HUMOURS
.—All chronic disorders in the horse, arising from an impure state of the blood, are with the inferior classes in general denominated "HUMOURS;" as a concise mode of avoiding scientific investigation, or medical ambiguity, and bringing the case immediately home, as they think, to every comprehension. With people of the description alluded to (whether SMITHS, FARRIERS, COACHMEN, or GROOMS) the word humours is conceived so wonderfully comprehensive, that it is by them supposed to convey an infinite idea of every thing, at the very moment it is known, by their superiors and employers, to imply no definite or certain meaning at all. If a horse has swelled legs, they are the effect of "humours." If an inflammation of and defluxion from the eyes, they are equally produced by "humours." Should cracked heels appear (the evident effect of idleness, and want of attention) they too are brought on by "humours." Even thrushes, occasioned in general by equal neglect and want of cleanliness, are also frequently attributed to "humours;" and to sum up the intrinsic value of this professional GEM, even lameness, in a variety of cases, whether behind or before, above or below, is most sapiently, if not SCIENTIFICALLY, attributed to that ne plus ultra of definition, denominated humours.
Thus far upon what HUMOURS are supposed to be; now to what they are. It may readily be conceived by those not professionally informed on the subject, that the BLOOD (which is the very mainspring of existence) must have preserved such kind of equality, consistency, or uniformity, in its component parts, as to constitute a precise standard, necessary to the enjoyment and preservation of HEALTH. This incontrovertible position being admitted beyond all possible ground of controversy, what does it evidently demonstrate? Why, that as much as the BLOOD is enriched above, or impoverished below, that STANDARD, in its property, so in proportion must it approach the kind of disease appertaining to the one extreme or the other. To those whose intellectual rays are open to conviction, not a single line more would be required in explanation; but that the most incredulous, the most obstinate, and the most illiterate, may have equal opportunity of information, let the two different states of the blood, (as just explained,) with their effects, be adverted to. When it has, by a superabundance of food and ease, a neglect of exercise, and a want of the necessary evacuations, acquired a degree of consistence (or thickness) above the criterion already described, it then becomes too heavy and sluggish for its purpose of regular CIRCULATION, and is proportionally inadequate to the task of propelling the perspirative matter to the surface, which being thus compulsively returned upon the blood, adds to its siziness, and promotes its viscidity, jointly tending to such partial stagnation, as soon displays itself in some one of the many disorders to which horses are incident, in the hands of those where prevention is not attended to.
Having taken a survey of the state of the BLOOD, by which swelled legs, grease, foulness, inflammatory tumours, formations of matter in various parts, and one species of farcy, may be produced, it will be necessary to take a short view of it in its contrasted state, when, by a continued series of hard work, with bad keep, a constant supply of unhealthy provender, in musty oats, mouldy hay, or any other article distending the body, without adequate nutriment to the frame, as well as the want of a proper supply, in proportion to the necessary SECRETIONS and EVACUATIONS, will either, or all, tend to diminish the CRASSAMENTUM, or adhesive property of the blood, and in a greater or less degree (according to the cause) reduce it to a serous or weak and watery state, below the standard of mediocrity so clearly explained; when acquiring acrimony in proportion as it has been reduced, the effect seldom rests upon emaciation only, but soon displays itself in some cutaneous eruption, so constantly dependent upon, and appertaining to, an impoverished state of the blood.
This distinction has been introduced, not more to throw some satisfactory light upon the ambiguity of the expression, which it seems so few understand, than to prove the necessity for paying such attention to the general state of a HORSE'S HEALTH and appearance, as may at least be the means of preventing disease, anxiety, trouble, expence, and probably the eventual loss of a useful, or even a valuable, animal, which too often happens for want of a little humane circumspection; when it is then experimentally found REPENTANCE comes too late. As the fertile idea of HUMOURS frequently originates in error, so the error is continued in the medical mode of counteraction; for let the derangement in the animal economy have happened from whichever of the causes described, the system adopted is much the same in all cases, and with all classes, rendering sometimes the remedy worse than the disease. Those, however, who wish to blend instruction with entertainment, deriving advantage from both, will do well to recollect, that whatever DISORDERS (alias humours) originate in plethora, fulness of the frame, and viscidity of the blood, must be subdued by repeated BLEEDINGS, moderate PURGING, regular exercise, a great deal of stable discipline, (wisping, leg-rubbing, &c.) and, if necessary, a concluding course of MILD DIURETICS. Disorders arising from a weak and impoverished state of the blood last described, must be counteracted by an extra addition of nutritive aliment, as mashes of ground malt and bran nightly, as well as the usual supplies of corn by day: an invigorating cordial ball daily should assist the intent; and a course ofANTIMONIAL ALTERATIVES be lastly introduced, to give a new complexion to the property of the blood.