Of the strangullion or Squinancy.
[ 10] THe Strangullion, called of the Latines Angina, according to the Physitians, is an in∣flamation of the inward partes of the throate, and as I saide before, is called of the Greeks Synanchi, which is as much to say in English as strangling, wherof this name strangullion as I thinke is deriued for this disease doth strangle euery man or beast, and therefore is numbred amongst the perilous and sharp diseases called of the Latines Morbi accuti, of which strangilng the physitians in mans body make foure differences. The first and worst is, when no part within the mouth nor without, appereth manifestly to be infla∣med, and yet the patient is in great perill of strangling. The second is, when the inwarde parts of the throat onely be inflamed. The third is, when the inward and outward partes of the throat be both inflamed. The fourth is, when the muscles of the necke are infla∣med, [ 20] or the inward ioynts thereof so loosened, as they straiten thereby both the throat, or wesand, or wind-pipe: for short breath is incident to all the foure kinds before recited, and they proceede all of one cause: that is to say, of some collerick or bloody-fluxion, which comes out of the branches of the throat-vaines into those parts, and there breedeth some hot inflamation. But now to proue that a horse is subiect to this disease, you shall hear what Absirtus, Hierocles, Vegetius, and others doe say, Absirtus writing to his friend a certaine Ferrer or horse-leach, called Aistoricus, speaketh in this manner. When a Horse hath the strangvllion it quickly killeth him, the signes whereof be these. His temples will be hollow, his tong will swell and hang out of his mouth, his eies also will be swollen, and the passage of his throat stopt so as he can neither eat nor drinke. All these signes be also confirmed by [ 30] Hierocles.
Moreouer, Vegetius rendereth the cause of this disease, affirming that it proceedeth of aboundance of subtile blood, which after long trauell will inflame the inward or outward muscles of the throat or wisand, or such affluence of blood may come, by vse of hot meats after great trauell, being so alteratiue, as they cause those parts to swell in such sort as the Horse can neither eat nor drinke, nor draw his breath. The cure according to vegetius, is in this sort.
First bath his mouth and tongue well with hot water, and then annoint it with the gal of a Bull, that done giue him this drinke. Take of old oyle two pound, of olde wine a quart, nine figs, and nine Leekes heads well stamped and braied together. And after you haue [ 40] boiled these a while before you straine them, put therunto a little Nitrum Alexandrinum, and giue him a quarte of this euery morning and euening. Absirtus and Hierocles would haue you to let him blood in the palate of his mouth, and also to poure wine and oile into his nostrils and also giue him to drinke this decoction of Figs and Nitrum sodden toge∣ther, or else to anoint his throat within with nitre oyle and hony, or else with hony & hogs dung mingled together, which differeth not much from Galen his medicine, to be giuen vnto man. For he saith, that hony mingled with the powder of hogs dung that is white, and swallowed downe, doth remedy the squanancy presently. Absirtus also praiseth the oyntment made of Bdellium, and when the inflamation beginneth somwhat to decrease, he saieth it is good to purge the horse, by giuing him wild Cocumber, and Nitre to drink. Let his meat be grasse if it may be gotten, or else wet hay, and sprinkled with Nitre. [ 50] Let his drinke also be lukewarme water, with some barly meale in it.