The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-06-15
Dragging Horses.

WE have in a previous article called al
tentiOn to the barbarouS practice Of drug
ging horses in order to put them into ap
parently good condition. The present is
the time of year when this is most com
monty done, both by those having the an
imals under their care, or by dealers who
find that the effects of spring weather
have rendered their horses less sleek anC
plump, and consequently less salable. Il
therefore IS advisable for those who owr
horses TO see that their stable men do no.
administer condition powders of theil
own connection, however desirable il may
Ge that tonic of some kind in the spring
time be administered; and in buying new
stock, it would be as well to let bargains
pend for a fortnight or so, in order to at
ford time for observation whenever the
animals show suspicious signs
There are very excellent veterinary sur.
geons in this and other cities; but the
profession is ridiculously small in numer
ical strength, as compared to the live
stock in the country. The last census
states that the total number of surgeons
is about / 100, and there are overs, 000, 00C
horses and mules. There is one skilled
cattle doctor to every 800 horses; or il
we take into consideration other live
stock, excluding sheep and swine, the
average is one to every p, 655 animals.
We adducc these figures simply to show
the lack Of educated veterinarians, which
exists throughout the country, lack
which, as every one knows, is
made up by amateur doctoring ad
HbtHm. There is nothing so utterly
pernicious and unreliable as the work of
amateur dabblers at professions; and in
this very fact exists the short-sightedness
Of those who enlrust the doctoring OF
valuable animals to men who are abso
lutely ignorant of the nature and cause OF
disease and of the proper scientific treat,
ment to be adopted, and even of the anat-
omy of the animal. If the carriage
breaks down, it is sent to a skilled work
man for repairs. No one would listen to
the idea of groom attempting to replace
the neat torgings. But when the horses
break down, then, in nine cases out Of
ten, the groom's supposititious knowl-
edge is deemed ample security against
his working harm by administering
drenches and boluses of fearful and won
derful ingredients. An English agricul-
tural contemporary publishes a letter from
country druggist, which sheds some
light on this ignorant system of dosing.
One man demanded condition pow
ders" containing four ounces of tartar
emetic. Cream of tartar was meant, and
the dispenser gave that harmless substance,
otherwise the condition powders would
have intallibly killed the patient. Another
prescription called for one ounce of Span
ish flies, a frightfully irritating poison.
" Again" adds the writer, 1.-The men
somehow obtain enormous quantities
Of sulphate of zinc white copperas)
and sugar of lead, which they after
ward dissolve in water to use as
lotions. The substances lie scattered
about the stable shelves, and are
carelessly mixed with chopped food or
mashes, in mistake for condition powders.
When we hear complaints OF actual horse
poisoning, we wonder how it has been
done. There need be no wonder. The
local druggist could in most instances
throw light upon the case"
1t is bad enough 10 dose sick horses by
the rule of thumb; but for the drugging
of well animals there is positively no ex
cuse; and if our societies for the proven
ton of cruelty to animals would open
vigorous crusade against the system, we
probably should hear less of it than we
now do. 1t certainly is Just as cruel to
cause the animal suffering by doses of
cantharides or arsenic as it is to drive it
when its neck is CALLED; and as the off.
GERS Of societies are empowered by law
to prohibit the one, they doubtless are
equally empowered to check the other.
Meanwhile we suggest to those who pos
sess horses that the present is an excel
lent time to inspect stables, and to destroy
all the bottles of stuff and papers of pow
der sure to be found on out-of-the-
shelves, and of the uses and nature of
which satisfactory explanation cannot
be given.-.Scientiic american.
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