The management and treatment of the horse in the stable, field, and ...

In the Stable, Field, and on the Road. 160
above swelling differs considerably from that which is
usually called farcy humour ;
in this the skin presents a
red and shining appearance, from the whole surface of
which exudes a thin fluid, accompanied by great lame-
ness, the fetlock is round, tumid, and smooth, and
swollen as far as the heel. This disease is in
consequence of being over fed, and the want of
proper exercise at the same time. Painful and
disagreeable as this malady is, frequent fomenta-
tions of a decoction of marsh-mallows, and smart
doses of medicine will speedily reduce the swelling,
and especially if the swollen part is well rubbed and
the horse subjected to exercise. There is no doubt
that the cause of farcy is to be looked for in bad stable
management, want of exercise, and infection. There
have been many cases in which it could not be accounted
for upon any other principle than that it was con-
tagious. In certain localities it has been known to be
prevalent where horses could not have come in contact
with one another, yet, strange as it may appear, we
have it upon good authority, that horses in the field
have taken glanders from affected animals which were
in the fields half-a-mile away. A few years ago a
number of horses became affected with glanders in a
field which had a swift running brook passing though
it. After a thorough investigation it was found that a
badly-glandered horse was turned out in a field half-
a-mile up the stream, and no doubt the pus from its
nostrils falling into the stream was carried down by
the current, and the horses lower down became innocu-
lated with it, thus spreading this foul disease in all