The parfait mareschal, or Compleat farrier. Which teacheth, I. To know the shapes and goodness, as well as faults and imperfections of horses. II. The signs and causes of their diseases, the means to prevent them, their cure, and the good or bad use of purging and bleeding. III. The way to order and preserve them, when upon travel, to feed, and to dress them. IV. The art of shoeing, according to a new design of shoes, which will recover bad feet, and preserve the good. Together with a treatise, how to raise and bring up a true and beautiful race of horses: as also instructions, whereby to fit all kinds of horses with proper bits, whereof the chief draughts are represented in copper-plates. / Written originally in French by the Sieur de Solleysel Escuyer, sometime one of the overseers of the French Kings Royal Academy of Riding, near to the Hostel de Conde in Paris. And translated from the last Paris impression, by Sir William Hope of Kirkliston Kt. Lieutenat Governour of the Castle of Edinburgh. By whom is also added as a supplement to the first part, a most compendious and excellent collection of horsemanship, taken from the best and most modern writers upon that subject, such as Mr. De la Brow, Pluvinel, and the Great Duke of Newcastle. Part I.

CHAP. CVIII. Powders to dry up a Wound.

TAke Honey and unslak'd Lime, reduc'd to Powder, and searc'd, of each a Pound; mix 'em and put 'em into a Pot over a moderate Fire, stirring perpetually till they be throughly dry'd, and as it were Calcin'd, so that the Matter may be beaten and reduc'd to a fine Powder, which will incarnate and dry up a clean and red Wound. The only inconveniency of this Powder is, that it draws Flies to the Part in the Summer; nor will you find a more effectual Remedy among all that vast variety of Powders, with which Books of this Nature are stuff'd, if it be apply'd in a Season when there are no Flies. Charcoal beaten, old Shooes burn'd, sifted Ashes, Powder of Rosemary, or Sage, &c. are also very proper.

Other Powders to dry up Wounds.

Those who live in a place where Aqua-Fortis is made, may easily prepare a Pow∣der to dry up Wounds, and prevent the growth of Proud-Flesh; for the Caput Mortuum that remains in the Retort after the distillation of Aqua-Fortis, beaten to Powder and apply'd to the Wounds, is more effectual than Burnt Allum, Calcin'd Vitriol, and other such like Powders. The Distillers of Aqua-Fortis sell the Caput Mortuum at a very low rate, for if they do not meet with a Customer, they throw it away as useless; so that you may have a Porter's Burthen of it for Ten Pence. The distillation extracts only the most Spirituous and Volatil Parts of the Ingredients; but the Fixt Salts re∣main in the Caput Mortuum, and perform the effect requir'd in this case. Aqua Fortis is distill'd from Vitriol, or Bock-Allum, and Salt-Peter; and that which remains in the Retort, after the first Method of Distillation, is indu'd with the Virtues of Calcin'd Vi∣triol, as that which remains after the second, produces the effect of Burnt-Allum. I am not ignorant that there are several other ways of distilling Aqua-Fortis, but these are most usual; and besides, the Caput Mortuum is always proper in these cases, whatever be the Ingredients or Method of the Distillation; for example, Sal Armo∣niac, Sal Gemmae, and Bole-Armenic are join'd to Salt-Peter, in the distillation of those Waters that are known by the Name of Aqua-Regia, and leave in the Retort a Sedi∣ment or Caput Mortuum, which is very effectual for the drying of Wounds, and hin∣dering the growth of Proud-Flesh, if they be reduc'd to Powder, and apply'd to the Part. This Advice is particularly directed to Farriers, who use a great quantity of these sorts of Powders.

Before all other drying Powders, I prefer those that are made of the Caput Mor∣tuum, remaining in the Retort after the distillation of Spirit of Vitriol, because there is always some Bole-Armenic, mixt with the Vitriol to prevent its melting in the Retort, since it would not yield any Spirit, if it were in a state of Fusion. And the Bole mixt with the Calcin'd Vitriol, which is endu'd with a certain Balsamic Qua∣lity, makes a Composition that hinders the falling down of any Defluxion upon the Part, and dries the Wound very effectually and speedily.

Borax in fine Powder is an excellent Remedy to dry up Wounds and hinder the growth of Proud-Flesh.

Arsmart or Water-Pepper, dry'd and beaten to Powder dries up Wounds; and even if it be stamp'd while 'tis green, and put between the Wound and the Saddle, it cures a small Hurt.

Another Powder to dry up Wounds.

The drying up of Wounds is so much the more necessary, because the best Ointments keep the Parts moist, and are apt to breed Matter. Supposing, for ex∣ample, that you have dress'd a Quitter-bone, so long till there remains no bottom in the Sore, that is, till you can discover no cavity with your Probe, the Matter at the same time ceasing to run, you may conclude that 'tis time to apply Powders, espe∣cially if you ride your Horse.

The following Powder is excellent in such Cases, for it sticks so fast that a Horse cannot possibly shift it off by any Motion; besides, it raises a Scurf on the Sore, that prevents the Corruption of the Flesh, and after the Scurf is fall'n, you will find the Sore all over Cicatriz'd. Renew the Application of the Powder, continuing after the same manner; and the Sore will be sooner Cured by this Method than any other whatsoever.

The Powder is thus prepar'd; Take a sufficient quantity of good White Tartar, which is only the dry Lees of Wine that stick to the Bottom of the Cask; burn it in an Earthen Pot, surrounded with live Charcoal, till the Pot grow red; then suffer it to cool, and reduce it to a Powder, which in the Language of Art is call'd Powder of Calcin'd Tartar.

It drys all sorts of Wounds or Hurts in the Withers, or any other part of the Bo∣dy; 'tis good for a Weeping or Frothy Sole, that cannot be dry'd with the usual Remedies. When 'tis apply'd to a Wound, it raises a Scurf, which must be so forc'd to fall away before the Application be renew'd.

Burn some Oister-Shells in the Fire till they grow perfectly white; then take 'em out, and after they are cold, beat 'em to a very fine Powder, which is an excel∣lent and successful Remedy for Wounds and Scars, because it is a true Sal Alkali separated entirely from all its Acid Particles by the Action of the Fire: And therefore as soon as 'tis apply'd to the Wounds, it imbibes and sucks up as much of the Acid Juice, or Humour, as 'tis capable of containing, and so frees the Wound or Sore from the force of all the Disorders with which 'tis attended, such as Pain, Inflammation, Eating or Corroding of the Flesh, Swelling and every thing else that obstructs the healing or closing of the Wound. Thus Nature being deliver'd from her Enemy by the frequent Applications of the burnt or calcin'd Shells, exerts all her Vigour for the speedy Cure of the Wound. I know few Farriers that are capa∣ble of comprehending the force of this way of Reasoning, since the most ingenious Persons of that Profession content themselves with judging of Causes by their Ef∣fects, without penetrating further into the Nature of Distempers.

Those who are troubl'd with external Haemorrhoids or Piles, may use this Powder with success, applying it to the Tumours when they bleed, mixt with fresh Butter, or some other convenient Liniment; for it destroys the Acid that occasions the Pain and Heat.

The Powder of calcin'd Muscel-Shells produces the same Effect, if it be apply'd ei∣ther to a Wound in Horses, or Haemorrhoids in Men, because it is a powerfull Alkali that absorbs all Acid Juices.

The Bones of a Cuttle-Fish that are every where to be found in Druggists Shops, and commonly us'd by Goldsmiths for casting of Rings in a Mould, are endu'd with almost the same Virtues, for they contain an excellent Alkali that dries up all sorts of Wounds. They are very brittle, and may be easily reduc'd to a very fine Powder.

All sorts of Bones that are of a porous or less compact contexture, if they be burnt till they are very white, and easily reducible to Powder, are of excellent use for the drying up of Wounds or Sores; for they are fixt Alkali's separated from their respective Acids by calcination, and immediately suck up the Acid contain'd in the Wound, which is the only Sourse of all the Disorders that hinder the Cure.