646 THE HORSE 



CAUSTICS, OR CAUTERIES 



Caustics are substances which Luni away the Hving tissues of the 

 body by the decomposition of their elements. They are of two kinds — 

 viz. first, the actual cautery, consisting in the application of the burning 

 iron, and called firing ; and, secondly, the potential cautery, by means of 

 the powers of mineral caustics, such as zinc chloride, lunar-caustic, corrosive 

 sublimate, etc. 



Firing is described in the chapter on Opei-ations, at page 628. 



The following are the ordinary chemical applications used as potential 

 cauteries : — 



4i. Fused Potass, difficult to manage, because it rims about in all directions, and little 

 used in veterinary medicine, 



45. Lunar Caustic, or Nitrate of Silver, very valuable to the veterinary surgeon, and 



constantly used to apply to profuse granulations. 



46. SuLTHATE OF CoppEii, almost equally useful, but not so strong as Lunar Caustic ; 



it may be applied to all high granulations, as in broken knees, and similar 

 gi-owths. 



47. Corrosive Sublimate in powder, which acts most energetically upon warty 



growths, but should be used with great care and discretion. It may safely be 

 applied to small surfaces, but not without a regular practitioner to large ones. 



48. Yellow Ortijient is not so strong as Corrosive Sublimate, and may be used with 



more freedom. It will generally remove warty growths, by picking off their 

 heads and rubbing it in. 



49. Muriate of Antimony, called Butter of Antimony ; a strong but rather un- 



manageable caustic, and used either by itself or mixed with more or less water. 



50. Chloride of Zinc is a most powerful caustic. It may be used in old sinuses in 



solution, 7 drachms in a i^iut of water. 



Milder Caustics : — 



51. Verdigris, either in powder or mixed with Lard as an ointment, in the proportion 



of 1 to 3. 



52. Red precipitate, ditto, ditto. 



53. Burnt alum, used dry. 



Mild Liquid Caustics : — 



54. Solution of Nitrate of Silver, 5 to 15 grains to the ounce of distilled water. 



55. Solution of Blue Vitriol, of about double the above strength. 



56. Chloride of Zinc, 1 to 3 grains to the ounce of water. 



CHARGES 



Are adhesive plasters which are spread while hot on the legs or other 

 parts, and at once covered with short tow, so as to form a strong and un- 

 yielding support while the horse is at grass. 



57. Ordinary Cuarges : 



Burguiuiy pitch 4 ounces. 



Barbadoes Tar 6 ounces. 



Beeswax 2 ounces. 



Bed Lead . '. . 4 ounces. 



The three first are to be melted togctlier, and afterwards the lead is to be added. 

 The mixture is to be kept constantly stirred until sufficiently cold to be amilied. 

 If too stiff (which will dciicnd upon tlic weather), it may be softened by the addition 

 of a little Lard or Oil. 



