HORSE— CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



I2 S 



than six quarts of blood will seldom 

 lower the pulse sufficiently to be of much 

 service, and sometimes seven or eight 

 quarts even must be taken from a large, 

 plethoric animal. 



Inflammation of the vein will some- 

 times supervene upon bleeding, the symp- 

 toms being a slight swelling appearing in 

 the evening, or the next day, with a little 

 oozing from the wound. These are soon 

 followed by a hard, cord-like enlarge- 

 ment of the vein, which feels hot to the 

 touch, and the parts at the angle of the 

 jaw swell considerably. The conse- 

 quence generally is that the vein is oblit- 

 erated, occasioning some disturbance to 

 the circulation, especially when the head 

 is held down, as it is at grass. The treat- 

 ment consists in cold applications as long 

 as there is heat, the lotion recommended 

 (see Horse, Capped Hock) being gen- 

 erally useful. When the heat has sub- 

 sided, and the vein remains enlarged, the 

 biniodide of mercury will procure the 

 absorption of the new deposit, by rub- 

 bing it in as recommended. (See Horse, 

 Splints.) 



HORSE, Firing. — The purpose for 

 which the heated iron is employed is two- 

 fold ; first, to produce immediate counter- 

 irritation, by which the previous inflam- 

 mation is reduced; and secondly, to 

 cause the formation of a tight compress 

 over the part, which lasts for some 

 months. It is the fashion to deny the 

 existence of the latter effect of this ope- 

 ration ; but every practical man must be 

 aware that it follows upon firing to a 

 greater or less extent, according to cir- 

 cumstances, but always lasting for a few 

 months, until the skin stretches to its pre- 

 vious condition. The blemish which it 

 leaves, and the pain which it occasions, 

 both during and after the application of 

 the iron, should cause it to be avoided 

 when any equally useful substitute can be 

 employed; but, unfortunately, there are 

 many cases where it stands without a 

 rival, as being at once the safest and the 

 most efficient remedy which can be adopt- 

 ed. Blisters and setons can be made to 

 cause the same amount of counter-irrita- 

 tion; but the inflammation accompany- 

 ing the former often extends beneath the 

 skin, and increases the mischief it was in- 

 tended to relieve; while the latter has no 

 effect whatever in producing pressure 



upon the parts beneath. The pain of 

 firing can be relieved entirely at the time 

 of the operation by chloroform; but the 

 subsequent smarting is quite as bad, and 

 this is beyond the reach of any anaesthetic. 

 Independently, however, of the interests 

 of the master, it is also to the advantage 

 of the horse to get thoroughly cured ; for 

 if he is not, he will either work on in 

 misery, or he will be consigned to the 

 knacker's yard ; and, therefore, the adop- 

 tion of the most efficacious plan of treat- 

 ment, even if somewhat the most painful, 

 is the best for both. 



Firing may be performed standing, by 

 the use of the side line for the hind leg, 

 or by fixing up one fore leg when the 

 other is to be operated on. There is, 

 however, nothing like the break or trevis, 

 where more than a slight extent of sur- 

 face is to be lined. The firing-iron should 

 have a smooth edge, about the thickness 

 of a worn shilling; and it should be 

 heated to the point when it shows a dull 

 red in the dark. When the disease for 

 which the irons are used is slight, the skin 

 should not be penetrated; but in bad 

 cases, where the mischief is great, and 

 particularly when it is wanted to have a 

 good permanent bandage, the cauteriza- 

 tion must be deeper; but this requires 

 some practical knowledge to decide. 

 The hair of the part should be cut very 

 closely with the scissors, or shaved; 

 then, having secured the leg, the iron is 

 to be steadily but rapidly passed in par- 

 allel lines over the skin, making just the 

 proper pressure which is required to burn 

 to the requisite depth. A light brown 

 mark should be left, which shows that the 

 proper effect has been produced ; and the 

 color should be uniform, unless it is de- 

 sired to penetrate deeper at certain parts, 

 which is sometimes practised with ad- 

 advantage. The lines are sometimes 

 made in a slanting direction round the 

 leg, and at others straight up and down ; 

 but it is useless to describe the details of 

 this operation, which can only be learned 

 by watching its performance by another 

 hand. Badly done, firing is always an 

 eyesore; but when the lines are evenly 

 drawn, and they have healed without any 

 sloughs, caused by irregular or excessive 

 pressure, they show that a master-hand 

 has been at work, and that the poor beast 

 has been treated scientifically. In very 



