Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/398

366] for which we have lately submitted to pay an exorbitant and unreasonable price.

Broth for horses, was formerly considered as an useful medicine for these noble animals, especially in all complaints of the bowels, or the colic. Some farriers also commended the use of broth made of tripe, on account of its mucilaginous quality, in fevers and other distempers, which prevent a horse from feeding. From later and more accurate observations, however, it appears that liquid animal food, being contrary to their nature, is pernicious to granivorous creatures, and may generate such disorders as cannot be easily remedied. The use of broth should therefore be confined to the administration of clysters when a horse is costive: thus, by injecting two or three quarts of a fat and emollient decoction, prepared either of tripe or other intestinal substances containing fatty matter, the crude viscidities of the bowels may be relieved. If the guts be very full, so as to require a strong stimulus, more or less common salt may be added to the clyster, without which the operation will seldom succeed.  BRUISES, or contusions, being frequently neglected at first, may produce consequences more alarming than those of wounds. Blows received on the head, pit of the stomach, hip, or the knee, are the most dangerous. A violent inflammation, in consequence of injured nerves, or the destruction of blood vessels, often occasions the mortification of those parts, which the most skilful treatment cannot retrieve, if the accident be neglected for many hours or days. Instead, therefore, of listening to officious old women, or neighbours, an experienced surgeon ought instantly to be consulted. We know a recent melancholy instance, of a most promising youth, who, when studying physic at Edinburgh, was so improvident as to suffer a slight contusion on the knee to pass unnoticed; which, however, proved fatal to him a week after the accident.

When the contusion is slight, fomentations with lukewarm vinegar and water, repeatedly applied to the part, will generally relieve it; but if it be of a more serious nature, either decoctions of the (Arnica montana, L.) or  (see p. 103), may be preferably used.—Dr. informs us, that he has often seen cataplasms of fresh cow-dung applied to violent contusions occasioned by blows, falls, bruises, &c. and never knew them fail to have a good effect. In more violent cases of this nature, the patient's diet and regimen ought to be in every respect similar to that suggested under the head of.

Bruises of , which they often receive either in hunting, or by other accidents, may be cured, according to Professor, in the following manner: If a bruise appear externally, anoint the swelling with a decoction of chickweed and groundsel, boiled in strong ale; which will assuage the pain, and reduce the tumor: but, if it be a wound, cut away the hair, and cover it with a plaster made of equal quantities of the roots of great comfrey, melilot, and oil of roses. As the latter, however, might be too expensive an ingredient, we recommend either to substitute a little of the spirit of turpentine, or more simply, to lay two or three