168 DEAFNESS. 



DISEASES OF THE EAR. 



Wounds of the ear are usually the consequence of careless or brutal treat- 

 ment. The twitch may be applied to it, when absolute necessity requires this 

 degree of coercion ; but troublesome ulcers and bruises have been the con- 

 sequence of the abuse of this species of punishment, and more especially 

 has the farrier done irreparable mischief when he has brutally made use of 

 his plyers. 



These bruises or wounds will generally fortunately for the animal, and 

 fortunately, perhaps, for the brute that inflicted the injury speedily heal ; but 

 occasionally sinuses and abscesses will result that bid defiance to the most 

 skilful treatment. A simple laceration of the cartilage is easily remedied. 

 The divided edges are brought into apposition, and the head is tied up closely 

 for a few days, and all is well ; but, occasionally, ulceration of the integument 

 and cellular substance, and caries of the cartilage, will take place deep sinuses 

 will be formed, and the wound will bid defiance to the most skilful treatment. 

 The writer of this work had once a case of this kind under his care more than 

 two months, and he was at length compelled to cut off the ear, the other ear 

 following it, for the sake of uniformity of appearance. The lunar caustic, 

 or the muriate of antimony, or the heated iron, must be early employed, or the 

 labour of the practitioner will be in vain. 



It has been the misfortune of the same person to witness two cases in which 

 the auditory passage was closed and the faculty of hearing destroyed, by blows 

 on the ear violently inflicted. No punishment can be too severe for these 

 brutes in human shape. Whenever there is considerable swelling about the 

 root of the ear, and the fluctuation of a fluid within can be detected, it should 

 be immediately opened with a lancet, and the purulent fluid liberated. 



The abscess usually begins to form about the middle of the conch, or 

 rather nearer the base than the point. The incision should be of considerable 

 length, or the opening will close again in four-and-twenty hours. The purulent 

 matter having been evacuated, the incision should not be permitted to close 

 until the parietes of the ulcer have adhered to each other, and the abscess is 

 obliterated. 



The size and the carrying of the ear do not always please. The ears may be 

 larger and more dependent than fashion requires them to be, and this is remedied 

 by paring or clipping them to the requisite size. On either side of the pro- 

 jection of the occipital bone, and hi a straight line forward and backward, a 

 fold of the skin is pinched up and cut away. The divided edges on either side 

 are then brought together, and confined by two or three stitches they presently 

 unite, and the owner has a better-looking horse, and soon forgets or cares not 

 about the punishment which he has inflicted on him. 



The ears of other horses may be supposed to be too close to each other. This 

 fault is corrected by another piece of cruelty. Similar slips of skin are cut 

 away on the outside of the base of the ear, and in the same direction. The 

 edges of the wound are then brought together, confined by sutures, and the ears 

 are drawn further apart from each other, and have different directions given to 

 them. A very slight examination of either of the horses will readily detect 

 the imposition. 



DEAFNESS. 



Of the occasional existence of this in the horse, there is no doubt. The 

 beautiful play of the ears has ceased, and the horse hears not the voice of his 

 master, or the sound of the whip. Much of the apparent stupidity of a few 

 horses is attributable to their imperfect hearing. It occasionally appears to 



