Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)/Yellows, in Farriery
YELLOWS, or Jaundice, in farriery, is a disorder to which horses are occasionally subject: it is known by the dusky-yellow appearance of the eyes, the inside of the mouth, and of the lips. The animal loses all his vigour, and refuses to take any food; a slow fever prevails, which increases, together with the yellowness, according to the malignancy of the disease. His dung is hard, dry, and of a pale yellow or green cast: the urine is of a dark-brown colour; and is discharged with great pain and difficulty: after it has lain for some time on the pavement of the stable, it acquires a bloody hue. In a short time, if the horse be neglected, he becomes delirious and frantic.
When aged animals are thus attacked, there is little prospect of recovery; but, if the distemper be recent, and the horse young, it will be advisable to adopt the treatment already pointed out, vol. ii. p. 508. Should no relief be obtained in the course of two or three days, the animal must be bled copiously; and the following laxative clyster be injected: Let two handfuls of marsh-mallows; one handful of chamomile flowers; and one ounce of fennel-seed, be boiled in three quarts of water, till one-third be evaporated: the liquor must then be strained, and incorporated with 4 oz. of treacle, and a pint of linseed, or any common oil.
After such clyster has been injected, it will be necessary to administer two or three purges, each consisting of 112 oz. of pulverized Indian rhubarb; 2 drams of saffron; and 6 drams of socotrine aloes, mixed with syrup of buckthorn; which ought to be given once in 48 hours: on the intermediate days, the following balls and drink should be introduced between each dose: Take half an ounce of Æthiops mineral; a similar quantity of millepedes; and 1 oz. of Castile soap: let them be formed into a ball, and washed down with a decoction made of 4 oz. of madder-root; the same weight of turmeric; half a pound of the sliced roots of burdock; 4 ounces of Monk's rhubarb; and 2 ounces of sliced liquorice: these ingredients must be boiled in one gallon of forge-water, till one quart be evaporated; when the liquor should be strained, and sweetened with honey.
By this treatment, the violence of the disease will generally abate in the course of a week, or ten days; a change which may be ascertained by the eyes and mouth losing part of their yellow cast; though it will be advisable to continue the medicine above directed, till such colour totally disappear: when the animal is in a state of recovery, a few purges (see vol. ii. p. 489) should be given, and he ought to be moderately exercised, in order to recruit his exhausted strength.