Strangles. 23 



kind ; being' confined to the application of Poultices or Fomenta- 

 tions, to the swollen glands. 



Now, that Poultices and Fomentations, if applied amply and with 

 judgment, for a sufficient space of time, are calculated to mitigate 

 the sufferings of the animal, and in some degree to expedite the 

 process of Suppuration, I am very ready to admit; but in the 

 way which they are commonly used, they are likely to do more 

 harm than good. For as to Fomentations, they are seldom applied 

 hot enough, or for a sufficient space of time, and the skin is fre- 

 quently left wet, and improtected from the action of the cold air, 

 after the part has been fomented. 



And with regard to Poultices, less advantage is (I apprehend) in 

 general derived from their use, than from that of Fomentations. 

 For they are seldom made ample enough, applied sufficiently hot, 

 or renewed often enough, to produce the intended effect. And 

 even in many cases, where they are properly enough applied, so 

 far as concerns these particulars, yet from not being" exactly 

 adapted to the skin, or from the impossibility of retaining them in 

 the situation where they were first applied, they speedily become 

 cold, and thus, they do not merely defeat the purpose of their ap- 

 plication, but, by actually lessening the energies of nature, they 

 procrastinate instead of expediting the process of suppuratioa 

 in the inflamed tumour. But with whatsoever care and caution 

 they may be applied, these remedies are not to be put into competi- 

 tion with blistering; which ought in no case to be dispensed with — 

 For Blisters do not only expedite the process of suppuration in the 

 inflamed Glands, in an incredibly small space of time, but they do 

 a great deal more, by relieving the internal inflammation and sore- 



