Chap. LXXVIII. Of Splents andOJlets. 235 



good Poultice made of the Roots of Marfh-mallows, Bean- 

 flour, Fenugreek and Lin feed Powder, and fuch-like, with 

 a fufficient Quantity of Ointment of Marfh-mallows ; and 

 then the Matter may be difcharged as from a common 

 Boil or Impofthume, by making a ftreight Incifion upon it 

 from below upvv'ard. But if a more expeditious Method be 

 requir'd, the Cauilick Ointment, inferted in the 71ft Chap- 

 ter, may be apply'd, with the necefi'ary Precautions, obfer- 

 ving further, not to continue it longer than an Efcar is form- 

 ed by it ; or the following Method out o^ Solhyfell may be 

 comply'd with, which is very eafy. 



" Shave the Hair, knock, rub, and foften the Splent ; 

 " then take a piece of the Rind of Bacon, not very fat, 

 *' and lay it on the Part with the fat Side outwards -, after- 

 *' wards apply a flat Cautery, or red-hot Iron, of the 

 *' Bignefs of a Shilling, holding it upon the Skin, and in 

 *' the mean Time order another Iron to be heated, which 

 " mud be apply'd on another Part of the Skin, but ftill 

 " over the Splent, continue after the fame Manner till the 

 " Swelling be diilblved ; then lay a Plaifter over it, and 

 •' Shavings of Cloth over that, taking Care that the Horfe 

 *' do not bite it off. 



But one thing is very material after the Removal of a 

 Splent, and that is, to keep a firm Bandage over the Part 

 for fome time, to prevent its Return ; for unlefs the Parts 

 be kept very clofe, the fame Matter which breeds it at firil, 

 will be apt to ingender it again. When the Bone happens 

 to be laid bare, it muft be treated according to the Method 

 laid down in the Cute of Wounds. 



The Cure of a Splent is hardly to be attempted, if the 

 Horfe be grown old, for the Matter becomes then fo hard, 

 that there is no Way to make it yield, without running a 

 very great Hazard ; neither is it curable when the Difeafe 

 is in the Bone j for albeit this is fometimes miilaken for a 

 Splent, yet it is, for the moft Part, no other than what pro- 

 ceeds from a Caries , or an Ulcer in the Bone, which in time 

 has been healed, and grows into a flinty hard Subftance : 

 This may be known by its bunching out and Unevennefs, 

 and by its Hardnefs. 



The OJIets are more diflicult and hard to be cur'd than 

 Splents, becaufe of their Situation among the fmall Bones 

 which are in the Joint, and are therefore only to be attempt- 

 ed by giving the Fire, though even that is not always atten- 

 ded with Succefs. But ihofe are rarely to be met with. 



CHAP. 



