SIMPLE AILMENTS 325 



Sprains. 



A strain of the back sinews — which is more often a strain 

 of the sheath of the tendon — should be treated similarly to a 

 curb, fomenting well with hot water in which soda is dis- 

 solved, applying Sal Ammoniac the next morning, and sub- 

 sequently relying upon plain vinegar. When all inflammation 

 has departed the leg should be well blistered with the blister 

 recommended in the case of ring-bone, and in bad cases the 

 horse should be subjected to blistering three times, with an 

 interval of about six weeks between each application. All 

 the effects of one blister must have peeled off before the next 

 one is begun. If any thickening should remain, a useful 

 liniment to reduce enlargements between the skin and the 

 tendon is — 



Soft Soap ^ oz. 



Spirit of Wine ... ... ... ... ... 2 ,, 



Tincture of Iodine ... 1 ,, 



Water 8 „ 



which should be applied on alternate days after the final 

 blister has performed its office. Under this treatment and 

 with a long rest — a year if necessary — the leg should get quite 

 right again, without the disfiguring use of the firing-iron. The 

 real benefit which ensues from the firing-iron is the long rest 

 which must perforce be given to the patient, and there is no 

 greater good to be obtained from the cautery itself than may 

 be gained by repeated blisters. The latter also have the 

 merit of causing no disfigurement, whilst after recovery the 

 horse may be as good as ever ; but this can never be the case 

 with firing, for the moment the hot iron has touched the 

 skin the form of the horse has fallen from at least a stone to 

 two stone below what it was before. This arises from the 

 fact that the skin never regains its former elasticity, thereby 

 shortening the stride, and when it is considered how many 

 strides are taken in a mile, it is evident that a loss of only 

 2 inches each time will result in a loss of many yards in that 

 distance. 

 It is a common mistake to imagine that a horse has broken 



