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. CXLVIII. To dissolve and asswage all sorts of Swellings caus'd by the Farcin, both in the Legs, and other Parts of the Body.

SOmetimes after the cure of the Farcin, the Thigh, Hough, or Leg, and not unfre∣frequently all the three remain swoll'n and gourded. This inconveniency is the effect of the Carelesness of those to whom the management of the Cure is com∣mitted, who neglect to apply a dissolving Medicine in the beginning, which wou'd have prevented the congealing and hardening of the Humours; for at the first you may expect a more considerable effect from the weakest Remedy, than afterwards from the most powerful Resolvent.

These Swellings may be reckon'd among the worst Infirmities of a Horse: For the swoll'n Leg is bigger, heavier, and more unweildy than the rest; the Horse is apt to Stumble, and Tires sooner than otherwise he wou'd have done; and when you have occasion to sell him, you must part with him for a fourth part of his Value.

'Tis very difficult, and oftentimes impossible to asswage the Swelling of a Leg that has been fear'd or burnt; for the Skin is harden'd, and that which the Fire cou'd not dissolve is so hard and congeal'd, that the Application of the best Medicines produces a very inconsiderable effect, and frequently none at all.

The following Ointment dissolves Swellings of what kind soever, whether proceeding from the Farcin, or any other cause; and if the Tumour yield not to this Medicine, you may conclude, that 'tis above the power of Remedies to perform the Cure.

Take common Honey, and the Grease of a Capon, Chicken, or Hen, or if neither of these can be procur'd, of a Horse, or for want of that of a Bore, melted and strain'd thro' a Linnen-Cloth. Leaves of Rue three Pounds, beat 'em in a Marble-Mortar, and incorporate 'em with the Grease and Honey. Then boil this Mash with a Pint of the Juice of green Coleworts in a Skillet or Bason over a gentle Fire, stirring perpetually, for the space of half an Hour; after which press it thro' a Linnen-Cloth, and throw∣ing away the gross Substance that remains in the Cloth, boil the Straining with two Pounds of fresh Rue, if the Herbs be dry: Then strain it into a new Pot, and after 'tis cold, add Cinnabar, Sal-Armoniac, and Gum-Ammoniac, of each four Ounces; Black-Soap, one Pound; mix and incorporate the whole; and keep the Ointment close cover'd for use.

Dissolve an Ounce of Camphire beaten to Powder, in a Pint of highly rectify'd Spirit of Wine, by a cold Infusion, and keep the Solution in a Bottle. The Camphire hinders the Spirit of Wine from exhaling, and the Spirit retains the Camphire.

When you have occasion to dissolve any cold Tumour, rub the Part till it grow hot, then chafe it with the Camphorated Spirit of Wine, and anoint it with the following Ointment. The next Day, without washing away, or taking off the Ointment that remains upon the Part, chafe it with the Spirit, and afterwards with the Ointment, continuing after the same manner till the Swelling be asswag'd.

The Ointment alone is sufficient for the Cure of the Water-Farcin, or other softer Swellings.

When a Horse's Legs are swoll'n with the Farcin, even during the Application of other Remedies, for the Cure of the main Disease, you must chafe the swoll'n Leg with this Ointment once every Day, walking the Horse to make the Medicine sink in, and continuing after the same manner till the Leg be sound.

While you are endeavouring to draw out the Humour that causes the Cord, by a∣nointing it with the Ointment of Beetles; you may at the same time apply the dissolving Ointment to the other swoll'n parts of the Leg.

Sometimes Tumours appear under the Chaul, and at the sides of it, on the Shoulders, and in other parts of the Body. If you perceive that these Tumours are neither oc∣casion'd by the Strangles, nor have the least tendency to Suppuration, apply this Ointment cold till the Swellings be asswag'd.

The following Ointment is sufficient for the Cure of small and inconsiderable Tu∣mours. Take the Ointment of Marsh-Mallows, and Populeon, of each two Ounces; Black-Soap, four Ounces; and with a sufficient quantity of Brandy make an Oint∣ment. This Ointment will also asswage those Swellings that are only fasten'd to the Skin, and remain after the Cure of Wounds or Hurts that are not brought to a due Sup∣ration, especially on the Withers: But 'tis to be observ'd, that the Cure will succeed the better, if you apply the Ointment as soon as you perceive the Swelling.

Sometimes after the Cure of Swellings in the Legs or Houghs by Blows or Bruises, or other such like Accidents, the Legs and Pastern-Joints continue gourded by the con∣geal'd and harden'd Humour, tho' the Horse seem not to be troubl'd with any Pain or Lameness. This Deformity may be easily corrected by moderate Exercise, and the daily Application of the Ointment to the swoll'n Part: But if it be not at∣tended with the expected Success, after you have renew'd the Application five or six times without any visible abatement of the Swelling; you must wash the Part with a strong Lye twice a Day, for five or six Days, and then apply the Spirit of Wine Cam∣phorated, and afterwards the dissolving Ointment; for there are few Swellings so inve∣terate, that may not be asswag'd by this Method.

If you perceive that the Ointment is too strong, and that it raises Blisters and Scabs, or swells the Part, add a convenient quantity of Capon's, or Horse's Grease.

Sometimes you may meet with inveterate Swellings, that elude the force of all those Remedies, especially in Winter, by reason of the Cold which condenses the Pores and makes the Cure extreamly difficult; and therefore you must double the quantity of the Remedies. But if the Success, after all, do not answer your Expectations, you must give the Fire very dexterously, without piercing the Skin. Note, That in this case, you must not apply a Plaister, but only chafe the burnt Parts with a Mixture of Honey, and Spirit of Wine, for the space of nine Days, and then with Spirit of Wine alone, till the Scab fall away, and the Sore be dry.

Since Fire is the most powerful Resolvent, it oftentimes performs Cures that have been in vain attempted with the best Ointments; but it operates slowly, and you must often wait three Months before you can perceive any considerable effect of it.

You may give the Fire safely in any part of the Body, even on the Sinews, Tendons, and Veins; for it never produces any ill effect, if the hot Iron be nimbly and dex∣terously apply'd without piercing the Skin; and if those Cautions be observ'd, it hard∣ly leaves any visible Mark.

I could have added many other Receipts for the Farcin, if I had not resolv'd to in∣sert none but such as I have often try'd with Success; among which I may justly reckon the two that follow.

A Receipt for the Farcin.

The Person who communicated this Receipt was so confident of its Virtue, and pretended that he had perform'd so many wonderful and unexpected Cures with it, that he usually bought all the Horses that were troubl'd with the Farcin, which he cou'd purchase at a low rate. But the Observations I made on the Condition of some of those Horses when he began to apply the Remedy, makes me inclinable to think that his Attempts were not always attended with Success. Take a Root of sharp-pointed Dock, two Fingers breadth long, and about the thickness of one; Split it thro' the middle, and having made an Incision in the Fore-head cross-wise, separate the Skin with a Hazel-stick, and put in the Root, laying over it a Plaister of Black-Pitch, and suffering it to stick till it fall of it self.

Take the Leaves and Roots of sharp-pointed Dock and Dandelion, gather'd in the Summer, of each an equal quantity; having wash'd and dry'd 'em, beat 'em in a Mortar, with a Pugil of common Salt, and make up the Mash into Balls, of the bigness of a Walnut to be put into each Ear. Then bind the Ears very hard, for twenty four Hours, after which cut the Ligature, and wash the Farcin-Knots with the following Remedy.

Infuse a large quantity of the Rustiest Iron you can find in two Quarts of the Lees of Wine, for twenty four Hours: Then take out the Iron, and scraping off all the Rust, put it again into the Lees of Wine, with a handful of the Powder of Roch-Allom, and the like quantity of Bay-Salt, and adding a Pint, or a Pint and a half of Water, boil away two thirds of the Liquor: Rub the Knots with a piece of new and coarse Linnen-Clo th, dipt in this Liquor, till they be raw, and begin to Bleed.

If the Farcin be in the Thighs or Legs, bathe 'em with this Liquor, and wrap 'em about with Linnen-Clouts dipt in the same. If the Parts be swoll'n or gourded, re∣new the Application once every three Days.

When the Knots begin to be a little Mortify'd, strew 'em with the Powder of green Copperas Calcin'd.

They who put their Horses who are troubl'd with this Distemper, to the Grass, en∣crease the Distemper instead of abating it; for 'tis a vulgar Error to imagine, that Grass is profitable in this case.

An easie Remedy for the Farcin.

Open the two Neck-Veins, and take away three Pounds of Blood on each side; the next Morning give your Horse a Drench of three Pints of White-Wine, two Ounces of fine Aloes, and a like quantity of good Treacle, well mixt, keeping him Bridl'd six Hours before, and as long after. This Remedy alone frequently Cures a beginning Farcin, and is always proper in this case, when the Horse stands in need of Purgation. You must afterwards give him two Ounces of Liver of Antimony every Day without intermission, till he has consum'd two or three Pounds. And as soon as the Knots are open'd, dress 'em with the Ointment of Portugal, or with that of Naples, if they be full of foul and corrupt Flesh.