204 EVERY MAN HIS OWN FARRIER 



of ammonia, as directed under the head " Swellings on 

 the joints and bones." 



LOSS OF JOINT OIL, OR SYNOVIA. 



Wounds, or punctures of the joints, often penetrate 

 so deep as to pierce through the tendons and ligaments, 

 occasioning a loss or discharge of the natural secre- 

 tion of joint, viz. : Its oil, or synovia ; the same acci- 

 dent may happen from any injury exciting inflamma- 

 tion, and that inflammation passing on till it produces 

 an opening into the joint. This disease is always an 

 alarming one, and the principle of cure is to produce 

 the process of healing as quickly as possible, by exci- 

 ting active inflammation ; this may be done after the 

 first effects of the injury have subsided, in consequence 

 of bleeding, purging and fomenting, in the usual man- 

 ner, and then applying the volatile blister to the joint, 

 composed of Spanish flies, in powder, two drams, and 

 spirits of ammonia, four ounces ; at the same time the 

 orifice is to be plugged with a tent, dipped in the fol- 

 lowing composition : 



Sweet spirits of nitre, 3 drams ; 



Butter of antimony, and extract of lead, each 3 drams. 



The blister and caustic may be occasionally re- 

 peated ; the mixture every twenty-four hours, till the 

 effusion of joint oil is completely stopped; then the fol- 

 lowing balsam may be applied once or twice a day, in 

 order to heal up the wound : 



Tincture of myrrh, 2 ounces; 



Blue vitriol water, J ounce. 



" The vitriol water may be made by dissolving ten 



