84 STRAINS. 



parts in a firm and certain position, consti- 

 tuting a pompous prelude to the general 

 idea of rest. 



• No one advocate for cold charo-es, or 

 strengthening poultices, will be confident 

 enough to declare they retain a sufficient por- 

 tion oi stimulus to penetrate the integuments ; 

 and, by their restringent or contracting 

 powers, affect the tone or elasticity of the 

 relaxed tendon. If so, I will venture to ha- 

 zard an opinion, that w^hat efficacy they may 

 hold individually is entirely locked up in the 

 mass of composition, and forms no other 

 merit as a corroborant than a medical sub- 

 stitute for a bandage of rollers, &c. with this 

 exception only, that it bears the appearance 

 of business, or sagacity extraordinar)^ in the 

 farrier and groom employed in the elaborate 

 preparation ; who may prevent their loss of 

 time, and prostitution of judgment, by me- 

 thods much more eminently entitled to ap- 

 probation, as founded upon principles of 

 reason, and sanctioned by success. The 

 same observations hold good in respect to 

 poultices ; they never should be applied to 

 jitrains but in cases of jswellins^ and infiam- 



