BLISTERING. 577 
buckled up to the arm, as described at page 167. The needle then, armed 
with the tape, greased with blister cerate, and a little oil to lubricate the 
surface, is thrust in at the heel and out at the cleft of the frog, taking care 
not to go deep enough to wound the tendon as it passes over the navicular 
bone. The needle is then forcibly drawn through, and the tape knotted, 
as already described. The openings must be kept clean by sponging daily ; 
and in three or four weeks the tape will have nearly worked its way out, 
when it may be withdrawn. 
RowELs are now seldom employed, being very unmanageable plans for 
causing counter-irritation. An incision, about an inch long, is made in 
the skin, selecting a part where it is loosely attached, and into this a blunt 
instrument, called a ‘“ cornet,” is pushed, and worked about in all direc- 
tions, until the skin is separated from the subjacent parts for a circle with 
a diameter of from two to three inches. Into this a piece of thick leather 
of that diameter, with a hole in the middle, is inserted, previously having 
smeared it with blister cerate ; and the part is then left to nature. In 
afew days, a discharge of matter comes on, which must be washed off 
occasionally ; and in the course of time, the leather, if allowed, would 
find its way out by ulceration, Before, however, this takes place, it is. 
generally removed. 
BLISTERING. 
WHEN IT IS DECIDED TO BLISTER any part, the hair should be cut off 
as closely as possible ; the ointment is then rubbed in with the hand for 
ten minutes, leaving a good quantity smeared on the surface. If the legs 
are to be blistered, the heels should be protected by lard. Considerable 
itching is caused after the first two or three days, and many horses, if 
allowed, gnaw the part to such an extent as to cause a serious blemish. 
It is therefore necessary to keep the head away, which is done by putting 
a “cradle” on the neck. The irritation of loose straw is very aggra- 
vating, and the stall or box should either be bedded with tan, or sawdust, 
or with used litter, so damp as to lie smoothly. It is generally the prac- 
tice to put the blistered horse on a bare floor; but he will often do great 
harm to his legs and feet (which are of course unsound, or they would 
not be treated in this way), by constantly stamping from the pain occa- 
sioned while the blister is beginning to rise. When the legs are stiff and 
sore from the swelling, he stands still enough, but at first there is nothing. 
of this kind to keep him quiet. James’s blister, which is very mild, and 
useful for trifling diseases of the legs, or for bringing on the hair after 
“broken knee,” can generally be used without a cradle ; but even with it, 
horses will sometimes gnaw themselves, and it is better not to run any 
risk, At the end of a week, some neat’s-foot oil should be applied every 
morning, with a feather or soft brush, to keep the scabs as supple as 
possible. The various formulas for blisters will be given in the list of 
materia medica. 
CASTRATION. 
FoR REMOVING THE TESTICLES several methods of operation have been 
proposed ; but hitherto none has been tried which is so successful as the 
old plan, in which the division of the cord is performed by a heated 
iron with a sharp edge. In human surgery the spermatic artery is tied, 
and all danger of hemorrhage is over, because the small amount of 
bleeding which takes place from the artery of the cord is of no conse- 
quence, as it cannot enter the cavity of the peritoneum. In the horse, on 
PP 
