BLEEDIXG. 251 



A fleam with a broad blade should generally be used, for 

 the same quantity of blood taken from a wide opening will do 

 much more good than if taken from a narrow or small one. 

 The quicker the blood is taken, the better will be the effect. 



After the necessary quantity of blood has been taken, the 

 pressure is to be removed from tlie vein, and a small, sharp pin 

 passed through the edges of the wound, and a little tow or a 

 few hairs from the mane wound round it. The horse's head 

 should be so tied as not to permit him to rub the wound. In 

 twenty-four hours the pin should be removed. If the bleeding 

 is to be repeated in three or four hours, a new place should be 

 opened, and not the old wound, as is sometimes done. 



Much may be told by the appearance of the blood drawn as 

 to the eifect produced ; but the most reliable method of determ- 

 ining what has been accomplished is by noting the eifect on 

 the pulse. Every person should familiarize himself with the 

 pulse, and then he will be able to bleed intelligently. This is, 

 really, the only reliable guide. 



There are other veins which are sometimes selected for 

 bleeding. The plate-vein, which runs up on the inside of the 

 fore-leg, from behind the knee, is sometimes selected. The 

 point at which it is opened is near where the arm joins the 

 chest. 



The large vein on the inside of the thigh, called the sajjJioena^ 

 or thigh-vein, is sometimes opened. It is recommended to 

 bleed from it in water-farcy. 



The toe-vein is often selected for bleeding. The toe-vein, so 

 called, is only a dense net-work of small veins. It is reached 

 by cutting a small groove with the point of a fine drawing-knife, 

 called a searcher, through the sole at the toe just where it 

 unites with the crust. As the point of the searcher reaches 

 the vein, a sufficient opening is made for the blood to flow. 

 The bleeding may be encouraged, by placing the foot in warm 

 water. The bleeding may be stopped by plugging the groove 

 with a little tow, and then nailing on the shoe. Bleeding 



