100 



THE MODERN SYSTE^i 



Firing, or the actual cautery, is an excel- 

 lent styptic to stop the bleedhig of an artery, 

 as in docking, castration, &c. It is generally 

 resorted to as the safest styptic, also in opera- 

 tions of festulous withers, frequently in dis- 

 secting out fungus flesh you are apt to wound 

 a number of small arteries : the actual cautery 

 is the only means you here can employ with 

 any good effect. In these cases keep the 

 Horse's body open with alterative medicines ; 

 such as the following : 



Take Cape aloes - 2 drams. 

 Sulphur - - 3 do. 

 Form into a ball with soft soap, 



and give one occasionally ; feed with half 

 bran and half oats made damp. 



WOUNDS OF THE VEINS. 



Wounds of the veins generally arise from 

 incautiousness in blood-letting, though the 

 operation is performed by some of the greatest 

 bunglers that possibly could take a phleme 

 and blood-stick in hand, without having any 

 ill effects arise. Still, it may happen on some 

 occasions, to the most experienced practitioner, 

 either from inattention in pinning up the orifice, 

 such as drawing the skin a considerable way 

 out, or not adjusting the lip of the wound 

 equally together, so that blood becomes ex- 

 travasated into the surroundino; cellular mem- 

 brane ; also it may arise from the foul consti- 

 tution of the Horse, when every little scratch 

 or wound will have a tendency to inflame and 

 suppurate ; if this should be the case, apply 

 the following : 



Shake these well together in a botlle, and 

 apply frequently during the day. If absorp- 

 tion takes place, and the parts regain their 

 former appearance, all is well ; but if the 

 tumour suppurate, and you feel a fluctua- 

 tion on preij^sing the part, make a depending 

 opening, or introduce a seton through it. 

 But if the vein itself should take on the in- 

 flammation, it must arise from rusty or unclean 

 phlemes; and, in all probability, the vein may 

 be punctured through, in consequence of 

 driving the phleme with too great violence in 

 the act of bleeding ; also, the Horse being 

 suffered to have his head at liberty immedi- 

 ately after bleeding, instead of being tied up 

 for at least two or three hours, the pin caus- 

 ing an irritation, he becomes inclined to rub 

 against any thing that is in his way, such as 

 the edge of the manger, &c. Sometimes the 

 constitution will take on this morbid action as 

 before stated. This disease begins to make 

 its appearance in about two or three days 

 after the operation of blood-letting, by a small 

 tumour at the situation of the orifice, the lips 

 of which unclose and look red with a sort of 

 ichorous discharge issuing, and sometimes 

 blood itself will escape. In this case, if the 

 progress be not stopped, the tumefaction ex- 

 tends along the course of the vein towards the 

 head; the vessel becomes hard, and the con- 

 tained blood in the trunk forms into a firm 

 coagulum, by which it becomes impervious, 

 and all attempts to save it becomes afterwards 

 a failure. Suppuration of the tumour now 

 begins to make its appearance, sometimes not 

 in the immediate part where the original 

 puncture took place ; abscesses will form in 

 various situations above. If not taken in time, 

 the morbid action extends upwards so as to in- 

 volve the head on that side as well as the neck 



