COUNTER-IRRITANTS. 319 



In all painful affections, warm fomentations or poultices must, 

 as a rule, be prescribed ; in the course of some days, however, if 

 the pain is subsiding, and the parts seemingly relaxed, much 

 benefit will be obtained by making a change to cold, mild astrin- 

 gents, and bandages, to promote absorption of the exudate. 



The congested ca^^illaries may be relieved by local bleeding, 

 but the parts upon which such an operation is performed are 

 very few, except about the coronet or the foot. An incision 

 into the coronary plexus will reach the vessels at once ; the 

 utility of this is, however, very doubtful, except in rare cases. 

 Bleeding at the toe, although much practised by some, is not to 

 be commended. 



Purgatives are very useful during the first stages of lame- 

 ness, reducing the inflammation ; a full dose of aloes may be 

 given with advantage, the diet being properly regulated, and 

 restricted to bran-mashes, a little hay, and the water to be 

 chilled. 



After the acute signs of inflammation have subsided, if the 

 lameness still remains, the application of the so-called counter- 

 irritants will be rendered necessary. 



These consist of rubefacients, blisters, setons, and the actual 

 cautery. The action of these remedies differs only in degree, 

 in rapidity, and in permanence, not in the nature of the exuda- 

 tion which they produce. 



The theory of counter-irritation is one of great obscurity. It 

 is all very well to say that counter-irritants act by causing 

 metastasis, or a translation of the disease from one part to an- 

 other. I need scarcely here discuss the origin of the idea that 

 it is based upon the assumption that no two inflammations can 

 exist in the system at the same time, and that by exciting a 

 manageable superficial inflammation we counteract or remove 

 the deep-seated and unmanageable one. This theory of counter- 

 ii'ritation is founded upon a false and irrational basis, and has 

 been the means of destroying the lives of thousands of horses. 

 Without entering into any speculative discussion upon the 

 question, superficial irritants are very beneficial in all cases of 

 chronic lameness, whether it be caused by disease in bone, car- 

 tilage, ligament, tendon, or any other structure; and they are 

 often more decidedly beneficial when applied to the diseased 

 structure itself than to the skin covering it. For example, a 



