288 THE CONDITION OF HUNTERS 



It is scarcely necessary to say that horses which 

 sweat frequently and profusely stale but little ; so 

 little, indeed, that grooms are now and then appre- 

 hensive of something wrong, and a urine ball is the 

 consequence. This proves the sympathy between 

 the skin and the kidneys, and accounts for the good 

 effect of our mild diuretic alteratives. Let me not, 

 however, be supposed to condemn the occasional use 

 of diuretic balls ; for I am well aware of their eminent 

 services in several complaints ; and it is by their 

 power of causing a reversion of action in favour of 

 the kidneys that we generally remove dropsical swell- 

 ings of horses' legs. They are also useful to cart 

 horses, whose robust frames are better able to with- 

 stand them ; and they are also very serviceable when 

 an evacuant is wanting (as on a journey), and there 

 is not time to give physic. Carrots act as a slight 

 diuretic with horses ; for which reason they are 

 excellent alteratives. 



FIRING 



The actual cautery is largely employed by veterinary 

 surgeons in all parts of the world. Its universal 

 adoption, is to some extent, a measure of its utihty. 

 That it has been abused, few, if any, will deny, but 

 when judiciously employed it has no equal in veterinary 

 practice. The fore limbs of hunters are often materially 

 strengthened by a light line or cross line firing. 



Point firing (pyro-puncture) is a good deal employed 

 to such diseases as splint, ringbone, bone-spavin, etc., 

 and leaves but trifling scarring. 



