LINEN BANDAGES. 433 



ciimstances : first, when the horse is chilled or his vitality- 

 has become impaired by sickness ; second, for the purpose 

 of removing any puffiness about the legs ; and third, in con- 

 sequence of the fact that flannel readily absorbs moisture, 

 such bandages are used by servants who, after washing a 

 horse's les^s, either do not care to take the trouble of drvino^ 

 them thoroughly or who take the additional precaution of 

 applying the bandages for the purpose of removing any 

 moisture which the rubber has not absorbed in drying the 

 legs. Flannel bandages are generally used dry and should 

 be wrapped loosely about the legs in order to prevent any 

 interference with the circulation. With a view to securinsr 

 a proper amount of looseness, the legs are often first wrapped 

 in a straw or hay rope bandage or strands of hay or straw 

 are placed between the folds. When desiring to apply a 

 more active fomentation to the legs than is set up by the 

 dry bandage, the flannel should be first soaked in water as 

 hot as the hand can bear it (about one hundred and six de- 

 grees) and a dry bandage or piece of oil silk applied over 

 the wet one. 



LINEN BANDAGES. 



Linen bandages should be used to the exclusion of those 

 made of flannel to afford support or to apply lotions to the 

 horse's legs. When applied as supports bandages should 

 always be tightly bound ; and as lotions are generally used 

 for the purpose of strengthening the tendons, linen band- 

 ages should under almost all circumstances be firmly bound. 

 Unless the inflammation or soreness is somewhat severe, the 

 use of dry linen bandages will be found suflicient ; but when 

 the trouble is of a more serious nature or to effect immediate 



