The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1897-04-08
HORSE HOSPITAL.
An Instit tution Much Like Similar
Ones for Suffering Humanity.
Equine Patients Are Carefully
NurSed and Treated.

There was recently established in
New York a horse hospital that is at
tracing considerable attention, espe-
cially from turfmen and owners OF rae
ing stables. The horse hospital, says
the Detroit Free Press, is one OF the
natural results of progressive civill-
zation. 1t is now very generally ad-
mitted that in most cases of sickness
and in all cases of injuries the best
place for human patient is we'll
conducted hospital, because there
every needful appliance and conven-
ience, trained nurses, cooks experi.
enced in preparing food for the sick,
constant attendance of physicians,
surgeons and apothecary, regularity
and perfect sanitary conditions Will
give the patient much better oppor-
tunity of recovery. If this is true OF
the human patient, it is much more
applicable to the horse.
Human habitations are generally in
better condition than stables, and
while there may be readily obtained
all appliances for the relief of human
patients, this is almost impossible for
horses-besides nearly every one
knows something about the intelligent
nursing of human patient, while few
know anything about nursing sick
or injured horse. In the new horse
hospital doctors, surgeons, assistants
and grooms sleep on the premises, and
! the whole institution il conducted
like any other hospital. On the first
floor is located the office, reception
room, apothecary's room and the nee
essary stalls and box stalls. The
horses are brought by the ambulances
of the Society for the Prevention of
| Cruelty to Animals. Upon their re-
ceDtion they are examined and re-
ceipt given for them, when they are
assigned to q stall and at once put
under treatment.
Horses are in many respects like
human beings in their ailments, but
as they cannot talk and tell their
symptoms, very much depends upon
the power of observation OF the veter-
mary surgeon in making correct
diagnosis. Ii the injury is such that
the horse cannot be cured, the animal
is destroyed to put it out of its misery.
If there is possibility of a cure the
best means to accomplish that purpose
are taken. The most ingenious slings
are provided to take the weight OF the
animal off its feet; it is so fastened
that it cannot possibly iniure itself.
The pulse, temperature and respiration
are taken at regular intervals and
! medicines are administered with the
regularity of clockwork. Proper food
adapted to the requirements o. the
animal is prepared and given and the
results achieved are wonderful.
Gases of apparently incurable dis
ease or injury are frequently found
amenable to skillful medication or
surgical treatment. While inspecting
the hospital, the writer saw one horse
with an injury to the hoof. A rubber
| hose was attached to its foot, from
which constant stream of cold water
had kept the hoof irrigated for weeks,
both night and day, resulting in the
| cure of case that had been pro-
nounced hopeless by some of the best
veterinary surgeons in the city, all of
whom had advised the destruction of
the animal. OF course there are some
important differences between the
treatment of sick and injured horse
and that of human being. One OF
these arises from the fact that the
heart OF horse is weak, and there
fore chloroform or ether cannot be adj
ministered to produce anesthesia.
Again, though horse may have some
of the weight taken off him by sus-
pending him in a sling, the whole
weight cannot thus be supported, for
fear of producing peritonitis; there
fore, where an injury of a horse dis
lbles more than one leg it is difficult
10 give relief from supporting its
weight on its feet.