SURFEIT

is an eruption on the skin, and generally gives way, if attended to immediately on its appearance, by relaxing the bowels mildly, giving partly green food instead of hay and bran mashes; at the same time keep up the strength by feeding with the best oats and a little beans, alternately with the laxative treatment.

Should these means not suffice, or the disease become worse, consult a medical practitioner, who will probably administer diuretics; or if you cannot procure a professional man, give the following excellent tonic and alterative drink, recommended by Mr Mayhew:—

Liquor arsenicalis,1 ounce.
Tincture of muriate of iron,1½ ”
Water,1 quart.

Mix, and give daily half a pint for a dose.

Hidebound requires the same treatment as surfeit.

Mange is generally the result of insufficient food and other privations endured at grass, and of the neglect of the skin consequent on animals being turned out for a time to take care of themselves.

It is highly contagious, and is now admitted to be occasioned by an insect which is engendered in the foul coat.

A capital wash is recommended by Mr Mayhew, viz.:—

Animal glycerine,four parts.
Creosote,half a part.
Oil of turpentine,one part.
Oil of juniper,half a part.

About a pint and a half is said to be the quantity required to make one dressing. Every portion of the entire coat should be saturated with this wash, and thus left for two clear days, when it should be washed clean with soft soap and warm water, equal care being taken to omit no part of the body, which should afterwards be thoroughly dried and the coat well dressed or whisked.

When all is dry and clean apply a second dressing, proceeding as directed for the first, and a third after the two days have elapsed and the second cleaning process has been thoroughly gone through, after which the disease ought to be eradicated. A mere disposition to scratching is generally successfully treated by giving bran mashes night and morning for some days, and part green food instead of hay. Others recommend for mange, as most successful, the following application, to be well rubbed in once a-week all over the animal with a stiff horse-brush:—

Barbadoes tar,1 part.
Linseed oil,3 parts.

To be mixed and gently warmed in a pan.

The whole of the horse’s body to be thoroughly washed with soft soap and warm water, and perfectly dried, previous to rubbing in the foregoing application.