126 



HORSE— DISEASES AND REMEDIES. 



severe diseases, a blister is sometimes ap- 

 plied over the part, immediately after the 

 tiring; but this can seldom be required, 

 and as it aggravates the pain tenfold, it 

 should be avoided, if possible. On the 

 following day, a little neat's foot oil 

 should be gently rubbed, or brushed with 

 a feather, over the leg ; and this should 

 be repeated daily, until the swelling which 

 'comes on has nearly subsided. Less 

 than three months' rest should never be 

 allowed for the operation to have its full 

 effect, as, if the horse is put to work be- 

 fore that time has elapsed, the disease 

 will almost certainly return. Indeed, it 

 is far better to allow double this time, 

 especially if the horse is wanted for fast 

 work. 



HDItSE, Setons and Rowels. — Se*ons 

 are pieces of tape or lamp cotton, passed 

 through and beneath the skin, leaving 

 the two ends hanging out, either tied 

 together or with a knot upon each. The 

 latter is the safter plan, as the loop is 

 always liable to be caught on a hook or 

 other projecting body. The needle with 

 which the passage is effected has a spear 

 point, slightly turned up, and an eye at 

 the other end, through which the tape or 

 cotton is threaded. The ordinary one is 

 about nine or ten inches long, and by its 

 means a tape or piece of lamp cotton, 

 smeared with blister cerate, may be passed 

 through a long track of the cellular mem- 

 brane, by pinching up the skin into a'fold, 

 and piercing this close to the body with 

 the needle, which is then to be carried 

 straight through. On drawing the tape 

 out of the eye, it must be tied in a large 

 knot at each end, which will prevent its 

 slipping out. In three or four days, a 

 profuse discharge will come on, and it 

 must be kept up, if necessary, by repeated 

 applications of blister cerate, or digestive 

 ointment, as may be necessary. The 

 ends should be sponged occasionally, to 

 remove the accumulated matter. 



A smaller curved needle, about five or 

 six inches long is used for introducing a 

 seton into the frog, or beneath the eye. 

 For the former operation, a twitch is first 

 applied, and the foot is then buckled up 

 to the arm. The needle then, armed with 

 the tape, greased with blister cerate, and 

 a little oil to lubricate the surface, is thrust 

 in at the heel and out at the cleft of the 

 frog, taking care not to go deep enough 



to wound the tendon as it passes over the 

 navicular bone. The needle is then forci- 

 bly drawn through, and the tape knotted, 

 as already described. The openings must 

 be kept clean by sponging daily ; and in 

 three or four weeks the tape will have 

 nearly worked its way out, when it may 

 be withdrawn. 



Rowels are now seldom employed, 

 being very unmanageable plans for caus- 

 ing counter-irritation. An incision, 

 about an inch long, is made in the skin, 

 selecting a part where it is loosely at- 

 tached, and into this a blunt instrument, 

 called a " cornet," is pushed, and worked 

 about in all directions, until the skin is 

 separated from the subjacent parts for a 

 circle with a diameter of from two to 

 three inches. Into this a piece of thick 

 leather of that diameter, with a hole in 

 the middle, is inserted, previously having 

 smeared it with blister cerate ; and the 

 part is then left to nature. In a few days, 

 a discharge of matter comes on, which 

 must be washed off occasionally ; and in 

 the course of time, the leather, if allowed, 

 would find its way out by ulceration. Be- 

 fore, however, this takes place, it is gen- 

 erally removed. 



HOBSE, Blistering.— When it is decid- 

 ed to blister any part, the hair should be 

 cut off as closely as possible ; the oint- 

 ment is then rubbed in with the hand for 

 ten minutes, leaving a good quantity 

 smeared on the surface. If the legs are to 

 be blistered, the heels should be protected 

 by lard. Considerable itching is caused 

 after the first two or three days, and many 

 horses, if allowed, gnaw the part to such 

 an extent as to cause a serious blemish. 

 It is therefore necessary to keep the head 

 away, which is done by putting a " cradle" 

 on the neck. The irritation of loose 

 straw is very aggravating, and the 

 stall or box should either be bedded with 

 tan, or sawdust, or with used litter, so 

 damp as to lie smoothly. It is generally 

 the practice to put the blistered horse on 

 a bare floor; but he will often do great 

 harm to his legs and feet (which are of 

 course unsound, or they would not be 

 treated in this way), by constantly stamp- 

 ing from the pain occasioned while the 

 blister is' beginning to rise. When the 

 legs are stiff and sore from the swelling, 

 he stands still enough, but at first there is 

 nothing of this kind to keep him quiet. 



