SWEENIE.

Western Star, Issue 139, 6 May 1876, Page 3

SWEENIE.

■’ By Hie term sweenie is understood a decrease of bulk or wasting (atrophy) of the muscles of the shoulders in a horse. We glean the following mode of treatment from the Sydney Mail: — *ln this disease the minute elements of the affected muscles are replaced by fat. The effect of this fatty degeneration of the muscles is to interfere with their functions, rendering them weak in proportion to the extent of the laws of substance.- Hence, the limb affected with a weenie is more or less enfeebled, so that a 1 hen the horse is put to heavy or fast work lie is apt to become stiff and even lame. The best treatment consists in hind rubbing and frequent shampooing the skin cover ng the affected muscles, with the following liniment : —Take of soft soap, four ozs j camphor, half-an-lunco ; oil of rosemary, two drachms; rectified spirits, one pint. The best plan is to stimulate the horn-forming tissues to increased action, which can be. accomplished by blistering round the pastern coronet, taking the shoes off, and turning the horse into a roomy box stall, having the floor covered with six or eight indies of tan or sawdust. There he should be left for a month or six weeks, and in the meantime the coronet should be dressed with an ointment composed of Venice turpentine, fine tar, and tallow, of each four ounces; beeswax, two ounces. Melt together over a slow fire. A small portion of the ointment should be daily rubbed pound the upper part of the hoof, under the hair of the coronet, immediately at the point of junction of the integument and the horn, which will promote the growth of the hoofs and improve their condition,’