Causes and Consequences of this Disease out of complaisance to those who are profest Enemies to Speculation and only look for Remedies in a Book of this nature Bleed the Horse and give him every Morning three Pints of White-Wine made Emetic by the Infusion of unwash'd Crocus Metallorum otherwise call'd Liver of Antimony The Nitre will give the Wine a red Colour and make it of admirable efficacy for it will both Cleanse and Heal which are the two main Scopes of the Cure Keep your Horse Bridl'd four Hours before you give him the Wine and as long after Repeat the Dose everyd ay and in six or seven Days the Flux of Blood will cease and the Horse will be in a fair way of Recovery For the Emetic Wine expels all Impurities out of the Bladder and consolidates the part which is all that can be desir'd for the Cure of this Distemper If the Pissing of Blood be accompany'd with Heat and a Palpitation of the Flanks as it usually happens give the Horse a good cooling Clyster every Evening bleed him a a second time if need require and dissolve two Ounces of Sal Polycrest in the three Pints of Emetic Wine which you were order'd
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
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
Physicians that I cou'd not forbear inserting the Preparation of it for humane Bodies contrary to my resolution not to invade the Province of Physicians and besides I think my self oblig'd to advertise those who are able to make a right use of such an Admonition that there are above Fifty excellent Remedies for Men describ'd in this Book CHAP. CXXVIII A Fomentation for a Lean and Tyr'd Horse HOrses that are Hidebound are not at all nourish'd by their Food and besides the Use of internal Remedies they stand in need of Fomentations to loosen their Skin from their Flesh and Bones Take the five opening Herbs Dandelion which is a kind of wild Succory Hart's-tongue Wormwood Agrimony St. John's-wort Leaves and Flowers Bay-Leaves Marjoram Mint Bawm Penny-Royal Rosemary Rue Sage Thyme wild Thyme The five opening Roots namely the Roots of Grass Madder Eringo's Capers and Rest-Harrow I do not propose so great a Variety of Plants with a Design to recommend a scruplous Niceness in making use of all that are here mention'd but only that you may have the Conveniency of chusing such as may be procur'd with the least Difficulty Cleanse and stamp the Roots and put a Handful of each Kind into a Kettle with Lees of Wine after they have boil'd for a considerable time add a convenient Quantity of the Herbs and boil 'em three Hours longer Then take a Handful of the Herbs and Roots as hot as you can endure to hold 'em in your Hand and rub the whole Body of your Horse till it be well moisten'd and immediately after rub his Flanks Belly Throat and all the rest of his Body with Ointment of Montpelier chafing it in with your Hands to make it sink Then dip an old Table-Cloth or any other worn and us'd Piece of Cloth in the hot Lees that remain in the Kettle and lay it double on the Horse's Body covering him entirely with it and over that lay one or two Quilts binding 'em on with a Surcingle or two if there be occasion or you may few the Ends of the Quilts together Twenty four Hours after unbind the Quilts and Cloth and renew the Fomentation repeating it twice afterwards as before The main Scope and Intention of these Fomentations is to draw the Spirits and Nourishment to the dry Skin that it may be loosen'd from the Horse's Body After the Fomentations you must keep your Horse close cover'd for some Days to prevent his catching of Cold by reason of the Tenderness of his Skin and afterwards give him the last Clyster prescrib'd in Chap. CXXIII The next Day give him the following Medicine to loosen his Belly To loosen the Belly of a Tyr'd Horse Mix a convenient Quantity of the Roots of sharp-pointed Dock chopt small with two Pounds of fresh Butter and beat 'em together in a large Mortar to a Mash making it up into Pills of the Bigness of Tennis-Balls which must be given to the Horse with a Quart of Wine keeping him bridl'd six Hours before and four Hours after If he retain his Appetite for his Meat give him the following Purgative four or five Days after A Purging Remedy for a Tyr'd Horse Take of Aloes an Ounce and a half Sena Leaves an Ounce Agaric half an Ounce Mercurius dulcis and Scammony prepar'd with the Steams of Brimstone of each two Drams Anniseed and Cumminseed of each one Dram four Cloves and two or three Pugils of Cinnamon Beat all the Ingredients to a gross Powder and mix 'em with a Quart of Emetic Wine which the Horse must drink up immediately only the Aloes Scammony and Mercurius dulcis must be mixt a-part with every Draught lest they fall to the bottom After your Horse has taken the whole Powder rinse his Mouth the Pot and the Horn with about half a Pint of Emetic Wine Instead of this Remedy you may use the purgative Oil describ'd in Chap. XCVI or the purging Medicine recommended in Chap. CXXXVIII You must always observe to keep your Horse bridl'd five Hours before the taking of a Purge and at least four Hours after and assoon as he has taken it you must walk him for the space of half an Hour 'T will be convenient to allow a Breathing-time to Nature after the Operation of the last Remedy is over In the mean time feed your Horse as before and enure him to travel by degrees Some Horses recover without much difficulty but the Cure of others will require your utmost diligence You may conclude that your Horse is in a fair way of Recovery when he eats and drinks heartily and both the Quantity and Consistence of his Excrements are agreeable to Nature for tho' his Appetite be strong and firm if his Dung be either excessive in Quantity or too soft 't is impossible for him to thrive Note That your Horse must be let blood the Day before you apply the first Fomentation Since few Persons are endu'd with so large a stock of Diligence and Patience as as is necessary for an exact Observance of the above-mention'd Directions to oblige those who are Lovers of Ease I shall subjoin a Remedy that alone suffices to perfect the Cure if it be not absolutely impracticable tho' the Horse's Hide be glu'd to his Bones CHAP. CXXIX The Golden Sulphur of Antimony GLauber has communicated the Preparation of this Medicine in several Parts of his Writings but by collecting and comparing together these scatter'd Shreds 't is plain that his true Method is as follows Take of crude Antimony two Pounds Tartar a Pound fine Nitre half a Pound make a Regulus according to Art and reserve the Scoriae which are only useful for this Preparation tho' the Regulus may serve for several other Uses in Physic Boil the Scoriae in a sufficient quantity of Water stirring it from time to time till part of the Scoriae be dissolv'd Let the Solution stand till it settle then pour off the clear Liquor or if you please filtrate it thro' brown Paper and throw away the gross Substance that remains upon the Paper reserving the strain'd Solution At the same time boil a sufficient quantity of Tartar in Water stirring it till it be dissolv'd which will require a considerable time then put the first Water into an Earthen Pot and by degrees pour the Solution of Tartar upon it after which you will immediately feel a strong and stinking Smell and the mixt Liquors will precipitate or let fall a brown Powder to the bottom This is the Golden Sulphur of Antimony which must be dry'd on brown Paper and preserv'd for Use The Dose is from half an Ounce to an Ounce mixt with a double quantity of fine white Flower infuse it all Night in a Quart of Wine and give it to your Horse every Morning keeping him bridl'd two Hours before and three Hours after and repeating the Dose once a-day for the space of fifteen or twenty Days which without any other Remedy will restore him to his perfect Health by consuming and
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
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
it would be a great deal better for them even although they should receive no other advantage by it but this that they will eat with a great deal better appetite But perhaps some may say that horses have been long enough bridled the whole day before so that there is no need of letting them stand so long unnecessarly in the stable without eating To which I answer that besides what I have already said there are many Horses to whom it is very fit to suffer the froth and foam to come in their mouths by the assistance of the Bit which obliges them to move their Tongues and by this meanes they moysten their mouths which giveth them a better relish of what they eat whereas if their mouths were not thus refreshed they would eat but a very short while so that a man thereby rather gains as losses any time contrary to the common Maxim of the hostler-boyes You are also to observe this by the way that if your horse hath been very Warm and that you could not have the conveniencie to cause him drink upon the road he will when unbridled eat but very little although you have exactly observed all the directions I have been giveing and that because he is much prested and troubled with thirst therefore in that case you are to give him such a quantity of Oats washt in Ale or Beer as you shall judge sufficient however less if you intend to feed him again after he hath once drunk Many are of opinion that people spoile their horses by giving them Oats before their water because say they the water maketh the Oats to pass too soon and so undigested out of the stomack I again think that it is good to feed with Oats both before and after watering although it be commonly the custom not to do it till after The Carriers and Coach-men upon their quick dispatches give it alwayes after watering neither is it without some appearance of Reason that they thus feed with Oats only after watering because the water doth not remain so long in the stomack but quickly passes so that the stomack is not at all weakned with it and the Oats which are of a porous and spongious body retain abundance and as much of the moisture of the water as is sufficient for the benefit of the horse this is the only Reason why people feed with Oats only after watering which however is not of force enough to hinder a man to feed Horses before watering which have been very warm and hard Rid for they will be a great deal the better of it and not at all in hazard of becoming sick When people Travel in Flying-Coaches or with laid or fresh horses from stage to stage and that they have driven very hard when the horses are taken all in a sweat and out of breath from the Coach they should as I have already said cause first scrape off their sweat rub them well down and cover them and then cause walk them half an hour in peoples hands that they may recover their wind during which time they shall prepare for each of them a French half Bushel of wheat Bran which is about six English quarts and which must be well moistned with water then having put them in the stable and unbridl'd them lay it before them in the Manger that so they may with it cool and refresh their mouths which are dryed with the dust and sand and which many times reacheth to their very Throats now this wet Bran detatches or separates the dust from their mouths and Tongues and even although horses be a little warm they very seldom receive prejudice by this method This dust and and sand doth sometimes so very much dry the tongues palates and throats of horses that they many times lose their appetite by it because their tongues become hard and dry especially in horses which suffer them while they are traveling in excessive hot weather to hang out of their mouths and therefore people should never fail either to give such horses alittle wet Bâ—an for the first thing they give them to eat or otherwayes to cause wash their mouths and tongues well with a wet Spunge to oblige them to eat People make use of the same method for hunters and all other horses which having Rid hard are out of breath but especially if they be very fat the use of this we Bran doth exremelywell with them and gaineth them time because useing it they may be the sooner unbridled and in a condition to eat In places where wheat Bran can be haâ— this method is excellent but except in France it is somewhat scarce and difficult to be got other Countreyes not making much use of it this way and in Holland 〈◊〉 soon as their horses arrive whether they be warm or not they give them drink with out apprehending any prejudice by it as I have already observed was the custome amongst the Waggoneers but then their waters in those countreyes are not quick and sharp for becoming in a manner warm by standing they cannot therefore 〈◊〉 readily prejudge them but when people attempt this method with horses in France they frequently dye before they can be accustomed to this so dangerous a habit of liveing which I assure you shall never be put in practice by me People should take exact notice to the water which horses drink especially when traveling for upon that in a manner dependeth their preservation or destruction that water which is least quick or penetrating is the best if you can have the conveniency of a River it is preferable to a Spring and a Spring or Fountain to a Draw-well but when a man is necessitate to let his horses drink of such penetrating waters he should cause bring it in a pretty time before he use it set it in the Sun or cause warm somed it to correct the sharpness of the rest but it is sooner done to throw amongst it a little wheat Bran or some soft of bread crumbled for want of both which the crudity of the water may be a little corrected by either stirring it some time about with your hand or throwing a little Hay amongst it but if the water be extremely quick and peirceing neither the stirring of it with your hand nor Hay will prevet the horses taking the Vives and therefore in that case you are either to mix with it a little warm water or wheat Bran which will sufficiently correct it It sometimes happneth that horses are so hard and unmercifully rid that they are burst and either dye or become foundered if a man do not apply proper remedies to prevent it for example people are at the Stagg-hunting and cannot have the conveniency of their laid or fresh horses because the Stagg takes quite another way theâ— where they are placed or perhaps runns further than is expected so that people being warm and bent upon the chase do not consider their horses but push theâ— on to the outmost
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
of value which having their backs swelled beneath the saddle People are necessitate to let them lye all night with their Sumpter saddles upon them Sect 3. lest the cold in the night time should cause the bruised parts to swell so excessively that they could not conveniently saddle and load them next morning some times people also suffer the Sumpter saddles to remain all night upon their backs to keep closs upon the swellings or Galls the remedies they have applyed Now it is a bad enough invention thus to cause a poor horse lye all night beneath a saddle it is therefore far better and more proper to cause fill a bag with good warm dung and tye it upon the swelling which will not only binder it to increase but perhaps also quite discuss it The Egg-Carriers which come from Normandy to Paris never take off their Horses pack-saddles in the night time but then they have alwayes their horses Hung. There are few horses but what in a great journey interfere and cut themselves less or more but so soon as ever you perceive it you may cause help it as I shall show you when I discourse of shoeing In the Morning before you saddle your horse you should alwayes feel the Saddle-Bows to know if they be unglew'd or broke then observe if the band of the saddlewithers be unnail'd or split or the long bands any-wayes loose or unfixed if the Cloath of the Pannels be too stiff and hard or that the pannels themselves be separate from the Bows when a man hath had but never so little practice in this he will run over all these particulars in the twinkle of an Eye so that after he hath done it he may cause cast the saddle upon his horses back which should be alwayes done so soon as he is Curried and drest and a pretty time before he take journey because commonly when horses which are a little aged are once saddled they make a great deal of more haste and dispatch in eating Likewise before bridling a man should look to those Leathers in the head stall which support the Bitt to see that they be neither broke nor rotten as also to the bridle reins where they are joyned to the Branches Horses should alwayes be fed with Oats before parting for he which hath an empty belly is not in a very good condition to endure any great fatigue because as horses are of a hot and dry constitution if their natural heat find not something whereupon to work it feeds upon its own proper substance which very quickly makes the horse become lean or at least over-heats him very much inwardly There are many People who are more curious in providing good chear for themselves than for their horses and who if they have their own bellies full don't concern or trouble themselves much with any thing else now such persons particularly and many others unworthy to mount or ride a horse having read or heard read all the preceeding particulars have said That to observe them exactly a man needed noe other business seing it would take up the most part of his time and that for their own part they would rather venture the spoiling of their horses then be at so much care and trouble I confess that it is not alwayes needfull to observe them all but only the most necessar and if you be once alittle accustomed to it you will do all with a great deal of ease and even almost without thinking on it however I with all my heart consent that those who will not observe them follow their own inclinations because I write only for such as are well intentioned and desire to be instructed and values very little what others shall either act or say against this subject This is all that is to be observed before and in time of Travell It now remains that I say something of what is to be done after journeying and when people are arrived from it CHAP XXXV What is to be observed after People are arrived from a Journey or Travelling Sect. I. WHen you are arrived from a journey CHAP XXXV What is to be observed after People are arrived from a journey you are immediatly to cause dâ—â— the two heel nails of both the fore feet and if it be a large 〈◊〉 then four and two or three dayes after to cause blood your horse in the Neck and to feed him for ten or twelve dayes with wet Bran only without 〈◊〉 him any Oats also during this time keep him alwayes soft and cleanly litter'd Tâ— reason why after a long journey you are to draw the heel Nails is because the 〈◊〉 swell and if they were not thus eased the shoes would press and straiten them 〈◊〉 much it is also good to stop their feet with Cow-dung but there are some 〈◊〉 cause take their horses shoes quite off which is naught and it is also a very bad cuâ— to cause pare their feet Sect. 1. because the humour is drawn down upon them by it After your horse is Bled you are next day to apply upon his shoulders legs and 〈◊〉 the red Emmielure or Charge described in the 31 Chap Sect 2d of the second 〈◊〉 or otherwayes make use of the Charge with Cow-dung and Vinegar or 〈◊〉 made of quench'd Ashes or any other you please If you make use of the red Charge you are twenty four hours after the first anâ— cation to renew it again after the same manner and so continue it every four a twenty hours without taking away any of the old untill you have applyed it three four times after which you shall prepare a bath with the lees of Claret wine as I 〈◊〉 taught you in the 35 Chap. Sect. 3 of the 2d part and without removing any of 〈◊〉 Emmielure or Charge rub all the parts covered with it with this bath once 〈◊〉 day untill you have bathed him with it three or four times if your horse howeverâ— tigued he be is not recovered with this you are then only to give him rest and he 〈◊〉 recover of his own accord without needing the application of any more 〈◊〉 medies Your horse being thus fully refreshed and unweari'd you are to cause takeâ— his shoes pare his feet and shoe him a-new again then take him every day to a 〈◊〉 ning Water or Rivulet and let him stand in it for half an hour both Morning and â—vening if it be in the Summer time but if in Winter then it is sufficient to let 〈◊〉 only remain in it while he is a drinking If he be not much fatigued as he will be but very little if you have carefully loâ—â— to him upon the Road then it will be sufficient having first drawn the heel nailsâ— his fore feet to cause blood him in the Neck and receiving his Blood in a Veâ—â— keep it alwayes stirring lest it Clot and fix afterwards among three pound Blood which is the quantity should be taken add a pint of the best
wet Brush which must be every moment dipt into Water the water which first cometh from the Leg through the Brush will be white as milk but the washing and rubbing must be still continued till the Water come away clear and then the leg will be abâ— dantly clean this invention is excellent in the summer time but not in Winter 〈◊〉 cause cold water founders Light-sized horses which are of a more delicate constituâ—e than others however those who have fine horses and take delight in them may inâ—â— summer time make use of this method The horse being thus Curryed and Drest they then put on his Sheet and Mane-cloaâ—â— if he have one and girt it on with a broad Sursingle or Housing-girth which 〈◊〉 two little Cushions about the bigness of ones two fists fastned to it about half a 〈◊〉 distant from other and which are placed one upon each side of the back-bone whâ— the girth is to be fastened those two little Cushions facilitate a horse's breathing 〈◊〉 preventing his being pressed by the Sursingle then you shall turn him to the Mange and give him some Hay which you shall have before shaken that so it may be boâ—â— well separate and fred from its dust before you throw it before him If people do not shake out that earth or dust which hath adhered to the graâ—â— while it was growing in the meadow when the water overflowed it and that 〈◊〉 water passes over it when it is yet uncut and that the horse eat of this grass when it 〈◊〉 made hay without being well shak't and tossed it will make him cough extremeâ—â— and be prejudicial to his Lungs as also if the water happen to overflow the meadow when the hay is cut this kind of hay which hath been in a great part covered with the Mud of these overflowing Waters although it be afterwards well dryed and also exactly shaken yet is most prejudicial to horses and worse than the former You are to suffer your horses which are first drest to eat from the time they are drest until nine a clock and those that are last till ten Some people so soon as their horses have eaten their Corn in the morning and art drest tye them up to the Rack till nine a clock and this is very proper for 〈◊〉 which are very fat but for these which need fatning a man may order them as I have directed which is to suffer them to eat all the morning except when they are a dressing At Ten a clock or a little after you shall lead your horses to the River but in summer time you may take them to it after eight if you live in a convenient place for it because this quickens a horse and makes him brisk and lively to be watered abroad But if you cannot do better then you may let them drink within doors and 〈◊〉 be in Winter having drawn their Water you shall observe if it be warm and toâ— more certain of it you shall dip your hand in it and if it be not you shall then thâ—â— some wheat bran amongst it which is a thing both very proper and most whâ— some but if it be in the summer time and that you are obliged to let them dâ—â—â— Well-water you must cause draw it a considerable time before you suffer them to drâ—â— it and also cause set it in the sun in clean Hogsheads which have their heads kooâ—â— out that so the great crudity of the water which is most prejudicial to horses nâ—â— be corrected by the heat of the Sun Generally speaking River Water is not so good in Winter as Well because 〈◊〉 too cold and if the Well-water be good it is somewhat warmish when it is immdiatly drawn and consequently better than River When People lead their Horses to the River to drink they should go softly to 〈◊〉 at a step and if they are Coach-horses should return from it at a short Trot 〈◊〉 even at a step if they have a mind for it The English at coming our of the water gallop commonly their running or hâ—â—ing horses for a quarter of an hour without Intermission and almost at full speed the method may he good for them but galloping after watering cannot but be hurtâ—â— and so very prejudicial that the horses accustomed to it do either soon or late becoâ—â— pursy by this rare method upon which the English will bear no reason that is give against it People must not be surprized that I give so many precautions concerning Wateing for if you observe it narrowly and attentively you will find that a great maâ— of the diseases which happen to horses proceed from bad Water or from being wâ—tered unseasonably the reason is that the heat of the intrals attracteth with a grâ—â—avidity and quickness the liquor which the horse drinketh and if it chance that thâ— water be charged with any sharp mineral such as Allum Bitumen or any the liâ—â— without doubt that drink or liquor will leave some intemperature in the inward parâ—â— with some impression of a strange or unnatural heat If the Waters be sharp or too crude they leave behind them obstructions or â—â—crudities that are capable to hinder the necessary functions which are required to boyl and perfect the Blood which by that means giveth occasion to several sorts of diseases When you return with your horses from the water you shall lash a little water upon each leg with your two hands and afterwards wipe them down with straw to cause the water run off Some people so soon as they return from the water give their horses Oats but I think it is not a good method because seeing a Groom who hath Six horses to look to cannot take them all to the water but at Three times if they were accustomed to get Oats immediatly as they come from the water they would be impatient waiting for the rest would Bite and Strike at other and eat no Hay during all that time The Horse-coursers who are understanding in their profession as it is their cheif design to cause horses look plump round and full Flanked cause them drink in the Summer time by seven a clock in the morning and give them no drink at all in the Evening that so they may drink the more heartily next Morning having been so long without it after which they no doubt feed better and so appear more plump and better Bellyed in the morning then giving them drink again at two a clock in the afternoon they feed them after it which makes them appear full and round all the after-noon and seeing they do not show them in the night-time they care not whether they then look well or not but suffer them to endure Thrist that so they may drink the more heartily in the Morning this method is good to be practised by those who have no other disign in showing their horses but to sell them but for those who keep and feed them for their own service I assure you
as I have ordered This is what I thought needful to show you concerning the preparation of the â—â—mors before purging lest it might prove prejudicial to Horses which have 〈◊〉 reluctancy and aversion to it and from which if they be not well prepared for it the many times receive great dammage I have here said a little concerning the Purgation of Horses which before 〈◊〉 hath never been treated of by any to the end people might both receive because by it and that I might also by this small Swatch or Pattern give an opportunity 〈◊〉 the Curious to dive deeper into the Medicine and Physick of Horses than hath 〈◊〉 been done hitherto and which is extremly neglected by those that are capâ—â—â— because they absolutly rely upon the skill of such who can scarcely read their 〈◊〉 and therefore do many times loss their Horses by their negligence and ignorâ—â—â— and for lack of a little Reflection and Study CHAP. LXV Of Glysters THe Word Glyster is derived from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to wash CHAP. LXV Of Glysters from whence it is sometimes called also a Wathing because the Guts are cleansed by the injection that is made into the intestines it is proper for provocking the excretion or voiding of the Excrements to soften their hardness or to correct some intemperature or to abate some great pain or excessive beating of the flanks to expell Wind to stop the immoderate fluxes of the Belly and to kill the worms which are contained in the intestines Glysters also produce a great many other good effects because there is almost no part of the Body which does not receive some relief by them and that by reason of the correspondence that all its parts have with the lower belly or Guts which being fred of their impurities give the more liberty to other parts to discharge themselves of those humors which are prejudicial to them People compose them different wayes and according as they intend to treat the Horse as I shall show you all along the second Part when I discourse of the several Diseases but those which are most in use are the Emollient An Emollient Glyster which are called common Glysters People make a decoction of Mallows March-Mallows Violets Herb Mercury Pellitory of the Wall and Bears-breach causing boyl two or three handfulls of each in three English quarts and a half of water with two ounces of bruised Anniseeds if it be in winter but if it be in the summer then there may be added for cooling the seeds of Cucumbers Gourds Pumpkins Wild-gourds Melons and an ounce or two of Polychrest they afterwards strain all through a cloath and according to their intention add some kind of Electuary to it especially the Catholicum for Horses which is described in the 76 Chap. Sect. 5. of the Second Part or otherwise they make use of Honey or the like Beer or Ale is a decoction ready made in which a man may cause boyl two ounces of the Scorte or refuse of the Liver of Antimony in fine powder or otherways if he intend to make use of Purgatives then Colocynth Sene or any other according to the intention he hath to purge and after having strained the decoction from them he shall then dissolve in it some proper Electuary or other Medicament as he shall think fit However for the conveniency of those who are altogether ignorant of their composition I shall here set down the models of all kinds of Glysters whereby they may be instructed to make any of what nature and operation soever People to expell and drive the wind out of a Horses body A Carminative Glyster make Carminative Glysters of some of the emollient Herbs to which they add Organy or Wila Marjoram Calamint the flowers of Melilot and Camomil of each two handfulls with an ounce and an half of Polychrest in powder they make about two English quarts and a half of a decoction and after having strained it add four ounces of good Oyl of Bays or in place of it two ounces of the Catholicum for Horses or of the Electuary of Bay-Berries an ounce and an half and of all this they compose a Glyster which they administer to their Horse Or in the place of the Electuary of Bay-berries a man may take two ounces of the Oyl of Dill or otherways an English pynt of Emetick Wine in place of either There are many other wayes of composing Carminative Glysters of which I shall give you a description when I discourse of those diseases for which they are proper but particularly where I treat of Colicks occasioned by Wind. Make an ordinary decoction of the Emollient Herbs and Polychrest A purging Glyster then dissolve in two English quarts of what is strained from them an English pynt of Cows Urine being mixed with it two ounces of the Catholicum for Horses and eight ounces of Mercurial Honey and if you will increase its purgative vertue mix with it an English pynt of the infusion of the Liver of Antimony which I shall show you hereafter to make and which is Emetick Seing this Honey is most proper to be given as well in Glysters for the better pâ—â—ging of Horses as in many other preparations I shall therefore here show you iâ— Composition Take three pounds of Herb Mercury well pickt and cleansed wâ—â—â— four pounds of Honey mix and boyl them together now and then skimming theâ—â— until they come to the consistence of a Syrup The Composition of Merurial Honey this being put amongst Glysters wâ— cleanse and purge and people put commonly about eight ounces of it at a time iâ— Glyster or more if they judge it proper there are Books stuffed with the Vertues this Mercurial Honey you may read if you please Renould Bauderon La Franâ—â— siere c. You are to observe That when you intend to purge a horse exactly with Glyster you must put no kind of fat into them because Oyls and Greases adhere to the Vâ—ves or Partitions of the Intestines and so hinder the effect of the purgatives therefore upon the contrary people rather add Common Salt Salt Gem Polychrest or waâ—â— Urine all which prick and irritate the expulsive faculty whence it is that thâ— Countrey Farriers make commonly their Glysters of the Water in which Cod-fish Herring have been steeped which costs but little and because of its saltness causeth horse to empty well To make a Glyster somewhat purgative a man may infuse 〈◊〉 night in a proper decoction an ounce of Sene or otherwayes one or two Colâ—â—yâ—â— Apples cut very small and next morning giving it all a little Boyl shall afterwards strain it to make a Glyster A Glyster to appease a great beating in the Flanks You are to take of the ordinary herbs for decoctions and to put among the◠〈◊〉 or two ounces of Polychrest in powder and in two English quarts of this decoction mix eight ounces of Violet-honey and two three
or that the horse hath too great aboundance of it Blood which froaths much when received into a Vessel at a pretty distance â—â—tokeneth heat and an Agitation of the Spirits from whence people conclude thâ— horse is overheated either by superfluous nourishment or too violent labour or otheâ—wise that he is of a vigorous constitution such horses should be let blood at 〈◊〉 twice in the year by way of prevention When Blood coagulates soon and easily after it is drawn and hath a great maâ—â—â—bers in it it is a sign that its substance is thick and terrestrial but if it with diâ—â—â—ty congeal then it is more fluid and subtile If the Blood be very Serous that is Watery it betokeneth a weakness in the 〈◊〉 or an obstruction in the Veins or at least that the Pores of the skin are stopt 〈◊〉 Dust for not being well Curryed and drest and which hinders the insensible traâ—â—â—ration and exhalation of those Vapours which are the Excrements of the third and 〈◊〉 Concoction that is performed in the habit of the Body Blood whose superfice is Yellow but black beneath betokeneth a great deal of 〈◊〉 and that Bile predomines Blood full of phlegm and water is a sign that the horse is of a cold and moist â—â—â—plexion and that he should be very seldom let Blood except upon a necessity Blood of a plumbeous or earthly colour betokeneth that a horse is Melanchoâ—â— and that he should be but seldom bled The Blood of Asses is of this colour In a word if the Blood be very Red it is a sign it is good if yellow that it is Bilious if Pale and whiteish that is not well prepared and that it is charged with phlegm but if it be livide and greenish that then he is Melancholick and terrestrial That you may judge of the Quality of Blood after it is received into a Vessel you are to set it in a place where the Sun may not dry it and without also exposing it to smoke Wind or Dust or any thing else that may be prejudicial to the exact discerning of it If Blood will not congeal and fix it is a sign that the horse is full of bad humours and that he stands in need of reiterate Blooding in a small quantity and to be purged to take away the Cacochymy that is those corrupt Humors which by their putrefaction over-heat the Blood in the Veins and thereby are the cause of all Diseases this kind of blood is the worst of any neither should such horses be bled too abundantly at a time but by degrees and little at once taking care to purify the blood after it hath been preceeded by purgatives When the blood is Viscuous and thick and that when you break it with your Fingers it immediatly rejoins and continues firm having a good colour then it denotes plenitude and consequently that the horse should be frequently bled If you would judge of the quality of blood by its taste that which is sweetest is the best and most natural if it be inspide it is pituitous and phlegmatick if bitter it is Bilious and Cholerick if it be acid or stiptick it is terrestrial and Melancholick but if saltish then it betokeneth Brackish phlegm It is also good to observe that when horses stand equally in need of blooding and purging it is fittest to begin with bleeding because it cools and thereby may hinder the purgation which is of an over-heating quality to inflame the Humors because for the most part a purgative Medicament stirreth up Humors which it doth not evacuate so that if you should immediatly take blood while the excited humors are thus in agitation the Veins would presently attract to themselves that stirred up humor which was not evacuate and which being once in the Veins is capable to spoil the rest of the good blood In fine blood-letting contributes much to the giving a Man the true knowledge of a horse's constitution because it discovers his Temperament and the humor which predomines more certainly then any other evidence or mark whether of Colour or any thing else as also a man may thereby judge of his inward health and vigour CHAP. LXXII Amethod whereby to maintain or preserve horses in health Sect. 1. IT is not enough to cure horses which are diseased CHAP. LXXII A Method to preserve horses in health It would be more Glorious and useful to prevent their falling Sick which Vigotius tells very plainly melius est diligents studio cuâ—edire sanutatem quam aegritudinibus praesiare remedia that is that it is a great deal more commendable to preserve horses in health than to recover them when sick I have already discoursed of the Entertainment of horses upon Travel Sect. 1. or when they remain at home and also given necessary precautions relating to both but of those Medicaments which should be made use of to prevent Diseases I have said 〈◊〉 very little The same Author imploys the 57.58.59 and 40. Chapters in appointing Drenchâ— to be given in the Spring Summer Autumn and Winter for the preservation 〈◊〉 horses all the Year long but as that is very troublesome I never either made tryâ— of or experimented his Remedies After having turn'd over many a book and tryed Remdies of divers kinds I havâ— found none better than this I am about to propose to you It was communicated 〈◊〉 me by a German Lieutenant of Horse which hath obliged me to give the Powder 〈◊〉 Name he was so well versed in the Cure of horses that he frequently bought 〈◊〉 those which were past hopes of recovery Sect. 1. in which he succeeded beyond the expectatie of the most experienced Since my return from Germany I have fallen upon the methâ— to make use of prepared Antimony for horses with which I have not only prevence Diseases but have also fatned them in a short time beyond all hopes their skin cleaning to their very bones if you cause them eat every Morning two Ounces of 〈◊〉 Liver of Antimony in fine Powder mixt amongst their wet Bran and that for thâ— space of fifteen dayes the Liver of Antimony being prepared as I shall show you in thâ— 67 Chap. of the 2d part Sect. 14. you will I assure you not only prevent Diseases 〈◊〉 also put your horses in a condition to undergoe the greatest fatigues and that for thâ— reasons I have all along given in discoursing of its composition I will not enlarge upon the advantages of this powder but I can assure you iâ— never failed me and that it is the most efficacious remedy I have known made use of for the prevention of diseases in horses and also for cureing a great maâ— These are the true means whereby to preserve horses from the distempers in the Heâ—â— for such as have taken it have been happily preserved The Lieutenants Powder is difficult to be prepared therefore it is fit you addreâ— your self to some skillfull and faithfull Apothecary who will spare neither his
and is good for pricks Street-nails c. it also fortifies resolves and attenuats or makes this Viscuous and thick humors it is also good for the Nerves and all pains proceeding from a cold cause The Oil of Petrolaeum is more penetrating than the Gabian and hath the same effect only it causes a greater Inflammation and Swelling it is good for the strains of 〈◊〉 shoulders and Haunches and other fleshy parts where there is a necessity for the Mâ—â—cament to soke through the Flesh that so it may dissipate the Humors the Gathered The Oleo Dysasso is a kind of Petrolaeum clear as Essence it is found in the Tetories of the Duke of Modena and is commonly also sold at Parma as well as in Moles it is a kind of Petrolaeum which is rare in France and is as penetrating as any â—eâ— composed of very subtile parts it is admirable for all cold pains and resolves poweâ—fully but it must be used with discretion because it is extreamly hot The Essence or Oil of Turpentine is excellent for the Nervous parts and strains in the joynts but then it must not be often applyed to one part for it would burn the Skin and make it fall away in pieces There are several other kinds of Oils but because it would be Tedious to set down here all their Vertues therefore if you desire to know them and which is more to compose them look to the Alphabetical Table at the end of the second Part or otherwise read the Authors I have already cited as also Joubert Rondelet and others Sect. 4 Of the distilled Waters commonly made use of for Horses FOr the Infirmities of the Eyes people make use of the Waters of Celandin Sect. 4. Eye bright Fennel Roses and Honey-suckle For the Breast and Lungs that of the Burr-dock Camomil Elecampane Colts-foot and Violets The Cordial-Waters are those of Carduus benedictus Borrage Bugloss Roses The cordial waters and Flowers and Violets these four last are the four Cordial Flowers As also the Waters of Spanish Scorzonera Mead-sweet Scabious and others where of the use is admirable in Horses Fevers The Waters for the Liver are those of Agrimony and the Sharp poynted Dock The Waters which provoke Urine are those of Parsly Roots Radishes Juniper berries Pellitory of the Wall and Gromel Those which provoke Sweat are the Waters of Carduus benedictus Mead-sweet and Butter-burr The Vulnerary Water and second Water in French Eau Seconde are good for Wounds which have false proud and spongeous Flesh growing about them because they take away its itching quality These are in short the Ointments Plaisters Oils and Waters which people make most commonly use of for Horses as also those which are expresly appropriate to the temperature of Horses as you may see more at large in the 2d Part. CHAP. LXXIV How to dy the Manes and Tails of Horses of either a Scarlet or Gold Colour which will continue fresh and lively for a long time as also to make a White Star in a Horses Fore-head Sect. 1. SInce the third Impression of this Book CHAP. LXXIV How to Dy the Manes anâ— Tails of Horses c. People have begun to Dy their Horses Manes and Tails of a Scarlet Colour as is practised by the Hungarians Polonians and Cravats which Colour maketh a pretty enough show upon White Horses I therefore fancyed it would not be disagreeable to the Reader that he here find an easy Method to perform it which I have many times experimented and with very 〈◊〉 Charges It is to be observed that they are only the white Manes and Tails 〈◊〉 can receive this Colour and of whatever Colour the Horse be it matters not I providing his Mane and Tail be white they will take on the dye but the hairs 〈◊〉 are black will continue so and receive no other Colour but the natural The Secret 〈◊〉 is this Take two Ounces of a Root which you will find in the Druggists called Mâ—dde Latine Rubia Tinctorum beat it coursly and put it into a glazed Pot which willâ— dure the fire with an English Pint and a half of Claret Wine and a small Glasfullâ— Olive or Walnut Oil put the hair of the Horses Tail or Mane into the Pot stoppe it all closs about with a course Cloath or Wisps of Hay or Straw that none of it 〈◊〉 evaporate then hold beneath the pot a Chafin-dish full of burning Charcoal Coal-cinders blowing it with a pair of Bellows and keeping it so until the Liâ— hath boiled about a quarter of an hour Sect. 1. and that the Horse may not feel the heâ—â— the Fire you are to cause hold a Board betwixt the Chafer and Horse taking 〈◊〉 care that there be only the hair in the Pot and nothing of the Horses Dock beâ—â— he could not suffer it when it hath boiled about a quarter of an hour take 〈◊〉 the Mane or Tail out of the Pot and wash it immediatly in a Pail of clean Water 〈◊〉 which it will be of a beautiful Scarlet Colour but if it should not prove to be 〈◊〉 deep enough Dy then close it up in the Pot a second time and make it boil 〈◊〉 some fresh Liquor for a quarter of an hour as before after which wash it again 〈◊〉 Water this colour will remain so long as the hair continueth although the 〈◊〉 Mane should be washt once every day I beleive the Root of Alkanet or Orchanet would perform the like effect howeveâ— never made tryal of it but seeing it hath the Quality to dy Red as well as Mâ—â—â— there is a great probability that it would succeed it is easie to make tryal of it Sect. 2. How to Dy the Mane and Tail of a Yellow or Gold-Colour THere is a Root called Terra Merita which being made use of as the fore will in all probability tinge the Mane and Tail of a Yellow or Goldâ— lour Sect. 2. however I will not be positive in it having never experimentâ— but the trial of it will not cost much if you use it after the same method 〈◊〉 Wine and Oil as you did the Rubia Tinctorum Sect. 3. How to make a White Star in a Horses Fore-Head I Promised to give in this Book Sect. 3. a Method for making a Star or white Maâ— Horses fore-head but I have observed it to succed so ill that I do not adviâ—â— to rely much upon it nor to trouble your self to enquire after other methods for it because the Hollanders who practise it daily to make their Horses which are â—â—ly black resemble those who have naturally Stars in their Fore-heads do thereby ny times render them more ugly than beautiful therefore without warranting any thing relating to it if you have such a design I shall tell you that they cause rost a large Onion amongst hot Embers or Ashes and being almost throughly rosted they divide it in two and dip it into scalding hot Walnut Oil after which they immediatly
nothing better then to pull your Horses head into the Turn as much as possible you can and Ride him also upon very narrow Circles which will hinder him from Ambling to give him also the Spurrs soundly when he Ambles will help to put him from it Now although some strong Horses Amble when they are prest in the Mannage yet they are commonly weak Horses who either by nature or because they are almost wearied incline to Amble in the Mannage for we frequently see that the most part of Foles when first brought forth naturally take themselves to the Amble because they are as yet weak but so soon as they are a little stronger they altogether quite their Amble and take themselves to a Trot. Again if your Horse do not Amble but only Wrangle in his going between a false Trot and a false Gallop then also the inward Rein of the Cavezon pulled very hard with your hand or tyed strait to the Pomel to put out his Croup very much upon large Circles will help it especially if at the same time you give him the Spurr within the turn or both Spurrs soundly if need be and this with good and frequent stops will infallibly make him trot right and make him go just both upon his Trot and Gallop as he should EIGHTLY Of a Horse who goeth too much upon his Chine or Back WHensoever a Horse goeth too much on the Back and fetches disordered Leaps there is no way better to hinder him then to hold him fast and firm on the hand for a flack and easie hand will give him Liberty to Leap when a hard and stiffer would prevent it Also when a horse is accustomed to go commonly low in Corvets but by Long rest and little Riding begins to go too much upon his Back there is nothing taketh him more off it then to put in his Croup sufficiently well for this will so subject his hinder parts that it will hinder and tye him up from Crouping or going upon the Back but before you put in his Croup it were very good to Trot and Gallop him so long upon large circles of one piste or tread until you find that you have totally abated his Chine and taken him off his Back and then put in his Croup to subject him that so he may only go upon his Haunches and not upon his Back for there is nothing in the World puts a horse more upon his Haunches then the Cavezons inward Rein tyed to the Pomel the Rider at the same time pressing him upon the outside of the Turn which will make him lean upon the outside that is lean upon his Outward bind legg which is done by the inward Rein of the Cavezon either pulled cross his Neck or tyed to the Pomel and helping at the same time with the outward legg which is Legg and Cavezon Rein contrary as I have several times told you already and cannot do it too often it is of such consequence for the right dressing of horses especially for the putting them upon their haunches NINTHLY Of a Horse who is Resty or retains his Forces A Resty Horse is he who will not go forewards the way then is to pull him backwards and perhaps he will then go forwards this seldom faileth but if it should then make use of your Spurrs to the purpose causing also another person who is a foot whip him forwards with a good Shambrier and although he rebel a great while the Spurrs and Shambrier will perswade him at last they being the best argument you can use to him if they be given sharply soundly and in time and be also continued until he yeeld which he will certainly do at last for whereas the most part of other Remedies fail this never doth and you had as good apply Rose water and Suggar candy to him as attempt to rectifie him with such foolish Remedies as many old Writers have recommended for this Vice therefore they are the Spurrs and Shambrier that must do the Bussiness let people who understand no better talk what they will For a Horse who falleth down upon the Ground or in the Water nothing is better then a pair of good Spurrs timeously applyed But if your Horse be Retenu paresus or Contre coeur which is all but a kind of Restiness by which he retains his forces you must then Gallop him quick as also press him upon his Terra a Terra to put him from thinking for it is his Resty thinking that nurishes this Vice and let me tell you that bad Horsemen and Bunglers at first breaking of a Horse are the Cause of all these Vices by correcting them either out of time or letting them have too much of their will which is every white as bad if not worse than the other I must also tell you for a Truth that the worst natured Jade in the World by nature is more easily dressed and reduced to Obedience then a Horse who hath been spoiled and made Resty by ill Riding so much worse to rectifie is a bad habite acquired by custome and continued then an evil disposition by nature for a customary Drunkard we see is hardly reclaimed although by nature he be not much inclined to it and if it be thus in Men who are Rational we need not much wonder if we find it also so in Horses who are accounted but poor irrationall Brutes TENTHLY Of a Horse who forceth the Riders Hand commonly called a Run-away FOr a Runaway-Horse you must have a Gentle Bitt with a slack Curb and easie Cavezon that so nothing may hurt his Mouth or trouble his Nose for certainly sharp Cavezons and Rud Bitts hard Curbed which the Horsemen of old made most use of did make more Runaway Horses by turning them to dispair than any thing else you must also take care to keep a gentle and easie Bridle hand that so you may offend him no manner of way and then Walk him first without Stoping but only Steying him upon the hand little by little and then Trot him afterwards put him from his Trot to a Walk also staying him by degrees and alwayes make much of him when he obeys you when you find him thus far peaceable then put him from his Trot to a Gentle Gallop and from the Gallop to a Trot and from a Trot to a Walk and then from his Walk stay him little by little with a Gentle hand and using this Method for a while with Patience and Judgement you will in all Probability prevent his Ruuning away But say you put the case he do Run away what is to be done then for certain it is that the more the Cavezon be pulled the harder he will press upon the Hand and faster he will run to oppose the Rider and the more you pull the Bridle Reins and hurt him by straitning the Curb the more he will pull and run the faster so that your pulling will signity no more then if you pulled a Wall in answer to this
unwholsome and dangerous the first breeding heart burning and the last causing Scouring When you are Mounted Walk or Rack him only a foot pace for you must neither Amble nor Trot because they are both prejudicial to Speed or Swiftness at least a Mile or two or more if you think fit upon smooth and equal Ground and if it have a Gentle Rising so much the better there Gallop him Gently afterwards Walk him softly that so he may cool as much one way as he warmeth another and when you have thus exercised him a pretty Space and seeing the Sun begin to rise or else newly risen Rack him down to some fresh River or clear Pound and there let him drink at his Pleasure after he hath drunk bring him gently out of the Water and Rack him away very easily and not according to the ignorance of some Grooms who rush their Horse presently as he cometh out of the Water into a Gallop for that bringeth commonly along with it two mischiefs either it teaches the horse to run away with you so soon as he is watered or it maketh him refuse to drink fearing the violence of his exercise which is to follow when you have thus walked him a little calmly put him into a Gallop gently exercise him moderatly as you did before then Walk him a little space after which offer him more Water if he drink then Gallop him again gently if not then Gallop him a little more to occasion thirst and in this manner give him alwayes exercise before and after water when you judge he hath drunk sufficiently bring him home gently without a wet hair or the least sweat upon him and when you are come to the Stable dâ—oâ— provoke him to piss if you can by stirring up some of the Litter which is at the Stable door under him if he do not stale at first no matter for a little custom will bring him to it and it is wholsome both for his health and the sweet keeping of the Stable This done bring him to the Stable and tye him up to the Rack then rub him well with Wisps afterwards loose his Breast cloath and rub his head and Neck with a dry cloath then take off his Saddle and hanging it up with his Body cloath rub him all over especially that part of his Back where the Saddle was placed then cloath him up first with a Linnen Sheet and then over that a good strong Housing Cloath and above it his VVooling Body cloath which in Winter it is not a miss to have lyned with Cotton but in Summer a single one is sufficient when these are all on girt on his Surcingle and stop it with small and soft wisps which will make him so much the easier After he is thus cloathed stop his feet with Cow dung or his own Dung being a very little moistned with fresh Water then throw into the Rack a little bundle of Hay well dusted and wrapt hard together and let him eat it standing upon his Bridle when he hath stood an hour or so upon his Bridle take it off and rub his Head and Neck very well with a Hemp or Hair cloath for this is good to dissolve all gross and thick humors which may be in his Head then after you have made clean the Manger take an English Quart or Scots Chopin of sweet dry old and clean drest Oats for those which are unsweet breed infirmities those that are moist cause swelling in the Body those that are new breed Worms and those which are but half drest deceive the Stomack and so bring the Horse to ruine as for Black Oats although they are tollerable yet they make foul Dung and hinder a man from knowing so exactly the state of his Horses Body as he ought now this Proportion of Oats you shall clean and dress in such a Sieve as shall keep the good and full and let a Light Grain or Oat pass thorow it and if he eat them with a good Appetite let him have again the same Quantity and so let him rest till Eleven a clock with the windows closs for the darker you keep him the better because it will make him ly down and take his rest which otherwise he would not so readily therefore you are to arm your stable with Canvass both for Darkness Warmth and that no filth may come near him eleven aclock being come rub his head and neck as before and dress him another English quart or Scots Chopin of Oats then leave him the Stable being made dark till one a clock in the Afternoon at one a clock use him just as you did before with Rubbing Feeding taking away his Dung and then leave him dark till watering time but only at one a clock give him another small and hard bundle of Hay to chaw upon till VVatering time Watering time being come go to the Stable and having made all things clean Bridle take off his Cloaths and dress him as in the Morning then cloath Saddle lead him forth and urge him to empty afterwards take his Back and Rack him abroad but not to Rising Ground as in the Morning if you can have the conveniency of any which is plain and there Air him in all points as you did in the Morning when you have watered him and spent the Evening in Airing until it be near Night for nothing is more wholsome and consumeth foulness more then Airly and Late Airings Rack him home to the Stable door and there alight and do as you did in the Morning both without doors and within and so let him rest till nine at Night At nine come to him and rub down his Leggs well with Wisps and his Head and Neck with a clean cloath and turning up his Cloaths rub all his hinder parts then give him an English Quart or Scots Chopin of Oats in the same manner as you did before and after that a little hard bundle of Hay then toss up his Litter and make his Bed soft leaving him so till next Morning The next Morning do every thing to him without the least Omission as hath been formerly declared and thus keep him for the first Fortnight which will so take away his Foulness and harden his Flesh that the nixt Fortnight you may adventure to give him some Heats but before I proceed to the second Fortnights feeding I shall answer an Objection which may be urged touching the quantity of Provender which I prescrive being but one English Quart or Scots Chopin of Oats at a Meal seeing there are many Horses who will eat a larger Proportion and Quantity so that to scant them to this little were to starve or at the best to breed VVeakness To this I answer that I set not down this Proportion of Provender as an infallible Rule but as a President which may be imitated or augmented at pleasure for I have given you this Caveat that if he eat this Quantity with a good Stomack you may give him another still
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
sayeth our Author they have Horses which are only designed and kept for performing of great Courses and they delight so much in this Divertisement that they dyet Horses expresly for it so that their Horses who are naturally well Winded and extreamly swift are put into such a Condition by this manner of Preparation that they perform Courses which are Incredible and that not at a slow or round Gallop as our Horses but at full speed so that people who have never seen it can scarsely be perswaded that any Horse could endure and hold out with the violence of such Courses for five or six miles and yet many Horses in that Kingdom are known to furnish Carriers of that length I have never put this Method I am going to show you in practise my self and therefore shall only insert it at the end of this Book upon the honest Word and Recommendation of a brave Cavaleer who assuren me he had it in England from a person whose only Imployment it was to prepare and dyet Running Horses which Horses are neither charged with fat nor too much flesh but are so vigorous and hearty that they can scarsely be paralleled if your Curiosity lead you to make tryal of this Method I hope that observing exactly what followeth you shall find Contentment To choose then a Horse for Running he should be somewhat long Bodyed Nervous of great Mettle and very swift and who also besides ahving a good Wind should be sensible of and obedient to the Spurrs and have a good Appetite the Horse likewayes notwithstanding of all these Qualities should be of an English Bread a Borb or at least of a little size having pretty small Leggs but the back sinews well detached and separate from the bone short Jovnted and neat and well shap'd feet for bigg feet are not at all for this Imployment Now to prepare a Horse after this Method for a Match you must give him neither Hâ—â— nor Oats but cause make Bread for him of half Barly and half Beans baking them in form of large and pretty thick Cakes and not giving them to the Horse until they be a few dayes old and rather hard and stale then new three pound at sixteen ounces in the pound at twelve aclock and three pound at night is sufficient for him in twenty four hours and that in place of his Oats or provender in stead of Hav let him have Wheat-sheaves 〈◊〉 and with the eats upon 〈◊〉 luke warm water to drink upon which you shall throw a handâ— full or two of Bean and Barley meal mixed together keep him well covered with a sheet and covering above it in a Stable where he hath no light and let him be well littered and kept warm night and day Having thus nourished and fed him for four dayes upon the morning of the fifth day having keept him upon the bridle for three hours before give him balls made of a pound of fresh Butter at sixteen ounces in the pound That is so soon as ever the Cream is turned to Burter and before it be washt or salted then put to it twenty five or thirty Cloves of Garlick bruised and being all well mixed make balls of the bigness of large Wall-nuts which you shall make your horse swallow with an English quart or Scots chopin of white Wine afterwards keep him tyed up in the bridle his bead pretty high for three hours then feed him according to your ordinary custome with his Bread warm Water and Wheat sheaves but with the Wheat sheaves only moderately because you are not to fatten him but upon the contrary by diminishing and hardning his flesh to augment and encrease his Wind and Vigour Upon the seventh day that is the second day after the taking of his pills or balls Air him abroad just after Sun rising for the space of an hour and as much at night before Sun set sometimes racking or steping and sometimes galloping him but if he continue too far then you must take him abroad in the morning an hour before Sun rising and in the evening keep him also abroad for an hour after the Sun is set then bringing him back to the stable rub and cover him well and give him his ordinary portion of Food And thus continue to Air and Exercise him every day giving him alwayes every fifth day his pound of butter made up with garlick into balls And also observing not to Air or take him Abroad neither the day that he taketh his balls nor the day following When he hath taken three dozes of his Garlick balls that is fifteen days after you first begun to put him in keeping you are to Exercise him for two hours in the morning and as much at night sometimes at full speed then at a good gallop and afterwards at a step that so he may again recover his Wind Remembring and taking care as I have already told you neither to Air him that day he taketh his Balls nor the day thereafter but upon the other dayes when you have Gallopt him hard you are to dismount and lead him home in your hand well covered and when you are come to the stable rub and wipe him all over until he be perfectly dry then let him stand upon his Bridle his head being tyed up for three Hours after which give him his Water to drink which must be made more as look warm then feed him as at other times and thus you are to order and keep him for a month giving him alwayes his Pills or Garlick Balls every fifth day but the last five or six dayes of the Month you are to run and Gallop him as sharply as his wind will allow him giving him Listenings now and then in running to take his wind and continue also his exercise but only for two hours in the Morning and as much at night leading him alwayes back to the Stable in your hand having first covered him well with a Sheet and Covering and then rubbing and drying him well let him have his water and meat as I have already shewed you If after all this you observe that his Dung is still slimy and viscous it is a signe that he is not as yet well prepared you are therefore in that case to continue his dyet Pills and former exercise until you find that his dung come from him pretty dty and without humidity and then will your Horse be in a condition to make and perform what Courses you have a mind for Two nights before the Match he shall be put in the Muzzel all night and about two a Clock in the Morning you shall give him three English Pints or three Scots Mutchkins of Sack in which you must beat twenty or twenty five Yolks of new laid Eggs then ty him up to the Rack for two full hours after he hath taken it after which mount his back and immediatly put him to a gentle Gallop then to a full speed as long as his wind will allow it afterwards to
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
doing for the Knot slipping it was impossible to find the End of the Vein and besides the Motion of the Blood is stopp'd as effectully by taking up the Vein as by cutting it Let the Horse's usual Food be moisten'd Bran let him not lie loitering in a Corner of the Stable but use moderate Exercise and his Ordinary Drink must be prepar'd thus Melt two Pounds of Brimstone in an Iron Spoon and while it boils throw it into a Pail of Water then take out the Brimstone melt it again and cast it into the same Water which the sick Horse must drink for the Water will retain the sweet and balsamic Salt of Brimstone which is the Balsam of the Lungs The progress of this Disease even when 't is incurable is not very quick but rather insensible for the Sharpness of the Matter increases by degrees as the Ulcer grows greater and the Part affected is piece-meal consum'd in the mean time the neighbouring Parts are spoil'd the whole Body pines away and receives no Benefit by the best and largest Supplies of Nourishment Some Horses cannot endure the Water prepar'd with Brimstone and therefore you must take the Paste of a Peny White-Loaf when 't is just ready to be put into the Oven and steep it in the Water for the Tartness of the Paste will correct the loathsome Taste of the Brimstone and make the Water grateful to the Horse and besides it nourishes him and comforts his inward Parts As the Ulcer increases in a part so near the Heart it causes a Hectic Fâ—ver the usual effect of the Glanders by which the whole Body is dry'd and the Horse dies about six Months or a Year after But since 't is hard to know certainly whether the Glanders be of this kind which almost always proves Mortal you must endeavour to discover the nature of the Disease by the application of proper Remedies by the success of which you may perceive whether there be any hopes of the Cure Thus you may exhibit the Drink which I prescrib'd for 't is very proper in all the various sorts of Glanders especially in the most dangerous kind that which affects the Lungs And to convince you that you ought not to despair of the Cure at the first appearance of this Distemper 't is observ'd that some Horses recover of themselves in the Stable but this happens only when there is not an Ulcer the matter not being sharp enough to corrode and waste the part However since 't is impossible to judge certainly of the Malignity of the Distemper you must not neglect the use of Remedies The Horses that are seiz'd with this Disease are frequently put into a way of Recovery by the use of good Remedies which would even perfect the Cure if the Lungs were not already wasted but God alone can restore a consum'd Part. I remember I attempted the Cure of a Horse troubl'd with the Glanders and kept him in the constant use of Remedies for a whole Month together Every Morning I made him drink three Pints of the Emetic Wine with two Ounces of the Cordial Powder and in the Evenings I Syring'd his Nose with half a Glass of the same Wine which dissolv'd the Kernel between his two Cheek-Bones and gave him a good Appetite to his Meat His Eye look'd well he voided less Matter and had all the signs of Amendment after which I purg'd him and committed the rest of the Cure to Nature but the Horse by degrees pin'd away and at last dy'd After his Death I open'd his Body and found his Lungs wholly turn'd to a Mass of Corruption I confess I ought not to have purg'd him during the time of his Evacuation at the Nose For Experience has since convinc'd me that the Purgation of a Horse when he voids Matter by the Nose is apt to give him the Glanders tho' he have it not already This puts me in mind of another Horse that was committed to my care to whom I gave two Doses of the Remedy describ'd in the following Chapter which made him void abundance of Matter Then I purg'd him and afterwards gave him three Doses of the Cordial Pills in Wine for three days together and eight days after three Doses more but the Evacuation of the Matter was wholly stop'd I order'd him to be air'd and walk'd and to compleat the Cure according to my judgment at that time I purg'd him again ten days after and at last took out the Kernel which was large and fix'd The Wound being clos'd I let him Blood and concluding him to be cur'd sent him to his Master Six Months after he began to void Matter again and continu'd in that condition above six Years during which time he was able to walk a foot-pace and Work very well but at last he pin'd away and died I thought fit to communicate these two Instances out of a hundred others I have met with in my Practice to demonstrate that oftentimes the Horse is in the greatest danger when he seems to be cur'd And therefore when a Farrier undertakes to cure a Horse of the Glanders you may conclude that either he will hardly be able to perform his Promise or that the Disease is not really what you imagine it to be 'T is a most certain Rule that a Horse should never be Purg'd while he voids Matter at the Nose for a Purging Medicine may throw him into this Distemper tho' he were free of it before We must follow Nature in the Cure of Diseases and not compel her to change her course or to submit to one that is opposite to that which she has already taken as Purgation is in the present case 'T is true most Farriers observe that Method but I 'm fully convinc'd that 't is very dangerous and oftentimes fatal The Emetic Wine never purges a Horse tho' the Dose be augmented to two or three Quarts for it works by insensible Transpiration and is an excellent Remedy You will find it describ'd in the Twenty Third Chapter CHAP. XIX How to expel the Matter by the Nose I Shall proceed to describe some Remedies proper for this Distemper And if the Case be not altogether desperate you will quickly perceive the good effects of ' em Before you give any Remedies you must consider whether the sick Horse be a hearty Feeder For if he be nice and squeamish the Cure will never succeed according to your desire since some of the Medicines you must give him will encrease the natural Infirmity of his Stomach so that it will cost you as much Pains and Time to restore his Appetite as to cure the Glonders and at the end you will find it impossible to compass your design But if the Horse that is committed to your Care be a good Eater in the first place make him abstain from his Oats then take Aqua Vitae and Oil Olive of each a Quart mix or brew 'em together in a Pot till they be perfectly united and spurt some
till he has recover'd his Appetite and then give him another Dose If this Remedy work too violently and cause too great an Agitation in the Horse's Body infuse two Ounces of Tabacco in a Quart of Oil-Olive let it stand in hot Ashes all Night and in the Morning strain out a Glass-full which you must give him luke-warm one half at each Nostril This is a gentler Medicine and besides that it will make him void some Matter it allays the sharpness of the Humours but you must observe the same Directions as before concerning Beating in the Flank and Loss of Appetite You must take care to augment or diminish the Dose according to the good or bad Condition of the Horse's Appetite and the great or small Quantity of the Matter which he voids Nature oftentimes heals those internal Ulcers which are the Source of the filthy Matter that runs out of the Nose when by a great Evacuation she is eas'd of the Burthen of sharp and malignant Humours that foment the Distemper The Cure of an Ulcer consists wholly in cleansing it for you may commit the healing of it to Nature This Remedy will expel a prodigious Quantity of Matter some Horses bear it well without losing their Appetite and even the Kernel disappears in the Wane of the Moon but if it grow again you must repeat the Medicine If after a long Continuance in this Method the Horse begins to void less Matter and according to all Probability the Flux of Matter will quickly cease forbear the Use of the Remedy for some Days and if the Evacuation be wholly stopt as it sometimes happens give him a Dose of the Cordial Powder for three Days together in a Quart of White or Red Wine after which the Kernel will perhaps return no more and the Horse will perfectly recover I have given this Remedy to some Horses who were not at all troubl'd with a beating in the Flank after the taking of it nor lost the least stroak of their Teeth they were cur'd for some time but afterwards some of 'em relaps'd into their former Disease When the the Lungs which are the usual Seat of this Distemper are much wasted the Disease is incurable and the above-mention'd Remedy hastens the Horse's Death but since 't is impossible to save him the best Way is to dispatch him speedily When you undertake the Cure of this Distemper whatever Remedy you design to use you ought always during the Encrease of the Moon to strengthen Nature and help her by gentle Methods to cast forth the Matter that offends her for which Purpose repeated Doses of the Cordial Powder Treacle Electuary of Kermes and the Cordial Pills are very effectual And during the Wane you must syringe the Nostrils and give Remedies to promote the Evacuation of the Matter This Method seems to promise good Effects but I will not positively warrant the Success Perfumes are not very proper in this Case 't is true they expel a great deal of Matter and even without Violence but they make the Horse too lean and dry and spoil his Appetite CHAP. XXI A Perfume to draw forth the offending Humours TAke Betony Vervain Mugwort Speedwell Bawm Wormwood Scabious Agrimony Mint Hyssop and Sage burn 'em in a Chafing-dish and putting a Bag with a Hole in it about the Horse's Head make him receive the Smoak into his Nostrils for a quarter of an Hour which will expel abundance of Matter The wild Vine that grows in the Hedges call'd black Briony slic'd small while 't is green and afterwards beaten casts forth a Smell that will make the Horse void a great deal of Matter Some say it hurts the Sight but Experience will convince you of the contrary It has most Virtue when it bears its Flower To declare my Opinion ingenuously I never observ'd any Horses to receive great Benefit by Persumes but I was willing to insert 'em here for the Satisfaction of some Persons The Syringe makes Persumes and even Feathers useless and spoils not the Horse's Appetite but since Farriers are very fond of these Medicines and continually propose the Use of 'em I thought fit to describe the best that can be made tho' even that is not very effectual and I dare not advise you to use it During the Use of these Remedies keep the Horse to a moistening Diet which facilitates the Evacuations you are oblig'd to procure Some dislike moisten'd Bran and recommend Oats but I always found Bran to be the most proper Food for Oats give Nature too much trouble to digest ' em I have seen Horses void Matter at the Nose six Years together and yet during all that time perform their wonted Service hunt eat and undergo Fatigues like other Horses The Use of Remedies was laid aside they were not kept to any Diet and the the whole Business of the Cure was left to Nature but at last the Disease carry'd 'em off I have also seen others tho' very few who cou'd not be cur'd by Medicines and yet sometime after the Use of Remedies and Hope of Cure were both laid aside they recover'd their perfect Health CHAP. XXII Another Remedy for the Glanders TAke a Pot large enough to hold five Pints or three Quarts fill it a third part full with the second Bark of the Aller or Alder-Tree which grows in watery Places and serves to make Stools Ladders and other Utensils of small Value scrape the Bark or cut it small and having added two Quarts of Water boil it to the Consumption of one half stirring it from time to time then add another Quart of Water to that which remains and boil away that also after which add another Quart and consume that too then press out the remaining Quart and dissolve in the strain'd Liquor half a Pound of Oil-Olive pour out half a Pint of the Liquor thus mix'd and give the rest to the Horse to drink luke-warm then inject the other half Pint into his Nostrils and afterwards walk him abroad in his Cloaths for half an hour This Remedy will draw forth Abundance of Matter and tho' he only voided Matter at one Nostril before it will make him run at both If the Horse be not cur'd eight Days after repeat the same Remedy and perhaps he will recover I have both cur'd some Horses with this Medicine and us'd it several times without any Success at all but it never produces any dangerous Effects If this do not cure the Horse take up his two Neck-Veins and afterwards give him a Dose of the Cordial Pills four Days together which will either cure him or you may conclude him to be past Recovery Another Remedy for the same Distemper Take of Oriental Caster grosly beaten an Ounce Gentian beaten and Savin slic'd small of each an Ounce and a half boil them in five Quarts of strong Vinegar to three and after the Liquor is cold strain it thro' a Linnen Cloth Give the Horse a Quart of this Liquor after he has stood
luke-warm Water to drink and in the Evening the following Clyster A Clyster for Diseases of the Head or the Fiery-Evil Make a good Decoction according to the usual manner with Polycrest or mix an Ounce of Polycrest in Powder with five Pints of Beer put 'em into a brazen Pot with a cover and boil 'em half a quarter of an Hour with an Ounce of Coloquintida slic'd small Add to the strain'd Liquor half a Pound of Honey of Violets and give the whole Blood-warm by way of Clyster to the Horse in the Evening for two days together A Bag to give the Horse an Appetite If your Horse refuse to eat take Angelica and Assa-foetida both in Powder of each half an Ounce tye 'em to the Bit in a Linnen-Bag and let the Horse champ on it two hours after which let him Eat two Hours then put in the Bit again and continue after the same manner This will purge the Horse's Head and make him cast forth a great deal of slimy Matter after which he will feed more heartily The same Bag is very useful for all sick Horses or such as have lost their Appetite A Remedy to prevent Diseases of the Head I propose this Remedy for those Diseases of the Head which continu'd to infest some Horses in the Year 1672. and it will certainly succeed if you resist the Disease in the beginning but if the Distemper has made any progress it will not yield to this Remedy And therefore you must prepare the Medicine as soon as you have the least suspicion that your Horse is seiz'd with this Distemper for 't is better to make it in vain four times than once to neglect the opportunity of making it since it always produces some good effects As soon then as you perceive the least sign of this Disease For example if the Horse be dull heavy and refuse his Oats give him an Ounce of burnt Allom in Powder with an Ounce of Salt of Glass or Axungia vitri and two Ounces of Sugar-Candy in a Quart of White or which is better Spanish-Wine Then keep him Bridl'd two Hours after which unbridle him and you will certainly find him free of the Distemper And even tho' he be not troubl'd with that Disease this Remedy will do him good by consuming the Phlegm in his Stomach and giving him a good Appetite A Charge for Diseases of the Head Take about two Pounds of Blood out of the sick Horse's Neck-Vein receive the Blood into a convenient Vessel stirring it with your hand to hinder it from coagulating then set it on the Fire stirring it continually with a Wooden Slice and add to it three quarters of a Pound of Oil-Olive and two Glasses of Vinegar Boil 'em to the consistence of an Ointment with which luke-warm Charge his whole Head leaving only his Eyes open This Charge will dissolve the Matter that is gathered in the Passages and make it run besides it will strengthen and bind the Parts and hinder the Defluxion from falling upon ' em The frequent use of Clysters will also divert the Humours and make a Revulsion and you must give one at least every day Besides you must apply black Hellebore as you were taught before and make a second application two days after if the first do not cause a swelling CHAP. XXVI An excellent Remedy for the Disease in the Head call'd The Spanish-Evil HItherto there have been but few good Remedies prescrib'd for the Disease of the Head callâ—d I know not why the Spanish-Evil You may know it by the Horse's staggering or reeling as he goes which is caus'd by the motion of the Vapours in their ascent to the Brain which make him so giddy that he cannot walk straight forward Besides he has a strong aversion to his Meat his Mouth burns his Heart and Flanks beat violently and by viewing him attentively you may easily perceive that he suffers extreamly and can hardly escape without timely assistance Take one of those Beer-Glasses which are very large and yellow reduce it to Powder and strain it thro' a fine searce Or rather which is far more effectual take four Ounces of Salt of Glass which is white and may be found in Druggists-Shops beat it very small and afterwards beat a handful of Salt mix 'em with three Pints of Cordial-Water in a Pot and heat 'em till the Salt be dissolv'd that is as much of it as can be dissolv'd The common Salt will open the Body of the Salt of Glass and make the Cordial-Water penetrate it for Salts do not act unless they be dissolv'd Then strain out the Liquor and while it boils infuse in it two Ounces of good and fresh Thea for six or eight Hours during which time you must keep the Water luke-warm Strain again and throwing away the Thea as useless keep the Water that is impregnated with the Salt and with the Tincture of the Thea. Afterwards give the whole quantity of the Liquor to the Horse pouring it into his Throat with a Horn then cover him and keep him three Hours Bridl'd in the Stable If the first Dose do not cure him give him another four and twenty Hours after and every day inject a Clyster of two Quarts of Emetic Beer or instead of that take an Ounce of Sal Polycrest as much Coloquintida slic'd small two Drams of Anni-seeds beaten and two Quarts of Beer mix 'em and let 'em stand in Infusion six hours on hot Ashes then boil 'em a little strain and adding a quarter of a Pound of fresh Butter inject it luke-warm There is a great deal of Malignity in this Distemper for 't is accompani'd with a preternatural Heat which destroys that which is natural and oftentimes before a Man thinks of giving this Remedy some noble Part is seiz'd with so violent an Inflammation that the Fire cannot afterwards be extinguish'd till the whole part is consum'd which fatal event may be occasion'd by the neglect of one day Thus the Horse's Death must not be imputed to the insufficiency of the Remedy which is certainly very effectual but to the untimely application of it By virtue of the Fix'd Salts of which it is compos'd it puts a stop to the subtilty or if I may use that expression the great Volatility of the sharp and subtle Spirits which by reason of their lightness are carri'd to the Brain and by their malignant and poysonous sharpness change and vitiate its Substance And since a Fix'd Salt when 't is stronger and in greater quantity is able to fix a volatil Salt and unite the same to its own Substance the two Salts that compose this Remedy will fix those Saline Spirits that rise with the Vapours and occasion all the Disorders that are observ'd in Horses when they are seiz'd with this Distemper This is a very probable Hypothesis and I wou'd insist longer upon it if it cou'd be understood without some Knowledge in Chymistry Besides what I have said concerning the Effect of those
Blindness Some enjoy an Interval of six Months others are troubl'd with a return of the Distemper once in three Months and some grow Lunatic every two Months The signs of this Imperfection are particularly describ'd in the Second Part. During the time that the Eye is actually seiz'd with the Rheum it appears hot swoln dark cover'd and weeping which are the proper signs of a Defluxion But the surest sign of this Distemper is when under the Apple 't is of a faint yellow Colour during the time of the Defluxion for afterwards that Colour vanishes with the Rheum You must never Bleed a Lunatic Horse on any occasion whatsoever unless you are compell'd to have recourse to that Operation by some unavoidable necessity as by Fevers or Gripings in which cases you may let him Blood in the Flank I have seen Lunatic Horses who having been let Blood for the Farcin grew Blind shortly after You must not give the Horse any sort of Grain while his Eye is actually troubl'd with the Rheum but feed him with Hay Straw and moisten'd Bran. You may also make a Seton on his Pole between his Ears by thrusting a sharp Iron red hot quite thro' the part where his Mane begins and on which the Head-stall of the Bridle rests and putting into the Hole a plaited Cord one half Hair and the other Hemp anointed with Basilicum which must be turn'd round and drawn backward and forward every Morning to let forth the Matter that has been gathering for the space of four and twenty Hours Others keep the Seton open with a Lead-Ring instead of a Cord. The Seton will divert the Humour from the Eyes and ease the Horse in some measure by evacuating part of it Some make two Setons one on the fore-part of the Head where the Tuft of the Mane lies over the Fore-head and another behind where the end of the Head-stall rests but without any considerable benefit If the Weather be fair let the Horse lie abroad to receive the Night-Dew but if it be Cold keep him in a Stable that is not very hot For the Heat of the Stable is very hurtful to Lunatic Eyes 'T is very convenient for a Moon-Ey'd Horse to take up the Eye-Vein when the Rheum is at the heighth and when you can meet with an expert Farrier And it will not be improper to cut the Nerve that lies under the Vein as I taught you before But tho' you do not think fit to cut the Nerve you must of necessity take up the Vein which may be easily done with a crooked Needle as in the case of Defluxions Besides the taking up of the Jugular Veins will very much promote the Cure and you may also observe the following Directions 'T is extreamly profitable for Moon-Ey'd Horses to rowel 'em at the side of each Eye on the flat part of the Cheek-Bone to divert the Humour from flowing to the Eyes and more especially to evacuate that which is already fall'n upon ' em The Operation is thus perform'd Cut the Skin overthwart with a Launce or Razor and separate it from the Flesh about three Inches upwards with the handle of a Slice then put into the Hole a piece of Lead two Inches long and one broad raising up the Skin a little below the Incision made with the Launce to keep the Lead sure Let the Rowels remain twelve or fifteen days and make the Matter run out twice every day by pressing the part gently downwards The Orifices made either by a Seton or Rowel heal of themselves after the Cord or Lead is taken out Instead of Lead you may put into the Hole a little Straw or a piece of an old Shoe or Gentian-Root After these precautions you may proceed to the use of Rue-Water CHAP. XXXII Of the best way of making Rue-Water to Cure Moon-Eyes SInce Rue-Water is an excellent and specific Medicine for the Eyes of Horses and is not to be had every where I thought fit to subjoin the true way of preparing it Take three or four handfuls of Rue cut it small and put it into a Dish of Silver or Earth glaz'd which you must set on a Chafing-Dish with another Dish on the top of it and give it a gentle Heat Remove the upper Dish from time to time and take out the Water which you will find sticking about it with a Feather then set it on as before and let it stand for some time after which take it off again and you will find more Water When you have gather'd a considerable quantity of Water as for example a small Glass-full dissolve in it the bigness of an ordinary Walnut of White-Vitriol and bathe the Eye with it Morning and Evening or if this be not of sufficient efficacy make use of the Lapis Mirabilis And if that Stone should fail too as it may sometimes happen to do when the Eye is very much inflam'd you must have recourse to the Oil of Lead pouring seven or eight drops of it into the Eye every day which is an incomparable Remedy and will fully answer your desires Oil of Lead is a specific Remedy for Defluxions on the Eyes and especially for those that follow the Motions of the Moon If you administer it a little before the usual time at which the Moon brings down the Rheum that Symptom will be prevented and the Eye remain sound And by persisting in the use of this Medicine that is by putting two drops of it into the Eye every day with a Feather you may preserve Horses that are subject to Moon-Eyes for several Years without the least appearance of their wonted Distemper their Eyes remaining all the while sound and bright If the Horse be actually seiz'd with the Distemper you must administer the Remedy twice a day and you will be quickly convinc'd of its Efficacy I have often try'd it with a great deal of satisfaction and you may safely depend upon it CHAP. XXXIII Of Oil of Lead call'd Oleum Saturni THere are different Methods of preparing this Medicine prescrib'd by all the most celebrated Chymists both Ancient and Modern who give it the name of Oil tho' improperly because 't is not Inflamable and I thought fit to retain the same Name since the use of it is confirm'd by such Illustrious Writers as Paracelsus Crollius Zwelfer c. Among all the various Preparations of it I chose to make use of that which follows as the least intricate But if you are not expert enough in these Operations you may employ some Artist to prepare it Methodically tho' you will find the following Description of it so clear and exact that it may be easily made by any Man that has the least skill in Distillation Take six Pounds of Ceruse reduc'd to Powder by rubbing it on the bottom of a Searce turn'd upwards put it into an Earthen Pot with ten Quarts of distill'd Vinegar and digest 'em in a Sand-Furnace three Days and three Nights stirring the bottom of the Matter
If the Horse be not swoln one simple * i. e. That discusses Wind. Carminative Clyster will for the most part be sufficient to perfect the Cure Galen one of the great Luminaries of Physic ascribes the Original of the Flatulency or Wind which is generated in the Body to a middle degree of Heat strong enough to raise Vapours from a cold and viscous Humour but not sufficiently vigorous to disperse 'em after they are rais'd For meer Cold is wholly destitute of a Power to attenuate digest or dissolve and therefore can never produce Wind and on the other side a Heat that acts upon the Humours with a force considerably Superior to their Resistance makes 'em too thin to generate Wind which probably proceeds from a weaker degree of Heat according to the Doctrine of Galen When these Windy Vapours abound in the Body they stretch and distend the Guts beyond their due measure and occasion violent Pains Besides they blow up the Horse's Body as if it were ready to burst which Swelling is the most peculiar sign of the Wind-Colic in which as in all the other Kinds of that Distemper the Horse tumbles and tosses with extraordinary violence Wind may also occasion that painful and dangerous kind of Colic call'd Convolvulus which is a Motion of the Intestines against Nature tending from below upwards and may proceed either from the Irritation of the Spirits or the malignant Fermentation of the Excrements retain'd in the Guts The violence of this Distemper will be mitigated by the use of the following Remedies but almost always it proves Mortal at last and when a Horse dies of it Farriers usually say that he had the Red-Colic The same Remedies that are good for the Wind-Colic are also us'd in this case but with littles uccess The cure of the Wind-Colic is perform'd by Bleeding the Horse in the Flanks and under the Tongue and by walking him frequently for Exercise rouzes and envigorates the natural Heat and enables it to dispel the Wind that causes the Distemper Cover him well and walk him at a Trot and sometimes at a Foot-pace and if the Violence of the Pain be not abated give him the following Clyster which I prefer before many other Remedies A Clyster to expel Wind. I have often had experience of the admirable Efficacy of this Clyster and therefore I may boldly recommend it to all those who shall have occasion to use it Take a Pound of large fat Figs chop'd boil 'em in three Quarts of Water for a full half Hour then add two handfuls of Rue cut sinall and boil 'em again pretty briskly for a quarter of an hour After the Liquor is half cool'd strain it out and pour off two Quarts of the clearest throwing away the rest In this Decoction dissolve half a Pound of Oil-Olive and inject the whole luke-warm after which walk the Horse before you put him up in the Stable This Clyster will draw all the Wind into the straight Gut and afterwards expel it It usually remains a great while in the Body and for that reason works more effectually A Clyster for the Wind-Colic The following Clyster is also very useful in this case Take an Ounce of Sal Polycrest and six or eight Handfuls of Sage Boil 'em in three Quarts of Claret to the consumption of a third Part Strain and adding two Ounces of Oil of Bay inject the whole by way of Clyster If the Horse be not cur'd by this Clyster an hour after he has rejected it give him a Pound of Oil-Olive mixt with a Quart of Aqua-Vitae pouring it in with a Horn then walk him abroad well cover'd making him Trot one quarter of an hour and go a Foot-pace another An excellent Clyster to break and dispel Wind. Take two Ounces of the Scoriae of Liver of Antimony in fine Powder boil 'em a little but very briskly in five Pints of Beer then adding three or four Ounces of good Oil of Bay make a Clyster to be injected luke-warm and repeated every two hours till the Cure be perfected This is the best Remedy that can be Invented In the next place I shall subjoin the description of an Oil which is a specific Medicine for the Wind-Colic and also good against several other Distempers For it expels the Impurities of the lower Belly and makes room for the rest to descend This is a cheap and durable Medicine and therefore 't will be convenient for those who have a great number of Horses to keep some of it by 'em especially in an Army CHAP. XLIV A Carminative and Purging Oil for Clysters TAke Rue Calamint Origanum or Wild-Marjoram and Penniroyal all dry'd in the shade of each one handful seeds of Cummin Carrots and Fennel Bay-Berries of each one Ounce Oil-Olive two Pounds White-Wine a Pint. Reduce the Herbs to Powder beat the Seeds and put 'em all together in an Earthen glaz'd Pot covering it with another Pot somewhat less and luted with Clay or Paste Boil 'em over a flow Fire till half the Wine be consum'd that is about six hours Strain out the Oil after t is half cool'd and adding four Ounces of the Pulp of Coloquintida put it again into the same Pot covering and luting it as before then boil it with a gentle Heat six or eight hours after which let it boil briskly half an hour and after 't is half cool'd uncover the Pot and press out the Oil which must be kept in a convenient Vessel for Use Three or four Ounces of this Oil in an ordinary Clyster will expel the Wind effectually and bring forth the tough and viscous Humours which for the most part occasion this Distemper 'T is better tho' much cheaper than the usual Electuaries and Experience will convince you of its Virtues I have seen Horses die of the Wind-Colic after a diligent but unsuccessful Application of all the above-mention'd Remedies and when they were open'd after their Death their Guts were found extremely distended as if they had been purposely blown up I know no other way to prevent such Accidents than by injecting good Clysters walking the Horse perpetually and letting him rest as little as you can You must also give him two stinking Pills and repeat the same Dose an hour after and a third time if the Disease continue in the mean time you must inject a Clyster between the Doses for by a careful Observance of this Method the Wind may be dispell'd You must not be afraid of giving three Doses of Pills in the space of three hours for they will not over-heat the Horse's Body and perhaps may cure the Distemper CHAP. XLV Of the Third Kind of Colic THis Kind is not so easily known as the two former and often puts an end to the Horse's Life which the other Kinds rarely do 'T is caus'd by a sort of Glassy Phlegm that owes its Sharpness either to its Rottenness and Corruption or to its Saltness and biting Quality and forces Nature to violent
by reason of its excellent Virtues but because Horses are frequently seiz'd with the Colic at a distance from any place where they may have Assistance and at unseasonable Hours If you suspect that the Disease is occasion'd by Worms since many are possess'd with groundless Prejudices against Mercurius dulcis I shall propose another Remedy which will produce the same Effect but I must first acquainnt you that you may infallibly kill all the Worms in a Horse's Body by giving him an Ounce and a half of the above-mention'd Powder mix'd with half an Ounce of Mercurius dulcis If this Preparation of Mercury cannot be had or if you be afraid to use it you may give the following Purgative above two days at least after the Fit is over A Purging Medicine to destroy Worms Take of fine Aloes an Ounce Coloquintida and Agaric of each three Drams Turbith half an Ounce Mix 'em all in a gross Powder with an Ounce of the Powder describ'd in the beginning of this Chapter and give the whole to your Horse with a quarter of a Pint of the Gail of an Oxe and a Quart of White-Wine then cover him well and walk him for a quarter of an hour This Medicine will both purge the Horse and kill the Worms that are in his Body Eight Hours after the taking of this Remedy give him a Clyster of Cow's-Milk Whey or Tripe-Broth adding half a Pound of clarifi'd Honey with the Yolks of six Eggs to allure the Worms to the straight Gut You must not give this Medicine to a Horse that is naturally squeamish and apt to forsake his Meat for 't is only proper for great Eaters Neither must you give it to those that are troubl'd with Worms during the Fit of the Colic but two or three days afterwards as I intimated before A Powder for the Colic If you have not the above-mention'd Powder ready made you may prepare another of common Parsley-Roots dry'd in the Shade two Pounds Grains of Paradise and Barks of Oranges dry'd and reduc'd to Powder of each one Pound Pigeon's Dung half a Pound Beat all the Ingredients to a gross Powder mix and keep it in a Leathern Bag well tied The Dose is an Ounce or two Ounces for a large Horse in a Quart of Wine then cover him well and walk him gently This is a good and cheap Remedy and more easily prepar'd than the first Another Remedy for the Colic This is an excellent Remedy but 't is only fit to be propos'd to those who are willing to spare no Pains for the preservation of their Horses And besides it must be prepar'd by one that is curious and is not altogether unlearned Take of Spirit of Nitre about half a Pound pour it drop by drop upon a like quantity of the best Spirit of Wine to prevent too violent an Ebullition after the agitation ceases put the whole Liquor in a Cucurbit with its Head and Receiver and distil with a gentle Sand-heat cohobating four times that is repeating the distillation of that which comes over into the Recipient four several times after which the Spirits will be united and if you taste 'em you will perceive that they have lost their Acidity and become Sweet Give your Horse a Dram and a half or two Drams of this Spirit of Nitre dulcifi'd in White-Wine and an Ounce and a half or two Ounces of it in an ordinary Clyster This is a cheap sure and durable Remedy and any Apothecary that has the least Tincture of Chymistry may prepare it Another If you have try'd several Remedies in vain as Bleeding Clysters Treacle Orvietan and others give your Horse two stinking Pills in a Pint of Wine and an Hour after a Clyster If the Pain still continue give him two Pills more in another Pint of Wine and if need require repeat the Dose a third time interposing the same space of time as between the first and second But you must not begin with this Remedy as I have seen some do with ill success Only you may give it after some of those Medicines I have prescrib'd have been unsuccessfully us'd CHAP. XLIX Of the Fifth Kind of Colic HOrses are very frequently troubl'd with this kind of Colic in which they cannot Stale or Piss 't is occasion'd either by Obstructions in the neck of the Bladder and Urinary Passage or by an Inflammation of the Bladder or tho' very rarely by Sand or Gravel This is a very dangerous Distemper and without timely assistance Mortal by reason of the violent Pains caus'd by the stoppage of Urine You may know it by these Signs the Horse lies down and rises tumbles and offers to Stale but cannot oftentimes his Body swells and sometimes he Sweats about the Flanks You must begin the Cure with a Clyster prepar'd with the five opening Roots and Sal Polycrest proceeding as you were directed in the Forty third Chapter Or thus A Clyster to provoke Urine Take the Decoction of the five softening Herbs viz. Mallows Marsh-Mallows Mercury Violet-Leaves and Pellitory of the Wall with an Ounce of Grommel-Seed in Powder Strain and add half a Pound of common Turpentine dissolv'd in the Yolks of six Eggs three Ounces of the Oil for Clysters describ'd in the Forty fourth Chapter or for want of that of common Catholicum Inject the whole by way of Clyster after you have walk'd your Horse half an hour If you put the Turpentine into the Water before you beat it with Yolks of Eggs it will grow hard as a Stone and communicate no Virtue to the Clyster But to avoid the trouble of dissolving it you may mix two Ounces of Spirit of Turpentine with the Clysters which provokes Urine more effectually Assoon as the Clyster is rejected give your Horse two Ounces of Powder of Colâ—phony in a Pint of White-Wine then walk him and he will certainly Stale Or Boil two Ounces of Anni-seed in a Quart of Water add the weight of a Crown of Wood-Lice in Powder and give it luke-warm This is an easie Remedy and does not heat the Horse If all these Remedies prove in effectual anoint his Sheath and Stones with Garlick beaten and mixt with Oil-Olive that is take five or six Heads of Garlick beat 'em and make an Ointment with a sufficient quantity of Oil with which rub his Sheath and Stones If he be a Gelding let his Yard be drawn gently out of the Sheath and after all the Filth is wash'd off with luke-warm Water rub the whole outside of the Sheath with the Mixture of Garlic and Oil which will give him a desire to Stale if he can for some Horses have an Inclination to Piss but cannot If this Application do not provoke Urine mix Powder of Wood-Lice dry'd without burning and reduc'd to the form of an Ointment with Oil and anoint as before after which the Horse will Stale A Quart of Emetic White-Wine given with a Horn will certainly make the Horse Piss if he be walk'd after it both
at a Trot and a Foot-Pace I have already taught you how to make this Wine in the Twenty third Chapter but since 't is too late to prepare that Remedy after your Horse begins to be troubl'd with a stoppage of Urine you may take Golden Sulphur of Antimony which you will find describ'd in Glazer's Chymistry and afterwards in this Book and fine Wheat-Flower of each an Ounce mix 'em well in a Mortar and give the whole Powder to the Horse in a Quart of White-Wine It provokes Urine more effectually than any Wine whatsoever You may find this Medicine at the Shops of some curious Apothecaries It was invented by Glauber who calls it his Panacaea or Universal Remedy You may put a couple of Lice or Bugs to the end of the Horse's Yard to rouse the expulsive Faculty During the use of those Remedies it will be convenient to foment the Reins thus boil two Bushels of Oats in a mixture of Water and Vinegar till the Oats burst under your Finger then apply 'em in a Bag to the Horse's Reins or Back as hot as he can well endure about the place where the Saddle ends If you have not Oats you may make use of Rye This Fomentation provokes Urine effectually but if the expulsive faculty be languid beat Darnel and boil it in Vinegar and anoint the Yard and Stones with the Decoction Thrust your Hand into the Horse's Fundament and rake him then press the Bladder gently with your Hand and the Horse will infallibly Stale If these Remedies prove ineffectual chuse the whitest Flints you can find on the Banks of some rapid River heat 'em red-hot and quench 'em in a Pint and a half of strong White-Wine heating and quenching 'em so often till they crumble into Powder then strain the Wine thro' a Linnen-Cloth doubl'd and make the Horse drink it for the Wine being impregnated with the Salt of the Flints which is a powerful Diuretic will certainly make the Horse Stale Sal-Prunellae or Crystal-mineral clears the Passages and removes the Obstructions that stop the Urine but you must not depend upon it during the Fit for its vertue principally consists in preventing the Stoppage of Urine in those Horses who usually endeavour to Stale but cannot by reason of a certain Heat or Obstruction in the Passages in which case you must give the Horse every day in his Bran an Ounce of Sal-Prunellae and a Dram of Nutmeg till he has consum'd a whole Pound Sal-Prunellae cools the Bowels clears the Passages rectifies the Blood and would be an admirable Medicine if it were not apt to cool the Stomach too much and make the Horse lose his Appetite for which reason I added a Grain of Nutmeg which comforts the Stomach without over-heating the Body But if the Horse notwithstanding that forsake his Meat you must not continue to give him the Crystal-mineral Take about four Ounces of dry'd Pigeon's Dung in Powder boil it in a Quart of White-Wine and after two or three waums strain out the Liquor and give it Blood-warm to the Horse then walk him for half an Hour and he will Stale if it be possible I know some Men who took a Dram of this Dung in a Glass of Wine for the Colic and receiv'd great benefit by it One of the best Remedies for a Horse that cannot Stale is to carry him into a Sheep-cote and there to unbridle him suffering him to smell the Dung and roll and wallow in it for he will infallibly Piss before he come forth if he be not past Remedy This quick Effect proceeds from a certain Volatil Subtil and Diuretic Salt that exhales from the Sheeps-Dung and strikes the Brain for by reason of the Correspondence of that with the lower Parts it obliges the expulsive Faculty to void the Urine It would be needless to prove that this Dung is full of such a Salt since the Truth of that Supposition is sufficiently confirm'd by the great quantity of Salt-Peter which may be so easily extracted out of it The Urinary Passages are frequently stop'd by thick Flegm which will hardly be remov'd by the above-mention'd Remedies and therefore you may have recourse to that which follows and I 'm confident you will not lose your Labour A Remedy to provoke Urine Take an Ounce of Sassafras-Wood with the Bark which contains part of its Vertue cut it small and infuse it in a Quart of White-Wine in a large Glass-Bottle well stop'd so that two thirds of the Bottle may remain empty let it stand on hot Ashes about six hours then strain out the Wine and give it to the Horse in a Horn. This Remedy will quickly produce the desir'd effect for it will certainly make the Horse either Sweat or Stale and 't is generally acknowledg'd that the Matter of Sweat and Urine is the same Another Oil of yellow Amber is one of the most effectual Remedies to make a Horse Stale The Dose is a Spoonful in a Pint of White-Wine and you must walk him after it This Medicine is easily procur'd since almost all Apothecaries have it or at least ought to have it It must be made without Addition and not rectifi'd It s excellent Vertues make amends for its noisome Smell 'T is so powerful a Diuretic that the Steams or subtil Spirits that are evaporated from it during its Preparation make the Artist Piss excessively Those who are desirous to know how 't is made may consult Crollius's Basilica Chymica or Hartman's Praxis Chymiatrica Glazer's Treatise of Chymistry and several other Authors who treat of that Art I preferr this Remedy before all the rest I have describ'd for it seldom or never fails Another easie Remedy for stoppage of Urine is to wash the Horse's Yard with luke-warm Water then Powder it all over with Salt and suffer him to draw it in if it be a Mare put the quantity of a Walnut of Salt into her Privity Another good Remedy is to make him drink a Quart of Verjuice in half a Pail-full of Water and if he refuse to drink it which few Horses do mix a Quart of Water with a like quantity of Verjuice and pour it into his Throat with a Horn Then walk him and he will Stale If it be objected that I ought rather to have propos'd one sure Remedy than such a multitude of different Medicines among which few know how to make a good choice I shall only answer that I have try'd 'em all and leave the Reader to chuse such Medicines as are most proper for his Horse and may be most conveniently procur'd For some of those Remedies are less Compound than others and the Disease is more or less obstinate in several Cases Besides one Horse may receive no benefit by the use of a Remedy that has cur'd several others of the same Distemper by reason of the variety of Causes Some Horses are also frequently troubl'd with this Distemper and sometimes die of it And from all these Considerations laid
to give him every day and persist in this Method till the Horse recover If the Sal Polycrest make him forsake his Meat give him once or twice an Ounce of common Treacle or of that which is call'd Diatessaron in his Emetic Wine and after he has recover'd his Appetite return again to the Sal Polycrest but you must not exceed an Ounce or two at most Since the Treacle call'd Diatessaron is a very cheap Medicine and of singular use in the Colic Want of Appetite and other Distempers I thought fit to subjoin the description of it Treacle Diatessaron Take of Myrrh Gentian round Birthwort and Bay-Berries all in Powder of each half a Pound clarifi'd Honey and Extract of Juniper-Berries with which the Cordial-Pills are order'd to be made Chapt. XVII of each six Pounds and make an Electuary as follows Boil six Pounds of Honey in three Quarts of Water gently to the consumption of a large third part taking off the Scum as it rises then suffer it to Cool and having reduc'd the other Ingredients to a very fine Powder incorporate 'em by degrees in a Mortar with the Honey and Extract of Juniper This Electuary has the virtue of Treacle for it resists Poyson consumes superfluous moisture restores Appetite and cures the Colic The Dose is from one Ounce to two in White-Wine or Claret This Treacle is call'd Diatessaron because it consists of four several Powders mix'd with Honey and Extract of Juniper which make a very sovereign Composition and an excellent Preservative against Malignity 'T is better than the Treacle commonly us'd by Farriers which costs but a Crown a Pound and has only the Name without the Virtues of Treacle If your Horse be not cur'd by the above-mention'd Remedies prepare that which follows I have had Experience of its Virtues Another Remedy for Pissing of Blood Take two Ounces of the best Treacle of Andromachus or for want of that the same quantity of Diatessaron common Honey and fine Sugar of each four Ounces mix and incorporate 'em in a Mortar then add Anni-seed Coriander-seed and Liquorice of each two Ounces in fine powder Mix 'em well and dissolve the whole in a Quart of Claret Keep your Horse bridl'd three hours before the Dose and as long after and let him blood the day following The day after his Bleeding give him this Clyster boil five Pints of Whey made of Cow's Milk with two Ounces of the Scoriae of Liver of Antimony in fine powder assoon as it begins to rise in great Bubbles remove it from the fire and adding four Ounces of Oil-Olive inject it luke-warm If the Disease continue as I believe it will not you must repeat the whole Course I have seen several Horses very happily cur'd with this last Remedy CHAP. LI. A Remedy for the Stones that are drawn into the Body by the Violence of the Pain I Confess this is not a proper place to treat of this Distemper and some critical Gentlemen will perhaps accuse me of neglect of Method but my Design is to consider Things and the Advantage of my Reader rather than to confine my self to a strict Observance of such Niceties which are oftentimes mere Trifles Another Accident no less troublesome than the former is the Drawing in of the Stones to the Belly occasion'd by the violent Contraction that proceeds from Extremity of Pain Tho' the Stones hung swagging before yet when they retire into the Belly they cause an intolerable Pain which may kill the Horse before the Application of Remedies for if the Cure be not carry'd on with all Expedition the Pain is redoubl'd and the Horse lies down starts up and tosses his Body furiously This troublesome Indisposition is usually occasion'd by the Inflammation of the Neck of the Bladder When you perceive your Horse to be troubl'd with this Symptom and cannot feel his Stones which are in a manner drown'd in his Belly let him blood plentifully in the Flanks and give him a softening Clyster After which take a convenient quantity of Mallows Marsh-Mallows Powder of Lin-seed and Violet Leaves boil 'em well in Oil-Olive and add a sufficient quantity of Lin-seed-Oil then cast your Horse on a Dunghill or in a Meadow and anoint his Sheath and Stones with the Oil fomenting the same Parts with the warm Herbs assoon as the Stones appear take hold of 'em and tye 'em about with a soft leathern Thong after which make him rise and he will both stale and dung for the Fomentation allays the Inflammation of the Neck of the Bladder and asswages the Pain of the Stones 'T is a certain Rule That when the Stoppage of Urine proceeds from a confirm'd Obstruction or Inflammation of the Neck of the Bladder and the Stones are drawn into the Belly all Diuretics or Medicines to provoke Urine are to be avoided instead of which you must have recourse to Bleeding in the Flanks and if the the Disease be very violent in the Neck softening Clysters fomenting of the Reins and Sheath To conclude if the Case were desperate and all those Remedies had been try'd in vain I would give the Horse an Ounce and a half of the Preparation of Antimony call'd the Angelical Powder made up into a Ball with Butter in White-Wine or some other convenient Vehicle for 't is a more effectual Medicine than any other that can be propos'd you will find the Description of it afterwards in this Book Those who wou'd have a larger Account of this Subject may consult the Ninth Book of a Treatise printed at Venice and entitl'd La Gloria del Cavallo Opera del Illustre Signor Pasqual Caraciollo where they will find all that can be said of this as well as of all other Distempers incident to Horses which are learnedly describ'd in that Book I did not think fit to insert the Description of Pulvis diureticus Reginae or the Queen's diuretic Powder which is a meer confus'd Hodge-podge of Diuretic Ingredients that are hardly to be procur'd and at dear Rates Any Book of Physic will furnish you with long Catalogues of those Drugs but you must take care to chuse such as are most convenient I could have swell'd my Book to a vast and useless Bulk with such Descriptions which are usually Heaps of empty Words And I have often found that those who read Medicinal Treatises imagine they can cure all manner of Infirmities with such highly extoll'd Remedies but they are strangely disappointed when they come to make trial of their boasted Virtues Let us therefore learn Wisdom at their Cost and beware of falling into the like Mistakes Most Authors borrow what they write from their Predecessors and they only copy'd after those that wrote before 'em tho' perhaps not one of 'em ever experienc'd the Remedies they commend but barely rely upon the Authority of one another These and such-like Considerations make me set a higher Value on one Experiment duly perform'd than on all the fine Promises and confident Assurances of
Success that are to be found in many Physical Books It must indeed be acknowledg'd that there are some Authors who only write their own Experience but their Number is inconsiderable and 't is a hard task for an ordinary Reader to distinguish 'em from the Multitude CHAP. LII Of the Sixth Kind of Colic call'd by some the Red Gripes FEW Horses are attack'd by this Distemper and few that are attack'd escape If you be not acquainted with the Constitution of your Horse you will hardly be able to distinguish this from the other Kinds of the Colic And a Mistake in this case is very dangerous for all the Remedies already prescrib'd for the Colic are hot and therefore no more fit to cure this Distemper which proceeds from a Heat caus'd by the Fermentation of the Bile than Oil is to quench fire since the Natural Heat would soon be overcome and stifl'd by that of those Remedies But the Cure is still more difficult than the Knowledge of this Disease because it consists in a Fermentation of the Bile which seldom or never yields to Medicines Nevertheless to proceed methodically in the first place bleed your Horse in the Neck and an hour after in the Flanks after which give him a Clyster of the warm Blood of a Lamb or at least of a young Sheep in order to which bring a Lamb young Sheep or Calf into the Stable by the sick Horse and having cut its Throat receive its Blood into the Clyster-Bag which must be warm'd at the Fire that the Blood may not be coll'd and so lose its Spirits Assoon as all the Blood of the Animal is extracted it must be immediately injected after you have rak'd the Horse without the least Mixture and hot as it comes out of the Vessels This Clyster tempers the Sharpness of the Humour contain'd in the streight Gut and eases the Horse wonderfully who will not void it till the first time he dungs in case he recover for Nature makes use of it and at last discharges it with the Excrements in form of great Clots like Balls Instead of this Clyster which ought never to be omitted when it can be procur'd you may use the Decoction of Purslane Lettuce Succory half a Cucumber if the Season permit and an Ounce and a half of the Scoriae of Liver of Antimony in fine Powder let the Ingredients boil only half a quarter of an hour and dissolve in the Straining six Ounces of Honey of Roses to help Nature to separate and discharge the offending Matter If you perceive that the Horse is still tormented notwithstanding the Use of those Remedies cast him on his Back with his Legs up and spread four Napkins moisten'd in luke-warm Water over all his Belly without touching his Flanks Hold him in this Possure for a quarter of an hour during which time repeat the moistening of the Napkins twice after which some Horses are either cur'd or eas'd whereas others receive no Benefit but sink under the Violence of the Distemper If you are loth to give your self the trouble of casting the Horse you may observe the following Directions If the Horse be seiz'd with this Distemper in Summer order him to be bath'd and keep him as long as you can with his Belly half under-under-water letting him drink as much as he pleases If you cannot conveniently bathe him dissolve four Ounces of Crystal-Mineral in a Pail-full of Water and give it him to drink But above all give him frequent Clysters for the Choler occasions such violent Disorders in a little time that the Horse cannot hold out above six and thirty Hours at most If he begins to desire Food 't is a Sign that the Distemper abates but you must not give him any I thought fit to propose these Remedies though very few recover from this Disease which almost always seizes on vigorous Horses If all your Endeavours prove unsuccessful you must lay the blame on the Violence of the Distemper If all the above-mention'd Remedies produce no Effect give the Horse two stinking Pills in a Pint of Beer and half an hour after a Clyster thus prepar'd Boil an Ounce and a half of the Scoriae of Liver of Antimony in five Pints of Beer or if that cannot be had of Whey and after five or six Waums remove it from the fire and adding a quarter of a Pound of the Ointment call'd Populeum inject it blood-warm Half an hour after give him another Dose of Pills and continue after the same manner till he has taken three Doses and receiv'd as many Clysters If it be in the Power of Remedies to recover the Horse these Pills will certainly answer your Expectation but if the Horse die after all you must not imagine that the Pills kill'd him but only blame the extreme Violence of the Distemper Farriers call it the Red Gripes which is the common Name they give to all Mortal Diseases that are unknown to 'em It will perhaps be objected that 't is contrary to the Rules of Art to give hot Remedies as the stinking Pills in a Disease of this Nature but it must be consider'd that 't is impossible to allay such an Ebullition or Fermentation by the usual cooling Medicines which are altogether useless in this Case That Effect can only be expected from Alkali's which resist and destroy the acid Liquor that occasions the Heat from whence the Ebullition proceeds Now Assa-foetida contains a great deal of Alkali and from the Union of that Salt with the Acid there results a sort of friendly and balsamic Salt that acts jointly with the Liver of Antimony which is very agreeable to the Nature of Horses and strengthens it extremely And even that Medicine alone fixes and thickens the Bile that ferments in the Intestines and being rather cold than hot tempers the Heat of the Bay-Berries So that 't is plain from what has been said on this Occasion that the Mixture of these three Drugs in a convenient Proportion strengthens the natural and destroys the adventitious Heat that causes this Distemper CHAP. LIII Of the Stavers HOrses are subject to a certain Distemper call'd the Stavers or Staggers which deprives 'em of the Use of their Senses to such a degree that they are almost wholly stupefy'd and besides it makes 'em stagger and beat their Head against the Walls It proceeds from hot sharp and thin Vapours which rising from the Entrails disturb the Brain and hinder its Functions more or less according to the degree of their Sharpness and the measure of their Quantity The Causes of this Distemper are hard Riding or Labour in hot Weather noisome Smells in the Stable long Races wheeling about or quick Turns too often repeated excessive Eating and above all the Abundance of hot and sharp Humours in the Stomach which ferment and boil over and leaving their natural place deprave all the Concoctions The Signs of this Disease are obvious for the Horse reels and staggers as if he were drunk beats
into an Oven to bake in a glaz'd Earthen Pan that you may not lose the Fat or Grease with which you must anoint the Legs of a tir'd Horse every Evening and next Morning chafe 'em with Aqua-Vitae above the Grease continuing after the same manner seven or eight days To encourage the Man whom you employ to rub the Horse and make him diligent you may give him the Goose to eat Another During the Heat of Summer make your Horse stand two whole hours every day up to the Hams in a Stream or Current of Water which will do him more good than a multitude of Ointments 'T will be very convenient to make him lie abroad in the Dew all the Month of May or if you chuse rather to keep him in the Stable you may lead him out every Morning to a Meadow and gathering the Dew with a Sponge bathe and rub his Legs with it Spirit of Wine mixt with a little Oil of Wax will strengthen the Sinew resolve the hard Knobs that grow on it and by removing those Obstructions facilitate the motion of the Leg. CHAP. LXI For Blows swell'd or gourdy-Legs whether the Swelling be occasion'd by some Accident or proceed from any other Cause I Shall in the next place proceed to treat of swell'd and gourdy-Legs and prescribe convenient Remedies to resolve and dissipate all sorts of Swellings occasion'd by Blows Bruises Desluxions long Journies hard Riding and keeping young Horses too long in the Stable or any other Swellings or Tumors whatsoever that happen in a a Horses Legs either before or behind If the Swelling be caus'd by a violent Blow with another Horse's Foot or by a Fall Bruise or any other such like cause apply one of the Honey-Charges describ'd in the Fifty Seventh Chapter and continue the use of the Remedy till the Cure be perfected But if the Legs or any part of 'em remain still swoln chuse any of the following Remedies that you shall judge most convenient When the Swelling is occasion'd by a slight Accident you may take it away by applying only cold Lees of Wine once every day or to make the Remedy more effectual you may mix a fourth part of Vinegar with thick Lees of Wine But if the Swelling continue apply the following Charge A Remedy for a Blow and to asswage a Swelling Boil a Gallon of Lees of Red-Wine softly over a clear Fire stirring perpetually till they begin to thicken then add fine Wheat-Flower and Honey of each two Pounds Black Soap one Pound boil and stir till the whole Mixture be reduc'd to the Consistence of a Charge The continu'd use of this Remedy will strengthen the Horse's Legs and take away the Swelling This Charge may be also apply'd to a Swelling that spreads it self under the Belly and advances between the Legs but the Duke's Ointment is much more effectual in that case To Cure a Swell'd Leg. Tumors of a long standing grow hard because the Humour contain'd between the Skin and Flesh is so raw and undigested that Nature is not able to concoct it And therefore the Swelling must be asswag'd and the harden'd Humor resolv'd by the application of a piercing Remedy such as that which follows Endeavour to get some of the Horse's own Urine for so the Remedy will be more effectual but if that cannot be had take of Cow's-Urine a Pint Flowers of Brimstone half an Ounce Allum a Dram boil away to half a Pint and bathe the Swelling with this Liquor chasing it hard then take a Clout that has been worn dip it in the same Liquor and wrap it about the part renewing the Application Morning and Evening till the Cure be perfected You may easily procure the Urine prescrib'd for this Composition by going into a Stall where Cows are lying and rousing 'em up For they use always to Stale assoon as they rise especially in the Morning when their Meat is laid before ' em A Bath to resolve a Swelling in the Thigh or Leg. Take ten Pounds of green Roots of Mallows or Marsh-Mallows when you prepare the Remedy in the Spring or during the time of Advent before Christmas but at all other times take six Pounds of the dry Roots Beat 'em to a mash and boil 'em gently with ten Quarts of Water in a Kettle for two Hours then pour in as much hot Water as you have lost by evaporation adding three large handfuls of Sage-Leaves and continue to boil an Hour and a half or two Hours longer Take off the Kettle and add two Pounds of Honey and one Pound of Black Soap incorporating all together suffer it to cool till you can almost endure to thrust the end of your Finger into it and then mix a Quart of strong Aqua-Vitae with the whole Composition Foment the Swelling with this Bath and afterwards chafe it with a handful of the dregs or thickest part of the same Then walk the Horse half an Hour and continue to observe the same Method every Day for seven or eight Applications will resolve the Swelling unless there be an Imposthume that tends to Suppuration as you may easily perceive by the heat and hardness of the Part in which case lay aside the use of the Bath and apply Basilicum Take Black Soap and Honey of each one Pound good Aqua Vitae half a Pint and mix 'em cold This is a very good Remedy to take away Swellings you must rub the Part with it every day and walk the Horse half an Hour afterwards repeating the Application till the Horse be cur'd Or if the Swelling be small bathe it with the Solution of Allum in Wine A Remedy for a hard Swelling proceeding from a Blow or any other Cause Beat the Whites of six Eggs with a large piece of Allum for half a quarter of an Hour till they be reduc'd to a thick Froth after which add a Glass of true Spirit of Wine for Aqua-Vitae is not at all proper in this case shaking the Spirit with the Froth till they be very well incorporated Then mix and incorporate the whole with half a Pound of common Honey and charge the Horse's Legs three or four times scouring off the Charge with Water in which Dishes have been wash'd If the Legs continue swoln repeat the Charge and the Swelling will quickly disappear For this is a very good Remedy and I have often try'd it with success both on the fore and hinder Legs To prevent the Swelling of the Legs Some Horses after long Galloping and others after a great Journey tho' perform'd only at a Foot-pace are seiz'd with a Swelling in their Legs before they have stood two Hours in the Stable and after they have enjoy'd a little Rest their Legs become perfectly round the Tumour coming and going by Turns To prevent this Inconveniency assoon as your Horse arrives at his Journey 's End charge the Parts where the Tumour uses to appear with Cows-Dung mix'd with Vinegar which will keep down the Swelling This Remedy cures as
well as prevents a Swelling I cur'd a Swelling in one of the hinder Legs which had continu'd a whole Winter by charging it seven or eight times with Cows Dungs mix'd with Spirit of Wine CHAP. LXII A Honey-Charge or Remolade for a Blow or to asswage a Swelling in the Legs THO' this Charge consists of few Ingredients 't is good not only for Blows or Stroaks with another Horse's Foot and Swellings of the fore and hinder Legs but for all sorts of Swellings Bruises and Hurts in any part of the Body Mix a Pound of Wheat-flower with White-Wine to the Consistence of Gruel and boil it over a gentle Fire stirring without Intermission till the whole be united then melt a Pound of Burgundy Pitch in a Skillet adding a Pound and a half of Honey and a Pound of common Turpentine and incorporating all together which must be mix'd with the Gruel moderately hot After you have remov'd the Vessel from the Fire add two Pounds of fine Bole in powder the Oriental is best and make a Charge which must be apply'd hot and repeated till the Swelling be asswag'd They who know but one Remedy are expos'd to frequent Disappointments by missing some of the Ingredients and therefore it will not be improper to subjoin some others Another Remedy for a Swelling in the Legs occasion'd by a Blow Bathe the Part with strong Aqua-Vitae chafing it hard and then charge the whole Leg with common Honey The next day chafe the Part again with Aqua-Vitae and apply a new Charge without taking away the old Renew the Application once every Day six or seven times then send your Horse to a River or wash him well in a Pond twice every Day and the Swelling will certainly disappear in a little time Swellings have been often asswag'd by this easie Remedy Take half a Pint of good Vinegar half a Pound of Tallow and an Ounce of Flower of Brimstone Mix and anoint the Swelling till it be dissolv'd You may take away a small Tumour by applying a Mixture of common Bole Honey and Water CHAP. LXIII The Duke 's Ointment for Swellings and Bruises accompany'd with Heat and for Inflammations in any Part of the Body TAke clear and pure Linseed-Oil one Pound Flowers of Brimstone four Ounces Put 'em into a Matrass or Glass Vial with a long Neck letting it stand in a moderate Sand-heat for the Space of an Hour after which augment the Heat and keep it up to the same degree till the Flowers be perfectly dissolv'd In the mean time before the Oil grow cold lest part of the Brimstone fall to the Bottom melt a Pound of Tallow or of Boar's Grease in another Vessel with two Ounces and a half of white Wax instead of which if you can procure Horse's Grease the Remedy will be more effectual but then you must take four Ounces of Wax because Horse's Grease is not so thick as Boar's Grease The Grease and Wax being wholly melted pour in the Linseed Oil and removing the Vessel from the Fire stir the Ointment with a Slice of Alkanet Root till it be cold It resembles Ointment of Roses for tho' you may discover the Brimstone by the Smell you will hardly be able to perceive it otherwise as being so perfectly dissolv'd This Ointment is apply'd cold 't is a good Resolvent and both eases Pain and asswages all sorts of Swellings in any part of the Body tho' they be accompany'd with Heat Swellings are frequently occasion'd in the Withers Hams and other parts of the Body by Bruises Blows and other Causes so that if the Inflammation be not remov'd the Humours will flow to the Part and make the Cure very difficult but this Ointment takes away the Inflammation and dissolves the Humours that are already lodg'd in the Part. And therefore assoon as the Withers are swell'd and like to come to a Head instead of applying astringent Remedies with Bole which do more Harm than Good rub the griev'd Part with this Ointment Morning and Evening and cover it with a Lamb's Skin the woolly side inwards The continu'd Application of this Remedy does oftentimes dissolve such Tumours without Suppuration but if the Inflamtion encrease you must open the Swelling in due time with a red-hot Iron in one or more parts And thus the Cure will be perform'd safely surely and pleasantly For the Swelling of the Sheath and Stones tho' the Tumour spread it self under the Belly about the Thickness of two Fingers Bleed your Horse and rub his Sheath and the Swelling under his Belly with the Duke's Ointment every Morning and Evening then walk him softly half an hour and after some time wash off the Ointment with warm Wine and Butter When the Part is dry apply the Ointment again and above all forget not to walk the Horse half an Hour or a whole Hour and tho' the Swelling reach between his Legs even to his Brisket fear not for it will certainly be asswag'd Sometimes notwithstanding of the Application of this Ointment the Tumour will suppurate and come to Matter and you may know whether it has a tendency that way by its Softness and by the lasting Impression that it keeps when you press it with your Finger as if it were Butter in which Case you must open it in several places with a red-hot Bodkin or sharp-pointed Iron to let out the red Water then chafe the Part with the Ointment and walk the Horse If only the Sheath be swell'd the Cure is not very difficult for it may be quickly perform'd in Summer by keeping the Horse an Hour every Day in the Water and in cold Weather by anointing with the Duke's Ointment and then walking him These Tumours are occasion'd by the Heat of the Stable and Want of Exercise The same Remedy may be apply'd to all hot Swellings for it will certainly take away the Inflammation and dissolve the Humour if it be not too hard and stubborn It wonderfully helps all Swellings of the Hams or Legs occasion'd by Blows with another Horse's Foot Falls and other Accidents which are usually accompany'd with Heat by Reason of the Pain caus'd by the Contusion in the Nervous and Sinewy Parts As for Blows or Kicks on the Muscle of the Thigh which are attended with such troublesome Symptoms this Ointment will certainly promote the Cure and at least allay the Heat and Inflammation CHAP. LXIV Of Old Swellings in the Legs occasion'd by an ill-cur'd Sinew-sprain SOmetimes Sinew-Sprains or Sinew-Sprungs are so unskilfully handl'd that tho' the Pain be so far remov'd that the Lameness ceases yet the Humours gather'd in the part not being dissolv'd there remains a Swelling which grows so hard that it seems impossible to cure it without Burning Nevertheless on such Occasions I have seen the cure perform'd by the following Remedy Take of Linseed-Flower and Bean-Flower of each one * A Measure containing somewhat above a Pint. Litron the strongest Aqua-Vitae a Pint and an half Mix and boil 'em over
upon the Skin and in the mean time order another Iron to be heated which must be apply'd on another part of the Skin but still over the Splent Continue after the same manner till the Swelling be dissolv'd then lay a Plaister over it and shavings of Cloth over that taking care that the Horse do not bite it off Another Remedy for the Splent The Remedies already prescrib'd are easie and almost infallible yet I cannot forbear mentioning another with which I cur'd three Splents in one Horse and one on the Knee of another all in one Morning Soften the Splent according to the usual Method then wrap a red-hot Iron in a wet Cloth stroke the Swelling with it two or three times till all the Hair be come off and the Part be as clean as your Hand and afterwards prick it with a sharp Nail and rub it with white Salt Then prick a head of Garlic with a Bodkin dip it in boiling Oil of Nuts and apply it to the Splent repeating the Application till the Tumor be soften'd Pill a raw Head of Garlic and apply it to the burnt Part covering it with Flax and binding a piece of Cloth over all Keep it on Eight and forty Hours then take off the Bandage and six Days after you may lead your Horse to Water but you must not Travel him till the Sore be heal'd Twice every Day at his coming from the Water bathe the part with Aqua-Vitae This Remedy as well as the last leaves a Scar where the Hair will never come again but 't is so small that the Hair which grows about it will easily cover it I have often seen the Bone under the Swelling scal'd not only by the application of violent Caustics or eating Medicines but by giving the Fire too violently out of an over-eager desire to root out the Splent This Exfoliation or scaling of the Bone lasts very long and is dangerous but you may use the above-mentioned Remedies securely for they never occasion such Disorders To cure a Splent Methodically Soften the Splent as before and with a sharp-pointed Fleam draw a Line about all the part you would have taken off entring about half the depth of the Skin then melt a convenient quantity of the Plaister call'd Apostolorum add a sufficient quantity of good White-Vitriol and after 't is half cold but still very pliable make a Plaister of the bigness of the Splent which must be kept twelve Hours on the Swelling after which take it off and wrap dry Flax about the Part with a Bandage over it to hinder the Horse from biting it off The Scab will fall off like the Kernel of a Nut and you must constantly bathe the Sore Morning and Evening with Spirit of Wine till it be heal'd Another Remedy to take away a Splent There is a Plant call'd Briony which has a very large Root and sends forth long Branches that ramp on the Hedges like the Citrul After you have shav'd and soften'd the Splent take a slice of White-Briony-Root of the bigness of a Crown-Piece boil it in Water a quarter of an Hour wrap it in a fine Linnen-Cloth and as hot as you can well endure it upon your Hand apply it in the Cloth to the Splent about half a quarter of an Hour The two succeeding days repeat the same Application with two fresh slices of the Root taking care that they touch not the Splent and that the Horse do not bite 'em off This Root suppurates the Red-waters and makes a sort of Scab or Escar fall off but the Hair will grow again and leave no mark of the Sore After the three first Days you must Air the Horse every Day and after twelve Days are expir'd he will be fit for common Service The efficacy of this Root depends upon its Caustic Quality which consumes the Splent without hurting the Sinew If the Splent be upon the Knee I know no better Remedy than the following Ointment of Worms but if that fail as it frequently does the best and safest way is instead of applying Caustics which weaken the Leg extreamly and may lame the Horse irrecoverably to give the Fire and extirpate the Splent entirely as in the case of the Spavin CHAP. LXX Ointment of Beetles for Splents Wind-galls and even the greatest Farcy-Knots or Cords IN May and sometimes in April between Ten a Clock in the Morning and Two in the Afternoon you may find a certain Beetle or Black-Worm in till'd Grounds or Corn-fields in low and shady Places It has the resemblance of a Head at the end of its true Head and a sort of Wings which are fasten'd to its Body like two Targets covering all the fore-part of the Shoulders tho' it does not fly It s Back is scaly and its Tail very fat and as it were welted It has six Feet and creeps very slowly There are some of 'em very long thick and fat and the smallest are about an Inch long 'T is cold to the touch and if you place it on your Hand it commonly voids a very stinking Oil. These Insects are call'd in Latin Maii aviculae or Scarabaei unctuosi that is May-Worms or Oily-Beetles Take three hundred of 'em and stamp 'em with a Pound of Oil of Bay Set the Ointment a part for three Months then melt it strain thro' a Linnen-Cloth throw away the gross substance and preserve the rest as a Sovereign Ointment for the Uses that shall be afterwards declar'd The Oily Beetle or May-Worm This Ointment produces the effect of a Retoire or Ruptory-Plaister without any considerable Swelling It draws out all the Corruption and Rottenness that is lodg'd between the Skin and the Flesh and raises Blisters full of Red-Water which are succeeded by Scabs that dry up of themselves and the Sore is heal'd without a Scar for all the Hair that falls off grows again When you have occasion to use it shave off the Hair very close and hold a hot Bar of Iron near the part while you apply the Ointment which will exert its Operation in the space of nine Days It must be apply'd cold and if the Swelling be a Splent you must first soften it according to the usual manner Tho' Wind-galls are not always attended with Pain yet they are sometimes both painful and dangerous because they may grow hard and lame the Horse especially if they be on the Sinew of the hinder Legs I shall afterwards propose several Remedies for these Tumours but they only make 'em disappear for a time whereas this Ointment takes 'em away so entirely that they return not in a very long time First you must shave off the Hair then anoint the Wind-gall holding a hot Bar of Iron near the part and the Swelling that will immediately appear in the Leg may be asswag'd by applying Aqua-Vitae in the space of nine Days during which time the Wind-gall will be wholly dissipated You may depend on this Method as that which I have several times try'd with
Success For I relate things with all possible exactness and sincerity and shall never be guilty of cheating my Readers by over-strain'd Commendations of any Remedy Sometimes a Swelling remains after an old Sinew-sprain tho' the Horse be freed from his Lameness In which case if the Tumour be not very hard it will be resolv'd and dissipated by one or at most two Applications of this Ointment but you must not proceed to the second till you perceive what may be expected from the first To resolve a Farcin-Knot you must shave off the Hair and besmear the part with this Ointment which will draw forth Red-water and afterwards a Scab Repeat the Application and the Swelling will be quite dissipated or the same effect may be perform'd by a Retoire The following Ointment is not so Caustic as that of Beetles but it operates sufficiently on soften'd Splents CHAP. LXXI Ointment of Worms for Splents Wind-galls Water-Farcy and other Swellings THis Ointment in some measure performs the effect of Fire without making the Hair fall off and is proper not only for Splents which it cures in twelve or fifteen Days but for all Swellings in the Houghs if they can be throughly soften'd as also for Wind-galls c. It draws forth a Red-Water which in time turns to a Scurf or Scab and after that is fall'n off the part remains as sound and free from Swelling as if you had apply'd a Retoire Some Meadows are almost wholly cover'd with a sort of Bulbous Crow-foot that has a Root not unlike to a Pistol-Bullet About the end of April and in May you may find under these Herbs about the Foot of the Stalk and never higher nor under Ground a little black longish Insect not bigger than a small Bean without Wings but furnish'd with Legs and so hard that you can hardly bruise it between your Fingers Gather three or four hundred of 'em and mix 'em with old Hog's-grease in a Pot then cover the Pot very close till they are quite dead and stamp 'em with the Grease to an Ointment which will be more effectual the longer 't is kept If the Horse be troubl'd with a Splent rub and crush the Tumour with the handle of a Shooing-Hammer till it be soften'd then prick it and apply the Ointment about the thickness of a French Penny holding a red-hot Fire-shovel over it to make it sink in Then tye up the Horse so that he may not be able to reach it with his Teeth and keep him thus nine Days without taking him out to Water during which time the Tumour will discharge a certain Red-Water After the nine Days are expir'd there will appear a certain Scurf or Scab which will afterwards fall off and carry away the Splent or lessen it very considerably without taking off one Hair or in the least hurting the Sinew CHAP. LXXII To soften a Hard Swelling BEfore you apply the Ointments of Beetles or Worms or any other Retoire to a Wen or any Hard Swelling you must always take care to soften the Part for otherwise the Application will produce no effect Thus having shav'd off the Hair you may apply some of the usual Softners as Gum-Ammoniacum Galbanum Bdellium and Storax mixt with Oil of Lillies Violets Worms Linseed or Flower de Luce the Ointment of Marsh-mallows Resumptive Ointment Plaister of Mucilages and other Remedies of the same Nature Or make a Pultiss thus Take Roots of Lillies and Marsh-mallows of each two Ounces Leaves of Mallows and Violets of each two handfuls Dill Wild-marjoram and Wild-Penny-royal or Cornmint of each a handful Boil the Roots about an Hour in a sufficient quantity of Water mixt with about three parts of Oil then add the Herbs and after they are well boil'd stamp all together to a mash and apply it warm to the part you intend to soften If you perceive by the extreme hardness of the Swelling that there is need of a powerful Softner add Lin-seed and Fenugreek-seed with the Oils of Lillies and Dill and also Goose-grease Besides you may add the above-mention'd Gums dissolv'd according to Art that is take a sufficient quantity of the Gum dissolve it in Vinegar with a very gentle Heat then strain boil and evaporate to the thickness of Honey stirring it now and then over a clear Fire The Red-Snails that appear in wet Weather chop'd beaten and then apply'd help to soften the part very effectually Or take equal Quantities of the Resumptive Ointment and Ointment of Marsh-Mallows or the Red Honey-Charge Ointment of Marsh-Mallows and Oxycroceum of each a like quantity Melt 'em together and lay 'em on warm with Flax and a Cover over all applying a new Lay of the Ointment over the old once every twenty four Hours for eight or ten Days tying it up as before Or instead of these take Plaister of Mucilages which is a very powerful Softner for besides the Mucilages of the Seeds it contains several Gumms that are endu'd with a singular Virtue to soften and resolve and after you have us'd this Plaister for some time apply the Ointment of Beetles or that of Worms which will infallibly take away the Tumour without making the Hair fall off CHAP. LXXIII Of Wind-Galls WInd-Galls are soft and yielding Tumours of the bigness of a small Nut more or less without Pain caus'd by thin and serous Humours and seated on either side of the Fetlock-Joint on the Skin between the Sinew and the Bone At the side of the Fetlock-Joint on the Inside of the Leg and sometimes on the Outside not far from the place where the Wind-Gall usually appears but lower and more towards the Side there is oftentimes a little Bone that resembles tho' 't is not really a Wind-Gall and rarely occasions Lameness tho' I have seen some Horses after long and hard Riding lam'd by it The only Remedy in this Case is to give the fire drawing Lines all over the part and two fingers breadth about it and afterwards applying a good Plaister for the Fire dissipates the Humours and Scurf that are join'd to the Bone without which it rarely makes the Horse halt Take Ashes of Vine-Twigs two Parts Ashes of Tartar one Part and make a Lye with which while 't is hot wash the Fetlock-Joint then apply the Ashes and bind 'em on This Remedy will dissolve the Wind-Gall and cure gourdy Legs A Wind-Gall may be also dissipated by washing it often with Spirit of Wine or it may be perfectly cur'd by applying the Ointment of Beetles or the Retoire describ'd in the following Chapter Tho' this Swelling be not very dangerous it makes the Horse halt in frosty Weather and is a certain Sign that either he has been over-ridden or that his Pasterns are too long or his Legs too slender and feeble to support the over-proportion'd Weight of a bulky and fleshy Body Rest cures Wind-Galls in the Beginning Or make the Horse once every day stand up to the Knees in Water in the midst of a Stream
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
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
the Matter and discover the bottom of the Sore but if there be no Scale or any other Impurity in it dress the Hole as if it were occasion'd by a Prick with a Nail To prevent these Bleymes you must keep your Horse's Feet clean and moist making him stand five or six Hours every Day with his Fore-feet in his own Dung moisten'd with Water It will be also convenient when he is Shod to knock down the Heel that the Sinew may be extended for 't is usually crooked in those Horses that have great Heels and besides the same caution will prevent the Contraction and Narrowness of the Heels for the Bleymes are almost always occasion'd by the shrinking of the inside of the Hoof to prevent which Inconveniency if that part of the Hoof be already shrunk pare the Foot and set on a Pantofle-Shooe and if your Horse be very much Hoof-bound draw three or four Lines with a hot Iron on the Hoof from the lower part of the Cronet to the Shooe and keep the inside Quarter very supple and moist I have seen Horses forc'd to stand eight or ten Days in Litter by reason of this Infirmity the preventing of which will save a great deal of Charge to their Masters The second sort besides the usual symptoms of the first infects the Gristle which must be extirpated as in the Cure of a Quitter-bone This kind of Bleyme is infinitely more dangerous than a Quitter-bone for many Horses are kill'd by it others remain for ever Lame and some escape after a long and tedious Cure 'T is sometimes occasion'd by an Over-reach which without making any outward Wound makes a Contusion within and the bruis'd Blood turns to Matter which seeking a passage infects the Gristle and being retain'd grows to a Scirrhous Lump which must be taken out below and the Gristle above and the Sore cur'd by the Remedies already propos'd in a like case During the Cure instead of Oats give your Horse moisten'd Bran with two Ounces of Liver of Antimony every Day to divert the course of the Humours and purifie the Blood You may consult the Chapter that contains the Method of Cure for Quitter-bones where you will find the Remedies that are proper in this case The third sort of Bleymes is occasion'd by small Stones and Gravel enclos'd between the Shooe and the Sole but this kind may be easily cur'd If the Shooe be ill set on or not kept fast by the Nails the Horse is in danger either of Surbating or of the Bleymes and those who have flat Feet are most subject to this Infirmity because the Sand or Gravel enters easily between the Sole and the Foot In order to the Cure you must pare the Foot to discover the Sore and if you perceive that there is no Matter generated take out the bruised Sole but if the Matter be already gather'd let it out and dress the Sore like a Prick with a Nail If the Cure be seasonably attempted it will be quickly perfected but if you find that the Distemper has already gather'd strength you must have recourse to the Vulnerary Water the burning Balsam the Oils De Merveille and of Gabian To conclude the Cure depends on the evacuation of the Matter below the neglect of which might be attended with very troublesome Consequences CHAP. XCXI Of Scab'd Heels or Frush SOmetimes the Frush falls away by degrees by reason of an Eating Scab which pierces to the Quick and occasions so great an Itching that the Horse cannot walk without halting but these Sores are not so dangerous as they are troublesome and painful Before the Horse grows Lame his Feet stink of old rotten Cheese so that you may easily discover the nature of the Grief since 't is impossible to come into the Stable without perceiving the Smell And besides they beat the Ground from time to time with their Feet by reason of the intolerable Itching in those Parts To begin the Cure you must pare the Frush with your Buttress as near as you can then quench a sufficient quantity of unslak'd Lime in Vinegar strain out the Liquor boil it and throw it boiling hot on the Frush after which apply a Restringent Charge of Powder of unslak'd Lime mixt with the Second Water or the black Restringent made of Soot Vinegar and Whites of Eggs. The Countesses Ointment is very useful in this case for it performs the Cure in three or four Applications but the Dreâ—â—ing must be kept on with Splents If the Disease return after you have cleans'd the Sores apply the Neat-herds Ointment which will heal them tho' the Internal Cause can hardly be remov'd and besides the Horse may be let Blood in the Toe from time to time All the Ointments prescrib'd for running Sores or putrify'd Legs are also good in this case For Preservation you must often pare the Frush and rub the Place once or twice with the Second Water which will consume part of the Corruption and dry up the root of the Scabs so effectually that they will not break forth again for a long time after Then bathe the Part every Day with the following Water cold Take of Allom and white Vitriol of each a Pound and a half boil 'em in a Gallon of Water till it be reduc'd to two Quarts At last when you perceive the Itching gone melt Tarr or Black Pitch upon the Scabs and keep the Feet well pick'd and free from Dust or any other Ordure that might dry ' em The last nam'd Remedy is very effectual CHAP. C. Of the Crown-Scab THE Crown-Scab is a white or mealy Scurf caus'd by a burnt yellow and malignant Matter that breaks forth at the roots of the Hair where it sticks to the Skin and makes the Hair bristle and stare and at last Scalds it quite off You may distinguish the Nature of the Distemper by the bristling of the Hair on the Cronet and not unfrequently on the whole Pastern to the Joint The place is cover'd with a mealy Scurf and the Cronet swoll'n by the abundance of Humours that fall upon the Part. The most subtle Particles of those Humours exhaling thro' the Pores of the Skin harden into a kind of Salt that sticks to the Skin and produces the Scurf which usually appears on the Cronet There are two sorts of Crown-Scabs Some are dry without the least humidity and others are moist by reason of a stinking Water that Issues out of the Pores and communicates its stench and moisture to the Neighbouring Parts Besides at the beginning of the Foot under the Cronet the surface of the Hoof is crack'd and split by the driness and acrimony of the Humour contain'd in the Cronet from whence the Hoof receives its Nourishment But I shall have occasion to treat of this Distemper in that part of this Work that contains Instructions for the curing of Horses In the mean time it may be observ'd that it is neither painful nor makes 'em unfit for Travelling unless in
But tho' repelling Remedies must not be us'd in those Cases we must endeavour to dissolve the Swelling and diffipate the Matter by applying Remedies that are endu'd with a Power to attenuate heat and dissolve the Humours before we proceed to Suppuration Sixthly If the Wound be accompany'd with a great Contusion the Cure will be more tedious for the bruis'd Flesh must putrifie and fall away and its separation must be hasten'd by Manual Operation or by the Application of Caustics but the surest and safest Method is to make use of Instruments which are easily manag'd and guided Seventhly The cure of round or circular Wounds is always attended with so much difficulty that to facilitate the Work they ought to be cut into a long Figure Eighthly A Wound ought to be carefully cover'd for the Air retards the Cure and for that purpose it is very convenient to make use of a Lamb's-Skin in those Parts of the Body where it can be conveniently apply'd and in all others to cover the Wound with Tow which must be cut and beaten that it may stick the faster Ninthly The Lips of a Wound can never be clos'd or re-united so long as they are Callous and therefore you may rub them with the Golden Ointment mixt with Butter of Antimony that was never wash'd or precipitated in Water This Mixture will promote the closing of the Bones by destroying the Callus but since they are sometimes so large and hard that such Remedies are not able to consume 'em they must be cut off or rather Lanc'd and Gash'd with a Fleam or red-hot Knife which will hasten the forming of a Cicatrice As soon as you attempt the Cure of a Wound shave the Hair very close about two Fingers breadth round the place and keep it always neat clean and supple that the Skin may be easily stretch'd in order to the joining of the Lips of the Wound Simple Wounds made by the Saddle or otherwise if they be not of any considerable depth are heal'd by washing 'em with Urine or warm Wine and afterwards strewing 'em with the Powder of an old Rope or Flax cut very small but if the Wound be somewhat large 't will be convenient to substitute the Second Water instead of warm Wine and Urine for it allays the Itching and hastens the Cure And to consume the Proud-Flesh which is usually very troublesome you may apply White-Vitriol in Powder or rather Colcothar which is more effectual Colcothar is only Vitriol burnt till it grow red Sometimes a Saddle-Gall degenerates into a hard Knot call'd a Sitfast the usual Method of Farriers is to anoint it with Oil of Nuts mixt with an equal quantity of Water or with Hog's-Lard or Tallow till it fall away of it self which requires a very long time and afterwards the Sore may be wash'd with the Second Water and for want of that with warm Wine and strew'd with Bran and by the constant use of these Applications it will be insensibly heal'd But the Sitfast will fall away more easily and speedily if you hold a lighted Candle over it letting the melted Tallow drop upon the Knob and after 't is separated wash the Sore with warm Wine and the Second Water or Urine and anoint it slightly with old Salt-Butter strewing upon it the Powder of an old Rope The Butter supplies the place of a Detergent by keeping the Sore clean and quickly brings it to a Cicatrice I have several times seen a Gangreen occasion'd by a neglected Sitfast and always observ'd that the Horses dy'd very speedily The surest way to remove a Sitfast is to rub it with the Ointment of Beetles or for want of that with some good Retoire holding a hot Bar of Iron near the Part as soon as the Retoire is laid on and renewing the Application three Days together One Application of a Caustic Ointment will produce the same Effect and thus you may prevent those troublesome Accidents that are usually occasion'd by the long continuance of a Sitfast If the Wound be so large and deep that it must be Tented as it usually happens in the Thighs Withers and other parts of the Body a simple Tent of salted Hog's-Lard will be sufficient unless it be necessary to keep the Wound open in which case to avoid large Incisions which cannot be perform'd without difficulty and are never free from danger instead of Tents you must use a Prepar'd Sponge which will open the Wound without Incision and discover the bottom of it This Method is of excellent use when the Wound is in those Parts of the Body that are full of Sinews or Tendons or when the flowing of the Blood hinders you from seeing what you ought to cut How to prepare a Sponge for the opening of Wounds Take a fine Sponge wash'd clean ty'd about very hard with Pack-thread and wrapt in wet Paper then lay it in a hollow place in the midst of the Hearth covering it with hot Ashes and live Coals over the Ashes leave it there to dry for the space of a quarter of an Hour or longer after which take it out and when 't is Cold untie it and cut it with a Knife into what form you please Then besmearing it with a Ripening or Digestive Ointment to prevent its sticking to the Flesh thrust it into the bottom of the Wound the next Day draw it out with your Pincers and you will find it much swoll'n and the Hole sufficiently widen'd without hurting the Sinews and Tendons which could not have been done by Incision But if the Sponge be not sufficient to open a Wound that is very foul and full of dead Flesh provided it be not under the Foot incorporate two Ounces of Sublimate in Powder with half a Pound of melted Wax and dip a very fine Sponge in that Mixture till it has suck'd up as much as it can contain then lay it in a Press two Days and two Nights after which you may cut it into the form of Tents and it will both open the Wound and produce the effect of a Cautery If you would make it stronger add an Ounce of Arsenic in fine Powder mixing it with melted Wax and the two Ounces of Sublimate which will make an excellent Cautery for Quitter-bones to extirpate the Tendon or any other corrupt Matter But if the Sore be under the Foot occasion'd by a Nail or Stub or any other Accident the Sponge prepar'd with Sublimate or Arsenic must not be apply'd lest the Humours shou'd be driven upwards to the Cronet where they might occasion great Disorders In such cases you may use a Sponge dipt in Wax alone prest and cut into Tents as before which will open a Wound but not so effectually as the former since it contains not any Caustic Ingredients However it has this advantage that it neither causes Pain nor hurts the Nerves and is very convenient for preventing the growth of Proud-Flesh in the Feet for when the Part is bound up carefully with Splents
of Remedies you are at last oblig'd to give the Fire but since some Men will not be perswaded of the incredible effects of this Remedy and others cannot procure it when they have occasion to use it I shall communicate the description of an Ointment for Wounds that will advance the Cure more in one Day than other Ointments do in a considerable space of Time CHAP. CV The Hermit's Ointment for Wounds in Horses TAke the green Leaves of Long-Birthwort Paul's-Betony and Sage of each a handful and half Sanicle one handful Roots of Marsh-mallows and Comfrey dry'd in the Shade of each an Ounce slice the Roots very small and boil 'em in a Skillet with a Pint of Cream for the space of a quarter of an Hour after which add the Leaves chopt small and boil 'em so long till you can perceive nothing in the Skillet but a pure Butter produc'd by the boiling of the Cream then strain it out into a Pot and put into the same Skillet a quarter of a Pound of the Lard of a Hog fed with Acorns cut into Slices and mixt with the remaining Herbs and Roots boil all together about a quarter of an Hour and strain out the melted Lard upon the Butter in the next place boil two Ounces of Oil-Olive in the Skillet with the same Herbs and Roots for the space of a quarter of an Hour and strain it out into the Pot with the Butter and melted Lard after which squeeze out all the Juice and Fat of the Herbs and Roots in the same Pot and while they are still hot add an Ounce of melted Tar and an ounce and a half of Burnt-Allom in Powder incorporating the whole Mass and stirring it till it be cold When you have occasion to apply this Ointment melt a little of it in a Spoon and with a soft Pencil anoint the Wound very lightly covering it gently with Flax or Powder of old Ropes and renewing the Application once a Day The Wound will be quickly heal'd by this Method if Nature the principal Operator assist the efficacy of the Remedy by Sodering Gluing Nourishing Preserving and Restoring the Part to its proper Temperament and Condition Besides the Application of the Ointment you must consider diligently whether there be any unnatural or extraneous Substance in the Wound which must be taken out and if you perceive Excrescencies of spongy Flesh you must either give the Fire or consume 'em with White-Vitriol dissolv'd in Spirit of Wine which is of admirable use in this case and after the Scab is fall'n or rather the Swelling asswag'd apply the Ointment If you have occasion to cleanse any part in the Wound which you cannot see and dare not burn for fear of hurting the Sinews you may use the following Water which is an admirable Cleanser Lime-Water or the Yellow-Water Those who love to disguise Trifles with hard and lofty Names call this the Phagedenical-Water You may easily prepare it thus Take two or three Pounds of unslak'd Lime newly made put it into a large Bason of fine Tin and pour upon it by degrees five Quarts of Rain-Water then set the Bason in a convenient place for two Days stirring the Water often after which suffer the Lime to fall to the bottom pour off the Water by inclination strain it thro' brown Paper and to three Pints of it add half a Pint of good Spirit of Wine an Ounce of Spirit of Vitriol and as much Corrosive Sublimate in fine Powder Mix and preserve it for use in a Glass-Vial If you perceive a great deal of Corruption in the Wound or any appearance of a Gangrene add to the whole quantity of the Water an Ounce of Arsenic diminishing the Dose proportionably according to the quantity of the Water I shall take this occasion to give a brief Account of the signs and cure of a Gangrene Of a Gangrene A Gangrene may be consider'd in two different respects for in its Progress 't is only a tendency to Mortification whereas it ends in a Sphaceâ—â—s or confirm'd Mortification The signs of it are a sudden loss of Sense and consequently an insensibility of Pain lividness and afterward blackness of the Part affected a noisome Smell resembling that of a dead Carcass and an extraordinary softness in the Part that was before hard and distended The Cure of a confirm'd Gangrene is impossible and ought not to be attempted but while 't is in the beginning and even in its progress the Case is not altogether desperate As soon as you perceive any part of a Wound to be seiz'd with a Gangrene you must immediately scarifie it to the quick with your Fleam wash it with Sea or Salt-Water and cover the whole Wound with Flax steep'd and soak'd in the strongest Lime-Water dressing it twice a Day after the same manner A Detergent and Cleansing Water for a Gangrene If the Lime-Water be too weak you may prepare another thus Take crude Allom one Pound German-Copperas grosly beaten half a Pound Verdigrease in fine Powder three Ounces boil all together in a Gallon of strong Vinegar to the consumption of one half then without straining the Liquor reserve it for use in a Glass-Vial The use of this Water is the same with that of Lime-Water shake the Bottle as often as you have occasion to apply the Liquor and if after the first Application you find that it is too weak add two Ounces of strong Aqua-Fortis to each Quart shaking 'em well together Another Cleansing-Water Take very strong White-Wine two Pints and a half Aqua-vitae half a Pint Spirit of Vitriol two Ounces mix them in a Glass-Bottle capable of containing two Quarts and an Hour after add two Ounces of Verdigrease in fine Powder White-Vitriol four Ounces and Green Copperas one Pound the two last grosly beaten stop the Bottle very close with a Cork and Hog's-Bladder then let it stand in Infusion on hot Embers twenty four Hours shaking it every six Hours after which preserve it for use shaking it every time and applying it according to the Directions prescrib'd for the use of Lime-Water It may be kept three Months without losing its Virtue The greatest simple Wound may be quickly cur'd by a prudent and diligent observation of the Method and Directions prescrib'd in this and the preceding Chapters When a Horse's back is Gaul'd during a Journey the best way is to take out a little of the stuffing of the Pannel over the Swelling then sow a piece of white and very soft Leather on the inside of the Pannel anoint it with Salt-Butter and every Evening wipe it clean rubbing it till it grow soft and anointing it again with Butter or for want of that with Grease Wash the Swelling or Hurt every Evening with cold Water and Soap and strew it with Salt till the Horse be Sadl'd in the Morning The Sea-rush that is usually wrapt about Glasses that are brought in Chests from Venice is of admirable efficacy for the cure of Saddle-Gauls during
a Journey 'T is soft and consequently does not bruise the Flesh and its saltness quickly heals the Sore if a large quantity of it be thrust into that part of the Pannel that touches the Gaul'd place Sometimes Coach-Horses are gaul'd in the Breast by their Harness and the Part is either Sore or rises in hard Bunches especially in Rainy Weather In this case you must shave off the Hair very close about the Sore place and then rub the whole Breast with Water and Black-soap or for want of that with any other kind of Soap chafing it gently into a Lather for the space of a quarter of an Hour after which wash that part of the Breast which is usually cover'd by the Petrel with Salt-Water suffering it to dry up of it self Then look upon the Harness and if the Gauling be occasion'd by any hardness in the Leather you must either take it away or sow on little Bolsters to hinder the Harness from rubbing on the Sore place In Rainy Weather especially in Harvest the Crupper of the Horse is usually Gaul'd or at least the places that are cover'd with the Harness are swoll'n fretted and cover'd with a sort of Scurf Rub the Part with Black-soap and a little Water till the Soap be turn'd to Froth chasing it in with your Hand and letting it dry upon the Part. By the same Method you may quickly cure a Sore occasion'd by the taking away of a Sitfast How to stanch Bleeding The cutting of a large Vessel by a great Gash or Wound is usually follow'd by so violent a Flux of Blood that the ordinary Methods are not sufficient to stop it In this case the Powder of Sympathy is an excellent Remedy but those who cannot procure it or are not willing to use it must endeavour if they can to lay bare and bind up the cut Vessel which is the furest way to stop the Blood If that cannot be done the Orifice of the Vessel must be stopt with a piece of Roman-Vitriol and the Wound bound up if the Situation of the Part admit of a Bandage if not the usual Remedy is to Sear the Part with a hot Iron for nothing stops Bleeding more effectually than the Application of an actual Cautery or Searing-Iron but those who are afraid of Burning may try the Success of other Remedies For Example Take equal quantities of Colcothar or Vitriol Calcin'd till it grow red Frankinsence and Aloes in Powder mix 'em with Whites of Eggs to the thickness of Honey and add a convenient quantity of the Hair of a Hare cut small If this Remedy prove ineffectual add to it Dragon's-Blood Man's-Blood dry'd Plaister and Calcin'd Vitriol either all together or only part of 'em which will certainly stanch the Blood if it be apply'd in a sufficient quantity And the same effect is produc'd by the Ligature which Surgeons call the revulsive Bandage After the Blood is stopt you must suffer the Wound to remain untouch'd for the space of three Days that you may know whether the Vessel be exactly clos'd The Simples that are indu'd with a Virtue to stop and prevent Bleeding are the Roots and Leaves of Nettles the Bark of a Pomgranate and Pine-Tree the Leaves of Plantane and Willows Services or Sorb-Apples burnt Galls quench'd in Vinegar Bean-flower Starch Soot Litharge Ceruss Vitriol Colcothar Allom a Sponge dry'd and reduc'd to Powder and dry Coriander-seeds But in case of necessity there cannot be a more pleasant and effectual Remedy than Caustics or Cauteries either in Powder or any other form which raise a Scab or Eschar that stops the Passage and I have seen Powder of Arsenic apply'd on certain occasions which quickly makes a large Eschar When the Scab falls off great care must be taken to prevent a new Flux of Blood and consequently the Wound must neither be irritated by sharp Remedies nor by putting in of a Probe You may easily compose a Powder of the above-mention'd Simples to stop Bleeding for example take the dry Bark of a Pomgranate Roman-Vitriol and Allom of each an equal quantity mix and apply it to the Wound CHAP. CVI. Of a Horse that is Wrung or Hurt in the Withers HAving treated of the Cure of Simple Wounds I shall in the next place proceed to consider those that are occasion'd or preceded by Tumours If your Horse be hurt by the biting of another Horse on the Neck or near the Withers keep the Part clean and wash it with Lime-Water or Aqua-vitae or chafe it with Water and Soap or wash it with the Second Water observing the Directions prescrib'd for the Cure of Wounds If there be only a simple Contusion use Aqua-vitae and if the Wound be small anoint it with Oil of Walnuts mixt with Red-Wine and apply'd cold If the Horse have large and fleshy Withers the Cure will be more difficult than in those who have nothing but Skin and Bone by reason of the Moisture contain'd in the Flesh and increas'd by the Phlegmatic Humour furnish'd by Nature to facilitate the motion of the Joints for the redundant Humidity occasions the growth of Proud-Flesh hinders the drying of the Part and makes the Cure difficult and tedious Sometimes a hurt in the Withers is occasion'd by the largeness of the Saddle-Bows which bruise and crush the Flesh and in that case 't is the usual Custom of Farriers to apply a Restringent Charge of Powder of Bole-Armenic Vinegar and Whites of Eggs. I approve of that which follows and dare affirm that it will cure the Hurt if it be not very great Beat the Whites of six Eggs with a piece of Allom almost as big as an Egg for the space of half a quarter of an Hour without intermission till the whole be reduc'd to a very thick Scum or Froth with which you must rub the Swelling and afterwards cover it with the rest of the Froth suffering it to dry upon the Part. Ten or twelve Hours after repeat the Application neither must you be surpris'd if the Heat and Swelling still remain for a repelling and an astringent Remedy ought not only to drive the Humours from one part to another but to expel it thro' the Pores by pressing and binding the Part that was dilated by the Humour deriv'd from the Veins If the Hurt be great you must begin the Cure with letting the Horse Blood in the Neck and the Bleeding must be repeated two Days after to prevent the impetuous descent of the Humours upon the Part affected but if there be only a small Hurt you may safely omit the letting of Blood If the Contusion occasion'd by the Saddle-bows be follow'd by a Tumour and Inflammation anoint the Sore place with the Duke's Ointment and cover the Withers with a Lamb-Skin after you have bath'd them with Lime-Water prepar'd without Sublimate for that Remedy does very powerfully allay the Inflammation and if there be no Matter generated may alone suffice to asswage the Swelling if not apply the Duke's Ointment and
cover the Sore place with a Lamb's-Skin laying the Woolly side next the Part and continue to anoint it thrice every Day which Method is infinitely more natural than the Application of Defensives which produce no effect if there be a great Swelling and Heat preceded by a violent Contusion but if the Swelling continue accompany'd with Heat Distension and Beating so that you have reason to believe that there is already Matter generated or that the Tumour tends to Suppuration you must alter your Method and wash off the Ointment with luke-warm Oxycrate mixt with a handful of Salt and as soon as the Part is dry chafe it with an Ointment made of half a Pound of Populeon a quarter of a Pound of Honey and the like quantity of Black-Soap mixt cold and diluted with a large Glass of Spirit of Wine This Ointment being apply'd gently to prevent a further Contusion of the Part will dissipate the Humours and take away the Heat after which the Sore place must be cover'd with a Lamb's-Skin to promote the Operation of the Ointment Note That the Application must be renew'd at least four times a Day to divert the Humour and prevent any danger of Corruption In the mean time give your Horse a Dose of Cinnabar-Pills for two Days together keeping him Bridl'd two Hours before and as long after every Dose two Days after administer the Pills again repeating the same Dose from time to time for they are endu'd with a wonderful efficacy to assist Nature in the Expulsion and Concoction of the Matter contain'd in the Withers from whence 't is plain that they are very proper to promote the Cure if you persist in the use of 'em till you perceive the Matter to be already generated To draw and ripen a Swelling When Nature requires your assistance to digest the Humour and hasten Suppuration if you cannot procure the above-mention'd Ointments prepare that which follows Take the Powders of Cummin-seed and Linseed of each an equal quantity boil 'em in Cow's-Milk with a sufficient quantity of Pigeon's-Dung in Powder rather too much than too little and make a Pultess which will ripen the Swelling and asswage the Pain Or Take four Ounces of the Roots of Marsh-Mallows beaten boil 'em in Water and afterwards add Leaves of Mallows and Brankursin of each a handful After they are well boil'd beat 'em to a Mash adding Oil-Olive and Butter of each two Ounces Flower of Fenugreek-Seed as much as may suffice to thicken the whole and apply it warm to the Part. When you have brought the Tumour to Suppuration that is when the Matter is generated and ready to be let out make one or more Holes in the lower part of the Swelling with a red-hot Iron about the bigness of the end of your Finger and having prest out the Matter dress the Holes with soft Tents besmear'd with the Duke's Ointment which will both make the Tents stick and prevent an Inflammation Or you may put in Tents of Hog's-Lard reaching from one Hole to the other and carry on the Suppuration so long as it shall be necessary but above all you must take care to make the Holes in the lower part of the Swelling and leave no boggy or hollow place underneath that the whole Matter may be evacuated and if you perceive that there is some Matter left or that the Skin is separated from the Flesh below the Holes you must immediately pierce the Skin with a red-hot Iron at the end of the hollow Place for without that Precaution the Skin would never be united to the Flesh Then put in Tents moisten'd with the Duke's Ointment from one Hole to another to draw out all the Matter Note That the Tents must be rowl'd hard lest they hurt or bruise the Part. Having put in the Tents you must take care to keep the Swelling moist with the Duke's Ointment to allay the Inflammation continuing to dress the Holes and to renew the Tents till the Cure be compleated And besides if there be a large hollow within you must inject with a Syringe some of the Waters for Gun-shot Wounds or the Yellow-Water if there be a great deal of Putrefaction Swellings upon the Withers are sooner cur'd by this Method than by Incision for the Flesh that is cut or touch'd with the Razor rots and falls away the Part remains deform'd and not unfrequently the Sore is very much enlarg'd without necessity You may safely use this Method when the bottom of the Sore is sound and when the Bones are not infected with any Caries or Corruption But if you perceive that there is a Scale to be separated or a Felander or such like putrefy'd Matter sticking to the Bone the surest way is to cut off all that is Corrupted and even the Mane if there be occasion without touching the Nerve that runs along it discovering at once the bottom of the Sore and piercing to the Quick You must not leave any high or swelling Lips 〈◊〉 cut the Sore sloping and above all you must take care to give the Matter a Vent 〈◊〉 keep it from stagnating The Operation must be heedfully perform'd for the cutting of the Neck-Sinew wou'd certainly spoil the Horse and therefore you must carefully separate the corrupt Flesh from the Sinew Having thus freed the Sore from all Impurities and cut off all the corrupt and putrefy'd Flesh strew the place with red-hot Ashes taken out of a burning Fire continuing to cast on the Ashes till the Blood be stopt Let the Sore remain untouch'd till the next Day and then wash it with the Water of a Smith's-Forge luke-warm or with warm Wine Urine or the Second Water and powder it again with hot Ashes Repeat the same two or three times once in twenty four Hours after which you will find the Sore in a very hopeful condition without Swelling Heat or any other symptom that may retard the Cure for the Salt contain'd in the Ashes is heated and melted by the moistness of the Sore and being a kind of Alkali it destroys the Acid and Corrosive Humour that falls by way of Defluxion upon the Part and that being destroy'd the Swelling abates and the Heat vanishes This is an excellent Method but since 't is not always easie nor sometimes possible to procure Ashes especially in an Army you may observe the following Directions After you have made the Incision take a sufficient quantity of Vitriol or Green Copperas that of Germany is cheapest dissolve it in Water till the Water be fully saturated and incapable of dissolving any more and with this Solution bathe the Wound or Sore applying afterwards Flax dipt in the same Water and binding it on carefully Forty eight Hours after take off the Dressing and if you perceive any Inflammation or Swelling renew the Application of the Flax dipt in the Solution of Vitriol which will certainly asswage the Heat and Swelling Then wash the Sore with the Water of a Smith's-Forge lukewarm and after that with
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
take a sufficient quantity of the Leaves of Coltsfoot White-Mullein and Red Maiden-hair boil 'em in Water to four Quarts strain out the Liquor and add ten Pounds of Honey boiling 'em to half the thickness of a Syrup till two Quarts of the Decoction be consum'd and skimming all the while mix the Powders with the Honey while 't is half cold till they be well incorporated and reduc'd to an Electuary which must be set to ferment in a Pot for the space of twenty or thirty Days in Summer but in cold Weather the Fermentation will require a longer time and you must never use the Electuary till it be duly Fermented Electuaries and Confections are more effectual than Powders by reason of the Fermentation that Concentrates and afterwards exalts the Virtues of the Ingredients Avicen was certainly of this Opinion for he expresly affirms That the Virtue or Efficacy of a Medicine is doubl'd by Fermentation And besides a Remedy may be kept longer in this form without losing its Virtue 't is more easily swallow'd and sooner wrought upon by the natural Heat in the Stomach This Electuary does very powerfully allay the boiling and preternatural heat of the Stomach and therefore is an excellent Remedy for fiery and mettlesome Horses that pine away after hard Labour or violent Exercise even tho' they be not troubl'd with a Cough In this case you must take away their Oats feed 'em with hot Bran and give 'em a Dose of this Electuary once every Day for fifteen or twenty Days after which they will be in a thriving Condition For the satisfaction of the curious I shall in few Words explain the Nature of Fermentation It derives its Name from Fermentum or Leven which is a Contraction of Fervimentum from Fervere to be hot or to boil It may be thus defin'd Fermentation is a Motion by which in a Mixture of different Substances those that are most subtil agitate and dilate the rest We may see Examples of it in Dough in Wine and several other Substances Golden or Red Maiden-hair is one of the Ingredients of the Syrup call'd the Syrup of the Capillary Herbs Marsh-Mallow Roots are common at Paris but those who cannot procure 'em may take double the quantity of the dry'd Leaves of Coltsfoot The Dose is four Ounces for Coach-Horses infus'd all Night in three Pints of Beer and drunk luke-warm in the Morning The Horse must be kept Bridl'd two Hours before and as long after the Dose and in those Countries where there is no Beer to be had the Medicine may be Infus'd in an equal mixture of Wine and Water This Electuary is endu'd with all the Virtues of the above-mention'd Powder and besides allays the preternatural Heat that usually accompanies the Cough But if that Distemper be occasion'd by cold tough and flegmatic Humours you must not administer so cooling a Remedy and therefore if after the first and second Dose you perceive that his Hair begins to stare or that he forsakes his Meat or Shivers you must give him the Powder instead of the Electuary but if none of these signs appear persist in the use of the latter which will effectually cure the oldest and most inveterate Cough It happens not unfrequently that after seven or eight Doses of the Electuary the Horse begins to scour as if he had taken a purging Medicine but you must still continue to give him a Dose once a Day for it 's a sign that the Remedy operates effectually You must persist in the daily use of the Electuary till the Cough be perfectly cur'd 'T is a singular Remedy for those Horses whose Lungs are dry'd up by excessive Heat for it moistens the Part and restores it to its natural temper But since the Cure of this Distemper may be sometimes perform'd with less Charge and Trouble I shall propose some other Remedies Other Powders for a Cough Take Femugreek and â—â—â—wers of Brimstone of each an equal quantity and mix 'em with moisten'd Oats Brimstone alone may be given with Oats but the Flowers are better A Pound of Honey put into a Pail-full of Water and us'd for ordinary Drink is excellent for a Cough as I intimated before I have already describ'd a Cordial Powder for the Cure of this Distemper A small handful of Hemp-seed mixt with Oats and given to a fat and fleshy Horse cures the Cough if the use of it be long continu'd The same quantity of Hemp-seed may be beaten and infus'd in White-Wine all Night and both the Wine and the Seed given to the Horse in the Morning A Cough may be also cur'd by giving the Horse a handful of Juniper-Berries every Day for a considerable time Take the Wood and Leaves of Tamarisk either dry or green tho' the latter is best stamp 'em and give 'em to your Horse with moisten'd Oats or Bran beginning with a small quantity and augmenting the Dose every Day to a large Spoonful A Remedy for the Cough Take a Pound of newly churn'd Butter before 't is wash'd and a like quantity of Honey with two Ounces of Juniper-Berries beaten mix and make Pills rolling 'em up with Powder of Liquorice Give your Horse a Dose with a Pint or a Pint and half of White-Wine keeping him Bridl'd two Hours before and three Hours after Repeat the same two or three times interposing a Day or two between the Doses Another Remedy Take of clear Oil of Walnuts newly drawn one Pint common Honey a Pound and thirty Grains of White-Repper beaten Incorporate 'em all together and give the whole quantity to the Horse Repeat the Dose if there be occasion and the second will perfect the Cure Grate two or three Nutmegs and give 'em to your Horse with half a Pint of Brandy One Dose of this Remedy has often cur'd the Cough but if the Horse be old you must repeat it or prepare that which follows Take a small Porringer of dry Pigeon's-Dung beat it and infuse it all Night in a Quart of White-Wine in the Morning heat it till it begin to boil then strain out the Liquor add two Ounces of Juice of Liquorice and make your Horse drink it up Repeat the same thrice interposing one Day between the Doses after which the Cough will probably be cur'd The English Pills for an Old Cough An Inveterate Cough is one of the most stubborn Distempers incident to Horses I have already propos'd several Remedies that have been often but not always attended with Success The following Pills cur'd Horses that were troubl'd with this Distemper six Months and sometimes a whole Year after a fruitless Tryal of other Remedies Take Flower of Brimstone four Ounces Annisâ—eds beaten two Ounces Liquorice dry'd in the shade and beaten four Ounces Bay-Berries in fine Powder four Ounces brown Sugar-Candy six Ounces good Treacle four Ounces Oil-Olive eight Ounces Tarr two Ounces Beat 'em in a Mortar till they be well incorporated and mix 'em with four Eggs beaten in a Dish without the Shells
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
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
dispelling the Humours that hinder him from growing fat Since the Flanks of lean and tyr'd Horses are usually lank and heated this Remedy will also remove that Inconvenience tho' they eat a great deal of Hay They who are not skill'd in the Operations of Art will perhaps be offended at the seeming Difficulty of this Preparation tho' it be really easie and very cheap but they may free themselves of that Trouble by having recourse to any Apothecary that has the least Skill in Chymistry I order'd the Golden Sulphur to be mixt with Flower to keep it from falling to the bottom that the Horse may swallow it more easily This Remedy does not purge Horses Glauber calls it his Universal Medicine and gives us a long Catalogue of successful Experiments to demonstrate its Usefulness in all Diseases incident to Men. It imitates the other Preparations of Antimony in its Operation on the Body of a Horse which is perform'd by insensible Transpiration It purifies the Blood loosens the Skin from the Bones cools the internal Parts expels watry Humours opens and scowres the Passages resists Putrefaction and increases the Natural Heat Besides its Usefulness for the Recovery of lean and tyr'd Horses it contributes to the Cure of the Farcin Scab Cough Peeling of the Head and a beginning Pursiveness And in a Word it may be said that there are few Remedies for Horses of equal Virtue and Efficacy to this And besides 't is of excellent Use in the Distempers of Humane Bodies It cools and purifies the Blood and allays the Heat of the Intrails without the least Prejudice to the Horse whereas other cooling Remedies are usually more hurtful than profitable For they make the Horse lean and meager spoil his Appetite make his Hair stare and confirm the Obstructions of the inward Parts especially when they are unseasonably and preposterously exhibited but this admirable Medicine is not attended with any of those Inconveniencies Of a Horse tyr'd with hard Riding The above-mention'd Remedies are only design'd for the Use of those whose Love to their Horses may induce 'em and their Riches permit 'em to bestow so much Trouble and Charge upon the Cure especially if the Horse be of a very considerable Value But those who are not willing or able to pursue so laborious and costly a Method may either content themselves with part of those Remedies or observe the following Directions Let your Horse blood in the Neck-Vein the next Day give him a Clyster with an Ounce and a half of Sal Polychrest and the Day after make him drrink a Pound and a half of Oil-Olive keeping him bridl'd two Hours before and as long after Four Days after reck'ning that on which he drank the Oil give him the following Potion A Purging and Comforting Potion Take the Electuary of Diacarthamum and fine Catholicum of Nicholaus of each an Ounce Treacle two Drams Liquid Conserve of Red Roses and Powder of Sena Leaves of each an Ounce Pulp of Cassia two Ounces Juice of Liquorice half an Ounce Scammony prepar'd with the Steams of Brimstone two Drams Anniseed and Cumminseed of each one Dram. Mix all the Ingredients and give 'em to your Horse in a Quart of White Wine keeping him bridl'd six Hours before and four Hours after Assoon as the Purgation is over give him a purging Clyster to carry off that which the Medicine cou'd not bring away but if he be already sufficiently purg'd you may omit the Clyster Give him no Oats but feed him with moisten'd Bran or rather give him moisten'd Hay and honey'd Water Then suffer him to rest for some time that you may have an Opportunity to observe the Effects of the Remedies If you perceive no Amendment you must have recourse to the Cordial-Powder the Golden Sulphur and Clysters and afterwards repeat the Purgation If the Purgative and Comforting Potion seem too chargeable as indeed it is for most Persons you may give your Horse the cheap Oil describ'd in the Fifty sixth Chapter or the Medicine that follows in the next CHAP. CXXX The Method of Fattening Horses THis Method has all the Advantages that can be desir'd for 't is Easie Cheap and very Effectual After you have let your Horse blood put half a Bushel of coarse Barley-Meal into a Pailful of Water stirring it about for a considerable Space of Time then let it stand till it fall to the bottom and pour out the Water into another Pail for the Horse's ordinary and only Drink and make him eat the Meal that remains at the bottom of the Pail thrice every Day Morning Noon and Night If he refuse or seem unwilling to eat the Meal alone mix it with a little Bran The next Day lessen the Quantity of the Bran and at last give him none at all for it serves only to accustom him to eat of the Meal or instead of the Bran you may mix a small quantity of Oats with the Meal and diminish it by degrees as before 'T is to be observ'd that the Barley must be ground every day as you use it for it quickly grows sowre after which the Horse will not taste it There are few Horses that may not be fatten'd by keeping 'em to this Dyet for the space of twenty Days Barley ground after this manner purges the Horse and cools his inward Parts But the greatest Efficacy lies in the Water that is impregnated with the most nourishing and useful Substance of the Meal When you perceive your Horse to thrive and grow lusty you must take him off from this Dyet by degrees giving him at first Oats once and Barley-Meal twice a-day then Oats twice and the Meal once till your Horse be perfectly recover'd In the mean time you may give him Hay and good Straw also if you please but you must not ride him only walk him softly about half an Hour in the middle of the Day After your Horse has eaten Barley-Meal eight Days give him the following Purgative if you find he stands in need of it Take of the finest Aloes an Ounce and a half Agaric and Roots of Flower de Luce of Florence of each an Ounce beat all three to Powder and mix 'em with a Quart of Milk warm as it comes from the Cow if you can procure it keeping your Horse bridl'd six Hours before and four Hours after the taking of it without discontinuing his usual Diet. This Purgation will operate effectually since the Humours are already prepar'd and the Body moisten'd and cool'd And therefore the Medicine will not occasion any Disorder or Heat and the Horse will visibly amend After the Operation of the Purgative is quite ceas'd you must keep your Horse eight Days longer to the Diet as before If Horses of Value that are full of Mettle and of a hot and dry Constitution were kept to this Diet for a convenient space of Time once every Year 't wou'd infallibly preserve 'em from several Distempers and it is especially useful at the
End of a Campagne or after a long Journey If your Horse loose his Appetite when he begins to eat the Meal as it happens not unfrequently you may tye a Chewing-Ball to his Bit renewing it so often till he begin to feed heartily on the Barley for these Balls not only restore a lost Appetite but purifie the Blood prevent Diseases and contribute to the Fattening of the Horse CHAP. CXXXI Of the Shrinking of the Sinews and Gauntness of the Belly occasion'd by Foundering of the Body and other Distempers THis Distemper has some Affinity with that which was last describ'd and is occasion'd when by reason of hard Labour or some Indisposition as the Relicts of a Foundering or excessive Heat of the Body the Guts are straiten'd and the two Sinews that run along the Belly from the Sheath to the Girding-place reaching to that part of the Belly which the Horse touches with his Thighs as he goes grow hard and stiff and so painful that he loses his Flesh and the Straitness of his Guts proceeds from the Dryness and Shrinking of the Sinews In order to the Cure you must let the Horse blood in the Neck and the next Day chafe the Sinews with this Ointment An Anodyne Ointment For the Satisfaction of the Curious I shall explain the Meaning of this Term of Art Those Remedies are said to be Anodyne which by a mild Heat agreeable to that which is usually call'd the Natural Heat a temperate Moisture and a thin Substance insinuating it self into the Part where the Pain is seated cherishes the Natural Heat softens and loosens the Part and consequently allays the Pain From whence it may be infer'd that an Anodyne Remedy is that which takes away the Pain from the Part to which 't is apply'd Take the Ointments of Marsh-Mallows Roses and Populeon of each two Ounces mix 'em cold Or for want of these Ointments the Fat of Chickens Hens or Capons which is found near their Guts or about their Breast melted and strain'd thro' a Linnen-Cloth may be successfully apply'd to the same uses Anoint the Sinews with the Ointment or Fat holding a red-hot Bar of Iron near the part to make the Remedy sink into it The next Day or some Days after take hold of the Sinews with your two Fingers and separate 'em very gently from the Belly The Day after renew the Application of the Ointment and draw the Sinews as before continuing after the same manner till they be sufficient'y lengthen'd and relax'd after which the Pain will cease and the Horse regain his former Vigour and Lustiness In the mean time make a sound Man that Drinks unmixt Wine Piss on two double handfuls of Barley and after it has stood in Infusion a whole Night pour off the Urine in the Morning Then boil a handful of green or for want of these dry Fennel-seeds in a Pint of Water for a quarter of an Hour and sprinkle the Barley with the Scum that arises in this Decoction Make your Horse eat the Barley thus prepar'd every Morning for the space of fifteen Days mixing it with a little Oats if he seem to have an aversion against it and keeping all other sorts of Nourishment from him till he be accustom'd to eat this which will promote the Cure effectually and restore his Appetite The Remedy describ'd in the preceding Chapter consisting of a Preparation of Barley-Flower is also very useful in this case and with the assistance of the above-mention'd Ointment will restore the Horse to his perfect Health Instead of Oats you may give your Horse Rye sprinkl'd with boiling Water and afterwards drain'd and cool'd A double handful of Wheat eaten always before you suffer him to Drink will open his Flanks and make him lusty Honey'd-Water or moisten'd Bran prepar'd according to the Directions mention'd in one of the preceding Chapters are very effectual in this case If you perceive that your Horse continues still lean and meager after the use of all these Remedies give him either the Golden-Sulphur or Liver of Antimony in his Bran. I have often observ'd that lean Horses are thought to be troubl'd with this Distemper when their leanness proceeds from a multitude of Worms or Trunchions that suck up all the Substance of their Food and consequently deprive all the parts of the Body of their usual and necessary supplies of Nourishment Trunchions are small and short Worms smooth and of a reddish Colour which at last eat their passage thro' the Stomach and occasion present Death They are never voided with the Dung so that 't is impossible to make a certain Judgment in this case But when you have reason to suspect that your Horse is troubl'd with these pernicious Insects the safest way is to give him half an Ounce of Mercurius Dulcis with an Ounce of the Cordial Powder in a quarter of a Pound of Butter or an Ounce of Treacle without Butter if the Cordial Powder cannot be procur'd or four Ounces of Cinnabar beaten to Powder and mixt with a Pound of fresh Butter These Medicines will kill and destroy all the Worms after which the Horse will recover his Flesh If you propose the inward use of Cinnabar to a Physician that is not acquainted with the Constitution of Horses he will condemn it and not without reason knowing what a penetrating Faculty it has acquir'd by its Sublimation with Sulphur so that 't is certainly a very dangerous Medicine for Men if it be not given with more than ordinary Caution But you may administer it to Horses without any fear and I dare warrant it both safe and effectual The Confidence with which I recommend it is grounded on a long Experience and I have even made some Horses eat several Pounds of it mixt with Bran giving 'em one or two Ounces every Day with an equal quantity of the Cordial-Powder by which Method I have cur'd the Farcin without occasioning the least disorder in the Gums or any other part of the Body I intend to describe all the Remedies against Worms in a Chapter that shall expresly treat of that Subject but if you are convinc'd that your Horse is not troubl'd with Worms you may give him one of the Remedies prescrib'd for Surfeiting or Foundering in the Body Or you may give him the Powder for a Cough or the Lieutenant's Powder describ'd in the Second Part. Grass or Green Barley if it be in season will Cure your Horse without any other Remedy In the Winter you may make him eat Beans moderately and in the Summer give him Barley bruis'd rather than Ground in a Mill mixt with a little Bran. CHAP. CXXXII Of the Anticor THe Anticor is a preternatural Tumour caus'd by a sanguine and choleric Humour and seated on the Breast just opposite to the Heart This Swelling is sometimes generated in the spongy Membrane that surrounds the Heart where the Humours easily lodge themselves when they abound too much in the Body The external Swelling discovers the
Disease to the Eye and besides 't is accompany'd with a Palpitation of the Heart and very often with a violent Fever The sick Horse is heavy and sad hangs down his Head and sometimes falls to the Ground and Swoons away This dangerous Distemper destroys the Appetite and few escape when it enters into the Body And even it proves oftentimes fatal tho' it never enter into the Body by reason of the redundancy or malignity of the Humours The usual Ripening or Suppurating Remedies are of little use in this case for the Venom contain'd in the Tumour wou'd infect the Heart by its malignant Vapours before it cou'd be expell'd by the Medicine You must begin the Cure with a Clyster prepar'd after this manner Boil two handfuls of Barley and two Ounces of Sal-Polychrest reduc'd to a fine Powder in the Quarts of Water for the space of a quarter of an Hour Add to the strain'd Liquor a Pint of the Urine of a Cow or for want of that of a healthy and robust Boy with a quarter of a Pound of fresh Butter and a like quantity of Oil of Rue Repeat the Clyster twice every Day or oftner if need require Then shave away the Hair in the lower part of the Swelling and anoint the Part with one of the Retoires describ'd in Chap. LXXIV two or three times successively till the Medicine penetrate which will draw forth a reddish Water and so either ease the Horse or ripen the Tumour or at least mark the place where you make an Incision If the Anticor come to Suppuration and the signs of the Concoction of the Matter appear you may conclude that your Horse is in a hopeful way of recovery The method of Cure commonly us'd by Farriers is not so sure as that which I have already communicated They draw a Circle with a hot Iron round the Swelling and divide it equally by two Brass Lines then they pierce the Skin with an actual Cautery or red-hot Iron with a Button of the breadth of an Inch at the end of it making seven or eight Holes besides within the compass of the Circle Afterwards they chafe the place once every Day with the following Ointment apply'd warm Melt four Ounces of Basilicum with two Ounces of Turpentine and adding four Ounces of old Treacle and two Ounces of Oil of Rue incorporate 'em well together over the Fire The Oil of Rue is endu'd with an excellent Virtue to draw or dissolve these Tumours and besides it separates the Escar or Scab and makes the corrupt Humours flow abundantly out of the Holes made with the hot Iron Before you proceed to give the Fire you must endeavour to make a Revulsion by taking about a Pound and a half of Blood out of the Neck-Vein on the right side taking care not to exceed that quantity least Nature be weaken'd by an immoderate expence of Blood at a time when all her force is scarce sufficient to resist the Malignity of the Humour The next Day if the Distemper be not accompany'd with a Fever or an extraordinary beating in the Flank give your Horse the following Potion A Comforting Potion for the Anticor Take Bay-Berries Juniper-Berries Galingal and Zedoary Roots of each two Ounces Roots of Gentian and Angelica of each an Ounce and a half Cubebs and Myrrh of each half an Ounce Saffron one Scruple Make a Powder Give your Horse two Spoonfuls of this Powder 〈◊〉 a Pint of Spanish-Wine with two Ounces of Conserve of Roses and two Drams of old Treacle then walk him half an Hour and keep him fasting two Hours before and as long after which you may easily do for if the Disease be violent you 'll find it a hard task to make him eat any thing Instead of this Powder you may use the Treacle Powder or the Electuary of Kermes thus you may give him an Ounce of the Treacle Powder with a like or even double quantity of Confection of Hyacinth in a Quart of Wine or two Ounces of the Electuary of Kermes with half an Ounce of Assa-foetida in Powder Or if none of these Medicines can be procur'd you may content your self with an Ounce of good Treacle dissolv'd in a Quart of a Cordial Julep compos'd of the Waters of Scabious Cinnamon Scorzonera and Carduus Benedictus rinsing the Pot and Horn with a little of the same Water and even in some respects I preferr this Potion before all other Remedies whatsoever since it may be safely exhibited and repeated two or three times when the Distemper is accompany'd with a Fever or beating in the Flanks The same Evening give your Horse a Clyster with an Ounce and a half of Sal-Polychrest which will allay the beating in the Flanks None of the other Remedies can be given without manifest danger when the Disease is attended with a Fever or when there is a violent beating in the Flanks I know some that are wont with very good success to begin the Cure with this Potion preceded and follow'd by a Clyster You may also observe the following Method Make an Incision with your Fleam or Lancet in eight or ten several places on the Swelling and thrust into the Holes between the Skin and the Flesh a piece of the Root of black Hellebor of the bigness of the Tag of a Point If the Tumour be very large you may use white Hellebor and in either case you must remember to chafe the Part frequently with an Ointment consisting of equal parts of Treacle and the Ointments of Agrippa and of Marsh-Mallows The Roots of Hellebor raise the Swelling to a vast height and draw forth the Venom and Malignity of the Humour which is the true design of the Application and the Ointment ripens that stubborn and malignant Humour The next Day give your Horse a Clyster of two Ounces of Sal-Polychrest boil'd in two Quarts of Beer adding a quarter of a Pound of Oil of Bay after the Decoction is remov'd from the Fire And two Hours after the Injection of the Clyster give him one of the Cordial Potions If the Disease be very violent 't will be convenient to open a Vein a second time taking away about a Pound of Blood and to continue the frequent use of Clysters as before You must also walk your Horse from time to time to provoke the natural Heat to expel the offending Humour The Retoire is more effectual than the Roots of Hellebor tho' the last Method is not to be despis'd but in either case the vehemency of the Disease does frequently prevent the Operation of external Remedies and therefore the Cure chiefly depends on the timely and regular use of proper Cordials The Essence of Vipers is a noble Remedy if half an Ounce of it be mixt with a Pint of Spanish-Wine Since the Horse has usually few or no intervals of ease and his Appetite is quite destroy'd by the violence of the Distemper you must either give him an Armand or feed him with cleans'd Barley and observe
the Hundred thirty sixth Chapter with his ordinary Drink A Clyster for the Palpitation of the Heart accompany'd with Heat Take an Ounce and a half of Sal-Polychrest in Powder with a sufficient quantity of the five softening Herbs the Roots of Sorrel and Bugloss the Seeds of Cucumbers Gourds Citruls and Melons grosly beaten and a small quantity of Anniseed Boil the Ingredients in Water to three Quarts add a quarter of a Pound of fresh Butter four Ounces of Powder-Sugar and half a Pound of Oil of Roses Mix and make a Clyster Another cooling Clyster Boil a sufficient quantity of the softening Herbs with two Ounces of Anniseeds in Powder for half a quarter of an Hour in the Whey of Cow's Milk to two Quarts and to the strain'd Liquor add the Yolks of six Eggs a quarter of a Pound of Butter half a Pound of Honey of Violets and an Ounce of Sal-Gemmae in Powder or for want of that of common Salt Make a Clyster If you perceive no sings of an excessive Heat in your Horse's Body or if he be seiz'd with the Distemper during the Winter you must not let him Blood unless there be a great Oppression For in that case you may open the Veins of the Thighs or that in the Brisket and prepare the following Potion Some of the Clysters and Potions prescrib'd for a Palpitation accompany'd with a violent Heat may serve to cool Horses that are over-heated tho' they be not troubl'd with a Palpitation but you must take care not to cool 'em immoderately I have often advertis'd the Reader that the Constitution of Horses is different from that of Men and you may conclude that their Condition does not require cooling Remedies when after the use of those Medicines the Hair begins to bristle and stare when they lose their Appetite or are seiz'd with a shivering Fit If any of these signs appear you must lay aside the use of cold Remedies and give 'em Cordial Powders or the following Cordial Potion A Cordial Potion for the Palpitation of the Heart Take Carduus Benedictus Sage and Rosemary of each half a handful boil 'em for half an Hour in a Pint and a half of Water to the consumption of half a Pint To the strain'd Liquor add of White-Wine one Pint Juniper-Berries round Birthwort Myrrh and shavings of Ivory of each one Dram Galingal Cinnamon and Cloves of each a Scruple Saffron six Grains all in fine Powder Make your Horse drink this Potion luke-warm then walk him half an Hour and two Hours after give him the above-mention'd Clyster for the dispelling of Wind. Continue in a diligent observance of this Method according to the varietie of Seasons and other Circumstances For his ordinary Food you may give him Bran Hay and Wheat-Bread The Distemper is sometimes very violent but rarely Mortal and Horses that are once seiz'd with it are usually subject to it afterwards CHAP. CXXXIV Of Fevers A Fever in Horses is a preternatural and unusual Heat in the Body proceeding from an Ebullition or violent Fermentation of the Humours which weakens the natural Heat and renders it unfit for the regular discharge of its Functions I cannot explain its nature better than by comparing it to the Ebullition of Wine in a Cask where that Liquor is agitated heated dilated and fermented and if it be straiten'd or have no vent it breaks impetuously thro' all obstacles spreads is Steams and Vapours all around and appears so troubl'd and muddy that we cannot discern the least drop of Wine in the Vessel But after these disorderly Motions all the Impurities that were contain'd in the Wine are separated the Lees fall to the bottom a sort of Scum floats on the top and the Concavity of the Vessel is cover'd with a crusty Substance This is the true Idea and representation of a Fever When an unusual Ebullition or Fermentation happens in the Mass of the Blood from what ever cause it proceeds the Blood is agitated and put into a disorderly Motion it swells and breaks out of the Vessels that are no longer able to contain it it acquires a Heat that is obvious to Sense and fills the whole Body with Steams and Vapours which stupifie the Head and the Mixture of it is so extreamly perverted that when you open a Vein that which runs out of it seems to be corrupt Matter rather than Blood When Nature gets the Victory over her Enemy she separates and expels the impure and superfluous Humours And 't is this struggle of Nature that occasions the burning Heat extream Thirst heaviness of the Body difficulty of Breathing excessive beating of the Arteries and Heart and all that numerous Train of Symptoms which usually accompany Fevers and discover the Nature of the Distemper ' Twou'd be an Undertaking of more Labour and Ostentation than Profit to engage in a long Dissertation concerning the Causes Differences and Effects of Fevers I am resolv'd neither to give my Reader nor my self so much Trouble since few Persons are willing to employ their Time in such nice Enquiries and perhaps their want of Curiosity in this Case ought not to be esteem'd a Fault But I shall omit nothing that may serve to promote the Cure of this dangerous and oftentimes fatal Disease Some pretend to discover by a diligent Observation of the Urine the Progress of Nature in her Conflict with the Distemper and the true State of the Body But this Method is hardly practicable in the Diseases of Horses by reason of the Difficulty of procuring their Urine to make Observations of that Nature The various Distinctions of Fevers into Quotidians Tertians Quartans c. are of no Use in this Case and therefore I shall only take Notice of three Kinds of ' em A simple Fever A Simple Fever is neither attended with a Putrefaction of the Humours nor with any considerable Disorder in the Parts of the Body It proceeds from a slight Ebullition of the over-heated Blood and is easily Cur'd by reason of the few Symptoms that accompany it 'T is frequently seated in the Substance of the Heart or in the Lungs Spleen Liver or Stomach It may be Cur'd without much Difficulty by a seasonable and methodical Application of convenient Remedies A putrid or humoral Fever The second kind is accompany'd with a Putrefaction of the Humours and with a remarkable Indisposition of some part of the Body either internal or external 'T is usually Mortal and since Horses are not very subject to Fevers we may reasonably conclude that so dangerous a kind of 'em proceeds from a violent Cause only it must be acknowledg'd that Beasts have this Advantage over Men that their Natural Appetites are less inordinate and their Food more simple and agreeable to Nature Besides their Brains are not disturb'd with Drinking and their Exercise contributes to the Preservation of their Health A pestilential Fever The pestilential Fever makes a prodigious Havock in a little time It overturns and destroys the Strength of
Horses For 't is impossible to perceive the least sign of Nature's Victory in 'em But you may confidently and safely proceed to the use of Purgatives as soon as you see the Tempest succeeded by a Calm In the mean time 't will be convenient to administer cooling Remedies for some Days such as Sal-Polychrest in Wine to extinguish the latent Fire that lies bury'd in the Embers after the Flame is seemingly quench'd and to recruit the Horse's strength by a good and wholsome but spare Diet for 't is a dangerous Error to imagine that the abundance or large quantity of Nourishment repairs the decay'd Vigour of the Horse's Body For if the Stomach be over-loaded with Food it cannot duly perform the work of Digestion without which the Aliments are not only useless but very hurtful After you have spent some time in endeavouring to strengthen and cherish Nature you may give such a Purging Remedy as you have reason to believe is least apt to disturb her There is a great variety of those Medicines but we shou'd be taught by Experience to reject those that are usually observ'd to occasion Disorders in the Body and to make use of such as are most likely to answer your Design and Expectation 'T is in my Opinion a very hard Task to discover the peculiar Nature and Properties of the offending Humour and to choose Specific Remedies for the evacuation of Choler Flegm or any other particular Humour Sal-Polychrest purges gently and almost insensibly And I have successfully us'd the following Remedy which I recommend as one of the best and most effectual Medicines that can be propos'd in this case A Purging Remedy for a Horse after his Recovery from a Fever and generally in all other Cases Take Powder of white Tartar and fine Nitre of each two Ounces put 'em in an Earthen Dish and kindle 'em with a live Coal After the Matter is sufficiently burnt and cold beat it to a fine Powder put it into a Quart of Water with a like quantity of White-Wine and four Ounces of Sena and let 'em stand all Night in a cold Infusion Take of fine Powder of Scammony half an Ounce for an ordinary Horse or five Drams for one of a very large size incorporate it in a Mortar with half a Pound of Honey prepar'd with the Herb Mercury Then pour on your strain'd Infusion stiring it gently with the Honey and Scammony with the Pestle and give the whole quantity to your Horse keeping him Bridl'd four Hours before and three Hours after Give him moisten'd Bran instead of Oats and twenty four Hours after walk him gently for the space of an Hour to facilitate the Operation of the Medicine 'T is a peculiar Excellency of this Remedy that it Purges effectually without heating the Body For tho' Infusions are generally free from the excessive heat of Medicines even in Substance they rarely procure a plentiful Evacuation But this Remedy operates powerfully tho' the Sena be not given in Powder for the Scammony and Honey of Mercury produce the desir'd effect because the Salt of Tartar opens the Body of the Sena and enables the Decoction to extract its essential Salt in which its Purgative quality is lodg'd This Medicine may be safely administer'd to Horses of a hot and fiery Constitution when they are extreamly fatigu'd with violent Exercise and on all other occasions when they stand in need of Purgation without any danger of heating and inflaming their Bodies CHAP. CXXXVIII An excellent Catholicum for Clysters TAke of the Roots of Flower de Luce of Florence half a Pound Sena fine Aloes and Hermodactyls of each four Ounces black and white Hellebor of each two Ounces Indian Pine-Nuts an Ounce Beat all the Ingredients to a gross Powder and put 'em into a large Pot with three Quarts of Water an Ounce of Spirit of Vitriol and four Ounces of Sal-Prunellae in Powder let 'em stand in a cold Infusion three Days and as many Nights stirring 'em from time to time then strain out the Liquor thro' a very thick Canvas-Bag and evaporate it with a gentle Heat over a clear Fire till there be about a Quart remaining to which add a Pound and half of good common Honey and boil it to the thickness of a Syrup then put in Jalap and Turbith of each four Ounces Coloquintida and Gum-Gotte of each two Ounces Scammony one Ounce green Anniseed and Fennel-seed of each two Ounces all beaten to a fine Powder and well sears'd Boil to the thickness of an Electuary stirring perpetually The Dose is from three Ounces to three Ounces and a half dissolv'd in any of the usual Decoctions for a Clyster without Honey Oil or any other addition It operates very effectually and is an universal Purger of all bad and corrupt Humours I must acknowledge that I cou'd never yet administer a Purging Remedy without dreading the event even after a hundred successful Tryals For certainly the Motion occasion'd by those Remedies is contrary and even oftentimes destructive to Nature and there are so many Aspects and Oppositions of the Stars that may occasion great Disorders after the use of those Remedies that I never give 'em without an absolute necessity And it has been frequently observ'd that for want of a regular Preparation of the Horse's Body or perhaps of a due observation of the Heavens several Horses have been Founder'd and even kill'd by Remedies that have been given with success a hundred times before But since according to the usual Proverb Necessity knows no Law we are sometimes oblig'd to break thro' all those Considerations choosing the least dangerous Medicines and observing all possible Precautions Nevertheless Clysters are safe and gentle Remedies for the most powerful Purgatives perform their Operation without the least disturbance when they are injected at the Fundament And this is a true Catholicum that is an universal Remedy fit or rather necessary for all those that go to the Army where many Horses perish for want of a duly prepar'd Clyster CHAP. CXXXIX Of the Farcin THE Farcin is a Swelling that frequently appears with an Ulcer caus'd by the corruption of the Blood and that by a certain Poyson which is more or less Malignant and consequently makes the Horse's condition either hopeful or altogether desperate When any Part that is necessary or of considerable use and importance for the regular performance of the Vital Functions fails in the discharge of its Office by reason of some defect in its Temperament Figure or Contexture the economy or disposition of the Body must unavoidably suffer a great and dangerous alteration If the Part be necessary for Sanguification the mixture of the Blood is disturb'd and perverted and according to the vitiated constitution of the Part affected it receives a noxious Impression and oftentimes acquires an acid hot and corrosive quality that eats and consumes the Parts where it stagnates as it appears evidently in the Farcin which spreads almost over the whole
you think fit but whether you purge or not you must begin with Bleeding Then Take Sarsaparilla and China-Roots cut small of each three Ounces Roots of Avens two Ounces Leaves of Agrimony two large handfuls Scordium a handful and a half boil 'em gently in four Quarts of Water to a Quart and a half in a cover'd Vessel then strain and adding a Pint of White-Wine make a Decoction for five Doses to be given five Mornings together adding to every Dose an ordinary Glass-full of Urine Substance in the Top and in the Neck of the Vial. Thus you have a sweet Sublimate which if it be rightly prepar'd will not discover the least Acrimony when you touch it with your Tongue for all the sharp and biting Salts that made the first Sublimate corrosive are evaporated thro' the Neck of the Vial which must be always kept open during the Sublimation and even part of the first Corrosive Sublimate is carry'd off with the Salts so that there remains only the sweet Sublimate or Mercury which may be kept for several Uses 'T is to be observ'd that all the Preparations of Mercury may be reviv'd and restor'd to their natural Form and Fluidity with Filings of Steel or unslak'd Lime which by the Assistance of the Fire attract and retain all the Spirits that kept the Mercury in a manner imprison'd in so many various Forms according to the Diversity of the Preparations for several Uses Thus Cinnabar which is only Mercury sublim'd with Sulphur may be reduc'd to fluid Quick-silver with Filings of Steel and the same may be said of all the other Preparations of Mercury such as the Precipitates Turbith Mineral c. CHAP. CXLIV Remedies for the Farcin that resembles a Hen's Fundament THE Humour that foments this Kind of Farcin partakes so much of Melancholy that the Knots are seldom or never brought to Suppuration sending forth a sort of foul and proud Flesh that can hardly be curb'd or extirpated by Remedies The Difficulty of the Cure ought to heighten our Diligence and convince us of the Necessity of using the most potent Remedies to expel the Cause of the Distemper such as these that follow Since black Hellebore is one of the principal and most effectual Remedies for the Cure of this Disease great Care shou'd be taken to correct its ill Qualities by an exact Preparation Take a sufficient quantity of the Roots of true black Hellebore wash'd and dry'd infuse 'em twenty four Hours in Vinegar of Roses and throwing away the Vinegar dry the Roots at a very gentle Fire Pills for the Farcin Take Sena Leaves and Salt of Tartar of each an Ounce Turbith Aloes and Mercurius dulcis of each half an Ounce black Hellebore prepar'd three Drams Rhubarb two Drams Ginger and Nutmegs of each a Dram and a half Anniseed and Fennelseed of each half a Dram Beat all the Ingredients to a gross Powder and with a Pound of fresh Butter make 'em up into Pills keep your Horse bridl'd six Hours before and as long after and assoon as he has taken the Pills walk him gently for the space of half an Hour well cover'd Note That you must bleed your Horse the day before you give him the Pills You may purge a Horse for the Farcin with two Ounces of the Catholic or Imperial Pills of Fernelius mix'd with half an Ounce of Mercurius dulcis made up into one or two Pills and exhibited in a Pint of White-Wine As soon as you perceive that your Horse has recover'd a good Appetite and that the Operation of the Purgative is over give him the following Ptisan CHAP. CXLV The German Ptisan for the Cure of the Farcin TAke the dry Roots of Angelica Gentian Valerian Avens round Birthwort and Marsh-Mallows of each an Ounce and a half or a double quantity of the green Roots Leaves of Agrimony two Handfuls Beat the Roots grossly boil all the Ingredients in a close-cover'd Pot in three Quarts of Water to the Consumption of one half Then press out the Liquor thro' a Linnen-Cloth and add to the Straining before it grow cold half an Ounce of Juice of Liquorice and White Wine an equal quantity to the whole Decoction and afterwards add two Pugils of Oriental Saffron in Powder Three Days after the Purgation when the Evacuation is over and the Horse's Appetite restor'd let him stand bridl'd from Five a Clock in the Morning to Eight then give him the fifth Part of the Decoction keeping him bridl'd three Hours after Repeat the Decoction after the same Manner for five Days together If his Appetite be not fully restor'd in the limited time after the Purgation you must wait four five or six Days till you are convinc'd that he feeds as heartily as he did before you gave him the purging Medicine During the time of his taking the Decoction if the Weather be not too hot walk him gently half an Hour every Day after Dinner These five Doses of the Decoction are usually sufficient for perfecting the Cure without any other Remedy and the Cords Knots and Tumours are heal'd and dry'd up Moderate Exercise is convenient in the beginning but afterwards you may travel him as if he were perfectly sound If you perceive new Knots to arise at the first New Moon you may conclude that the Disease is not perfectly extirpated and therefore you must prepare and exhibit the Ptisan as before but without Bleeding or Purging If the Tumours break forth again the Case is altogether desperate for it has been frequently observ'd that when the Farcin is inveterate and has long resisted the Efficacy of the best Remedies especially when corrupt Flesh breaks out of the Tumours instead of Matter that the Malignity of the burnt and corrupted Blood has so heated the Substance of the Lungs that there are Ulcers generated in several parts of 'em And therefore since 't is impossible to restore a consum'd Part those Ulcers that waste the Lungs are the infallible Messengers of Death The Truth of this Observation is confirm'd beyond Contradiction by the Diffections of those Horses that die of the Farcin for their Lungs are almost always found to be corrupted and putrefy'd and sometimes the Liver is over-spread with Ulcers and part of it wasted and turn'd to Putrefaction Now I wou'd willingly know of those confident Pretenders to infallible Secrets for the Farcin whether their Remedies are able to restore a rotten and wasted Liver If not 't is in vain to expect the Horse's Recovery for the putrefy'd Liver will still continue to vitiate the Blood and hinder the Cure of the Farcin which is occasion'd by the Corruption of the Blood How ridiculously do those Boasters betray their Ignorance for want of Experience Since all that the most skilful and expert Farrier can promise in this Case is That he will cure the Farcin if it be curable for sometimes the Liver is ulcerated at the first Appearance of the Distemper and is the very Cause of the Disease in
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
Skillet till it begin to thicken then add an Ounce and a half of Wormseed and about two Ounces of Aloes in Powder according to the Bigness of your Horse for you may give a Coach-Horse two Ounces and a half and if he be of a very large Size three Ounces Boil the Powders with the Honey till they be well incorporated and after the Mass is cold make it up into Pills anointing your Hands with Oil-Olive or of bitter Almonds if you can procure it keeping your Horse bridl'd six Hours before you give him the Pills and as long after The same Day give him a Clyster of two Quarts of Milk with a quarter of a Pound of Sugar and six Yolks of Eggs to entice the Worms to the Fundament Note That you must never mix any Oil or Fat with the Clysters that are given in this Case for they both drive away the Worms They who are loth to give themselves the Trouble of preparing these Pills may give their Horses one of the above-mention'd Purgatives especially that with Mercurius dulcis which will certainly answer their Expectation But I have often observ'd that these Pills have extirpated all the Worms out of a Horse's Body more effectually than any other Remedy whatsover The following Method is also of admirable Efficacy Boil three Quarts of Water in an Earthen Pot with half a Pound of running or crude Quick-silver and mix this Water with a Pailful of common Water for your Horse's ordinary Drink during the space of fifteen Days The same Mercury will serve all the while and remain as good after the fifteen Days are expir'd as it was at the first Boiling This Remedy was first propos'd by Van Helmont and I have seen it given to Children that were full of Worms for fifteen Days together with admirable Success 'T is not at all loathsome or troublesome to the Stomach for the Quick-silver changes neither the Colour Taste nor Smell of the Water I have seen an infinite Number of Cures perform'd by it and therefore I cou'd not forbear inserting it here for the Conveniency of the Poor who cannot make use of a cheaper Remedy Others put two or three Pounds of crude Quick-silver into the bottom of a Cask where they keep Water for the ordinary Drink of Horses that are troubl'd with Worms Another Remedy to kill Worms Give your Horse daily an Ounce of Filings of Steel which you may procure at very easie Rates from the Needle-Makers mixt with moisten'd Bran till he has eaten a whole Pound I will not here repeat what I have already said in order to explain the Reason why Steel destroys and expels Worms but it will not be improper to add that it opens all Obstructions in the Veins Arteries Intestins and especially in the Passages of the Lungs And 't is well known that if those Obstructions be neglected they may produce many dangerous and stubborn Distempers 'T is in my Opinion very convenient when Horses return from the Camp to put 'em into a Course of Steel observing the same Dose as before For it happens not unfrequently that they are troubl'd with Worms which hinder 'em from thriving tho' their Distemper by reason of the want of external Signs is generally unknown and consequently either neglected or ill cur'd But all these Inconveniencies may be prevented by the Use of Steel which is a cheap Remedy and safe in all Cases To secure and complete the Effect of the Steel you must afterwards purge your Horse for without Purgation you can never certainly promise the Cure of this Distemper A Powder that kills the Worms and expels the Matter of which they are generated Take Flowers of St. John's-Wort and lesser Centaury of each two Ounces Coral Seeds of Lettuce and Citrons and good Aloes of each half an Ounce Corallin Gentian Dittany Scammony prepar'd with the Vapours of Brimstone and Coloquintida of each one Dram Cinnamon and Coriander-seed of each an Ounce Cinnabar four Ounces Mix and make a Powder Give this Powder to your Horse in the Morning before you suffer him to eat The Dose is an Ounce and a half to large Horses and an Ounce to those of a smaller Size Afterwards inject a Clyster of Milk or Tripe-Broth to entice the Worms to the great Gut Repeat the Dose of this Powder seven or eight times either every Day or once in two Days Then purge your Horse and you may certainly expect a perfect Cure Another cheap Powder for the Worms Beat the Husks of green Walnuts and press out their Juice or after they are beaten infuse 'em in Water for the space of twenty four Hours pour the Juice or Water upon the Ground in moist cool and fat Places and immediately all the Worms that are under-ground will come forth Take a sufficient quantity of these Earth-Worms and put 'em into clean Water for they space of six Hours till they have vomited up all their Filth Then fill an Earthen Pot with 'em cover it close and set it in an Oven after the Bread is taken out till the Worms be so dry that they may be easily reduc'd to Powder You must give this Powder every Morning for seven or eight Days from one to two Ounces in a Quart of good Wine For there are some Horses who will not eat it with Bran or Oats tho' it wou'd doubtless produce the same Effect Since Purgation is so necessary for compleating the Cure I shall propose a Remedy that may be usefully given to a Fat Horse for all purging Medicines are hurtful to lean Horses Take good Treacle and Aloes of each an Ounce and a half Mercurius dulcis half an Ounce red Wine a Quart mix 'em carefully together and give the Medicine to your Horse This Remedy destroys all sorts of Worms and purges the Horse's Body of all manner of Impurities If you desire further Information on this Subject you may consult the Book entitl'd La Gloria del Cavallo del illustre Segnori Paschal Caracciollo where the Author treats with a great deal of Learning and Judgment of the Method of Curing all Distempers incident to Horses and Vegetius in his Treatise Artis Veterinariae sive Molomedicae Lib. 1. Cap. 44. has an excellent Discourse of the Cure of Horses besides several other Authors I have inserted nothing in this Chapter but what is grounded on my own Experience and I may venture to say without Vanity that you will hardly find a better Method any where else But since I cannot pretend to be Judge in my own Cause I thought fit to cite the best Authors who have handl'd this Subject that after a careful Perusal of 'em the Curious Reader may be enabl'd to judge of my Performance I have all along apply'd my self to the Study of Things rather than Words and as for those Admirers of a polish'd and florid Style I shall only beg Leave to put 'em in mind of the Sentence Magna pars Ignorantium ut ligno Naufragus verbis haeret
is an excellent Remedy to ripen Matter in any part of the Body where the Skin is broken and when the circumstances of the Disease require the Sore to be kept open You may apply either of these Remedies according to the greatness of the Swelling Vegetius in the Eighth Chapter of his Third Book where he treats of the Swelling of the Stones orders 'em to be anointed Morning and Evening with the Powder of Burnt-Barley mixt with Hog's-Grease adding that a Dog's-Gall is of admirable efficacy in this case These Remedies are cheap and safe but I cannot recommend 'em from my own Experience CHAP. CLXIV Of the Lask Looseness or Flux of the Belly THis Disease is so frequently Mortal I mean when it attacks Horses that it ought never to be neglected when it comes without a manifest Cause But a Horse may be seiz'd with a Looseness without any considerable Danger after the drinking of cold Water in Summer or of melted Snow and after the eating of tender Grass or other Aliments and Medicines that may be rather said to produce a good Effect by loosening the Horse's Belly and expelling part of the Impurities that are lodg'd in his Body But this is not the Disease treated of in this Chapter The Lask or Flux is caus'd by the Weakness of the Stomach that cannot digest the Nourishment which consequently passes thro' the Guts and is voided at the Fundament almost without any Alteration It proceeds also from the Corruption of the Humours that are either gather'd in the Stomach or flow thither from the neighbouring Parts and by disturbing Nature in the Performance of her important Work of Concoction provoke her to a vigorous Endeavour in order to their Expulsion These Humours are not always raw and cold for oftentimes the Guts are scowr'd by an Inundation of Choler which may be call'd a Natural Clyster This kind of Flux is rarely dangerous and even not unfrequently profitable It is an ill Sign when the Aliments are voided entire without the least Mark of Digestion For 't is absolutely impossible for Nature to repair her Losses and regain her wonted Vigour without fresh Supplies of Nourishment and 't is plain that she receives not any considerable Advantage from the Nourishment when it only passes thro' the Body without undergoing any Change Besides these Internal Causes this Distemper may be occasion'd by eating too much Provender in which Case it may be easily cur'd by diminishing the usual Allowance of Food Sometimes 't is caus'd by eating mouldy or rotten Hay frozen Grass and other unwholsome Nourishment as also by drinking very cold Water and by immoderate and fatiguing Exercise This Distemper may also proceed from want of Exercise drinking immediately after the eating of a great quantity of Oats excessive Fatness feeding on Rye Straw and an ill Disposition of the whole Body To discover the Nature of the Humour that causes and foments the Disease you must consider the Excrements that are voided for if they boil and ferment upon the Ground you may conclude that the Distemper proceeds from over-heated Choler if they be white 't is a Sign of Crudity if they be watery they denote a great Weakness of the Stomach A Remedy for the Flux If the Excrements be mixt with small Pieces or Scrapings of the Guts you have reason to fear an Ulcer in those Parts which usually proves fatal if the Danger be not speedily prevented by a seasonable Cooling of the Entrails which may be effected by the following Remedy Take Barley and the Roots of Marsh-Mallows beaten of each two Ounces Powder of Sal Prunellae an Ounce Boil 'em in three Quarts of Water to one Quart The Dose is a Pint two or three times a day This Decoction allays the Inflammation of the Entrails sweetens the Acrimony of the Humors reduces the Choler to its natural State and destroys the preternatural Heat that occasions the Fever If this Distemper be caus'd by Flegm you must strengthen the Stomach evacuate the redundant Humours and bind and strengthen the relax'd Parts These Indications require the Use of the Cordial-Powder or Pills the Electuary of Kermes Treacle and other hot Remedies that are endu'd with a Virtue to strengthen and corroborate the Parts The Cure of this kind of Flux is easier than in the other Cases The Looseness of the Belly or Flux is frequently an Effect of a vigorous struggle of Nature to throw off and expel a troublesome Load of Humours But if it continue longer than three Days and be attended with the Loss of Appetite it may produce dangerous Consequences for sometimes Horses are founder'd by the long Continuance of this Distemper Therefore you must endeavour to prevent the Danger by the seasonable Application of convenient Remedies and by keeping the Horse to a regular Diet. You must not suffer your Horse to eat Oats but feed him with Bran moisten'd with Claret if he have not too strong an Aversion against it Barley parch'd on a Peel at the Fire and then ground is very good in this Case and you must also chuse the best Hay To proceed to the Use of Remedies you may begin with this scowring Clyster A Scowring Clyster Take Wheat Bran well sifted and whole Barley of each two Handfuls red Roses a Handful true Opium slic'd small half a Dram Boil 'em in Whey or steel'd Water for the space of a quarter of an Hour then add the Leaves of wild Succory Agrimony Beets white Mullein and Mercury of each one Handful In two Quarts of the Decoction dissolve the Yolks of six Eggs Honey of Roses and brown Sugar of each four Ounces Mix and make a Clyster After this Clyster has scowr'd the Guts and expell'd part of the corrupt Matter that was lodg'd in 'em you may give your Horse two Ounces of Liver of Antimony in moisten'd Bran or half an Ounce of the Golden Sulphur of Antimony persisting in this Method for a considerable Time For these Medicines strengthen the Entrails allay the Ebullition or Fermentation of the Humours and contribute very effectually to the Cure of this Distemper This done you may inject the following Clyster A Cooling and Binding Clyster Take Knot-Grass or instead of that Shepherd's Purse and white Mullein of each one Handful Leaves of Plantane two Handfuls Flowers of wild Pomegranates half a Handful the Seeds of Myrtles Lettuce and Plantane of each two Ounces Beat the Seeds and boil 'em in three Quarts of Beer or Barley-Water with half a Dram of good Opium cut into thin slices then put in the Herbs and afterwards a Handful of dry'd Roses Add to the Straining half a Pound of Honey of Roses and four Ounces of Sugar of Roses Mix and make a Clyster to be administer'd after the usual Manner A Potion for the Flux If the Flux be not stopp'd or at least abated by the above-mention'd Preparations of Antimony after these two Clysters you must give the following Potion continuing to repeat the Clysters from time to
time Take eight large or ten small Nutmegs put 'em upon the Point of a Knife and hold 'em over a Candle till they be burnt to a red Coal then cast 'em into a Quart of Claret breaking 'em with your Fingers and after they have stood in Infusion all Night strain out the Wine in the Morning and make your Horse drink it blood-warm keeping him bridl'd two Hours before and as long after I have given this Remedy with very good Success to Men that were troubl'd with a Dysentery for the Salt of burnt Nutmegs being dissolv'd in the Wine stops and allays the Ebullition that causes the Flux A Binding Clyster Take Plantane Leaves in Summer or the Seeds in Winter and dry Provence Roses of each a sufficient quantity boil 'em in three Quarts of Beer and add to the Straining Catholicum two Ounces Rhubarb and Seal'd Earth of each four Ounces This Clyster binds moderately and being twice or thrice repeated stops a Super-Purgation in a Horse Another Potion Take two Quarts of Milk in which you have quench'd a Piece of Steel five or six times two Ounces of the Stones of Roasted Grapes an Ounce and a half of Shavings of Hart's-Horn calcin'd and beaten to a very fine Powder Mix for a Potion CHAP. CLXV Another Remedy for a Flux proceeding from a cold Cause DIssolve four Drams of Roman Vitriol reduc'd to Powder in five Pints of River-Water and let the Solution stand all Night to settle In the Morning pour out the clear Liquor throwing away the yellowish Sediment that remains at the Bottom Give your a Horse a Pint of it with a Horn heating it luke-warm in Winter and repeat the Dose every six Hours keeping him bridl'd an Hour before and as long after You may make the Remedy a great deal more effectual by adding to each Quart of the Liquor a Dram of Anniseeds and the like Quantity of Coriander-seeds both beaten to Powder If the Horse's Appetite be not spoil'd this Remedy will cure a Flux proceeding from the Ebullition of hot Humours if you continue the Use of it for some Days but the Cure may be hasten'd by injecting the following Clyster Take half an Ounce of dry Provence Roses and a Dram of Anniseeds boil 'em in two Quarts of this Water or Solution of Vitriol and after one Waum strain out the Liquor thro' a Linnen-Cloth and adding three Ounces of liquid Conserve of red Roses with a quarter of a Pound of fresh Butter Make a Clyster to be injected at the same time that the Potion is given inwardly and repeat the same twelve Hours after if you perceive that the Violence of the Disease is abated But if the Flux continue to torment the Horse you must repeat the Clyster every six Hours with the Potion If the Flux proceed from a cold Cause that is from flegmatic or pituitous Humours after the Clysters mention'd in the preceding Chapter you must give the following Potion A Potion for a Flux proceeding from a cold Cause Take the Yolks of six Eggs and an Ounce and a half of old Treacle dissolve 'em in three Pints of thick Claret in which you have quench'd a Piece of Steel heated red-hot three or four times You may afterwards repeat the Clysters if need require A Binding Clyster Take the Roots of Bistort and Tormentil grossly beaten of each two Ounces the Leaves of Mouse-Ear and Cypress of each one Handful Boil 'em in two Quarts of Claret and a Quart of rain-Rain-Water and dissolve in the Straining two Ounces of fine Catholicum and twenty Grains of Opium A Potion for a Flux proceeding from a hot Cause Take of Conserve of Roses two Ounces Opium thirty Grains new Treacle half an Ounce Succory-Water and Plantane-Water of each a Pint. Mix and make a Potion In the mean time you must rub your Horse's Belly with astringent Baths or Fomentations which are proper for all sorts of Fluxes whether they proceed from hot or cold Caufes Astringent Baths for a Flux Take Leaves of Plantane and Knot-Grass of each four Handfuls Comfrey and Horse-Tail of each one Handful Gall-Nuts Cypress-Nuts and Acorns of each two Ounces red Roses and Leaves of white Mullein of each three Handfuls Boil 'em in a large Pot in an equal Mixture of Claret and Water first putting in the Nuts and Acorns beaten then the Leaves and last of all the Flowers and after they are sufficiently boil'd add a Pint of Vinegar and half a Pound of Oil of Quinces With this Decoction you must bathe your Horse's Belly fomenting it with warm Linnen-Clouts as I order'd in the Cure of a Shoulder-Sprain and you may also anoint your Horse's Belly with a Mixture of equal quantities of the Oils of Quinces and Myrtles The Use of this Bath may be repeated as often as you shall think fit 'T is also very profitable for great Swellings in the Belly occasion'd by Spur-Galling Swellings of the Cods Thighs or Houghs provided the Tumour proceed not from the Biting or Stinging of a venomous Beast You may also anoint the Belly with the Countess's Ointment and foment it with this Bath chusing such of the above-mention'd Remedies as you shall think most convenient or profitable CHAP. CLXVI Of the Falling of the Fundament SOmetimes a violent Flux the Piles or such like Distempers make the Horse strain so violently and with such an intolerable Pain that the Fundament falls out and appears visibly out of its Place And the same Accident is sometimes occasion'd by a Strain and very frequently by cutting off the Tail This Malady ought never to be neglected for it may be attended with dangerous Consequences and therefore you must anoint the Place with Oil of Roses blood-warm and afterwards endeavour to put it up But if you perceive no Amendment after two or three successless Attempts you must have recourse to the following Remedy Beat six Drams of Salt of Lead with half a Pint of Goat's-Milk or for want of that of Cow's-Milk till they be well incorporated You must first beat the Salt of Lead in a Mortar and pour on the Milk by Degrees beating and mixing 'em together all the while till they be reduc'd to the Thickness of a liquid Ointment Sometimes the Salt of Lead imbibes a larger quantity of Milk than at other times and therefore you must pour into the Mortar only what is sufficient to bring it into the above-mention'd Form Put a Tent into the Fundament dipt in this Ointment and anoint all the Part with it repeating the Application from time to time 'T is to be observ'd that when the Falling of the Fundament is occasion'd by the Cutting off of the Tail and accompany'd with a great Swelling the Horse is in a very dangerous Condition for 't is almost always a Sign of a Gangrene in the Tail that spreads towards the Back And therefore after a successless Tryal of this Remedy you may give him over for lost Another Remedy Take Powder of burnt Oyster-Shells two
were going to shooe him and bend his Hough forcibly tho' it must be acknowledg'd that this does not prevent the return of the Distemper What has been said on this Subject may suffice for the curious Reader For 't wou'd be a needless piece of Formality to enumerate the signs of so obvious a Distemper CHAP. CLXXI. Of the Hough-Bony THis is a Tumour generated of Cold and Flegmatic Matter that grows hard by reason of its toughness and seldom causes any considerable Pain It grows on the top or elbow of the Hough and appears separated from the Bone 'T is occasion'd by hard Riding and never grows very big It comes after Fatigues or by rubbing the place against some hard Body which occasions a defluxion of the Humours 'T is easily curable at its first appearance but when 't is inveterate it grows painful and can be hardly cur'd without giving the Fire and even that violent Remedy is not able to dissolve it entirely or to prevent its growing again after immoderate Exercise In order to the Cure you must foment the Swelling with a mixture of two parts of Brandy and one part of Oil of Walnuts rubbing it in diligently with your Hand Then shave off the Hair and apply the Plaister describ'd in Chap. CLXXIV or that which follows A Resolvent Plaister Take of Galbanum one Ounce Gum-Ammoniacum three Ounces Opoponax an Ounce and a half infuse 'em in a Pint of Vinegar for the space of two Days stirring 'em often Then boil away one half of the Vinegar and strain what remains thro' a Linnen-Cloth while 't is hot Set it again upon the Fire till it begin to thicken then adding black Pitch and Rosin of each four Ounces Turpentine two Ounces mix and make a Plaister to be apply'd to the Part and renew'd once in nine Days till the Swelling be consum'd You may also dissolve the Tumours by a long continu'd Application of the Resolving Ointment describ'd in Chap. XLVIII and the same effect is produc'd by the Oil of Walnuts If the Tumour be not consum'd by these Remedies take Sal-Armoniac Salt-Petre and Gum-Ammoniacum of each an Ounce melt 'em by the Fire in a Pint of a very strong Vinegar then add four Ounces of Honey and remove the Vessel from the Fire Anoint and chafe the Part twice a Day with this Composition but if the Tumour be inveterate hard and big it will not yield to the Remedy These Swellings are more offensive to the Eye than hurtful to the Horse tho' when they are old and hard his Body is usually wasted by reason of the Pain and at last he begins to Halt And I have even seen some Horses irrecoverably Lam'd but this happens only in Manages where the Horses are kept to harder Exercise and Diet than they are able to bear If all these Remedies prove ineffectual you must have recourse to the Fire making the Figure of a Star with a red-hot Knife the Lines or Rases being very near one another and surrounding the Tumour Then with a Pencil dipt in Spirit of Vitriol touch the burnt Parts and as soon as they are dry apply hot Pitch with Saddle-stuffings or shavings of Cloth over all You must wait till the Spirit of Vitriol sink into the burnt Part for the Pitch will not stick if it be apply'd before the Part be dry After the Scabs are fall'n off chase the Sore every Day till it be heal'd with Brandy and the Tumour will vanish by degrees but if after the Cure you make the Horse lean too much on his hinder Parts he will grow irrecoverably Lame CHAP. CLXXII Of Wind-Galls THE Wind-Gall is a soft Swelling caus'd by a cold flegmatic and serous Humour If you press it with your Hand it yields and moves towards the opposite side These Swellings are usually occasion'd by violent and immoderate Exercise when a Horse is young the smallness weakness and fleshiness of the Hough and by being kept too long on a sloping Floor which raises the fore-part of a Horse much higher than the rest of his Body Sometimes they grow on both sides of the Hough but in the beginning they appear only on the out-side The Cure is difficult in either place The Tumour is soft and without Pain of the bigness of a little Apple more or less seated between the great Sinew of the Hough and the end of the Thigh-Bone This Disease is often Hereditary and deriv'd from the Stallion When the Tumour is hard and inveterate there is little hope of dissolving it by any other Method than by giving the Fire but the Cure may be perform'd by the Application of Remedies before the Swelling grow hard and big Shave away the Hair and apply such Remedies as are endu'd with a Virtue to soften and afterwards to dissolve the Tumour In order to the softening of the Swelling take the Roots of Briony and wild Cucumber or for want of the latter common Flower-de-luce of each two Ounces beat 'em grossly and boil 'em in an equal mixture of Oil-Olive and Hog's-Grease till they begin to soften Then beat 'em to a Mash and press 'em thro' a Hair-Sieve Mix the Straining with the Oil and Grease adding Turpentine and Rosin of each four Ounces Resumptive Ointment half a Pound and after the whole is melted thicken it with a sufficient quantity of the Flower or Powder of Linseed or Fenugreek-seed mix and make a Pultiss to be apply'd with Flax sowing a Piece of Cloth about the Part. Renew the Application once in forty eight Hours This will soften the Tumour and you must afterwards endeavour to resolve it You may with less trouble but at least equal Charge soften these Tumours with a Plaister made of equal quantities of Oxy-croceum and Melilote Plaister To Resolve a Tumour Quench four or five pieces of unslak'd Lime in three Quarts of strong Vinegar and after it has stood two Hours to settle strain out the Vinegar and put into it two Handfuls of the hot Ashes of Vine-Branches let it stand till it settle and pour off the clear Liquor into another Pot. To a Quart of this Vinegar add dry Pigeon's-Dung and Oil of Peter of each four Ounces burnt Allom and Brimstone of each two Ounces Oil of Castor four Ounces boil all together for the space of a quarter of an Hour and anoint the Tumour once every Day which will probably be dissolv'd in seven or eight Days If the Horses Skin be thin and tender this Remedy will break it and draw forth a reddish Water without raising a Scab but if the Skin be hard and dry it produces a sort of Scurf which must be anointed that it may fall off The Plaister of Walnuts is a powerful Resolver but can hardly be made to stick to the Part. After the Tumour is dissolv'd take up the Veins above and under the Hough which may also be done in the beginning I might easily name a great number of Simples that are endu'd with a softening rarefying and
following Water which is a very good and safe Remedy A Water to heal and dry up the Pains and Warts tho' the Leg be Swoll'n or Gourdy Take white Vitriol and Allom of each a Pound and a half boil 'em in a clean glaz'd Earthen-Pot with five Pints of Water to the consumption of one half and preserve the Water for use You must first cut off the Hair and make the sore place very clean then bathe it every Evening with this Water till it be heal'd This is one of the best Remedies I ever had occasion to use The Black Ointment or the Coach-man 's Ointment to heal and dry up all Manner of Sores in the hinder Legs If you find by Experience that in some Cases none of the above-mention'd Remedies are sufficient to cure the Pains Clefts Mules and Rat-Tails you must endeavour to temper the Acrimony and sharpness of the Humour with the white Honey Charge And tho' after the fruitless Application of the Neat-heard's Ointment or that of Oldenburg there is little hope left of performing the Cure with any other Remedy it will not perhaps be improper to subjoin the Description of a very cheap and effectual Ointment if the Leg be not Gourdy Take common Honey and Powder of Copperas of each a Pound and a half mix 'em together in a Pot over a gentle Fire stirring 'em constantly till they begin to boil then take off the Pot and when the Matter is half cold add an Ounce of Arsenic in Powder Then set it on the Fire again and stir it till it begin to boil after which take it off stirring perpetually till it grow cold and in the mean time take all possible care to avoid the noisome Smell After you have shav'd away the Hair rub the sore place with a Wisp and anoint it with your Finger renewing the Application once every two Days You must not lay it on too thick lest it raise a Scab instead of drying up the Sore CHAP. CLXXXIII Of Swoll'n or Gourdy Legs by reason of the Pains or other Fleshy Sores THE above-mention'd Distempers namely the Rat-Tails Mules Warts Clefts and Pains are accompany'd with a Swelling in the Horse's Legs which must be cur'd after this manner Shave away the Hair upon and about the sore place as close as you can and anoint it with Oil of Linseed and Brandy shaken together till they be perfectly mixt and renewing the Mixture as often as you have occasion to use it because they separate if they be suffer'd to stand long without shaking and anointing the sore Place every day till the Leg be sound If this Remedy do not operate with sufficient Vigour apply the white Honey Charge renewing it every Day and at every Dressing wiping away all the Matter with Flax By a continu'd Application of this Charge the Swelling will be asswag'd and the Sores dry'd up in ten or twelve Days at most Warts must be cut off with a red-hot Knife or you may endeavour to take 'em away with the Ointment in Chap. CLXXXI or those prescrib'd for the Farcin besides several others mention'd in this Book But the following Remedy is most commodious for it makes the Warts fall away by degrees and by reason of the durableness of its Effect is call'd the Perpetual Caustic You must not handle it without your Gloves because it stains the Skin and Nails of a Tawny Colour The Perpetual Caustic or Lapis Infernalis Put an Ounce of strong Aqua-fortis with half an Ounce of Silver-Lace burnt wash'd and dry'd into a Matrass placing it on hot Ashes till the Silver be dissolv'd which quickly turns reddish Then augmenting the Fire evaporate all the Aqua-fortis and there will remain at the bottom a brown Matter usually call'd Lapis Infernalis or the perpetual Caustic which must be kept dry and cover'd This Preparation is sufficient for those whose Curiosity never leads 'em out of the beaten Road but it might be made much more effectual and proper for Men according to the following Directions Take two Ounces of either the Filings or thin Plates of fine Silver and dissolve 'em in five Ounces of strong Aqua-fortis Then pour the Solution into a Glass Cucurbit cover'd with its Alembic and draw off one half of the Aqua-fortis with a Heat of Ashes or Sand. Afterwards let the Vessel stand some Hours to cool and you will find at the bottom of the Cucurbit a certain Matter in a Saline form which must be put into a pretty large German Crucible to prevent its boiling over Set the Crucible in a small Fire till the Ebullition cease and the Matter sink to the bottom after which augment the Fire a little and you will perceive the Matter reduc'd to the form of Oil at the bottom of the Crucible Pour this Oil-like Substance into a very clean Mould somewhat hot and anointed with Tallow where it will grow as hard as a Stone and afterwards keep it in a well-stopp'd Glass-Bottle and in a dry Place 'T is to be observ'd that the usual Effect of this Stone is owing to the Corrosive Spirits of the Aqua-fortis intangl'd and retain'd by this Silver And all the reason why it might not be as well made with Copper or Iron is that when 't is prepar'd with those imperfect Metals it sucks in too much Air and soon turns to a Liquor which nevertheless wou'd be an excellent Caustic But that which is made with Silver retains its solid Form and may be kept in a Bottle 'T is call'd Infernal both from its black Colour and its caustic or burning Quality in both which respects it may be said to resemble Hell This Stone is alone sufficient without the assistance of the Fire Honey-Charge Powders or any other Application to consume and destroy Warts if they be rubb'd with it every Day till they be quite eaten away but since 't is somewhat dear to prevent any useless waste you may beat the smallest pieces of it to Powder and strew it upon the Warts after which the Scab will quickly fall away It may be also apply'd to Figs Proud Flesh and other Tumours and Excrescences that are to be extirpated The same Stone serves a great while since 't is only made use of to rub the Part but its Virtue is somewhat abated by wearing This second Preparation of the Infernal Stone is a very effectual Remedy for Men that are troubl'd with Cancers which may be touch'd every Day with it till they fall away If by reason of the Malignity of the Pains or other filthy Sores the Hoof be separated from the Cronet at the Heel you must apply the white Honey-Charge which will remove that Inconveniency and make the Hoof grow This separation of the Hoof at the Heel of the hinder Leg is not so considerable a Symptom as some may imagine since it affects only the Hoof without penetrating between the Foot and the Coffin-Bone so that there is no danger of an Impostume in the Hairy part of