Every Man His Own Doctor / The Cold Water, Tepid Water, and Friction-Cure, as Applicable to Every Disease to Which the Human Frame Is Subject, and Also to the Cure of Disease in Horses and Cattle

by R. T. Claridge

In severe cases, the animal should be subjected to the sweating process, and cold ablution. The animal’s head should be wetted every hour with cold water, and green food prescribed as a diet. The douche in these cases is of the greatest utility.

Weakness of the Limbs, and Sprains.—These affections are generally successfully treated by constant friction with cold water. This rubbing subdues the heat; bandages should be continually worn. The weakness of the hips and loins soon disappears under this treatment; the douche in these cases is highly beneficial.

Broken Knees.—Let the part be carefully washed, then bandages applied above, and below, and upon the part affected, and kept continually wet as long as inflammation continues. After which, use wet bandages, covered with dry ones, until the part is healed.

External Inflammation and Wounds.—After having well cleaned the sore, it should be covered with a heating-bandage; and if the inflammation is severe, and the heat great, the bandage should be frequently renewed. The animal should take a bath, but without wetting the wound.

External inflammation proceeds from two causes; first, the tightness of the saddle, which wounds the flesh; secondly, from the blows which the horse receives. As soon as you perceive that the horse has been hurt by the saddle, take it off, and having rubbed him well dry, place upon the wound a heating-bandage, firmly tied on, and let it be frequently renewed; but always before renewing the bandage, clean the part affected with cold water; the parts near the wound must be treated in the same manner. This bandage and friction are useful in cases of throat obstructions; the bandage must be changed as often as it becomes hot. Before it becomes quite dry, it should be renewed, taking care each time to rub well the parts affected, which renders them, when exposed, less sensitive. This gives elasticity to the wound.

Tender Feet.—All horses should stand upon clay, bricks, or stones; not upon straw, as it heats the feet too much. For corns or tender feet, foot-baths for an hour or two, two or three times a day are resorted to; and bandages should be worn from the fetlock to the knee-joints, to draw the heat from the feet. A friend of the author’s, travelling on the Continent, tried this on a mare which became lame: it succeeded admirably.

Cholic.—Apply one or two clysters of cold water; wet the body, and rub the animal well for an hour with wet whisps, and then put round the body a sheet wetted and doubled several times, covered with a dry blanket. If the first operation is not sufficient, resort to the packing process, and afterwards the rubbing. This system persevered in, the cholic is sure to give way.

Lock-Jaw.—Friction, the douche, and perspiration, are the remedies resorted to. During the intervals of their application, cold bandages should be applied.

The irritation of the skin counteracts the lock-jaw. The efficiency of cold water in this complaint has been known in England for years. An article, some time ago, appeared in the Chelmsford paper, stating that the possessor of a valuable horse, which had been seized with lock-jaw, after trying all other means in vain, threw from the loft, upon the animal, a hogshead or more of water, and then had him covered up in blankets. This brought on perspiration, and a cure was the result. An acquaintance of the author’s, in Gloucesterhire, who treated a horse in a similar way, was equally successful.