176 THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 



introduce a piece or pieces of tape or cord tlirough the 

 abscess from side to side, or from the top to the bot- 

 tom, as the case may require, or according to the 

 situation, of which the operator must be the best judge : 

 the ends of the tape are then knotted or tied together. 

 Previous, however, to the introduction of the seton, 

 the tape must be wetted with some acrid hquid ; spirit 

 of turpentine may be used, or, 



Corrosive Subhmate - - half a drachm, 

 Spirits of Wine - - 2 ounces, 



mixed. 



During the day it is necessary to move the seton 

 occasionally, and wet it each time in order to promote 

 the discharge. 



Setons vvill leave great blemishes if care be not taken 

 during the period they are used, especially if they are 

 heedlessly torn av>ay instead of drawing them out 

 gently. 



Docking, 



Or, Amputation of a part of the Tail, is an operation 

 which custom has made very prevalent; indeed we but 

 rarely see a horse now-a-days whose tail has not been 

 thus artificially shortened. The operation is simple, 

 and the length of the tail, when docking, rests entirely 

 at the option of the owner. Having felt for the joint 

 which lies nearest to the length proposed, gather up 

 the hair and turn it back in a contrary direction to its 

 natural growth, and tie it with cord or tape two or 

 tliree inches above the joint where the amputation is 

 to take place, cutting with a pair of scissors that por- 

 tion of the hair growing immediately around the joint 

 to be severed. Having now secured the horse's head 



