EMOLLIENT AND COUNTER-IRRITANT 157 



manner often relieves catarrh, sore- throat, and strangles. 

 Williams insisted on the value of steaming, and hot fomenta- 

 tions in laryngitis and bronchitis, and preferred fomenta- 

 tions to counter-irritants in pneumonia and pleurisy. 



Soothing watery vapour, medicated, if need be, is readily 

 evolved from a steam-kettle, from a well-made bran-mash 

 placed in a roomy nose-bag, or from a bucket containing 

 freshly-steamed hay. 



Water-dressings, or compresses, consisting of several folds 

 of lint or tow, saturated with hot water, and covered with 

 oiled skin or mackintosh cloth to retard evaporation, or a 

 sheet of well-soaked spongio-piline, are frequently substi- 

 tuted for poultices, and are usually preferable, on account 

 of their lightness and cleanliness. 



Cold water is a useful refrigerant. When the acute con- 

 gestion, heat, and tenderness of bruises, strains, and wounds 

 have been so far abated by hot applications, cold exerts 

 wholesome, refrigerant, tonic, and constringing effects. 

 Linen bandages, constantly wetted, relieve chronic strains, 

 jars, and windgalls of the legs of horses. Cold water is also 

 serviceable, after disinfection, in broken knees, synovitis and 

 arthritis, open or closed, and other injuries of the limbs. 

 Continuous irrigation is readily effected through a small 

 indiarubber pipe, connected with a water tap, or brought 

 from a supply tank on a higher level. (See Irrigation.) Cold 

 water similarly supplied keeps at low temperature the swabs 

 around the coronets and feet of horses suffering from 

 laminitis. Rugs dipped in cold water and applied to the 

 chest walls, are successfully employed in acute congestion of 

 the lungs, brought on by over-exertion, and especially in 

 hot weather. 



Cold affusion to the head and neck is a powerful stimu- 

 lant, serviceable in megrims, sunstroke, phrenitis, con- 

 vulsions, syncope, and the comatose stage of parturient 

 toxaemia in cattle, as well as in poisoning with alcohol, 

 chloroform, opium, and prussic acid. The shock is increased 

 when very cold water is used, and when it falls on the patient 

 from a height of two or three feet. Such cold affusion 

 must not, however, be long continued, as it quickly abstracts 

 animal heat. Equally effectual results are more safely 



