ULCER.—An ulcer is a wound, which, from long standing, and injudicious
treatment, is become virulent and inveterate; having acquired a rigid
callosity at the edges, and a discoloured, foul, unhealthy slough in the
middle. These conjunctive appearances never submit to mere superficial
digestive applications, but must be subdued by superficial
scarification, and the milder class of corrosives and escharotics.
UNGUENTS—are ointments, of which there are many different kinds.
Blistering ointment, for lameness in the back sinews, splents, spavins,
and curbs. Digestive ointment, strong and mild, for dressing wounds in
their different stages, and after maturation. Elder ointment, to allay
the pain of inflammatory swellings, particularly when proceeding from
the stings or bites of animals or venomous insects: and camphorated
sperma-cæti ointment, for cracks in the heels of horses during the
severity of the winter season.
UMBLES—are the eatable part of a deer's entrails, which being a
perquisite of office, afford a treat to the keeper and his friends.
URINE—is that well known excrementitious fluid secreted or separated by
the kidnies from the blood; the evacuation of which is sometimes
partially obstructed, or totally suppressed, by different injuries
sustained, or diseases particularly affecting the kidnies, the bladder,
or some of the parts appropriated to the secretion and discharge of
urine. Internal inflammation, or a paralytic affection of the kidnies,
as well as external violence there; spasmodic stricture upon the neck or
sphincter of the bladder; calculous concretions, originating in the
kidnies, and afterwards descending the ureters, occasions sometimes a
most painful suppression of urine: having obtained a seat in the
bladder, they then lay the foundation of stone; and many
well-authenticated instances are extant, where stones of considerable
weight have been extracted from the bladders of different horses after
their death.
Horses, on the contrary, from a debility of the parts, or some remote
causes, are subject to an immoderate and involuntary flux of urine, and
that almost incessantly; so that, from a latent flaccidity, it seems to
come away immediately after its secretion. This preternatural discharge
may probably be sometimes occasioned by a sharp, ferous and acrimonious
state of the blood; in young horses, the being too severely and
unreasonably overworked; a weakness of the loins and kidnies, brought on
by drawing weights disproportioned to the strength of the horse;
standing long in the cold and chilling rains of winter; or, what
produces it still more frequently, is the eating of ship oats, which
have been long upon their passage, and imbibed a portion of saline
particles, and effluvia, from the sea. In all cases of the former
description, recourse must be had to medical assistance; but in the
latter, nutritive food, gelatinous clean-boiled oatmeal gruel, with two
or three ounces of gum Arabic dissolved in water, and mixed with the
gruel for drink, will, in all slight and recent cases, be productive of
a speedy restoration.