348 CYCLOPliDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND COMPLETE STOCK DOCTOE. 



What to do. — In all cases of shoulder lameness where there are heat, 

 swelling, soreness to the touch and lameness, foment with hot water, 

 never with cold, for half an hour at a time, three times a day. It is welJ 

 to add a handful of common salt to a pail of the hot water. When it has 

 dried after washing, rul) well in tlic liniment. No. 14, morning and night. 

 In most cases, if taken immediately and the above well applied, a cure 

 will be effected, if rest is given, in from one to four weeks. If this faik 

 to cure, a blister well rubbed in over the affected part will do good ; 

 use No. 9. In nine cases out of ten, when the lameness is in the shoul- 

 der, remedies applied to the joint of the shoulder will be effectual. A 

 common mistake is made in applying blisters over the shoulder blade and 

 withers, which only cause pain and often leave blemishes, without doing 

 one particle of good, except necessitating a long rest ; but it is better to 

 have some other excuse for the rest. 



When these means fail, the last resort is the seton. Vfhen well ap- 

 plied it produces counter irritation, that can hardly fail to cure unless 

 there is porcelaneous deposit on the heads of the bones in the joint. 

 When the exact source of lameness is located, pass the seton down over 

 it just beneath the skin, letting it run always as nearly perpendicular as 

 possible. Let it pass eight to fourteen inches under the skin, and leave 

 the ends projecting three or four inches. The seton is best made of 

 strong, coarse, unbleached muslin, torn into a strip, one inch and a half 

 wide. Fasten leather buttons on each end to prevent it coming out. 

 Smear it once or twice a week with a little fly blister to promote a dis- 

 charge and increase the irritation. Foment and wash thoroughly clean 

 with hot water morning and night. If the horse is inclined to bite and 

 pull the seton, tie one end of a stick to his halter, and the other end to 

 the surcingle to hold his head and neck straight. A needle made on 

 puri)()se is needed to insert the seton ; it should be fully a foot long. 



The seton should be left in thice weeks in mild cases, and four to six 

 weeks in bad and clironic cases. Always give from one to three months' 

 rest after removing the seton. 



Sweeny is treated by mild blisters of flies in ointment as in No. 9, or 

 in tincture, rubbed in gently, and repeated every fortnight for two or 

 three months. The horse is better at grass Avliile this treatment is ]>eing 

 given. It will stimulate the muscles to rc-devclop. Gentle exercise is 

 better than absolute rest. 



IX. Cramp of the Muscles of the Thighs. 



The muscles of the thighs are very subject to cramp in hard- 

 worked horses, especially in old ones. These cramps are often diagnosed 

 wrongly, are mistaken for dislocation of the stifle, are in fact rarely rec 

 ognized except by an expert. 



