84 STRAINS. 



" does hairy Armenian bole^ ryejloury or oatmeal^^ 

 more than the properties of forming a cement 

 (equal to a bandage) for keeping the parts in a 

 firm and certain pofition, conftituting'a pom- 

 pous prelude to the general idea of rest. 



No one advocate for cold charges^ or ftrength- 

 cning poultices, will be confident enough to 

 declare they retain a fufficient portion oi fti- 

 muliis to penetrate the integuments; and, by 

 their reftringent or contracting powers, affedl 

 the tone or elafticity of the relaxed tendon. 

 If fo I will venture to hazard an opinion 

 that what efficacy they may hold individually 

 is entirely locked up in the mafs of compo- 

 sition, and forms no other merit as a corro- 

 borant than a medical fubflitute for a band- 

 age of rollers, &c. with this exception only, 

 that it bears the appearance of bufinefs, or 

 fagacity extraordinary, in the farrier and 

 groom employed in the elaborate preparation % 

 who may prevent their lofs of time, and prof- 

 titution of judgment, by methods much more 

 eminently entitled to approbation, as founded 

 upon principles of -r^^i^/, and fan(ftiohed by 

 fuccefs. The fame obfervations hold good in 

 refpeft to poultices ; they never fhould be ap- 

 4 plied 



