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-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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Members long jointed or have arched Legs all which may be perceived in the twinkle of an eye you must next pass your hand all along the back sinew of the Fore-leg from the very bending of the knee to the pastern joynt and you shall observe if the Sinew be large firm and detatched or well separate from the bone if in passing your hand alongst it you find no hardness which stoppeth your hand if between the back Sinew and Bone you meet with no moveable kind of jelly which slips from beneath your Fingers as you are passing them along for whatever hindereth or is an impediment to the motion of the Back-Sinews is more or less prejudicial to the Horse according to the quantity there is of it and the greater distance there is between the Sinew and the bone the broader will the Leg be which is what is look't for because those Legs which are broadest and flattest are according to the opinion of the most skilful alwayes the best now to have a broad and flat Leg is to have the Back-sinew well separate and at a pretty good distance from the shank bone There are some Horses which although they have the Back-sinews of their Fore-legs some what separate from the Bones yet their Sinews are so small and so little detatched that with a very ordinary labour or fatigue the Legs become round so that how little humour soever falls down upon them yet if it there settle and grow hard the Legs immediatly become round with it which is not so when the Sinews are very well separate from the Bones for as there is a considerable distance between them so the humour is with the more ease dissipat and disolved the reason of this is too evident to need a further explication I shall therefore only say that those Legswhose back Sinews are only a very little separate from the bones although they be really detatched are called Veal or Ox Legs because their back Sinews are alwayes too small in proportion to the bigness of the rest of the Leg or Shank-bone all this I have immediatly discoursed of deserves a serious Reflection You are next to observe if the back Sinew doth not quite fail as it were just beneath the ply or bending of the knee which is known in so far as the great back Sinew which maketh the whole motion of the leg diminisheth considerably of its bigness just beneath the bending of the knee for in the most part of legs although the back Sinew be large and otherwise firme to wit all along the back side of the fore thigh and shank bone yet it alwayes falleth a little smaller beneath the ply or bending of the knee but in some that smalness is too considerable indeed the back Sinews should not be so big near to the bending of the knee as it is in the middle of the the shank but in some Horses it diminisheth so extraordinarly that in that place it is no biger then ones Thumb or otherwise it is so fixed to the bone that it doth but very little appear this is an imperfection to which few people take Notice and which also considerably impaireth the strength of the leg and those Horses which have their Back-sinews so very small near to the plye or bending of their knee are for the most part very Subject to stumble or at least to trip and strick with their Toes against the stones Upon the sides of the pastern joynts both within and without their cometh a soft swelling about half the bigness of a pigeons egg less or more and when a Man toucheth it he will perceive that it is full of water this kind of swelling is called a wind-gall in French Vne molette and is commonly lodged between the Sinew and bone of the pastern-joynt Those wind-galls are easily perceived by the Eye without feeling them they are a token that the Horse hath Laboured and fatigued much but are not very prejudiciall unless they be hard and painfull however it is enough that they shew us that the legs have been too much used and that their strength is diminished because that concurse of waters which form the wind-gall discovers that there is a weakness in that part if the wind galls be hardned they will in a short time lame the Horse there cometh frequently wind-galls to Horses upon a journey which go away again with a little rest these are but small wind-galls but whatever way they come they are no ways agreeable to the Eye and people say of such Horses that they are Wind-gali'd they discover that the legs are used but all legs which are fatigu'd and used are not wnd-gall'd they are therefore the small and long joynted legs which are more Subject to them than any other many people who pretend to Skill in Horses call wind galls Waters because they are a kind of water shut up as it were in a bladder between the Skin and flesh but very impropperly for the Waters in a Horses legs in French Les Eaux is another kind of imperfection of which I shall discover hereafter Some people know only to take away wind-galls for a certain time to the end they may not hinder the Seal of their Horses because a Man must be almost a perfect ignorant not to discover them and when ever a Man perceiveth them he concludes that the Horses legs are used and he is much in the right on 't Therefore those whose Trade it is to sell Horses make it their busieness to dry them up only for a time you most endeavour to find it out by the hair which is more smooth and slicked in that part than any other and also by the leg which otherwise you will find to be used and spoylt although the wind-galls themselves do not at all appear there cannot be a better observation than this yet I have seen wind-galls so restricted and compressed for a certain time only that the most nicely Skilfull could scarcely discover them Let is now make a short recapitulation of what we have been saying concerning the Back-sinews of the fore-legs they should then be big and large without swelling firm without being stiff and very will detatched and separate from the bone those Horses whose Back-sinews are very small are soon spoylt and with the least fatigue there legs appear used and round a leg can never appear broad and flat with a small Back-sinew a Sinew which is right is without hardness or swelling and when you press it with your hand the Horse should not feel the least pain I have seen your light kinde of Horses have a sort of wind-galls which made them halt when they travelled among Snow and in the time of great Frosts another kind of Wind-galls again which swelled and covered so the Back-sinews that their could never any remedy be got for them but fireing Therefore Horses which are troubled with Wind-galls are not much to be trusted to because of the many Accidents which befall them
Crupper slack the Tie or Breast-plate and put some fresh straw betwixt the Saddle and Horse's back to refresh and ease him Then shake down a good deal of fresh Litter beneath him to oblige him to Stale or Piss for the most part of good Horses do alwayes Piss when they are first put in the Stable and find the Litter beneath them I shall here by the way give you an advice that will seem some what extraordinary although very good which is that during your whole journey you suffer your horse to piss as often as you find him inclin'd to it and you should also excite and invite him to it the quite contrary of which is to be practised with Mares which you are to hinder as much as possible to piss in travelling betwixt meals because their strength and vigour is thereby diminished those who have Mares may make a tryal of this and will come to acknowledge it for a truth that horses should be allowed and even excited to piss as they are riding but Mares not because they will not be the worse but rather yield their Masters the more service by it I don't alledge and recommend this practice without certainly knowing it's effect You are next to take away the old hay from the Rack and clean the Stall before him from all filthiness of Earth Sand or Poultrey dung taking also care that the Manger be not full of holes which is very common in most Inns that so the Oats which fall through may serve to feed their Fouls and if it should be very Dirty and Nastie you are then to cause wash it with warm Water Another method for horses which are full of fire and Mettal and which are worth the pains to be carefully lookt after is that after you have rid them hard and arrived at the Inn or that your horse be very warm you are immediatly at your alighting to cause unsaddle him and scrape off the sweat from his whole body with a Sweating knife or Scraper after which wipe his head and ears well with a Hair-cloath and rub his body all over with fresh straw put a covering or horse Cloath upon him and then set on the Saddle again after which cause gently lead him up and down in a mans hand for half an hour before you put him in the Stable This method is good to be practised by such as carry Grooms along with them and whose only business it is to loo◠after scrape off the sweat and dry and rub doun their horses because as for the Hostler Boyes they are very dextrous 't is true in asking drink-money but understand little thing else belonging to horses and therefore unless a man have a Groom of his own he had better make use of the former method If a man hath carried along with him any of the stinking Pills descrived in the 85 Chap Sect 3. of the second part he ma◠cause give his horse two of them with a little Claret Wine or for want of them give hi◠an English pint of Brandy if the horse hath been rid very hard and that he fear 〈◊〉 may be the worse of it for this will stop and prevent all accidents and other inconveniencies which may happen but I shall speak a little more of this hereafter If about a quarter or half a quarter of an hour before you arrive at the Inn yo◠meet with any water in which there is a good Foord or passage it will be very fit i◠cause your horse pass and repass it two or three times without either wetting his Belly or suffering him to drink when I say you should not wet his Belly I mean that you should not make him go so deep into it as that the water may come up to his Belly for to prevent and hinder his Legs to make the Water spurt and fly up about his belly and wet it is what cannot be expected neither is it of any consequence now besides that the washing him thus doth cleanse his legs of the Mud the water being cold doth bind up the humours and prevent that those which were stirred up by the whole days journey fall not down upon his Legs as being the lowest parts of his body and the most capable to receive them which will make them become stiff by causing obstructions in the Nerves which at last will quite ruine and spoil them CHAP XXX How a man should order Horses at dinner and supper while upon Travel IF it be in the summer time CHAP XXX How a man should order horses at dinner and supper while upon travel when the Waters are warm you are at your coming near to the Inn if your horse be not very warm and sweating to wash hi◠in some Water or Pond without either going so deep as his belly or suffering him to drink and it is also very good for some horses whose Legs are already a little Gourded or being fleshy are subject to Humors when a man hath not the conveniency of a Rivulet or pond upon the Road to alight about a quarter of an hour before he arrive at his Inn and lead his horse in his hand to cool him and so soon as he is come to the stable door to cause wash and bath his Legs with Well water just as it is taken from the Well which will prevent the descent of humors upon them this method is particularly excellent for such horses as have received some severe stroke upon their Legs or Hams and which never fail to swell in those parts by them they have at Dinner time or in the Evening I knew an Italian Escuyer or Riding-Master who after his Mannage whether his horses were warm or not made them swim over and again a River near by his Mannage as broad as the Seine is before the Louvre in Paris and afterwards caused dry them all over and cover them well in the stable not suffering them to eat for an hour after this he practised his whole life-time and none of his horses had ever either Collick or Vives but were alwayes the cleanest and nearest limbed could be I beleive this Example although very true won't perswade any man to do the like Your horse being tyed up to the Rack and partly dryed of his sweat or moisture which he had at first arriving although he be as yet bridled yet if he begin to draw his hay and beat no more in his Flanks you are to cause unbridle him and to wash his Bit in a pail of water that it may be carefully hung up after it is well cleaned and wipt and afterwards you may suffer him to eat his hay at pleasure Those who so soon as they arrive at the Inn suffer their horses to be unbridled by the Hostler boyes as is the common custom are deceived in so far as their horses eat only for the first quarter of an hour and then eat no more thereafter whereas if they were suffered to stand some time in the bridle
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
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
Chopin of clean Oats putting two or three handfuls of split Beans very well pickt amongst them and break also amongst these two or three shaves of Bread clean chipt and then leave him for two or three Hours At Evening before you dress him give him the like quantity of Oats Beans and Bread and when he hath eaten them Bridle dress and cloath him but you shall neither Sadle nor Air him abroad this evening because the Horse being foul and the Scouring as yet working in his Body after the Heat he must not get any cold water at all after he is drest and hath stood two Hours on his Bridle then wash three English Pints or three Scots mutchkins of clean Oats in Bear or Ale and give him them for this will inwardly cool him as if he had drunk Water and you are sure he can receive no prejudice by it after he hath eaten his washt meat and rested after it a little you shall at his feading times with Oats and spelt Beans Oats and Bread or all together or simply one of them according to the liking of the Horse Feed him that night in plantiful manner and leave a Knab of Hay in his Rack when you go to Bed The next day early first Feed then dress cloath Sadle Air Water and bring him home as at other times only have a more careful eye to his Emptying and observe how his Grease and Foulness wasteth at his Feeding times feed as was last shewed you only but little Hay and keep your Heating dayes and the preparation of the day before them as hath been alreadie ordered and thus you shall order him during the second Fortnight in which your horse having received four Heats Horseman like given him with four Scourings there is no doubt but his Body will be drawn inwardly pretty clean you shall therefore during the next or third Fortnight order him according to the Directions following 11ly The third Fortnights Feeding The third Fortnight you shall make his Bread finer than it was formerly As thus The Second Bread TAke of elean 〈◊〉 and fine Wheat an equal proportion of each according to the Quantity of Bead you intend to bake and grind them well together then Bolt and Knead it with Barm or Lightning and make it up as you did the former Bread with this Bread being a little stale and the Crust taken away feed your horse as before shewed for the second Fortnight puting it amongst his Beans and Oats and also observe to Dress Air heat Feed and prepare him before the heat as in the former Fortnight only with these few differences First You shall not give the heat which falleth upon the day of the Week the Match is to be run in so smartly and violently as before but with a little more ease and pleasure to the Horse that so his Body and Limbs may not be overstrained and made fore before the Match next you shall not after his heats give him any more of the former Scourings but instead thereof instantly upon the end of his heat after he is a little cooled and cloathed up and in the same place where you rub him give him a Ball as bigg as a Hens Egg of these Cordial Balls the Composition whereof is as followeth 12ly The true Receipt of Mr. Markhams famous Cordial Balls so much esteemed by the Generality of our English Farriers TAke Anniseeds Cuminseeds Fennegreek seeds Carthamus seeds Elecampain Roots and Colts foot of each two Ounces beaten and scarched very fine as also two Ounces of the flouer of Brimstone then take an Ounce of the juice of Liquorish and dissolve it one the fire in half an English Pint or half a Scots Mutchkin of White Wine which done take of the Chymical Oyl of Anniseeds one Ounce of Sallet Oyl Honey and Syrup of Sugar or for want of it Molosses of each half an English Pint or half a Scots Mutchkin then mix all these with the former Powders and with as much fine Wheat Flower as will bind and knit them together work them into a stiff Past which keep in a Gally Pot closs covered and make Balls thereof as big as a Hens Egg to give your horse as you shall find occasion for them Now for the use of these Balls because they are Cordial and have many excellent Vertues you must understand how and upon what occasions to use them if then it he to prevent sickness take a Ball and anointing it all over with fresh Butter give it your Horse in the Morning fasting in manner of a Pill then Ride him a little after it or let him stand upon his Bridle for an hour which of them you please Feeding and Watering him according to your usual Custom and do this three or four Mornings together Again if you use them to cure either a Couch or violent Cold or to satten a Horse then give them after the same manner for a week together or longer if you find it needful but if you use them in the nature of a scouring as in the case I have above told you for your running Horse then give them instantly after his Heat Lastly if you find that your Horse hath at any time taken a little cold or Rhume which you may easily know by his inward ratling then taking one of these Balls disolve it in an English Pint or Scots Mutchkin of Seck and so give it him warm which you will find a very good and effectual remedie also to disolve a Ball in warm Water and give it your Horse to drink worketh the same effect and fatteneth exceedingly to give a Horse one of these Balls in the morning before travel will prevent his too soon weatieing to give it in the Heat of Travel will refresh his Spirits and to give it after travel will help to recover weariness and prevent inward sickness they are also good upon many other occasions which would be too tedious here to rehearse therefore let what I have said suffice both as a true â—â—scription of their composition and also vertues and use 13ly The Fourth and last Fortnights Feeding For the Fourth and last Fortnight you shall make your Bread much finer then for either of the former As thus The last and finest Bread TAke three parts of fine Wheat and one part of Beans according to the Quantity of Bread you intend to bake grind and Bolt them thorow the finest 〈◊〉 you â—an get then knead it up with new strong Alt and Barm beaten toâ—â—ther and the Whites of twenty or thirty Eggs or more according to the quantity 〈◊〉 Flower you bake and be sure to put no Water at all but in place thereof some small qâ—â—ntity of new milk then work it up Bake and order it as the former and with this bâ—oâ—d having the crust cut first away and clean Oats well dryed and dressed as also 〈◊〉 pure Split Beans all mixed together or severally as you shall think fit Feed you â—orse at his ordinary Meals as you
did in the second and third Fortnights to which I refer you only in this last Fortnight you shall observe these few directions following First You shall keep your heating dayes the first Week of this Fortnight but the second or last Week you shall forbear one heat and not give your Horse any five dayes before his Match but for it give him only strong and long Airings and watering Courses You shall not need this Fortnight to give him any Scouring at all and if morning and Evening during this Fortnight you burn the best Frankincence in the Stable you will find it very wholsome for your Horse and he will also mightily delight in it In this Fortnight when you give him any washt meat let it be washt either in the Whites of Eggs or a little Muskadine or Cherrie for it is most wholsome and prevents pursiveness This Fortnight give him no Hay but what he taketh out of your hand after his heats and also let that be but in little quantity and clean Dusted The last week of this Fortnight if the Horse be a foul feeder you must use the Muzzle continually but if a clean feeder then three dayes before the match is sufficient The Morning of that day before the day for the Match feed well both before and after Watering and Airing and water as at other times but before noon and afternoon diminish his Portion of meat a little as also before and after evening Airing feed as at noon and water as at other times but be sure to come earlier home then ordinary that evening from Airing For This Evening you are to Trim and Shoe your Horse and do all extraordinary things of Ornament about him providing alwayes you take care neither to hinder his feeding nor interrupt his rest for I have heard some Horsemen say that when they had shod their Horses with light shoes or plates the night before the course their Horses have taken such notice thereof that they would neither eat what they gave them nor ly down to take any rest all the night following But to have so much understanding and cunning a Horse must be old and long experienced in this exercise otherwayes he cannot make such subtile observations However to pass over other curiosities as Pletting the Main and Tail c. I do advise you that things which are of most necessity and use be alwise done this day which is the day before the match rather then upon the morning of the Course because your Horse that morning should be troubled as little by handling or otherwise as possible Late at night feed as you did in the evening and give him of what he liketh best according to his Stomack only as little bread and Beans as possible then puting on his muzzle and tossing up his Litter leave him quiet till next morning The next morning being that of the match day come to him very early and takeing off his Muzzle rub his head well right his Cloaths and then give him a pretty quantity of Oats washed as I said in the whites of Eggs Muskadine or Cherrie or if he refuse them washt give him them dry or mixt with a little Wheat after he hath eaten them if he be a slow emptier walk him abroad and in the places where he used to empty there intice him to it which when he hath done bring him home and puting on his Muzzle let him rest untill you have warning to make ready but if he be a free emptier let him ly quiet When you have warning to make ready take off his muzzle and put on his Snaffle being well washed in a little Muskadine or Cherrie but before you Bridle him if you think him too empty give him three or four mouthfuls of the washt meat last spoke of then Bridle him up and dress him afterwards Pitching the running Saddle and Girths with Shoemakers wax set it on and girt it Gently so that he may but only feel the Girths but have no straitness then lay a clean sheet over the Saddle over it his ordinary Cloaths then his Body Cloath and Breast Cloath and wisp him round with soft wisps Finally if you have a Cloath of State let it be neatly fastned above all and being ready to draw out give him half an English Pint or half a Sâ—â—ts Mutchkin of Muskadine or Cherrie and so lead him away In all your leading observe to use gentle and calm motions suffering him to smell upon any dung and in special places of advantage as where you find Rushes long Grass Heath or the like walk in and entice him to piss but if you find no such help then in some certain places where you lead him and especially near to the place where you are to mount and having accustomed him to it before break some of the straw wherewith he is wisped under him and thus intice him if you can to stale or piss also in leading if any white or thick Fome or Froth arise about his mouth with a clean napekin wipe it away and causing carrie a bottle of clean water about with you wash his mouth with it now and then When you are come to the place where you are to take his back before you uncloath rub and chaff his Leggs well then pick his feet uncloath wash his mouth with water get upon his back and adjusting your Stirrops and other things about your Body walk him softly to the starting post and there starting fair perform you your part by running him to the greatest advantage he is capable of and leave the rest to providence for although we are oblidged to use the means and helps of second causes yet it is that which decideth and determineth all even the most trivial actions any of us poor Mortals are concerned in 14ly Some other usefull Observations to be taken notice of by a keeper in sundry Accidents which befall a Race Horse during the time he is preparing for a Match THere is no unreasonable creature of pleasure subject to so many disasterous chances of Fortune as the Horse and especially the running Horse both by reason of the multiplicity of diseases belonging I may say peculiarly to him as also the violence of his exercise and nice tenderness of keeping therefore it is fit that every keeper should be Armed with such observations as may be a means for him both to prevent mischiefs and Accidents and also remide them when they do happen Therefore the first Observation I shall begin with shall be 1. Observations from Meat and Drink LET the Feeder or Keeper therefore observe if there be any Meat Drink or other nourisâ—ment which he knows to be good for him and yet the Horse refuse it that in this case he is not to force it violently upon him but by gentle means and cunning enticements to win him thereto tempting him when he is most hungry or most thirsty and if he take but a bit at a time he will soon come to take
that posture for a considerable time he begin to bleed again as soon as you let it down you may easily stop the Blood without raising up his Head by applying an empty Nut-shell to the Wound You must press it on somewhat hard and hold it there for some time after which it will stick and stop the Blood more easily and effectually than most other Remedies For if I could cure a Horse with a Trifle I would preferr that Trifle before the most precious Drugs in both the Indies This way of Bleeding may be us'd on all occasions when the nature of the Disease is uncertain For it does frequently a great deal of good and is always innocent 'T is practis'd so universally in Germany that most Coachmen carry a Horn at their Girdle both because they esteem it an Ornament and for the conveniency of bleeding their Horses in the Roof of the Mouth For as soon as a Horse begins to grow dull and stupid or to forsake his Meat immediately they prick him with the Horn which as I have already told you they carry always about with ' em But if the Distemper will not yield to this Remedy you must make the Horse champ on a Bit for two Hours and from time to time take it out of his Mouth and put it in again Give him also good innocent Clysters and labour to discover the true cause of his Distemper Whatever be the original Cause of his Aversion to his Food and even tho' he be sick which happens not unfrequently you must make him chew a Ball ty'd to the Bit keeping him bridl'd two hours and assoon as you take the Bridle from his Head he will eat You will find the Description of the Ball towards the End of this Chapter If the Horse be troubl'd with this Distemper when Radishes are in Season which are cry'd about Streets so commonly you must make him eat a good quantity of 'em both Leaves and Roots for they will restore his Appetite and make him stale 't is an easie Remedy and grateful to Horses that slight their Food and the same may be said of red Parsnips boil'd which are often very effectual in this Case The Herb Horse-Tail call'd in Latin Cauda Equina or Equisetum is also a good Remedy either dry or green to restore a Horse's Appetite and to cleanse his Teeth It grows in most places and serves to scour Vessels Half an Ounce of Assa-foetida and as much Powder of Savin put into a Bag ty'd to the Bit and left for two hours in the Horse's Mouth will cure his Loathing but the Use of this Remedy must be repeated every day several times and the same Bagg will serve a long time You must observe whether there is not an unusual Heat in the Horse's Body which you may perceive by the Beating or Heaving of his Flanks if there is not you may give him an Ounce of Treacle well diluted in White or Red Wine for want of which you may use Orvietan for these Medicines consume the Crudities that remain in the Stomach and restore lost Appetite If he does not abstain totally from eating as we only speak of Horses that slight their Food supposing that they eat sometimes tho' little and slowly let Savin be steep'd in Water and with that moisten his Oats and Bran and even his Hay which will make him feed more heartily This Method must be continu'd for some time The following Remedy is generally known and prepar'd by all sorts of Persons yet since I 'm resolv'd to omit nothing that may be of Use I shall insert it here Take about two Glasses of Verjuice or of Vinegar seven or eight Heads of Garlick bruis'd about two Ounces of white Salt and half a Pound of Honey Mix 'em in a Pot and dip the end of a Stick wrapt about with Linen in this Composition with which you must rub his Gums Lips and Tongue then take the Bit out of his Mouth and he will infallibly begin to eat but if he leave off too soon you must repeat the Use of the Remedy Some put Honey of Roses into this Mixture but common Honey is sufficient and very effectual Before you rub his Mouth with this Composition 't is very convenient to wash it well with a Sponge dipt in cold Water to take away the bitter Foam which oftentimes is the main Cause of his Aversion to his Meat You may also beat five or six Heads of Garlick with a little handful of Salt and tying 'em in a Clout to the Bit leave 'em in his Mouth for the space of half an hour or a whole hour I often make use of an Ounce of good Assa-foetida ty'd to the Bit in a Clout which I suffer him to chew for the Space of two hours and the Disease must be very inveterate if it yields not to this Remedy Assoon as he leaves off eating I put the Bit in his Mouth again and the same Assa-foetida will serve till it be perfectly dissolv'd If after all these Remedies the Horse continue still to slight his Food take a Branch of Laurel of an indifferent bigness and put it between his Jaw-Teeth that he may champ upon it then rub the Laurel-Branch with Honey of Roses or if that cannot be had with common Honey and put it into his Mouth rub it again with Honey and continue after the same manner for the space of half an hour after which he will certainly begin to eat A Branch of a Fig-Tree will almost produce the same Effect When a Horse forsakes his Meat you must leave no Means unessay'd to make him eat without Constraint you must be often with him especially if his Aversion proceed from Sickness give him a little Hay to eat from your Hand and if he refuse to take it let him stand half an hour with a Bit in his Mouth then take it out again and offer him some Pieces of Bread and if he will not eat wash his Mouth with a Sponge and afterwards give him some Oats out of your Hand and to conclude use all the Ways imaginable to prevent the total Loss of his Appetite for which Purpose the following Arman is of wonderful Efficacy The surest Remedy that can be us'd is to mix an Ounce of Liver of Antimony in fine Powder with moisten'd Bran repeating the Dose twice every Day for it will infallibly make him eat heartily and preserve him in good Health You will find the Description and Composition of this Remedy in the 125th Chapter You may continue the Use of it as long as you please without the least ill Consequence unless when the Horse has an Inclination to void the Strangles for Liver of Antimony cools and in that Case hot Remedies are proper CHAP. VII An Arman for a sick Horse who loaths his Food TAke a Dish-full of the Heart of a white Loaf crumbl'd small moisten it with Verjuice or for want of that with Vinegar add a sufficient qanutity of Salt and
Honey of Roses or if Violets or if neither of these can be had of common Honey then put the thin Paste into a Pot and let it boil over a gentle Fire about a quarter of an hour till the superfluous moisture be consum'd Afterwards add two drams of Cinnamon in powder a dozen and a half of Cloves a Nutmeg grated and half a pound of Powder-Sugar then boil 'em again over a slow Fire half a quarter of an hour that the Ingredients may be thorowly mix'd and the Spices may incorporate with the Bread but the Fire must be very small for the least excess of heat wou'd make the Virtue of the Aromatic Drugs exhale Take an Oxe's Pizzle let the great End of it soak in Water four or five hours till it be soften'd after which make the Horse chew it between his Grinders or Jaw-Teeth which will flatten it a little or you may beat it with a Hammer then putting the quantity of a Nut of the Arman upon it open the Horse's Mouth making him put out his Tongue on one side that he may not be able to stir it and thrust in the Pizzle with the Medicine as far as you can then let his Tongue go and after he has champ'd a while put more of the Arman on the Pizzle and thrust it again into his Mouth Do this five or six times and after the space of three hours suffer him to eat if he pleases then put in the Pizzle again as formerly and continue after the same manner every three hours This Arman is very proper for all Horses that are sick and forsake their Meat provided they have no Fever and I have always found it effectual for it nourishes and infallibly restores lost Appetite You must not thrust in the Pizzle violently but suffer the Horse to draw it in to the bottom of his Throat holding it by the other end and it will make him cast forth a great deal of bitter and cholerick Flegm which makes him loath his Food As often as you take out the Pizzle you must cleanse it and wipe it with Hay before you put it in again This Remedy is not the less valuable because 't is common for if the Use of it be continu'd it will certainly produce the desir'd Effect it nourishes encreases the Appetite and strengthens the natural Heat 'T is also good to clear the Throat of a Horse that has swallow'd a Feather or any other Matter that sticks in his Throat for which purpose you must suffer him to chew the Pizzle with the Medicine and suck it in without thrusting it violently forwards To conclude this is a very safe Remedy and is never attended with any ill Consequences but if the Pizzle be not soften'd or if you thrust it in violently you may kill the Horse by bursting his Throat which Misfortune may be easily prevented by a careful Observance of the above-mention'd Directions the neglect of which has to my Knowledge been fatal to some Horses CHAP. VIII Chewing-Balls to restore lost Appetite THere cannot be a greater Vexation to a Man who loves his Horses than to see 'em lose their Appetite and forsake their Meat on a Journey Accidents of this Nature are very common and the usual Remedies that are prescrib'd in this Case are ineffectual nor could I ever meet with any sure Medicine but this which I have try'd so often and with so good Success that I thought my self oblig'd not to deprive the Publick of the Knowledge of so useful a Remedy not only for Horses that are troubl'd with Want of Appetite without any other Distemper but even when this Symptom proceeds from another Disease These Balls bring forth that salt Humour and bitter Phlegm which obstruct the Passages of the Throat and make 'em loath their Food And they will also produce the Effect of those Remedies call'd Apophlegmatismi which are prescrib'd by Physicians to purge the Brain Take a Pound of Assa foetida as much Liver of Antimony half a pound of the Wood of a Bay-Tree an equal quantity of Juniper-Wood and two ounces of Pellitory of Spain beat all the Ingredients apart to a gross Powder for which reason the Woods must be dry'd then put 'em all together into a large Mortar and incorporate 'em with a sufficient quantity of good Grape-Verjuice well clarify'd pouring it in by degrees till they are reduc'd to a Mass of which make Balls of the weight of an ounce and a half to be dry'd in the Sun Take one of these Balls wrap it in a Linen Clout and tying a Thread to it make the Horse chew it two hours in the Morning and he will eat assoon as you unbridle him Do the same at Night and persist in this Method till the Horse recover his Appetite When one Ball is consum'd put in another You may use these Balls on the Road by tying one of 'em to the Bridle and you must persist in the Use of 'em till the Horse begin to feed heartily which he will quickly do if he be not troubl'd with some other Distemper You may also make use of Cordial-Pills made of Treacle which produce almost the same Effect You must tie 'em in a Clout to the Bit and make the Horse chew 'em two hours in the Morning and as long in the Afternoon and assoon as the Bit is taken out he will infallibly begin to eat and his Appetite will encrease by degrees if the use of the Remedy be continu'd Pills or Balls for the Stomach These Pills are good to make Horses eat but they must be swallow'd down whereas the former Pills are only order'd to be chew'd The above-mentioned Balls are proper for all sorts of Horses but these Pills must not be given to a Horse that is either actually troubl'd with the Strangles or inclin'd to 'em because they are not hot And besides 't is not so difficult to tie a Ball to the Bit as to make a Horse swallow a Pill The Pills are thus prepar'd Take a pound of Liver of Antimony beaten to a very fine Powder and with the Mucilage or thick and slimy solution of Gum Tragacanth make Pills or Balls each weighing ten drams and lay 'em to dry Make the Horse swallow two of these Balls whole with a Pint of Wine keeping him bridl'd two hours after and repeat the same Dose every day for the space of a Month. These Pills are very useful but they are Cooling and therefore as I intimated before must not be given to Horses when they are casting forth the matter of the Strangles thro' their Nostrils or are inclin'd to do so nor in any case that requires hot Medicines CHAP. IX How to nourish a Horse that forsakes his Meat during his Sickness SOme Horses when they are Sick abstain totally from Feeding in which case you must labour with all your Might to deliver 'em from the Disease that oppresses 'em both by the choice of good Remedies and a due and convenient
Nature has already taken that course and we only assist her to shake off the load that overwhelms her Immediately after the taking of the Remedy the Horse seems just ready to expire by reason of the violent Beating which it causes in his Flank but that Storm is quickly appeas'd 'T is by no means convenient to administer this Remedy to Horses that have lost their Appetite for they are not able to bear the violence of its Operation Nor can it be given in very cold Weather without hazarding the Horse's Life for all extraordinary Evacuations are equally dangerous in extreamly Cold and Hot Seasons When any of the noble or principal Parts are vitiated you may save the Charge and Trouble of a tedious Sickness by giving this Medicine which will hasten the Horse's Death For t is impossible that he should subsist long when one of the noble Parts is corrupted and since you must lose him the sooner you are rid of him 't is the better This Remedy should be given rather in the Wane than in the Encrease of the Moon For when 't is administer'd during the Encrease it makes such havock and so disorders the Oeconomy of Nature that it cannot be restor'd to its wonted course in a long time after but in the declination or Wane it does not produce such violent Disturbances It ought not to be given on the day of the Full-Moon but it may be administer'd with very good Success the next day after These Observations are very useful and may be cautiously observ'd when the disposal of the Time is in our Power There is a certain Salt in the Matter that is evacuated which is grateful to the Horse's Taste and makes him lick and swallow it But since 't is sharp and biting it may ulcerate his inward Parts and therefore you ought to wipe his Nose with Hay as oft as you can Besides you must never suffer him to drink raw Water but instead of that give him Water that has been boil'd mixt with a little Bran or rather Flower If you could make him drink it hot it would be so much the better but few Horses will drink any Liquor that is not either cold or at least only luke-warm You must never forget to separate the Horse during the time of his Evacuation from all other Horses For not only this is a contagious Distemper but a sound Horse may catch the Glanders from one that is troubl'd only with the Strangles and even tho' he should not lick the Matter that flows out of his Companion 's Nose which he will certainly do if he can because the very Smell is sufficient to communicate the Disease which may be also propagated by drinking out of the same Pail I shall propose other Remedies to promote Evacuation by the Nose in my Discourse of the Glanders which may be us'd upon occasion tho' that which I have already describ'd is of excellent use when there is not an Ulcer in the Bowels If the violence of the Evacuation caus'd by this Medicine make the Horse abstain from Eating which happens very rarely give him the Electuary describ'd in the preceding Chapter or some Cordial Powders and if after all his aversion to his Food continue make him chew the Balls propos'd in the Eighth Chapter CHAP. XIII Of the False or Bastard Strangles SOmetimes the Humours are not dispos'd to produce the Fermentation that causes the Strangles at the usual time which defect of Fermentation may proceed either from the strength or weakness of Nature so that in such cases the agitation of the Humors is imperfectly and weakly perform'd for want of proper Remedies from whence 't is plain that the noxious Matter cannot be fully expell'd but a Ferment remains in the Body which in its proper time will agitate the Humours that are dispos'd to follow its Motions and cause a sort of Fermentation which will oblige oppress'd Nature to renew her Endeavours to cast forth the Remainders of those Impurities which she could not fully evacuate before Sometimes in this kind of Strangles she expels 'em by the Nose and sometimes also by Swellings under the Throat as in the true Strangles When the Horse is old the Humour is usually discharg'd by a large Swelling at the side of the Jaw-bone in the same part out of which the Vives are drawn which suppurates and breaks at the age of Ten Twelve or Fifteen Years These Horses must be very diligently assisted for they are hardly able to expel the venomous Matter for which purpose I make use of the Treacle-Balls which I have frequently repeated six or ten times and some softening Clysters when the Disease was accompany'd with Loss of Appetite for Clysters are never hurtful in any Case whatsoever Usually these Horses void no Matter by the Nostrils but the whole Malignity is evacuated by the Humour that is drawn out of the Swelling and after 't is wholly expell'd I make 'em eat two Ounces of Liver of Antimony in Powder mix'd with Bran till they have consum'd two Pounds to compleat their Recovery for they are commonly very much worn and extenuated by their Disease Sometimes the False Strangles are known by the same Signs that denote the Disease properly so call'd which are much different from the Glanders only the last mention'd Distemper begins not with a great Beating in the Flank and difficulty of Breathing as the False-Strangles do And when after the use of Remedies a Swelling appears at the side of the Jaw-bone in the part from whence the Vives are drawn you may certainly conclude that the Horse is troubl'd with the False-Strangles which are rarely evacuated by the Nostrils in old Horses but almost always by a Tumor at the side of the Jaw-bone tho' sometimes when they are not above six or seven Years old the Swelling breaks forth between the two Jaw-bones in which case they also void Matter by the Nose and 't is plain by their Age that their Distemper is not the Glanders This Distemper makes the Horses a great deal more sick than the true Strangles and sometimes they die for want of due Assistance or the Disease generates to the Glanders And therefore great care must be taken to keep 'em warm and to administer effectual Remedies You may give the sick Horse once in two days a Dose of the Electuary of Kermes or of the Lieutenant's-Powder Cordial-Powder Cordial-Balls or Pills and some Clysters then Syringe him and put Feathers into his Nose and Bags into his Mouth as in the cure of Strangles When he slights his Food and eats little you must not give him any Powders but good softning Clysters after which give him the Cordial-Waters of Scorzonera Bugloss Carduus Benediclus and Roses of each half a Pint with an Ounce of the Confection of Al-Kermes without Musk or Amber-grise or of the Electuary of Kermes and the same Evening a good Clyster with Sal Polycrest repeating the same every two days But if he is only troubl'd with a
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
without any Reason they imagine to be very dangerous If you desire a further Confirmation of the Truth of what I have said you may easily satisfie your Curiosity by making the following Experiment on a living Colt of small Value Separate the Skin from his Head and you will not only perceive the Communication of the two Nerves or Sinews but that the Optic-Nerve will appear stiffer and more stretch'd assoon as you cut the other which you may find without much difficulty tho' it lies deep and near the Bone But they who dare not venture on this Operation may content themselves with taking up the Eye-Vein I 'm confident you will not find this Remark in any other Author and I 'm fully satisfy'd of its Justness and Solidity since 't is not only agreeable to Reason but confirm'd by many and succesful Trials both in the Case of Rheums and Moon-Eyes If both the Eyes be affected you must perform the Operation on each Side The most frequent Causes of the Loss of a Horse's Eye are in my Opinion the too great Abundance of Nourishment and the Defect of Visual Spirits both which are remov'd by the two above-mention'd Operations For the cutting of the Nerve promotes the Course of the Spirits and the taking up the Vein keeps back the superfluous Nourishment which will be yet more effectually perform'd and the Cure hasten'd by taking up the two Jugulars commonly call'd the Neck-Veins When a Horse is troubl'd with Rheums you must give him something to cool his Blood Thus an Ounce of Sal Prunellae in Powder mix'd every day with his Bran will allay the Heat and lessen the Defluxion but if you perceive that this weakens his Stomach too much and makes him forsake his Meat you may substitute Liver of Antimony instead of it till he recover his Appetite and then give him Sal Prunellae again till the Cure be compleated To what has been said I shall add a very rare but true Observation I saw a Horse who had so good Eyes that 't was impossible to find any Defect in 'em being one Day under his Master in the Field a great Thunder-clap depriv'd him of both his Eyes in an instant and he remain'd blind ever after A Remedy for Rheums in the Eyes If the Eye be swoll'n hot clos'd up and red or blood-shotten you must immediately prepare a restringent Charge to stop the flowing of the Humours Take common Bole-Armenic in Powder mix it with Vinegar and the Whites of two Eggs till it be reduc'd to a kind of Paste which you must apply Morning and Evening about the Eye for half a foot round and bathe the Eye with Aqua-Vitae or use that which follows Take a new-laid Egg boil'd hard and having taken off the Shell cut it thro' the middle and take out the Yolk in the place of which put a piece of white Vitriol about the bigness of a Nut then join the two halves of the Egg and wrapping it in a piece of clean and fine Linnen infuse it in half a Glass of Rose-Water for the space of six hours after which throw away the soak'd Egg as useless and reserving the Water pour eight or ten Drops of it into the Horse's Eye with a Feather Morning and Evening which will quickly perfect the Cure If you make use of Aqua-Vitae you must bathe the Eye with a little fine Sponge soak'd in it five or six times a day and Experience will convince you that you cannot chuse a better Remedy either for Rheums or Blows If the Distemper require a present Remedy you may instantly prepare that which follows Take the White of a new-laid Egg an equal Quantity of Rose-Water white Vitriol in fine Powder the bigness of a small Nut beat 'em well with a stick Some of this being put into the Eye will divert the Rheum and take away the Heat These Waters will not keep good above seven or eight days at most after which they turn sharp Their Virtue is to allay the Heat and stop the Humour that flows into the Eyes and the Smarting which they cause is inconsiderable and lasts but a Moment They are also very useful for Men. If the Distemper will not yield to this Remedy make use of the following Water You ought to make choice of a good Medicine at first and not change it lightly afterwards for nothing retards the Cure more than the Change of Remedies Every one thinks his own best but when you have begun with one and find Benefit by it you ought to stick to it afterwards An Eye-Water for Horses Take the Herb Ale-hoof or Ground-Ivy which grows in shady Places and is altogether different from common Ivy for its Leaf is smaller thinner and less shining but of a stronger smell besides it dies in the Winter whereas the creeping Ivy resists the cold Weather and therefore they are guilty of a very great Errour who instead of this make use of Ivy that creeps on the Ground Take I say four Handfuls of true Ground-Ivy beat it in a Marble Mortar with the Whites of six hard Eggs then add half a Pint of very clear White-Wine Rose-Water a quarter of a Pint Sugar-Candy and white Vitriol of each an Ounce and a half Beat 'em all together and incorporate 'em very well with the Pestle strewing upon 'em an Ounce of white Salt then cover the Mortar and place it in a Cellar after it has stood there five or six Hours pour the whole Composition into a Hypocras-Bag of clean white Sâ—rge and set a Vessel under it to receive the Water that drops thro' which must be preserv'd in a Glass-Bottle and every Morning and Evening pour some of it into the Horses Eye There are few Rheums which this Water will not cure but if there remain a white Film or Skin upon the Eye you must consume it with the Powders that shall be afterwards describ'd Another Eye-Water Infuse a Piece of blue or Cyprus-Copperas in any one of the following Waters which are all endu'd with a sigular Virtue to cure Rheums in the Eye viz. the Waters of Plantane Fonnel Eye-bright Rue Celandine Roses Chervil or for want of these you may use common Water The Infusion will be of a bluish Colour drawing towards green and impregnated with the volatil Salt of Vitriol which is quieting sweet balsamic and astringent and consequently excellent for Redness and Inflammations of the Eyes nor can it offend that tender Part by reason of its Substance which partakes of Copper for 't is of too close a Contexture to be penetrated by a simple Water which is not a true Menstruum or Dissolvent The Poor may safely use this Remedy for Diseases in the Eyes for 't is both cheap and good And at the same time you must apply the following Ointment An Ointment to divert the Rheum from the Eyes Take of the Oinment call'd Album Rhasis one Pound Salt of Lead extracted in preparing the Oil according to the Method prescrib'd
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
cry out They had rather die than take such a nasty Powder With all my Heart Gentlemen you may follow your Humour but d' ye think it impossible you cou'd be cheated and have this Powder impos'd upon you instead of your dear Snuff And besides who can assure such a dainty Beau that his Apothecary has not made him swallow many a nastier Medicine to cure him of the fashionable Disease But out of pure Complaisance I shall subjoin another Remedy for Horses which their Riders may also use Take a Hare that is killâ—d in the Month of March flay her and without larding her prepare her for the Spit but do not put her upon it then dry her in an Oven so that the whole Flesh may be reduc'd to Powder which must be blown plentifully into the Horse's Nostrils for 't is very effectual to stanch the Blood that flows either out of the Nose or of a Wound Thus I have given you a very good and easie Remedy which does not smell of Ass-Turd That which follows is also very good and may be prepar'd at any time of the Year Take Bark of Pomegranates dry'd Roman Vitriol and Allom of each four Ounces reduce 'em to Powder and reserve 'em for Use This Powder stanches the Blood in any part of the Body and is excellent for all sorts of Wounds It may be kept very long without losing its Virtue CHAP. XXXVII Of the Stag's Evil or Palsie in the Jaw I Know not whether Stags are also troubl'd with this Disease as the Name seems to import but it proves oftentimes fatal to Horses 'T is a kind of Rheumatism which keeps their Neck and Jaws so stiff that they cannot move 'em not so much as to eat and besides they turn up the Whites of their Eyes from time to time as if they were just ready to expire They are also seiz'd at uncertain Intervals of time with such a violent Palpitation of the Heart and Heaving or Beating in the Flanks that you wou'd certainly conclude they cou'd not live two Hours and these Fits return sooner or later without any fix'd Order If you feel their Neck you will perceive it to be stiff and stretch'd out the Skin is dry and sometimes the whole Body is stiff and the hinder Parts as much affected by the Distemper as the fore Parts in which Case few or none escape especially if the Fever be continual as almost always it is This Disease is not absolutely Mortal when t is not an universal Rheumatism spread over all the Body or when the Horses have brought it upon themselves by violent striving and drawing against the Halter by which unruly Motions they strain and stretch the Muscles of the Neck so as to draw the Humours to ' em But that is not the usual Cause of this Distemper for 't is almost always occasion'd by the Horse's being unseasonably expos'd to Heat or Cold or by his being cool'd immediately after he has been over-heated which sudden Change stirs the redundant Humours and breeds many Obstructions that hinder the Motion of the affected Parts and cause a Pain not only in these but also in the neighbouring Parts or such as have a Communication with ' em Tho' the Beating of the Flank and Heart be very violent yet when it intermits for a considerable space of time the Horse recovers a sufficient measure of Strength to resist the Distemper but which is very dangerous the Defluxion on the Jaws is sometimes so strong that the poor starv'd Creature dies merely for want of necessary Sustenance and the natural Heat not finding any Aliments to employ its Force in their Digestion grows sometimes so violent that it inflames the Blood augments the Fever and at last kills the Horse to prevent which you must give him softening Clysters Morning and Evening let him Blood frequently and even once in two Days till you see some Signs of Amendment for upon this the Cure principally depends tho' since it must be so often repeated it will be sufficient to take every time onely half the Quantity of Blood that is usually taken from Horses For his Food mix a little Bran with a great quantity of Water that it may be as thin as Broth and leave it before him the whole Day for he will stir it with his Lips and in his best Intervals endeavour to swallow a little of it but he can very hardly or not at all eat any Hay or Straw being unable to open his Jaws and you may give him luke-warm Water to drink After the Use of Clysters and Bleeding take equal parts of Spirit of Turpentine and Aqua-Vitae mix 'em in a glass Vial and shake 'em together till they be perfectly united With this Liquor anoint his whole Neck upon the Muscles and all about the Jaws chafing the Parts very hard with your Hand to make the Liquor penetrate which will heat the Muscles that are cool'd and stiffen'd by the Defluxion and two hours after rub the same Parts with the Ointment of Marsh-Mallows chasing 'em hard as before which will not only heat the Parts but help to loosen the Jaws and supple the Neck Afterwards rub the Parts affected every Morning with the Ointment of Marsh-Mallows and every Evening with Aqua-Vitae And besides If the Disease affect the whole Body rub the Horse's Reins with Ointment of Marsh-Mallows and Spirit of Wine and cover 'em with a Cloth dipp'd in Lees of Wine heated and put his usual Cloaths above all Repeat the Anointing and Fomentation every day and let him be put into a hot Stable for being thus carefully tended he may perhaps recover if his Fever intermit You must also give him three or four good softening Clysters every day and if the disease be very violent you may inject one in the Morning consisting of two Quarts of Milk eight Yolks of Eggs and two Ounces of Sugar to sustain and in some measure satiate the Animal Hunger of the Parts that have a Communication with the great Guts The rest of the Clysters must be compos'd of softening and cooling Ingredients Some thrust a red-hot Iron thro' the Neck near the Main in three or four several places and others cut the Nerves I look upon these Methods not only as unworthy to be recommended but I think my self oblig'd to dissuade you from the Use of 'em for the Horse endures so much misery already that we ought by no means to encrease his Torments without the least Prospect of future Relief If they cou'd be made to swallow any thing it would be convenient to give 'em some Doses of the Cordial-Powder or stinking Pills or some other proper Medicine but that is impossible and you can only administer external Remedies which are seldom able to save the Horse's Life If you perceive some encouraging Signs or if the Horse be in greater danger of dying of Hunger than of his Distemper because he is unable to take any Nourishment and if there be long and frequent
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
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
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
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
will be long and troublesome because of the Sole that must be separated from the Bone and the surest way is to take it quite out tho' the Cure may be perform'd by making a large Incision In such cases you must regulate your Proceedings by a careful observation of the Symptoms For Example If the Horse cannot set his Foot to the Ground or if you perceive that he treads very softly and only upon his Toes you must without delay take out the Sole twenty four Hours after for if the Operation be neglected the Matter might spread to the Hair and the Pain which the Horse suffers before the Sole be taken out does almost always occasion a Fever You may also judge of the depth of the Wound by the length of the Nail and when you draw it forth you may observe whether it enter'd streight or sloping for even the taking out of the Sole is not always attended with the desir'd Success when the Nail pierces very deep and breaks the Bone of the Foot If the Cure of a Prick with a Nail or Stub be not perfected in the space of ten Days by the regular use of the Vulnerary Water or the Oils de Merveille and of Gabian you may certainly conclude that either part of the Nail or Stub remains in the Foot or that the Bone is cleft or shatter'd especially when you take out the Tent if after the running out of a little Matter there follows a great quantity of Blood which is almost always a certain sign of the approaching Separation of a Scale if not of the falling out of the whole Bone To leave no room for a doubt put in your Probe and search the Hole gently and if you find that it reaches to the Bone of the Foot you must immediately make a large Incision to ease the Pain and promote the Cure dressing the Wound with Sugar Aqua-vitae and Aloes and binding it up hard to prevent the growth of the Proud-flesh for so long as the Blood continues to flow abundantly 't wou'd be in vain to apply any Ointment or Oil. At the second Dressing separate all your Flesh with your Fleam to discover the bottom of the Sore nor must you be surpris'd at the great Flux of Blood but endeavour to stanch it with a hard Ligature Continue after the same manner to dress the Sore once a Day with the above-mention'd Remedies resisting the Corruption with all possible diligence applying proper Remolades to the Sole and charging the whole Leg and Thigh once a day as before If the Dressing of the Wound be attended with a great Flux of Blood tho' the Tents be drawn forth gently without bending the Pastern-Joint I know no better Method to prevent that troublesome symptom than to put off the next Dressing for two Days and if the Blood continue still to flow plentifully you must dress the Wound once more with Aqua-vitae and Sugar and suffer the Application to remain untouch'd three Days If there happen a Flux of Blood the third time let the Dressing lie on four Days and if the Blood still continue to flow out interpose five Days before the next Dressing after which the Flux of Blood will be stopt and you may dress the Wound every Day or once in two Days according to the variety of Circumstances I have us'd this Method with good Success to stop the Bleeding which hinders the Operation of the Oils Ointments and Powder In all Diseases and Sores of the Feet 't is safer and more convenient to make an Incision with a Razor or Fleam than to consume the Flesh with Cauteries for besides the Pain occasion'd by those Applications the Matter is frequently repell'd and lodg'd in some other Part as about the Pastern but after you have made one or two Incisions you have a full view of the bottom of the Sore and may easily stop the Bleeding with Turpentine apply'd warm with soft Flax and a good Ligature then removing the Dressing at the end of forty eight Hours you will have the conveniency of discovering the whole Sore which must be dress'd and heal'd according to the above-mention'd or following Directions Sometimes instead of one Hole made by the Wound two or three break out at the side of the Frush reaching even to the Pastern in this case you must cut the whole Gristle that forms the Frush penetrating to the bottom of the Foot that you may see the root of the Sore for the taking out of the Sole is not always sufficient to perfect the Cure if the Sore reach under the end of the Frush to the Bone of the Foot and therefore you must cut off that end or even the whole Frush to lay open the bottom of the Sore When you have occasion to cut the Gristle that forms the Frush to prevent a dangerous Flux of Blood you must make a strong Ligature about the Pastern to stop the Veins that convey the Blood to that part after which mix a great quantity of Salt with your Digestive made of Turpentine and Yolks of Eggs and apply the whole to the Wound with Flax laying over it a good black Restringent made with Soot Vinegar and Whites of Eggs with Flax above all and Splents to keep on the Dressing If the Blood continue still to flow from that part of the Frush that ends at the Heel besmear a little Flax with Turpentine and apply it warm to the Part with convenient Ligatures Forty eight Hours after remove the Dressing and you will see the bottom of the Sore after which proceed as before washing the Sore with the second Water and dressing it with Digestives Oil of Gabian and Sugar or some other Ointment As soon as the Scale or any other extraneous Substance left or generated in the Wound is separated from the Bone the Horse leaves off halting unless there be more than one piece to fall away but the Exfoliation of the Bone proceeds slowly and it has been sometimes observ'd that the separation of a Scale could hardly be perfected in thirty twenty eighteen or fifteen Days according to the nature of the Part. And therefore you must resolve to persist with Patience which at last will certainly be crown'd with Success 'T is true we are sometimes oblig'd to cut out a Scale when it sticks too long for 't is impossible to compleat the Cure so long as it remains in the Part. The usual Method of Farriers for the separation of a Scale from the Bone consists in the application of Digestives but these Remedies nourish the Part instead of drying it tho' 't is certain that the Scale never falls away till the Part be dry'd And therefore 't wou'd be better to apply some Powder of Sublimate mixt with Aegyptiacum or Spirit of Vitriol which will quickly separate the Scale But the surest and speediest Method when practicable is to Sear the Bone with a hot Iron which brings away the Scale immediately I have also observ'd that an equal mixture
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
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
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-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
the Second Water or with Lime-Water and besmear it with Ox-Gall covering it very softly with Flax or Powder of old Ropes which being remov'd the next Day will leave the Sore fair and clean Wash it again with the Second Water or with Lime-water to allay the Itching that usually obstructs the Cure and afterwards anoint it with Ox-Gall and cover it softly with Flax or Powder of old Ropes as before continuing after the same manner till it be heal'd If you perceive any corrupt or bruis'd Flesh apply Spirit of Vitriol or one of the above-mention'd Caustics or which is the surest way burn the Part and after the Scab falls off anoint it again with Ox-Gall and continue as before till it be perfectly heal'd To consume Proud-Flesh since 't is not always convenient to apply Caustics you may strew it with the Powder of white Vitriol which will quickly eat it away If the Application of the Ox-Gall do not answer your expectation you may have recourse to one of the Ointments prescrib'd for the Cure of Wounds especially the Hermit's Ointment applying sometimes Aegyptiacum or Powder of Colcothar to consume the corrupt Flesh I have already intimated and I cannot too often repeat it that as soon as you perceive corrupt Flesh in a Wound or Sore or fleshy Excrescencies that rise like Buttons above it you must burn 'em with a hot Iron or apply the Powder of Colcothar that is common Vitriol calcin'd till it grow red and after the falling away of a very little Scab the Wound will remain fair and clean During the cure of Hurts in the Withers or other Parts of the Body you may wash the Part with the Vulnerary Water which heals cleanses and allays the Itching and the same Effects are also produc'd by the Second Water If these Ointments be not strong enough powder the Sore with white Vitriol and lay a convenient Ointment over it continuing to dress it after that manner till the Flesh be sufficiently firm CHAP. CVII The Vulnerary Water 'T Is to be observ'd That the Spirit of Vitriol which is usually sold is only Aqua-Fortis mixt with Water nor can this Cheat be discover'd by the common Method of trying true Spirit of Vitriol for if you put a piece of blue Paper into Aqua-Fortis mixt with Water the Paper will be dy'd red as if it had been put into Spirit of Vitriol and therefore the surest way is to buy the Spirit of those that distil it and to prove the Goodness of it dip a new Pen into it and write some Letters on white Paper then heat the Paper and that which makes the blackest Characters is the best Spirit Having thus made choice of true Spirit of Vitriol put a Pint of it into a Glass-Vial with an Ounce of good Opium cut into small and very thin slices let it stand cold twenty four Hours during which time it will acquire a brown Colour and you will find a Sediment at the bottom like Slime pour off the clear and keep it for use This Water far from causing any Inflammation allays and tempers the heat of a Wound and besides it does not occasion any considerable Pain for the Opium benumbs the Sense of Feeling and blunts the sharpness of the Spirit of Vitriol It strengthens and promotes the growth of a new Sole and there cannot be a better Remedy for Quitter-bones Pricks with a Nail or Stub False-Quarters Proud-Flesh Scab'd-Heels and in one word for all sorts of Wounds and Sores if the Bones do not appear uncover'd It allays the Itching of Hurts in the Withers and other Parts of the Body and so prevents the Inconveniencies that are occasion'd by tying up the Horse so short that he cannot lie down to hinder him from scrubbing the Sore If you wash the Part with this Water every Day and apply a convenient Ointment the Wound or Sore will be quickly heal'd without that troublesome Itching which retards the Cure The Cure of great Wounds is also obstructed by Felanders which breed in 'em and therefore you must burn 'em to the very Bone and apply a Digestive to hasten the falling of the Eschar If the Vulnerary Water do not cleanse the Wound sufficiently from all Corruption dip a little Cotton in the Liquid Caustic describ'd in the Eighth Chapter or in pure Spirit of Salt and apply it to the part of the Wound that is to be separated Sometimes the ends of the Tendons and Sinews are hurt and weaken'd by the Contusion that accompanies the Wound or are corrupted by the long continuance of the Matter or even by the violence of the Remedies and in these cases there remains so much weakness in the Nervous Parts that the Horse continues ever afterwards less fit for Service than formerly As soon therefore as you perceive the Wound to be fair and clean and wholly free from foul and corrupt Flesh take two Ounces of Aloes and one Ounce of Myrrh in Powder and put them into a large Matrass with half a Pint of Spirit of Wine stopping the Vessel very close and setting it on hot Ashes till the Spirit be sufficiently Impregnated with the Tincture of the Substances this Tincture being apply'd cold on Bolsters of Flax to the Tendons and Nerves asswages Pain promotes the healing of Wounds destroys Corruption and prevents a Gangrene and therefore it ought to be apply'd to all sorts of Wounds when there is any sign or fear of a Mortification The Powder of Lime and Honey describ'd in the beginning of the following Chapter is excellent for incarnating and drying up Wounds and when they are almost clos'd if there remains no Swelling or Deformity you may rub the Lips of the Wound with Unguentum Aureum mixt with the Emetic or Angelical Powder once wash'd which is of great efficacy to joyn and renew the Skin when the Cure is already brought to such a degree of Perfection that the Application of Remedies seems to be altogether useless I have often with very good Success anointed the Scar with Oil of St. John's-wort which makes a fine smooth Cicatrice without the least appearance of any Lips unevenness or any other Deformity which are the usual effects of the ignorance of the Farrier If you have no Angelical Powder you may use instead of it the Golden Sulphur of Antimony or if that be also wanting with a little Colcothar mixt with Unguentum Aureum anoint the Callous Lips of the Wound for these Applications will take away the Callus and make a fine Cicatrice 'T is to be observ'd That a Horse will put himself into all manner of Postures to rub the Wound when it begins to heal and sometimes thrust his Head under his Flank to bite and scrub it These Inconveniencies must be prevented with all possible Care lest after you have left the Wound fair and clean you find it at your return bloody foul and bruis'd and be oblig'd to begin the Cure again for all the Flesh that is rubb'd will certainly
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
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
breaking 'em all together in a Mortar till they be reduc'd to a hard Mass or Paste Make Pills weighing ten Drams each and dry 'em in the Shade on a Hair Sieve turn'd upside down When you intend to give your Horse this Remedy let him have his usual Allowance of Meat and then make him swallow a whole Pill in a Pint of Red or White Wine 'T is not absolutely necessary to keep him Bridl'd before you exhibit the Medicine but 't is certainly most convenient to let him stand Bridl'd an Hour before You must always remember to walk him about an Hour after and then you may ride him and in the mean time you may either work or ride him or put him in a Coach or if not you must keep him Bridl'd two Hours after the Dose Continue after the same manner to give him a Pill once a-day till the Cough be wholly cur'd if the Distemper be inveterate the Cure will at least require twenty Doses The same Pills may be also beaten and mix'd with moisten'd Bran. They may be kept very long and never grow moudly tho' they are almost always moist Tho' your Horse be not troubl'd with the Cough to preserve him from accidental Inconveniencies you may give him one of these Pills in the Morning before Hunting or hard Riding CHAP. CXXII Of. Châ—st-Foundering and Foundering accompany'd with a Fever THis Kind of Foundering is a preternatural Heat caus'd by the Fermentation of Humours in the Guts and Passages of Respiration and is accompany'd with the same Signs that denote Pursiveness but the Symptoms are more violent Only there is this difference between these two Distempers that there are few Horses troubl'd with Pursiveness at the Age of six Years whereas there are many founder'd This Distemper is often occasion'd by riding a Horse from his Wind and beyond his Strength It frequently accompanies the Melting of the Grease and sometimes 't is occasion'd by the Application of a violent Caustic or giving the Fire too roughly for the Cure of Diseases in the Feet but in this last Case the Distemper is not dangerous since it may be easily Cur'd by injecting one or two Clysters with Sal Polychrest Sometimes this follows some other Distempers when the Humours that fomented 'em are not entirely evacuated and continue to send up sharp hot and malignant Vapours which irritate the Lungs and cause the extraordinary Motion that is observ'd in ' em Horses are also Subject to this Distemper if they be suffer'd to feed on corrupt Provender when they are Young as Grass frozen in the Meadows during the Winter which putrefies in the Body and breeds a Ferment that occasions either this or some other dangerous Distemper 'T is caus'd by an Obstruction in the Passages of the Lungs which hinders Respiration if this Obstruction be newly generated or proceed from hot and subtil Matter it may be easily cur'd by the Application of convenient Remedies if it be not accompany'd with a Fever in which Case 't is frequently Mortal The Remedies prescrib'd for the Cure of this Distemper ought to be temperate and rather inclining to Cold than Heat to allay and stop the Fermentation and Ebullition of the Humors whereas the Medicines that are prescrib'd to pursive Horses must be rather Hot than Cold. In the Cure of this Distemper we must endeavour to allay the Heat that occasions the Boiling of the Humors prescribing all the Medicines in a liquid Form to dilute and qualifie the Heat of the Ingredients The Electuary prescrib'd in the preceding Chapter for the Cough is very useful in this Case and will certainly perform the Cure if it be administer'd regularly and repeated for a considerable Time If your Horse eat heartily you may cure him of his Distemper by giving him every Day from one to two Ounces of Liver of Antimony mix'd with moisten'd Bran but if he be naturally squeamish or has lost his Appetite on this Occasion 't will be in vain to attempt this Method If the Horse be Young and not troubl'd with a Fever the surest and easiest Method of Cure is to turn him out to Grass when the Herbs begin to spring forth and to leave him in the open Fields under the Dew during the Months of April and May for the young dewy Grass will scowre his Body and open the Passages Green Barley is also an excellent Remedy for this Distemper If this Method be impracticable by reason of the Inconveniency of the Place or of the Season of the Year you may observe the following Directions Feed your Horse with Wheat-Sheaves and Barley without allowing him either Hay or Oats Let him blood in the Flanks at the New Moon and the next Day give him a softening and opening Clyster which may be thus prepar'd Take of the five opening Roots beaten that is the Roots of Grass Madder Eringo or Sea-holm Capers and Rest-Harrow of each an Ounce Sal Polychrest half an Ounce boil the Ingredients in five Pints of Water for a Quarter of an Hour after which add the five softening Herbs namely Mallows Marsh-Mallows Mercury Violets and Pellitory of the Wall of each a Handful Boil 'em a quarter of an Hour longer then strain the Decoction add half a Pound of Honey prepar'd with the Herb Mercury and inject it by way of Clystâ—â— in the Evening repeating the same five or six Days together The Day after the administring of the last Clyster take White Mullein and Coltsfoot of each two Handfuls Chop 'em and boil 'em in three Pints of Water for a quarter of an Hour with half an Ounce of Sal Polychrest in Powder Assoon as you remove the Vessel from the Fire add three Handfuls of fresh Corn-Poppy Flowers or half an Ounce of the same Flowers dry'd and covering the Pot let 'em stand in Infusion till the Liquor be half cold then strain and adding an Ounce of Juice of Liquorice give the whole Decoction to your Horse with a Horn at Night inject the Clyster and next Morning repeat the Decoction Administer the same Remedies once every two Days for the Space of twelve Days but if during that time the Horse forsake his Meat you must endeavour to restore his Appetite by making him champ on a Chewing-Ball two Hours in the Morning and as long after Dinner and forbear the Use of the Decoction till he begins to eat heartily but this Inconveniency may be prevented notwithstanding the Use of the above-mention'd Remedies by giving him two Ounces of Liver of Antimony in Bran every Day when he is not oblig'd to take the Decoction which will not only preserve his Appetite but promote the Cure If these Remedies prove ineffectual and the Disease continue for a considerable Time it may at last degenerate to Pursiveness to prevent which if your Horse be of a phlegmatic Constitution Slow and Lazy you may give him the following Remedy to expel the thick and slimy Phlegm but if he be of a dark Sorrel Colour or
fiery and full of Mettle this Medicine wou'd make him extremely sick tho' a Couple of Clysters administer'd in the Height of the Sickness might perhaps prevent the ill Effects of it if you take care in the mean time to walk him frequently And besides 't is to be observ'd that this Remedy must not be given to a Horse either in the Beginning of the Disease or when 't is accompany'd with a Fever for it wou'd purge his Life out of his Body Take two or three Pounds of Fat of Bacon cut into thin Slices steep it in Water till it be fresh changing the Water five or six times once every two Hours in the mean time take red Colewort not a headed Cabbage and white Mullein of each two large Handfuls Carduus Benedictus one Handful Chop 'em small and beat 'em to a Mash in a Mortar with the fresh Fat of Bacon Form this Mass into Pills like Tennis-Balls and roll 'em up with Powder of Liquorice that they may not stick to your Fingers when you put 'em into the Horse's Mouth After the Horse has taken six or seven of these Pills give him a little Wine with a Horn or even after every Pill if you perceive that your Horse swallows 'em with Difficulty and after he has taken all the Pills wash his Mouth with a Pint of Wine and afterwards pour it down his Throat besides which you must allow another Pint to be taken with the Pills The Horse must stand bridl'd four Hours before and as long after If this Remedy be attended with Success to compleat the Cure you must begin the former Course with the Decoctions and Clysters but if it proves ineffectual administer the following Remedy Take the Leaves of Red Colewort not headed Cabbage which is not only useless but hurtful and Carduus Benedictus of each three Handfuls White Mullein and Colt's-foot of each three Handfuls Juniper-Berries one Handful Boil 'em half an Hour in two Quarts of Water then remove the Vessel from the Fire and add to the boiling Decoction two Handfuls of fresh Corn-Poppy Flowers or one Handful of 'em dry'd Cover the Pot immediately and when 't is almost cold strain out the Liquor adding as much Saffron as is sufficient to tinge it with a yellow Colour with two Ounces of Liquid Conserve of Roses and having given your Horse a Clyster the Day before make him drink up this Decoction repeating the same Clyster in the Evening and continuing after the same manner for twelve Days if your Horse's Stomach be not disorder'd in which Case you must forbear the Use of the Remedies till his Appetite be restor'd After the twelve Days are expir'd if his Flanks be sound without any Palpitation you must not overwhelm Nature with a Heap of Remedies but allow her Time to compleat the Victory and utterly to destroy her Enemy that is already weaken'd by the Medicines Since usually the preternatural Heat which causes the Distemper is augmented by the Remedies and the internal Parts heated and wasted 't will be necessary to restore the Natural and destroy the Preternatural Heat and to remove the remaining Obstructions by giving the Horse every Day an Ounce of Sal Prunellae in Powder and two Nutmegs grated and mixt with moisten'd Bran. The Use of this Remedy must be continu'd for a long time unless the Horse forsake his Meat in which Case instead of Sal Prunellae 't will be convenient to give him two Ounces of Liver of Antimony in Powder which procures an Appetite without cooling the Body so much as the other CHAP. CXXIII Remedies for Obstructions of the Lungs caus'd by Foundering A Young Horse who had so great an Oppression in the Flanks that he was thought to be Pursive and given over for lost was perfectly cur'd by the following Remedy Take Carduus Benedictus Mossie Lung-wort chopt small of each one Handful Missleto of the Oak beaten an Ounce Roots of Marsh-Mallows and Elecampane stampt in a Mortar half an Ounce Hyssop two Handfuls boil the Ingredients about half an Hour then press out the Liquor and add half an Ounce of Juice of Liquorice an Ounce of Liquorice beaten to Powder Anniseed and Fennelseed reduc'd to fine Powder of each half an Ounce a Scruple of Saffron half a Pound of Clarify'd Honey and a Quart of White Wine Mix and make a Decoction to be given blood-warm to the Horse at two Doses who must stand bridl'd six Hours before and after you have walk'd him an Hour must be kept bridl'd four Hours longer This Decoction must be exhibited four Days together then intermit three Days and afterwards give him four Doses more This Remedy will ease him very considerably and even absolutely cure him if he be Young But if you perceive no Benefit by the Use of it you may exhibit the Purging Medicine describ'd in the preceding Chapter observing diligently all the Circumstances and Directions mention'd there And afterwards give him the following Powder which may be also given safely and with good Success without any preceding Evacuation Take three Pound of Linseed dry'd in a Furnace according to the Method describ'd in one of the preceding Chapters Gentian three Ounces Fenugreek two Ounces Elecampane an Ounce and a half Sage and Hyssop of each three Ounces Brimstone half a Pound Mix and make a Powder The Dose is two Spoonfuls mixt with Bran every Morning till the whole Powder be taken and the Horse must stand bridl'd an Hour and a half after every Dose If the Disease continue still give him a Clyster for tho' it will not perfect the Cure it may perhaps give him Ease if it be frequently repeated And afterwards suffer Nature to act for she will quickly subdue her Enemy if you assist her with a well-regulated Diet. The most dangerous Kind of these Distempers is that which is accompany'd with a Fever which not only torments the Horse extremely but makes so quick a progress that it will not admit of so long a Delay as is requir'd for the administring of the above-mention'd Remedies You must begin the Cure with one of these two Clysters Make a Decoction of the softening Herbs chopt small and dissolving half a Pound of Honey in the strain'd Liquor inject it luke-warm Or you may give one of these Clysters in the Morning and the other in the Evening if you think fit Boil an Ounce of Crocus Metallorum reduc'd to fine Powder in five Pints of Beer for half a Quarter of an Hour then suffering it to settle pour off the Liquor strain it thro' a Linnen Cloth doubl'd add a quarter of a Pound of Butter inject the whole luke-warm and the next Day exhibit the following Remedy CHAP. CXXIV A Remedy for a Founder'd Horse that is troubl'd with a Fever and very sick TAke the distill'd Waters of Carduus Benedictus and Sccbious of each six Ounces Water of the Herb call'd Queen of the Meadows Cinnamon Water and Succory Water of each four Ounces Liquid Conserve of
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
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
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
is the true Method of curing the Farcin by purifying the Blood destroying the Poyson and strengthning Nature Another easie Method Bleed your Horse abundantly and give him every Morning three Pints of Emetic Wine or Beer which some Horses will drink like Water for it tastes only of the Wine Continue the use of this Wine or Beer till your Horse be sound This is a very convenient Remedy in those Countries where Wine is cheap and for those that have Horses that drink Wine since the making it Emetic costs little or nothing and the same may be said of the Beer The Horse must eat nothing but Bran and may be moderately ridden When the Knots break strew 'em with Powder of Sublimate Hellebor Roots or apply a Caustic If your Horses Legs be swoll'n you may chafe 'em with the following Ointment If he refuse to drink the Emetic Wine or Beer pour it down his Throat with a Horn and make him fast about two Hours before and after These Methods of Cure are in my Opinion to be preferr'd before giving the Fire But for the satisfaction of several Persons who are fond of that Operation I shall briefly show the manner of performing it CHAP. CXLII To cure the Farcin by giving the Fire IF this Operation be accompany'd with good inward Remedies it may be administer'd with good Success for the cure of the Farcin To proceed methodically in the beginning of the Disease you must surround the Knots with a Line drawn with a hot Iron without piercing the Skin which frequently puts a stop to the Farcin As soon as you perceive that the Knots are full of Matter I mean such as are capable of Suppuration open 'em boldly with a red-hot Iron wheresoever they are seated not excepting even the Hough nor the Master-Sinew of the Fore-Leg For if you thrust in your Instrument no farther than till it reach the Matter you can never do the least Injury to the Part but only assist Nature to expel what offends her And the opening of the Tumour prevents those Disorders that might have been occasion'd if the Matter had been longer retain'd As soon as you have surrounded and stop'd the Cords and Knots with the Rases of Fire open a Vein taking away a great quantity of Blood and give your Horse a Purging Medicine mixt with Mercurius Dulcis or Cinnabar If afterwards new Knots appear you must let 'em ripen and if they will not come to Suppuration burn 'em with a red-hot Iron When the Scab falls off if new pieces of Flesh spring up like Mushrooms 't is a certain sign of the danger of the Distemper and difficulty of the Cure and the Flesh must be consum'd either by a repeated Application of the red-hot Iron or of one of the following Caustics When you have burnt the Knots or Swellings that come to Suppuration you must wash 'em every Day after the Scab is fall'n off with Urine and dress 'em with the Ointment of Portugal The Ointment of Portugal for Farcin-Knots Take Verdigrease and Realgar of each one Ounce Arsenic two Ounces Camphire two Drams beat the Arsenic Camphire and Verdigrease severally to a very fine Powder then mix 'em together pouring on six Ounces of Oil by degrees and incorporate 'em with the Pestle after which add the Ounce of Realgar in fine Powder Mix and make a Liquid Ointment having cleans'd the Sores and even wash'd 'em with the Second Water or hot Urine if you think fit Anoint 'em every Day with a Pensil made of Hog's Bristles dipt in the Ointment till they be dry'd up Several Horses have been cur'd by this Ointment without giving the Fire or using any other Remedy but Bleeding It serves also to cleanse and dry the Sores after the Escar occasion'd by giving the Fire is fall'n off Bleeding is useful in the beginning and end but not in the middle of the Cure After you have burnt several Knots if you find that there are some of 'em situated where you cannot safely give the Fire you may apply Caustics which will produce the same effect A Cautery or Caustic Take Powder of Sublimate mixt with Spirit of Wine and apply it to the Part where you wou'd raise an Escar Four or five Days after anoint it with Basilicum to hasten the falling away of the Escar Another Take Corrosive Sublimate and Red Precipitate of each half an Ounce Verdigrease and Vitriol of each an Ounce Powder of Cantharides half an Ounce Arsenic an Ounce incorporate 'em with four or if you wou'd have a gentler Caustic with eight Ounces of Basilicum This Caustic burns the Part to which 't is apply'd in twenty four Hours and the Scab or Escar falls off three or four Days after There are a hundred several sorts of Caustics The Caustic-Stones that are sold by Apothecaries produce the same effect but they are not strong enough for Horses In the Composition of a Caustic we must not only regard the raising of a large Scab but endeavour to prevent the Swelling Heat and other Disorders that are the usual and inconvenient effects of the ill-proportion'd Doses of the Ingredients The following Ointment raises a sufficient Escar without any considerable Swelling or Inflammation The Ointment of Naples which alone Cures the Farcin Take Realgar and Sublimate of each two Ounces Arsenic and Euphorbium of each one Ounce beat 'em to fine Powder and incorporate 'em without Heat with half a Pound of pure Oil of Bay not mixt with half the quantity of Grease as 't is Sold in many Shops at Paris Keep the Ointment in a glaz'd Pot and when you have occasion to use it open the Knots or Swellings with a Lancet and put into the Hole a little Cotton dipt in this Ointment without heating it in the least The next Day if you perceive that 't is fall'n away you must put in a little Cotton with some fresh Ointment but if it stick one Application will suffice This Ointment is also good for Warts Quitter-bones and in all cases that require the raising of an Escar An Italian Groom who communicated to me the description of this Ointment as a great Secret cur'd many Horses of the Farcin without applying any other Remedy I have seen with Amazement the unexpected Cures he perform'd before he imparted his Medicine to me and I Religiously observ'd the Promise I made him never to publish it during his Life CHAP. CXLIII The Remedy of a German Farrier for the Farcin 'T IS a very considerable conveniency to be furnish'd with variety of Remedies for dangerous Distempers for some Medicines are not duly Prepar'd and others that cannot be accus'd of that defect are nevertheless found to be ineffectual and besides every one may gratifie his Inclination in the choice of a Remedy among so great a number Whatever Method you follow in the Cure of the Farcin you must always observe the above-mention'd Directions concerning your Horse's Diet You must also Bleed him and Purge him too if
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
or Gristle So that Nature endeavouring to expel what offends her bursts the Hoof in the middle of the Quarter and the Matter finds a Passage thro' the Cleft near the hairy part of the Foot This Disease is cur'd by the Method I prescrib'd for the Quitter-Bone for the corrupted Tendon must be separated since 't is no more to be reckon'd as a part of the Foot I do not say that these Clefts in the Foot are always accompany'd with Crepances but only that these Distempers are sometimes united in which Case you may reckon your Horse to be in a very dangerous if not desperate Condition CHAP. CLXXXIX Of the Numness of the Hoof. THE Name of a Distemper usually gives us a confus'd Idea of the Nature of it but the Word introduc'd by Custom to express the Disease treated off in this Chapter seems not to have the least Relation to what it signifies However I will not quarrel about Words but rather proceed to a brief Explication of the Distemper commonly known by this Name to which I shall subjoin an Account of its Signs Causes and surest Remedies after I have told you that the Cure is extremely difficult or at least very tedious In the first place you must know that there is a Bone in the Middle of the Coffin-Bone which is almost of the same Figure with the Foot but much smaller since 't is contain'd within it This is that which we usually call the Bone of the Foot Now a Horse is said to be troubl'd with this Distemper when the Bone of the Foot by reason of a Relaxation at the End opposite to the Toe leaves its Place and natural Situation and the Flesh that surrounded it and united it to the Hoof growing dry there remains a hollow or empty Space Besides the Bone of the Foot being loosen'd at one end falls down and pressing against the Sole that covers it appears in Form of a Crescent as if there were another Bone fasten'd to the Outside of the Bone of the Foot whereas it is only that Bone it self fall'n down out of its natural Place and appearing in the Figure of a Crescent which is greater or smaller as the Bone is more or less loosen'd This Bone is seldom loosen'd towards the Heel to which 't is fasten'd by two great Sinews that pass thro' it in two several Places and bind it so fast to the Foot that unless it be loosen'd by some violent Accident it never descends but towards the Toe in which Case there remains a void space that was formerly fill'd with the Flesh that surrounded the Bone before it was loosen'd so that the Coffin-Bone and the Bone of the Foot were in a manner one continu'd Body so closely were they united whereas in this Case there is a hollow Space along the Hoof towards the Toe and the Extent of that Hollowness is proportionable to the Relaxation of the Bone This Distemper may be known by these Signs The Horse halts right down he trots and even walks upon his Heels and brings down his Toes softly to the Ground without laying any stress upon 'em The Fore-part of the Foot sounds hollow when you knock upon it with your Shooing-Hammer at last it shrinks in the Middle and the Foot loses its natural Shape This Disease has some Affinity with Foundering in the Feet but is less malignant and more easily cur'd The Effects are almost the same in both Cases for when a Horse is founder'd in the Feet the Bone of the Foot is loosen'd before and forms Crescents like those describ'd in this Chapter only they are greater and appear usually on both Feet whereas this Distemper rarely attacks more than one These Crescents in either Case are only the Bone of the Foot relax'd descending from its natural Place and appearing like a Crescent without the Flesh that formerly us'd to cover it So that you must not give Credit to the Opinion of certain Farriers who imagine it to be a Bone or bony Excrescency growing upon the Bone of the Foot This Bone thus relax'd and appearing in the above-mention'd Form is at last depriv'd of Nourishment and grows as it were one extraneous or preternatural Body and consequently must either fall away or be cut out These things were necessary to be premis'd in order to a clearer understanding of the Distemper but since I have hitherto only explain'd the Effect of the Cause I shall in the next place consider the Cause it self When a Horse by reason of vehement labour is over-heated the Humours are put in Motion by this Impression of Heat and the Agitation is encreas'd by other more subtil Humours which being out of their natural Place and besides thin sharp and spirituous ferment the grosser Humours with which they are mix'd This Ebullition occasions the rising of very sharp Vapours full of a volatile and corrosive Salt which insinuating into the Parts where they find least Resistance and in their way passing thro' some places where the natural Heat is moderate being no longer agitated nor supported by the Fermentation that rais'd 'em they are condens'd into Water which is carry'd by its own Weight to the Foot where they find an easie Admittance into the spongy Flesh between the Hoof and the Bone Now this Water or Liquor retaining the sharp and corrosive Nature of its primitive Vapours and in many Respects resembling Aqua-Fortis it consumes all the Flesh that united the Hoof and the Bone and at the same time dries up and separates a vast Number of little Nerves that proceed from the Bone of the Foot and fasten it to the Hoof So that the Bone being no longer sustain'd or kept in it places by the Flesh or those little Nerves falls down towards the sore-part of the Foot forms a Crescent under the Sole and leaves the fore-part of the Hoof empty and hollow Having already explain'd the Nature of Fermentation and illustrated that Explication with clear and proper Examples I know no reasonable Objection that can be made against the Account I have given of this Distemper Only methinks I hear some confident Wou'd-be-Wits enquire who told me all these fine Stories and whether I or my Informers were ever Witnesses of those Transactions in the Body But a very moderate stock of Sense wou'd enable 'em to conceive that tho' neither I nor any Man else can pretend to have seen those internal Motions and Revolutions 't is not at all impossible that a studious Enquirer into Nature may discover the Causes by their Effects And withal I assure 'em that if they can produce a more probable Hypothesis and confirm it with more or better Experiments I will receive it in such a Manner that they themselves shall acknowledge that I am neither of a very obstinate Nature nor over-fond of my own Notions 'T will not be improper in the next place to examine the Difference between the Humour that causes this Distemper and that which causes Foundering The latter of
and assoon as he comes into the Stable apply a Restringent Charge Take the Crum of a little Loaf hot from the Oven soak it in Spirit of Wine and apply it warm to the Wind-Gall lay a Bolster over it and tye it on with a broad Band wrapt several times about the Leg. This will cure a Wind-Gall in four and twenty Hours I remember that having apply'd this Remedy to a Spanish Horse who was troubl'd with a small Wind-Gall when I remov'd the Dressing I found the Leg very much swoll'n which surpriz'd me so much the more because I cou'd not imagine whence the Swelling proceeded In so doubtful a Case I apply'd the Remedy describ'd in the Sixty first Chapter consisting of Allom Whites of Eggs Honey and Spirit of Wine which asswag'd the Swelling in three or four times Dressing but the Wind-Gall remain'd still nor did I judge it convenient to endeavour the Removal of it by a new Application since my first Attempt had succeeded so ill tho' both before and since that time I have often cur'd Wind-Galls without the least appearance of a Swelling in the Leg. This Accident convinc'd me that the surest Remedy may fail sometimes and that we ought still to be prepar'd for all Events and when one Remedy proves unsuccessful to have recourse to another The following Restringent is very good Take Powder of Red Roses and of Myrtle-Berries of each two Drams fine Bole in powder and Starch of each four Ounces Juice of Plantane and green Service-Berries or for want of these Medlars of each an Ounce Vinegar of Roses three Ounces Mix 'em cold and make a Restringent Charge If it be too thin you may thicken it with Chalk and if it be too thick dilute it with Vinegar of Roses This Remedy serves not only to dissipate Wind-Galls which usually return upon the first occasion of violent Exercise but also to stop Defluxions and asswage or repel Swellings where it wou'd be dangerous to suffer 'em to end in Imposthumes as in all Sinewy Parts on the Hough and Reins If you would absolutely extirpate a Wind-Gall apply some softening Remedy and after that the Ointment of Beetles or that of Worms The Italians make use of Retoirs with excellent Success and the same are now very much us'd at Paris 'T is true those Medicines occasion a Swelling in the Part to which they are apply'd but that is soon asswag'd without any ill Consequence Yet before you apply a Retoire you may try the following Remedy To repel or asswage a Wind-Gall Wen or any other Soft Swelling Take a Quart of strong Vinegar and four Ounces of Galbanum beaten digest 'em on hot Ashes four and twenty Hours stirring 'em from time to time till the Galbanum be wholly dissolv'd then put in a Pound of common Turpentine and boil over a slow fire half an Hour after which add Mastich in powder three Ounces fine Bole one Pound Mix and make a Charge which must be apply'd hot and cover'd with a Piece of Paper When this falls off you will find the Swelling gone and therefore you may wash the Part with black Soap Butter or Oil-Olive for one Application is almost always sufficient This is an excellent Remedy This Charge will asswage and repel Wens in the Beginning and take away all sorts of Swellings To take away a Wind-Gall I can assure the Reader from frequent and successful Experience that the Ointment of Beetles describ'd in the seventieth Chapter or a convenient Retoire will utterly extirpate a Wind-Gall and the Hair will grow again as before Thus the Cure is perform'd more surely and effectually than by repelling Medicines for the Cause is remov'd and the Humours that fomented the Wind-Gall evacuated whereas the above-mention'd Remedy only drives in the Swelling but does not dissolve it You must not be surpriz'd at the Swelling occasion'd by the Ointment of Beetles for it ought to produce that Effect and the Tumour will fall away by degrees And even sometimes when too large a quantity of the Ointment is apply'd the Leg swells so extremely that the Horse seems to be irrecoverably lost but you may easily asswage the Swelling and take away the Heat and Pain by washing the Part with warm Wine mix'd with a little Butter The Fire is the last and best Remedy for Wind-Galls for it resolves and dissipates 'em so entirely that they never return again 'T is true it spoils the Sale of the Horse but it makes him fit for Service and I may say truly and without Vanity that I have brought this Remedy into fashion at Paris and made it so common as 't is at present and even I have often seen the King at Hunting on the Back of a Horse that had been fir'd on all his four Legs For sinewy Wind-Galls that grow on the Sinew behind the Fetlock the surest Remedy is to give the Fire pretty smartly but without piercing the Skin which will certainly cure 'em in the Beginning but this Operation is oftentimes delay'd till the Wind-Gall grows big and so hard that you cannot press it down with your Finger so that many Horses are irrecoverably lost by meer Neglect for they halt right-down and tho' you give the Fire it will not produce the desir'd Effect in less than six or eight Months and even then the Cure is frequently imperfect because the Tumour is grown so hard that the Fire either operates very slowly or not at all And therefore assoon as a sinewy Wind-Gall begins to make your Horse halt you must immediately give the Fire before the Swelling grow big and hard I speak only of the hinder Legs which are frequently subject to Accidents of this Nature whereas the fore Legs are rarely troubl'd with ' em CHAP. LXXIV Of Retories or Ruptories call'd by the Italians Dead Fire THE Italian Name of these Medicines is grounded on Reason for they not only heat the Part to which they are apply'd but even destroy it if they be rashly and immoderately us'd and therefore a Retoire is a kind of potential Fire Ruptories are compos'd in the Form of an Ointment of almost the same Drugs that are us'd in Blistering-Plaisters for Men which derive their Name from the Bladders or Blisters full of a reddish Water that arise in the Parts to which these Plaisters are apply'd Retoires produce the same Effect in Horses for they draw forth red Waters from the Part on which they are laid These are excellent Remedies in the hands of a prudent and skilful Person but if they be rashly apply'd either in too large a Quantity or on some great Veins as in the Case of a Blood-Spavin they will occasion no less dangerous Accidents than if a Cautery or Caustic had been apply'd for besides the Inflammation and Pain with which they are constantly attended they raise prodigious Scabs and Scurfs and make 'em fall away from the Part 't is plain then that a Retoire must be us'd with a great deal of Care
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