288 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 



sary to be drawn than any preconceived opinion, as 

 nothing can be more absurd than drawing blood 

 indiscriminately. The prudent man will bleed until 

 the oppressed pulse becomes more distinct and fallen, 

 or the strong pulse of high fever softer. 



We would recommend a sharp-pointed, broad- 

 shouldered lancet, but especially the spring lancet 

 invented by Mr Weiss of London, as the most safe 

 and certain one in use, not only for bleeding from 

 the larger, but also the smaller veins, etc. We 

 especially recommend great care in keeping the lancet 

 clean, and after every operation it should be wiped 

 very carefully. Private individuals should occasionally 

 look at and rub their lancets, because they are apt to 

 rust even when not in use. 



BLISTERING. 



We have already mentioned blistering in treating of 

 the various diseases to which it is applicable. Blisters 

 act on the principle that two intense states of inflamma- 

 tion cannot exist in contiguous parts of the system at 

 one time ; therefore we apply some irritant substance 

 to the skin to induce external inflammation, to draw 

 away that existing in some deeper contiguous parts. 

 Upon this principle we apply a blister to the skin of 

 the side in cases of inflammation of the lungs ; for 

 inflammation of the bowels, we blister the belly ; the 

 legs are blistered for that of the cellular substance 

 surrounding the sheaths of the tendons ; and for 

 inflammation of the navicular joint, we make the 

 coronet or heel the medium of operations. Besides 

 their use in inflammation, blisters are useful in increas- 

 ing the activity of the vessels contiguous to the places 

 where they are applied. In cases of strangles, for 

 example, a blister is used to induce earlier suppuration. 



