,—any medical composition prepared in a liquid form, and given to horses or cattle for the cure of disease. A distinction is made between the two in general; it being the custom to say, DRINK for a HORSE, drench for a cow. They are given with a horn, sold by saddlers and collar-makers for that purpose.
DRIFT
—is the act of driving A COMMON. This ceremony takes place once, twice, or thrice, a year, (according to the custom of the place,) to insure and continue the privilege of the Lord of the Manor, as well as to preserve the rights of the parishioners. The cattle upon the COMMONS and WASTES being all driven to some particular spot, are there examined, and their owners ascertained: those belonging to parishioners (or such as have right of common) are immediately liberated, and return to their old lair: others, the property of ALIENS, are impounded, and the owner is fined such reasonable sum as may be thought equitable by the BAILIFF of the MANOR. No owner being found, the object (whatever it be) is called an estray, which being cried three times in the nearest market-towns, and not claimed within twelve months and a day, it then becomes the property of the LORD of the MANOR.
DRIVER
,—a name given to many famous horses, but of very different blood. The first was foaled in 1727, bred by the Duke of Ancaster, and got by the Wynn Arabian, of no great note. Mr. Beaver's Driver was foaled 1732, and got by Snake out of Thwaites's dun mare. Mr. Lamego's Driver (commonly called Little Driver) was got by Beaver's Driver; dam by Childers; grand-dam by the Walpole Barb; was foaled in 1743; and for some years proved one of the best plate horses in the kingdom, having won upwards of thirty fifties; but as a stallion never produced any winners. Lord Egremont's Driver, foaled in 1783, was got by Trentham, dam (Coquette) by the Compton Barb, and proved a tolerable runner.
DROPSY of the Chest
—is a disorder to which horses are subject; and many instances have occurred in the practice of the Author, where seven, eight, and in one case near ten gallons of water were found in the CAVITY of the CHEST, upon opening the body after death. This accumulation of fluid being completely extravasated, no hope of cure can be entertained, as the preternatural collection can neither be taken up by absorption, or carried off by evacuation. There seems to be only one predominant trait, or distinguishing symptom, by which this disorder can be even tolerably ascertained, and that is solely by the ACTION of the horse. In either walk, trot, or gallop, (and the more as his pace is increased in each,) the fore legs seemingly spread from each other, as if they were internally distended by painful pressure, similar to division by forcible expansion, not at all unlike the means used by butchers in the stick pointed at each end to extend the limbs of carcases when displayed for sale. The legs in a trot constitute a painful hobble; and in a GALLOP the subject cannot get his legs before him, but appears at every motion likely to pitch upon his head. All this gives every reason to believe the defect, when first discovered, is frequently thought a lameness in the shoulder, and the patient presently deemed a chest-foundered horse. If a horse having a DROPSY in the CHEST, and the collection of water (from the duration of disease) is large, much information may be derived respecting the certainty, by the following experiment. Lead, or let him be rode up a gentle ascent, and he will be observed to move with but very little pain or impediment: the moment he is turned round, and descends, the weight of the water in the chest coming forward, and being pressed upon by the contents of the abdomen, in the action of going down hill, instantly produces so much pain, and such difficulty of proceeding, that with judicious practitioners, or nice observers, no great hesitation can arise in pronouncing the probable CERTAINTY of this disease.
DRUGS
.—The parts of the MATERIA MEDICA are so called in their individual state, previous to their incorporation with each other, when they then become CHEMICALS or GALENICALS, according to the different processes they have undergone; and the most eminent commercial houses in that way, announce themselves dealers in "Chemicals, Galenicals, and Drugs." There is nothing requires more the scrutinizing eye of the SPORTSMAN, or the judicious exertion of the VETERINARIAN, than the selection of MEDICINES; upon the pure and unadulterated properties of which, he has alone to depend for the foundation of all his hopes, the gratification of all his wishes, and the support of all his professional reputation.
It is a matter too universally known to require much information, that DRUGS of different kinds (or qualities) are sold under the same denomination at various prices; by which the prudent and the experienced may easily judge of the gradational shades of ADULTERATION by which those prices are reduced. The lower class of FARRIERS, particularly in the country, are remarkable for purchasing the cheapest articles they can obtain, and have of course the regular channels through which they are supplied. The paltry articles sold for LIQUORICE POWDER, DIAPENTE, FŒNUGREC, ANISEED POWDER, and TURMERIC, are mostly a compound of flour, bean meal, oatmeal, and various kinds of rubbish, slightly impregnated with a small proportion of the genuine drug or medicine it is intended to represent. See Adulteration.