The cause of =chronic dysentery= among horses is not well understood. It is said to follow diarrhœa; but such an explanation seems to confound the commencement of one disorder with the establishment of another disease. Horses having chronic dysentery are, generally, old animals, which are subject to the will of a very poor or a very penurious man. They are badly kept, and may have to grub a scanty living from lanes and hedgerows; also, they are goaded to hard work upon watery food and sour grass. In such cases, disturbance of the bowels should be early attended to. The food should be immediately changed. Good sound oats and beans should be freely given, while the following drink is administered thrice daily:-- Crude opium Half an ounce. Liquor potassæ One ounce. Chalk One ounce. Tincture of all-spice One ounce. Alum Half an ounce. Mix with a quart of good ale, stir briskly, and give. Should the primary symptom not be attended to, profuse purgation may ensue without excitement; but always will happen upon any exertion or the drinking of cold water. Violent straining often follows; the belly enlarges; the flesh wastes; the bones protrude; the skin is hide-bound; the visible mucous membranes become pallid; weakness increases; perspiration often bursts forth without occasion; the horse will stand still for hours, not grazing, nor seemingly being conscious that grass was within its reach. [Illustration: A HORSE SUFFERING UNDER CHRONIC DYSENTERY.] At length a living skeleton alone remains of that which was a horse. The eyes have a sleepy, sad, and pathetic expression; the head is often turned slowly toward the flanks; the sight remains fixed for some moments upon the seat of pain; the horse stands on one spot, or only changes it when the bowels are about to act; colic at length sets in, though frequently it is present earlier; and the wretched quadruped then fades speedily away. It is a general practice to turn animals suffering from chronic dysentery upon some village common. The horse is put there with scanty food and no shelter, under a plea of humanity, or "to give the old 'oss a last chance." There can be no feeling in placing a diseased animal far away from sight or help, where it must pine, shiver, and starve, in a dreary solitude. Supposing the affected life to be claimed by a generous master, either of the following drinks may be given, thrice daily:-- Sulphuric ether One ounce. Laudanum Three ounces. Liquor potassæ Half an ounce. Powdered chalk One ounce. Tincture of catechu One ounce. Cold linseed tea One pint.