DITCH, _s._ A trench cut in the ground usually between two fields; any long narrow receptacle of water. DIVER, _s._ A bird; one that sinks voluntarily under water; one that goes under water to search for any thing. DIURETICS, _s._ Medicines that excite and increase urinal discharge. DIURETIC POWDER. Powdered rosin and nitre, of each, 4 drs. Mix for one dose, and let it be repeated daily, or twice a day, if necessary, until a sufficient effect is produced. DIURETIC BALL. Hard soap and common turpentine, of each, 4 drachms. Powdered caraway seeds enough to form the ball. Mix for one dose. CORDIAL DIURETIC BALL. Hard soap and common turpentine, of each 4 dr. Ginger 1 dr. Opium ½ dr. Powdered caraways enough to form the ball. Diuretics should not be kept to become hard, as they often are, but be given in rather a soft state, and recently made. Diuretics should never be so given as to operate while a horse is in work, as he may thereby be prevented from staling when he has occasion; from neglecting this precaution, and from their frequent and immoderate use, arise those mischievous effects before alluded to. The kidneys are often materially injured by them as well as the bladder.—_White._ DIURETIC, _a._ Having the power to provoke urine. DOCK, _s._ The stump of the tail which remains after docking; a place where water is let in or out at pleasure, where ships are built or laid up. DOCK, _v._ To cut off a tail; to cut any thing short. DOG, _s._ A domestic animal remarkably various in its species. In ancient manuscripts we find the following names for the dogs employed in the sports of the field; that is to say, raches, or hounds; running hounds or harriers, to chase hares; and greyhounds, which were favourite dogs with the sportsmen; alauntes, or bull-dogs, these were chiefly used for hunting the boar; the mastiff is also said to be “a good hounde” for hunting the wild boar; the spaniel was of use in hawking; “hys crafte,” says the author, “is for the perdrich or partridge, and the quaile; and, when taught to couch, he is very serviceable to the fowlers, who take those birds with nets.” There must, I presume, have been a vast number of other kinds of dogs known in England at this period; these, however, are all that the early writers, upon the subject of hunting, have thought proper to enumerate. In the sixteenth century the list is enlarged; besides those already named, we find bastards and mongrels, lemors, kenets, terrours, butcher’s hounds, dunghill dogs, trindel-tail’d dogs, “pryckeared” curs, and ladies’ small puppies.