uent
dissections, and especially the habit of being every day amongst their
flocks, make the Tartars well acquainted with the diseases of animals,
and skilful in their cure. The remedies, which they employ internally,
are always simples gathered in the prairie, and the decoction of which
they make the sick animals drink. For this purpose, they use a large
cow-horn. When they have contrived to insert the small end of this into
the mouth of the animal, they pour the physic in at the other extremity,
as through a funnel. If the beast persists in not opening its mouth, the
liquid is administered through the nostrils. Sometimes the Tartars
employ a lavement in their treatment of the diseases of animals; but
their instruments are still of primitive simplicity. A cow's horn serves
for the pipe, and the pump is a great bladder, worked by squeezing it.

Internal remedies, however, are not very often applied; the Tartars make
more frequent use of punctures and incisions in different parts of the
body. Some of these operations are extremely ludicrous. One day, when
we had pitched our tent beside a Mongol dwelling, a Tartar brought to the
chief of the family a cow, which, he said, would not eat, and which was
pining away day by day. The chief examined the animal, opened its mouth,
and rubbed its fore teeth with his nail. "Fool, blockhead," said he to
the man who had come to ask his advice, "why did not you come before?
Your cow is on the verge of death; there is scarce a day's life more in
her. Yet, there may be tried one means: I will attempt it. If your cow
dies, you will say it is your own fault; if it recovers, you will regard
it as a great favour from Hormousdha, operated by my skill." He called
some of his slaves, and ordered them to keep a firm hold of the beast,
while he was operating upon it. Then he entered his tent, whence he soon
returned, armed with a nail and a great hammer. We waited with
impatience this strange chirurgical operation, which was to be performed
with a nail and a hammer. While several Mongols held the cow, in order
to prevent its running away, the operator placed the nail under its
belly, and then drove it in up to the head with a violent stroke of the
hammer. Next, he seized with both hands the tail of the cow, and ordered
those who were holding it to let go. Instantly, the animal that had been
so very singularly operated upon, dashed off, dragging after it the
veterinary Tartar, clin