198 The Management and Treatment of the Horse, 



made sharp to allow of its being pushed through the 

 skin : sometimes, however, it is left blunt, and it is then 

 passed through the skin by an opening made with a 

 lancet. They are often used with a handle, into which 

 they are screwed, and in this way their course is more 

 certainly directed. In introducing a seton the skin is 

 first punctured transversely with a lancet, and the seton 

 needle is directed between the skin and muscles, its 

 course being favoured by the pulling out of the skin 

 by the left hand in front of the point of the instru- 

 ment. It is usually carried from a point above down- 

 ward to permit of a free discharge of the matter, 

 and when carried far enough a fresh incision 

 is made with the lancet to allow of its exit. This 

 is preferable to penetrating the skin simply with 

 a sharp needle, as the wounds thus made are often 

 so small that the pus cannot escape freely, and 

 becoming imprisoned produces a source of irritation. 

 The seton having been introduced, it is necessary 

 to fix it by some means ; the most common way of 

 doing this is to tie both ends together, but this is 

 objectionable, as the animal may by rubbing get 

 the loop fast and tear it out, leaving an ugly tear. 

 The best way is to make a large knot at each end 

 of the tape, which should be about four inches longer 

 than the wound on each end, so that the matter 

 can be worked out by pulling the cord up and down. 

 In spavin and vaiious other forms of lameness they 

 are at times employed with great benefit in the 

 neighbourhood of the malady. Their effect is some- 

 times increased by smearing the seton with an 



