630 THE HORSE 



BLISTERING 



WiiEX IT IS DECIDED TO BLISTER any part, the hair should bo cut off as 

 closely as possible ; the ointment 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 thei-efore 

 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 genei'ally the practice to put the blistered 

 horse on a bare floor, but he will often do great harm to his legs and feet 

 (which ax'e of course unsound, or they would not be treated in this way), by 

 constantly stamping 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. At the 

 end of a week some neat's-foot oil should be applied every morning, with a 

 feather or soft brush, to keep the scabs as supple as possible. The various 

 formulae for blisters will be given in the list of materia medica. 



CASTRATION 



For removing the testicles several methods of operation are in vogue. 

 It is generally performed when the colt is about a year old, and the months 

 of May and June are considered the most favourable, as being warm and too 

 soon for the raain crop of flies, this operation being done, of course, while 

 the subjects are yet running free in pasture. In this country castration has 

 been successfully performed for centuries by men of very little education, 

 but expert in the art, which as a rule is an hereditary one. For the 

 preliminary part of their method, see casting with side lines at page 

 622. The colt being securely held down upon his left side, his hind-legs 

 drawn forward and his head kept as much as possible in a line with his 

 back, the operator first examines for possible rupture and then proceeds to 

 wash out the sheath with soap and warm water to clear it of that accumula- 

 tion which he calls " cod wax." During this preliminary work his irons are 

 getting hot in the fire basket which he carries about with him, if he has any 

 regard for time. He next grasps the scrotum with his left hand so as to 

 squeeze the testicles up and render the covering tense, when witli a bold 

 sweep of his knife he makes a clean incision, nearly the whole length of the 

 testis, which innnediately escapes, and is seized with the left hand and held 

 firmly during the momentary struggle that follows ; the cremaster muscle 

 presently yields and the clam (see Fig. 112) is closed upon the cord and 

 divided by a very hot iron ; a little powdered resin is put upon the divided 

 surface and a partially cooled iron is brought to bear upon it, until a melted 

 pellicle of resin appears to have sealed the artery. The operator does not 

 immediately release the clams but eases them a little, and if a drop of bright 

 red blood comes up from the divided vessel he applies the actual cautery 



