The Noblehorse & Payne Forest

For Cureing Horses of all the most malignant diseases which they are subject to.

These are homemade prescriptions for treating horse diseases. They were written down by either Dorcas Sanderson Payne or her husband Claiborne John Payne between the years of 1836 and 1865 in Butler County, Alabama. Spelling is per original, although punctuation has been added for readability. These prescriptions do not necessarily reflect accepted veterinary practice and are provided here solely for genealogical preservation purposes.

Research notes: In prescription #4 for distemper, the herb life everlasting is mentioned. This herb is indigenous to North and South Carolina only - so this suggests these prescriptions might have come with Dorcas Sanderson Payne (born in North Carolina in 1820) from the Sanderson family.
==============================================================

1. Big Head, Big Jaw. Take 1 gallon greene hickory wood ashes, 1/2 pint of spirits of turpentine, 1 ounce camphor, add sufficiency of ley[?] to make a thin mush. Fill a horn with the mush boiling hot and with a thin cloth over the end of the horn apply it four times upon each side of the head or jaw. Each time fill the horn with the boiling mush. Immediately after the above operation take the yolk of four eggs, dissolve as much fine salt with them as they will receive and rub the blisters prodused with it each day. If the head or jaw get two sore omit the above and keepe the places greased with lard and Jamestown leaves in equal quantities stewed to a salve.

2. Big Shoulder Swiney. With a pair of Smith’s tongs or pincers draw up the skin in three places upon each shoulder and run through the skin a red hot iron spear as large as a wheel spindle. Then draw up the skin upon the sholders and the shoulders will fill with air. Then take the yolks of 4 eggs, dissolve as much fine salt with them as they will receive, rub the shoulders with it until you bathe all in. Give the shoulders three bathings with the mixture each morning, then take 1 quart of whiskey, 1/2 pint of spirits of turpentine and 1 ounce of camphor, put all in a bottle and each evening bathe the sholder until well. Shake the bottle before using.

3. Pole Evil Fistula. Begin with the horn and medicine as in Big Head. Steam the swelled parts applying the horn ten times, each time filling the horn with boiling mush. While steaming keepe mooving the horn over the swilled parts. Each morning take the yolk of 4 eggs and dissolve as much fine salt with them as they will receive and rub the swelled parts with it. Then take 1 quart of whiskey, 1/2 pint of spirits of turpentine and 1 ounce of camphor, put all in a bottle and each evening pur slowly over the swelled parts in table spoonfuls until the swelling disappears.

4. Distemper. Mix 1/2 pound of the herb lifeeverlasting with 1/2 pound of lard and stew them together. Annont the swelled parts with it each evening.

5. Botts. Procure 1 quart of green persimons or 1 gallon of persimmon tree bark, beat them fine. Pore over it 3 pints of water, squeeze the bark out until you get a strong oose and drench with it. Green persimmons are preferable but the bark will answer.

6. Cure for distemper. Blende well, then take a table spoonful of Coperic[?] and turn it over at the root of your horse tounge and he will be well in 3 days.

7. Cure for Sparin Splint Kingbone & Wind Galls, Sparin. Take one 25 cent bottle of Mustang Lineamunt and half ounce of Iodine, rub them well together. Bathe the spairn or any of the above diseases two or three times a day. Rub well with a flannel rag and the lumps or nots will soon disappear and your horse will be well as ever.

8. Cure for Blind Stagers. Mix red pepper tobacco, spirits of any kind to a strong tea and squirt it up the nose until the animal snorts then. Quit. Rub the tobacco to a fine snuff before mixture.

9. For Flounder. Take the yolks of 10 eggs, dissolve as much fine salt with them as they receive. Rub the limbs with it to the boddy. Bathe hoofs with hot lard and pour it in the frog of the hoof. Take one 1/2 lbs of peach tree bark, boil it. 3 gallons water to one gallon. Add one ounce of allum, drench with one pint each day.