TREATMENT OF INFLAMMATION. 67 



cause still remain, the duty of the practitioner is to effect 

 its removal as speedily and as effectually as possible. This 

 having been accomplished, the inflammation may be subdued 

 by comparatively slight means, and with little danger to the 

 patient. But if this important preliminary be neglected or 

 imperfectly performed, the most powerful remedial measures 

 may be employed with no avail. If, for example, the practi- 

 tioner be called to a case of lameness caused by a foreign 

 body in the foot, or by pressure of the shoe upon some one 

 particular spot, he will remove that shoe or that foreign 

 body, give an outlet to the serum or pus which it may have 

 created, and by a gentle purge, a poultice, and rest, dissipate 

 all the formidable symptoms, the local inflammation, and the 

 general fever. But, on the other hand, if he leaves the foreign 

 body in the inflamed part; neglects to give an outlet to the 

 discharge ; gives purgatives and sedatives ; bleeds, foments, 

 and poultices ; blisters, or pursues all the most heroic methods 

 of treatment — what will be the result ? Increase of the lame- 

 ness, of the local inflammation, and of the accompanying 

 fever; and if death of the animal does not ensue, the pus 

 will force its way out at the coronet, disconnecting the hoof 

 from the sensitive foot, and producing such a morbid con- 

 dition of the part as may take a long time to recover. This 

 is not a fanciful illustration, as the majority of practitioners 

 can bear testimony, and some of them to their cost and 

 annoyance. Let it be remembered that the first step in the 

 treatment of every disease, whether surgical or medical, is to 

 remove the cause: all treatment is of minor importance com- 

 pared with this. " Eemove the cause, and the effect will 

 cease," is an old maxim which should never be forgotten by 

 the veterinary surgeon. When the cause has been as effec- 

 tually removed as may be in his power, he will be in a 

 position to proceed with remedial measures. Those which are 

 opposed to the advance and persistence of inflammation, are 

 termed antiphlogistians ; and one of the most important of 

 these is blood-letting, which is of two kinds, namely, local and 

 general. 



Until a recent period, bleeding was considered by almost all 

 as the great thing needful in all acute inflammatory affections — 

 that it cut short as weU as cured every inflammation. I shall 



