The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

One of our Readers, taking Notice of the Account of the Disorder that now prevails among Horses, in this and other Towns, lately published, & apprehending it to be the Same called in England the Gargle, has favoured us with the following Account of it, and the Method of Cure practised there, viz.

THE Gargle is a Disorder that principally affects the Head and Throat of the Horse, and, if not taken in time is very dangerous; it is also unfortunate in another respect, for it is contagious, and from one Horse will spread itself through a whole Stable. A Horse that has the Gargle hangs down his Head, and is restless; he breathes with Difficulty: his Head swells; his Throat rattles, and he goes weakly and staggering. As soon as the Farmer perceives this Disorder, let him separate the Creature from the rest, and bleed them all, by way of Prevention; then bleeding the sick Horse more plentifully than the others, give him the following Drench:--Take a Drachm of Saffron, cut small, half an ounce of Philonium Romanum, two Heads of Garlic, bruised, and two handfuls of Wormwood; to which add two Quarts of Ale, or Cyder, boiling it well together. This is for two Doses, of which give one a Day, or, if the Horse is bad, give one in the Morning, and another in the Evening, keeping him three Hours without Food, and giving none soon after. Let this be repeated every Day, or every other Day, according to the Degree of the Disorder, four times. The Horse Should be kept warm, and give him boiled Oats or ground Malt.

N. B. The Gargle, here mentioned, differs both from the Garget and Gargil, in horned Cattle, and approaches nearest the Murrain, like a Contagion among horned Cattle, as the Gargle is among Horses, but with this Difference, that the Murrain is an Inflammation of the whole Passage through the Body, from the Mouth to the farthest Extremity of the Guts: whereas the Gargle reaches no lower than the Throat. -The Garget is the Swelling of the Head, Eyes and Lips, extending itself to the Gums & Tongue, but no further.--The Gargil affects the Dew Lap and Throat only, but in all Bleeding is necessary, and by Experience, is found to be the principal Remedy,--if the Philonium cannot be had easily the Mithridate or Venice Treacle, may be used in its stead.