214 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



the shoes, and make a free use of hot or cold applications 

 to alhiy irritation. It is better to place the animal in a loose- 

 box having a soft floor than on 2)asture ; by doing this the 

 animal is not able to move about a great deal, and the 

 articulation is thereby kept quiet, an important considera- 

 tion in the treatment of all joint affections. After the irri- 

 tation is allayed, a free use of counter-irritants is to be 

 recommended. As a vesicant there is nothing better than 

 the ungt. hydrarg. binipd., vi^hich may be washed off in three 

 or four days, and another application of the same kind 

 made, and so on as long as may be deemed necessary. It 

 must be borne in mind that the treatment recommended is 

 not to remove the enlargement, if any be present, nor is it 

 pursued with a view of restoring the hock to its normal con- 

 dition ; on the contrary, it is intended to set up a new, or 

 increase' the existing, inflammatory action, and thereby 

 hasten the process of anchylosis. The actual cautery, as the 

 firing-iron, is the last resort in the treatment of spavin, 

 is probably the best, and is certainly the most efficacious, of 

 all methods of treatment; the bunting-iron or feathering- 

 iron, i^referably the former, may be used. There is also 

 another very useful kind of firing-iron wath five or six 

 points. In large spavins the iron is to be used freely, so as 

 to set up considerable irritation. Place a twitch upon the 

 lip, or in some cases it may be necessary, and in all cases 

 no more than prudent, to cast the animal to control him 

 whilst being fired. If the feathering-iron be used the strokes 

 should not be made too close together, or sloughing will be 

 almost certain to follow. The pointed or bunting-iron is very 

 useful in many cases, especially where the spavin is of large 

 size. Having heated it, it should be inserted well into the 

 enlargement, and no danger of untoward results need be 

 apprehended. From three to half a dozen points may be 

 made. This iron is useful when the irritation is circum- 



