A DICTIONARY OF SPORTS, ETC. ETC. ABATIS, or ABBATIS, from batum, a corn measure. An obsolete term for an officer of the stables who had the charge of the provender. ABATURES. The foiling of the sprigs of grass thrown down by a stag in passing, or the sprigs themselves. ABDOMEN. A cavity, vulgarly called the belly, containing the guts, bladder, liver, spleen, and stomach; when opened the first thing that presents itself is the peritonæum, a thin though firm membrane, capable of considerable extension, and of returning to its former state. A ABLET, or ALBLEN. See BLEAK. ABORTION. The produce of an untimely birth. This accident seldom happens to brutes. In mares the cause may be generally attributed to over-work or external violence. ABORTIVE CORN. A disease in corn, which shews itself when the stalk is about eighteen inches high, and may be known by a deformity of the ear, the leaves, the stalk, and even the grain. Corn in this state, if not directly unwholesome, may be considered as unfit for horses from its deficiency of nutriment. ABRAMIS. See BREAM. ABSCESS. A tumour or swelling containing purulent matter. It arises generally from external violence, and is relieved in horses by the application of a poultice-in sheep and poultry by opening the tumour and expressing the pus or matter. ABSORBENTS. Medicines supposed to have the power of drying up redundant humours, either internally or externally; as magnesia, &c. ABSORBENT VESSELS. Vessels which carry any fluid into the ABDOMINALES. An order of blood, and are denominated, accordfishes having ventral fins placed be-ing to the liquids they convey, lachind the pectoral in the abdomen, teals, lymphatics, and inhalent arte ries. ACCLOYED. Pricked. A horse's foot, when pricked in shoeing, is said to be accloyed. A word now rarely used. ACHE (in Horses). A pain in any part of the body, occasioning a numbness in the joints. It proceeds as in the CARP, herring, salmon, &c. from cold, taken upon violent exer B . cise, and there are various remedies | so called at Newmarket, one mile for it. two furlongs and twenty-four yards in length: abbreviated A. F. See RACE COURSES. ACIDS. The name of a very powerful class of substances employed in veterinary practice: they are divided into animal, mineral, and vegetable acids. For some excellent remarks on the composition of acids and the principle of acidification, the reader is referred to the London Encyclopædia, articles CHEMISTRY and PHARMACY. ACOPA, ACOPUM, or ACCOPUM. An extremely hot and stimulating medicine used by the ancients both externally as an ointment or charge, and internally as an electuary. In the preparation of this extraordinary composition no less than thirty dif ferent articles were used, among which "half a pound of pigeon's dung" is ordered. The author of the Dictionarium Rusticum, edit. 1717, says, "It is both a medicine and an ointment, helping convulsions, stringhalts, colds, &c. in the muscles and sinews, draws forth all noisome humours, and being put up into the nostrils of a horse, by means of a long goose feather anointed therewith, disburdens the head of all grief. It dissolves the liver troubled with oppilations or obstructions, helps siccity and crudity in the body, banishes all weariness; and, lastly, cures all sorts of inward diseases if given by way of drench, in wine, beer, or ale." ACRIMONY. This term is applicable to some states of the humours in an animal, as acrimony of the bile, and other secretions which are, by the laws of animal economy, constantly thrown out of the machine, in order that the humours may be kept in a sound condition: for, except when in a morbid state, they are free from acrimony. When in a morbid state we have different species of acrimony, which are denominated from the effects produced on the habit. Hence, we say, complaints of this nature originate from an acrimonious humour sui generis. ACROSS THE FLAT. A course ACTION, in horsemanship, im. plies the motion of the various parts of a horse in doing his paces. "Action," says a modern writer, "is every thing: without it (i. e. free and graceful action) the finest form is of no avail." ACTION OF THE MOUTH. The agitation of the tongue and the jaw of a horse that, by champing upon the bit, keeps his mouth fresh. It is shown by a white ropy foam, which is a sure indication of health, mettle, and vigour. ACTUAL CAUTERY. CAUTERY. See ACULEATED. A term applied to the fins of fishes that are armed with prickles, such as the stickle-back. ACULER (in the Manége). The motion of a horse, when in working upon volts, he does not go far enough forward at every movement, so that his shoulders embrace too small a space, and his croupe comes too near the centre of the volt. Horses have a natural inclination to this fault, in making demi-volts. ACUPUNCTURATION. Some writers think it has a galvanic influence on the nerves. See Churchill's Treatise on Acupuncture. ACUPUNCTURE. The operation common among the Japanese and Chinese of pricking the diseased parts with a gold or silver needle. It has been recently introduced into European practice. "I am not aware," says a writer in The Veterinarian, "that it has been resorted to by any English veterinarian, except that I once used it with considerable effect in a case of chorea consequent on distemper in a bitch." The same gentleman adds, "I do trust that some zealous veterinarian will put the use of the needle fairly to the test in that most dreadful and untractable disease, tetanus." Some French vets have given it an extensive trial; and experience has shown that it has great power in relieving | forth; and produce rarely above many painful and obstinate nervous eleven eggs at a time, each about and muscular affections. the size of a blackbird's, and linked together in the womb like a string of beads; each egg containing from one to four young ones; so that the whole of a brood may amount to about twenty or thirty. Mr. White informs us, in his History of Selborne, that a viper which he opened, had in it fifteen young ones of the size of earth-worms, about seven inches long. They twisted and wriggled about with great alertness; and, when touched, erected themselves, and gaped very wide, exhibiting tokens of menace and defiance, though no fangs could be perceived, even with the assistance of glasses: which the author remarks as an instance, among others, of that wonderful instinctive knowledge young animals possess of the position and use of their natural weapons, even before these weapons are formed. Vipers feed on frogs, lizards, mice, toads, and young birds: they are capable of enduring very long abstinence, and appear to live occasionally on those well known, nutritious substances floating in the atmosphere, and which are continually taken in by animal respiration; their young separated from every thing but air, will grow considerably in a few days. When at liberty vipers remain torpid throughout the winter; but when confined have never been known to take their annual repose: in this latter state, however, if mice, their favourite diet, be given them, though they will kill, they will not devour them. Their poison, too, decreases in proportion to the length of their incarceration. The method of catching them is by putting a cleft stick on or near the head; after which they are seized by the tail and put into a bag. The vipercatchers are frequently bitten by them, notwithstanding this precaution: yet we rarely hear of the wound proving fatal, if early attended to, by rubbing the affected part, or the whole limb, with salad oil. ADDER STUNG. A term used, when horses or cattle are stung or bitten by any venomous reptile, or by hornets, horse-flies, wasps, hedgehogs, shrews, &c. The common British viper or adder abounds in the Hebrides, and in many parts of Britain, particularly in chalky, dry, and stony districts. According to Pennant and other naturalists they are viviparous, but proceed from an internal egg. This viper seldom exceeds two feet in length, though Pennant tells us he once saw a female nearly three feet long. The ground colour of the male is a dirty yellow, that of the female deeper. Its back is marked the whole length with a series of rhomboidal black spots, touching each other at the points; the sides with triangular ones; the belly black. There is a variety wholly black; but the rhomboidal marks are very conspicuous, being of a deeper and more glossy hue than the rest. The head of the viper is inflated, which distinguishes it from the common snake. Catesby says, that "the difference between vipers and snakes or other serpents is that the former have long hollow fangs or tusks, with an opening near the point; the neck small, the head broad, the cheeks extending wide, scales rough, the body, for the most part, flat and thick; they are slow of motion; swell the head and neck when irritated; and have a terrible and ugly aspect." The tongue is forked, the teeth small; the four canine teeth are placed two on each side the upper jaw: these instruments of poison are long, crooked, and capable of being raised or depressed at the pleasure of the animal. Vipers are said not to arrive at their full growth, till the sixth or seventh year; but that they are capable of engendering in the second or third. They copulate in May, and are supposed to remain impregnated for three months before they bring A remarkable instance of the efficacy of olive oil in neutralizing the effects of the viper's poison occurred at Bath nearly a century since, in the person of one Oliver, a noted catcher of these reptiles, who is said to have discovered this admirable remedy. In the presence of a great number of persons, this man suffered himself to be bitten by an old black viper (brought by one of the company) upon the wrist and joint of the thumb of the right hand, until blood issued from the wounds: even before the viper was loosened from his hand he felt a violent burning pain in his arm: in a few minutes his eyes began to look red and fiery, and to water much; in less than an hour the venom reached his heart, with a throbbing pain, attended with faintness, shortness of breath, and cold sweats: soon after his belly began to swell, accompanied with vomitings and purgings: during the violence of these symptoms he lost his sight, but retained his hearing. After the lapse of an hour and a quarter, a chaffing-dish of glowing charcoal was brought in, and his naked arm held over it, while his wife rubbed in the oil with her hand, continually turning his arm round the poison soon abated, but the swelling did not diminish much: most violent purgings and vomitings followed; and the pulse became so low and so often interrupted, that a repetition of cordial potions was deemed proper, from the effects of which, however, the patient was not sensible of deriving any great relief, as he expressed himself; but that a glass or two of olive oil which he drank seemed to give him ease. Continuing in this state, he was put to bed, by Dr. Mortimer's direction, (the physician who drew up the case), and rubbed with olive oil, heated in a ladle over the charcoal. From this last operation he declared he found immediate ease, as if by some charm: he soon after fell into a profound sleep, and, after about nine hours sound rest, awoke about six the next morning, and found himself very well; but in the afternoon, on drinking some rum and strong beer, so as to be almost intoxicated, the swelling returned with much pain and cold sweats, which abated on bathing the arm as before, and wrapping it up in brown paper soaked in the oil. In corroboration of the efficacy of vegetable oil, as an antidote to the poison of the adder or viper, we quote the writer of a paper in the fourth volume of the Annals of Sporting, who says, "If olive oil should not be at hand common sweet oil will answer the purpose, as I have several times tried it upon dogs which have been bitten by vipers or adders." Notwithstanding the dreadful effects of the viper's bite, the flesh is celebrated as a restorative. The old remedy for an adder's sting consists of dragon's blood, barley meal, and the white of an egg. ADVANCER. One of the starts or branches of a buck's attire, between the back antler and palm. EGYPTIACUM. This composition takes its name from its dusky colour, wherein it resembles that of the natives of Egypt. It is chiefly used as an external application for cleansing foul ulcers, and keeping down fungous flesh. We extract the following recipe from the Pharmacopæia in use at the Royal Veterinary College, Pancras: Egyptiacum. Verdigris (subacetate of copper) eighteen ounces; alum in powder, six ounces; vinegar, twelve ounces; treacle, ten ounces. Boil gently together, and add, sulphuric acid, two ounces and a half. AFFOREST. To turn a tract of land into a forest. On the contrary, disafforested implies land discharged from being a forest, reduced from the privileges of forest to common ground. AFTER-MATH, or AFTER-GRASS. The second crop, or grass which springs up after mowing; or grassmath that is cut after some kinds of |