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. LIX. Of Medicaments which purge Bile Choler.

CAssia alone, will not have strength enough to purge a horse, although p•••• should give him three pound weight of it, it is therefore to be mixed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 other Drugs which are more strong; it tempers and moistens those parts wh•••• are over-heated, and therefore may be given in the distempers of the Reins and ••••∣der; people correct it with Anniseeds or Fennel, because it is flatuous or windy.

Manna is likewise too gentle, people therefore never make use of it for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 except when they have a Cough, and then it is also to be mingled with other 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which are more violent.

The Juice of Pale-roses is also too weak, it purges Bilous Serosities; people there•••• instead of it, make commonly use of an Electuary of the Juice of Roses, which he more force, because of the Diagridium or prepared Scammony, which enters into 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Composition.

Tamarinds lenify or sweeten Bile, and make it glide through the Bowels; how∣ever people never give them to horses, but when they stand in need of cooling, and because Tamarinds are cold, therefore is it that they then make use of them.

Rhubarb is a root which purgeth Bile by restricting it, it strengthens extren•••• and is good for a loosness in the Belly; its dose is four or five ounces, but be•• it is commonly very dear, therefore people never give it to horses except in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 great necessity, and then also it must be mixt with other Medicaments, be alone it is too weak.

Aloes is one of the Medicaments most used for horses, it opens and disobstruc•• purges Choler and Phlegm, and cleanses the Stomack and intestines only; it is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for the head, Eyes, and Liver, by reason of the correspondence these parts 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with the Stomack: It is good for killing Worms, also it is very bitter, and beca•••• opens the Orifice of the Stomack, it is therefore to be corrected with Nutmegs, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Cinnamon; but the best preparation which can be given it, that so it may be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 corrected, is to imbibe it with the Juice of Roses, afterwards drying it, and rei••••∣ing this several times; the juice of Bugloss, Borrage, Carduus Benedictus, &c. are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 very proper to prepare and correct it, as I shall show you at the end of the 16. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sect. 7. of the 2d part; the Dose of it is from two to three Ounces, and it is one 〈◊〉〈◊〉 best purgatives we have for horses, because it extremely resists corruption.

Myrobalans are of five kinds, viz. Citrinae, Chebulae, Indae, Emblicae, & Be•••• They are weak, and don't over-heat, they purge by restriction, and are given 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in Oyl or Butter, but they are rarely made use of for horses, because there would 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at least three or four pounds of them, therefore they are only mixed with other 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dicaments, for stopping the fluxes of the Belly.

Scammony is corrected with the vapour of Sulphur, which is absolutely the best p••∣ration of it, as I shall show you in the 13 Chap. Sect. 10. of the 2d part; it purges Bile•••• most remote parts, and people cry mightily out against, its Malignity and Stre•••• but being well prepared and given in some fat and greasy substance, which ma••∣nify its Acrimony, and prevent its adhering to the Imrals, it is an excellent purg•• for horses, and hath succeeded always very well with me; it is to be given in stance from 5 Drams to 6 and a half, and you are to choise that which is most bea•••• and transparent: People have so much overcome the aversion they had once Scammony, that they order it every day for men, prepared after this same manner,

there is nothing so common now a days as the powder of Cornachinus, whereof it is the foundation.

If you intend at any time to compose a purgative for Bile, you may do it after this manner; take of Aloes two Ounces and a half, Flowers of Violets, Pale-Roses, and St. Johns Wort, of each a Dram, of the powders of Trisantalum or the three Saun∣ders's, Mastick and Cinnamon, of each a half scruple, Scammony prepared by the smoak of Brimstone two Drams; beat all into powder, and pass it through a fine search, after which make it up into Balls with half a pound of Butter: People find in the Apo∣thecaries Shops, the Electuaries called Diaprunum solutivum or electuary of pruns purging, and the Electuarium è succo Rosarum or Electuary of the juice of Roses, where∣of they may give from four to six Ounces, and which purge will succeed very well for the evacuating of Bile.

Crude Antimony is not a purgative, neither prepared as I shall hereafter show you in the 2d part, nor any other way; however it fails not to prove an excellent Remedy, but cannot be reckoned amongst the Purgatives for horses, seeing it only works by insensible Transpiration, and by its Astral Vertue, which consumes the bad humours in horses bodys, resists Corruption, rectifies and purifies the Blood, and gives them a very good appetite, by causing the most disgusted to eat; it expells also the humours sometimes by Urine, but very seldom; it dis-obstructs and refreshes the inward parts which are over-heated, and evacuates Serosities, which are the origine of all Diseases and operates with so very good success, that it will recover a horse which is weak and languishing, and restore to him again his health and vigour: I shall show you in the second part of this Book divers preparations of Antimony, where I will also discover to you its use and good effects, and therefore referring you to it, shall finish this Chapter by advertising the Curious, That Antimony after whatever manner it be prepared, is no wise Cathartick, that is purgative for horses; it does not discover suddenly its effects, but acts after such a way, that it is one of the best and most extraordinary Remedies we have, and most agreeable to the constitution of Horses.

Notes

• CHAP. LIX Of Medica∣ments which purgo Chol∣er.
• A Remedy to purge Bile or Choler.