Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-06-15
Drugging Horses.

| We have in previous article calledsat-
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 coms
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 and
plump, and consequently less salable 1t
! therefore is advisable for those who own
horses to see that their stable men do not
administer condition powders of their
own connection, however desirable it may
sc that tonic of some kind in the spring
time be administered and in buying new
stock, it would be as we'll to let bargains
pend for a fortnight or So. in order to at
ford time for observation Whenever the
animals show suspicious Signs yF sss
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 1, 100, and there are overs, 900, 900
horses and mules. There is one skilled
cattle doctorto every $500 horses; or if
we take into consideration other live
stock, excluding sheep and swine, the
average is one to every 81 $3.50 animals.
| We adduce these figures simply to show
the lack of educated veterinarians, which
exists throughout the country a lack
which, as every one knows, is
made up by amateur doctoring al
I5dttuna. There is nothing so utterly
pernicious and unreliable as the work of
amateur dabblers at professions; and ins
this very fact exists the short-si ghtednessr
OF those who entrust the .doctoring@ of.
lutely ignorant of the nature and cause of.
disease and 1.-THE proper scientific treat.
ment to be adopted, and even Of the anat-s
omy~ of the animal. If the carriage.
breaks down, it is sent to skilled work :
man for repairs. No one would listen to
the idea of groom attempting to replace.
the neat forgings. 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 agricuI-.
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 infallibly killed the patient Another
prescription called for one ounce of Span
ish flies, frightfully irritating poison.
Again" adds the writer, - 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" - ,--s.------
1t is bad enough to dose sick horses by
| the rule of thumb; but for the dragging
of we'll animals there is positively no ex-~
cuse; and if our societies for the preven-
ton of cruelty to animals would open a
| vigorous crusade against the system, wes
probably should hear less of it than we
now do. Uncertainty 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 he found on out-of- the way
! shelves, and of the uses and nature of
which satisfactory explanation cannot
| be given.-Scientifc american. @8#h