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. CIX. Of Swellings or Wounds on the Reins or Back.

THE Hurts that affect this Part are almost as dangerous as the Wringing of the Withers, and therefore as soon as you perceive a Swelling, you must immediate∣ly lay hot Dung in a Bag to the Tumour, and if it be not asswag'd in six Hours, apply Whites of Eggs beaten and thickned with a piece of Allum, according to the Directions prescrib'd for Hurts in the Withers. If you cannot prevent Suppuration, proceed as in the above-mention'd Case, making a Passage to let out the whole Mat∣ter, tho' you shou'd even open the Sore to the Bone; and continue to dress it, as you were taught before in the Cure of Wounds.

After you have pierc'd the Swelling with a hot Iron, as for Hurts in the Withers, draw out the Tents twice a Day, syrenge the Holes with the Waters for Gun-shot-Wounds, and besmear the Tents with the Duke's Ointment, chafing the whole Tu∣mour with the same Ointment, and covering it with a Woolly Lamb-Skin, to secure the Wound against the Injuries of the Air or Wind. But if the Swelling have no vent, as it happens not unfrequently, you cannot make a perfect Cure, and therefore you must immediately make an Incision, as in the Withers, piercing to the Bottom of the Sore, and taking away all the dead and rotten Flesh. After you have wip'd off the Blood, apply hot Embers to the Wound, and the next Day wash it with warm Wine, Urine, or a convenient Lye, renewing the Application of the hot Embers three or four times after the same manner, and dressing the Wound like a Hurt in the Withers. If the Tumour tend to Separation, and cannot be dissolv'd, the best way is to rub the lower part of it with a Retoire, which opens the Swelling, and draws forth a red Water, and afterwards hastens the Generation of the Matter. If the first Application of the Retoire increase the Tumour considerably, there will be no need of a second: But if the Swelling be not much augmented, you most proceed to a second Application. If you have no Retoire, open the Swelling in the lower part with a red hot Iron, if the Matter be already form'd. If the Matter that runs out be bloody, or only a red Water, you may conclude that the Swelling is too soon open'd; but if it be white, the Sore will heal of it self, and your only care must be to keep the Hole open, and renew the Application of the red-hot Iron in case of Necessity. We are oftentimes oblig'd, if the Matter take up a large space, to make several Holes with a red-hot Iron, that we may have the Conveniency of thrusting a Tent from one Hole to another, for the more speedy uniting of the Skin to the Flesh.

If the Matter that runs out be Black, you have reason to fear a Gangrene, and must immediately search the bottom of the Sore with your Probe; for 'tis a certain Sign that the Seat of the Matter is remote, and the surest way is to make a large Incision to the bottom of the Sore, with a Razor, and so dip the Bolsters of Flax in the Vulnerary Water or Lime-Water with Sublimate, stopping the Wound with Tents, and anointing all the external parts of it with the Duke's Ointment. If you perceive the Matter that runs out next Day to be very stinking, 'tis a sign of great Corru∣ption, and therefore you must cut away all the corrupt Flesh, till it appear fair and clean; strew the Sore with Salt, and afterwards for the greater Security wash it with the Vulnerary Water, or the Yellow-Water, as before, applying the Duke's Ointment about the Sore to all the parts from whence you suspect the Matter may come. Afterwards when you perceive no more dead or rotten Flesh, strew the inside of the Sore with Salt, and apply a Detersive, such as the Neat-herd's Ointment for Gauling, or Aegyptia∣cum mixt with Aqua-fortis; and when it begins to grow of a fair red Colour, dress it with Schmit's or the Doctor's Ointment, using your utmost Diligence to prevent a Gan∣grene in the Summer; for during the Winter Wounds are not so much subject to that fatal inconveniency.

Lapis Mirabilis is good to resist Corruption, as also the above-mention'd Vulnerary-Water, and for want of that the Yellow-Water; but the Spirits of Vitriol or Salt are bet∣ter, besides several others; all these Remedies ought to be apply'd in case of Ne∣cessity, when the Matter that runs out appears of a Black Colour, which is one of the greatest signs of Corruption.

If you cannot stop the Blood after the opening of an Abscess, sear the part; for besides the conveniency of stanching the Flux of Blood, the falling away of the Scab will promote the Cure; and at last when 'tis time to compleat the Cure, the regular application of the Hermit's Ointment will quickly perform the Work.

An excellent Digestive.

Take fine Turpentine and Honey of each two Ounces, the Yolks of four Eggs, half an Ounce of Myrrh, and an Ounce of Alloes in Powder; mix all the Ingredients cold, and you will have a Digestive that hinders the Corruption of the Flesh, and takes away all the Pain occasion'd by the violence of the preceding Reme∣dies.

The usual Digestive of Farriers is compos'd of Turpentine incorporated with the Yolks of Eggs to the thickness of an Ointment, of a pale Citron Colour, which is a good Remedy, but inferior to the former.

When the Wound appears fair and clean, and fit to be clos'd, you may apply several sorts of Ointments. That which follows is esteem'd good, and is thus prepar'd.

The Hunter's Ointment for deep Wounds.

Tho' I have already communicated the description of the Hermit's Ointment, which is one of the most effectual Remedies for Wounds, and cures 'em very speedily with∣out the least ill Accident: I thought fit also to insert that which follows, since 'tis a good, easie, and cheap Remedy.

Take Hog's Grease and Oil-Olive, of each one pound; melt the Grease in the Oil, and after they have boil'd a little, add two handfuls of the fresh Roots of Sharp-pointed Dock, beaten and slic'd small. Continue to boil for the space of half an Hour, stir∣ring from time to time; after which add two handfuls of Self-heal, and boil half an Hour longer; then squeeze the Substances thro' a Linen Cloth in a Press, and throw∣ing away the Dreggs, put the strain'd Liquor in a Bason over a gentle Fire, with a pound of common Turpentine, and as soon as they begin to incorporate, add four Ounces of Verdigreese reduc'd to a fine Powder, boiling and stirring 'em over a slow Fire; then remove the Vessel from the Fire, and add two Ounces of Borax beaten very small, and six Ounces of unslak'd Lime in very fine Po wder, stirring 'em till they be quite cold.

This Ointment will be of a lovely Green Colour. When you have occasion to use it, apply it cold to the Wounds, and strew 'em with the Powder of old Ropes, powdering the Tents with the same.

It cleanses, heals, consolidates, and cicatrizes the Wound, without hurting it. Ex∣perience will convince you of its Excellency.