The Illustrated Horse Doctor / Being an accurate and detailed account of the various diseases to which the equine race are subjected

by Edward Mayhew

The cause of chronic dysentery among horses is not well understood. It is said to follow diarrhœa; but such an explanation seems to confound the commencement of one disorder with the establishment of another disease. Horses having chronic dysentery are, generally, old animals, which are subject to the will of a very poor or a very penurious man. They are badly kept, and may have to grub a scanty living from lanes and hedgerows; also, they are goaded to hard work upon watery food and sour grass. In such cases, disturbance of the bowels should be early attended to. The food should be immediately changed. Good sound oats and beans should be freely given, while the following drink is administered thrice daily:—

Crude opium	Half an ounce.
Liquor potassæ	One ounce.
Chalk	One ounce.
Tincture of all-spice	One ounce.
Alum	Half an ounce.
Mix with a quart of good ale, stir briskly, and give.

Should the primary symptom not be attended to, profuse purgation may ensue without excitement; but always will happen upon any exertion or the drinking of cold water. Violent straining often follows; the belly enlarges; the flesh wastes; the bones protrude; the skin is hide-bound; the visible mucous membranes become pallid; weakness increases; perspiration often bursts forth without occasion; the horse will stand still for hours, not grazing, nor seemingly being conscious that grass was within its reach.

A HORSE SUFFERING UNDER CHRONIC DYSENTERY.

At length a living skeleton alone remains of that which was a horse. The eyes have a sleepy, sad, and pathetic expression; the head is often turned slowly toward the flanks; the sight remains fixed for some moments upon the seat of pain; the horse stands on one spot, or only changes it when the bowels are about to act; colic at length sets in, though frequently it is present earlier; and the wretched quadruped then fades speedily away.

It is a general practice to turn animals suffering from chronic dysentery upon some village common. The horse is put there with scanty food and no shelter, under a plea of humanity, or "to give the old 'oss a last chance." There can be no feeling in placing a diseased animal far away from sight or help, where it must pine, shiver, and starve, in a dreary solitude.

Supposing the affected life to be claimed by a generous master, either of the following drinks may be given, thrice daily:—

Sulphuric ether	One ounce.
Laudanum	Three ounces.
Liquor potassæ	Half an ounce.
Powdered chalk	One ounce.
Tincture of catechu	One ounce.
Cold linseed tea	One pint.
Chloroform	Half an ounce.
Extract of belladonna	Half a drachm.
Carbonate of ammonia	One drachm.
Powdered camphor	Half a drachm.
Tincture of oak bark	One ounce.
Cold linseed tea	One pint.

The above drinks may be changed, as either appears to have ceased to operate. The food should be of the best and lightest description. Boiled roots, boiled linseed, boiled rice, crushed and boiled malt, etc. etc.; no hay. The body should be frequently dressed, and always clothed. A good bed ought to be allowed. The lodging must be well drained and roomy.