BLISTERING. 



323 



exercise, as soon as the pain is sufficiently subsided to admit 

 ot tlie animal being moved about. In many cases the swellinc-s 

 involve the sheath of the penis and the under surface of the 

 abdomen. Punctures are very useful in such parts, by allow- 

 ing the escape of the contained fluid. I have seen tetanus 

 arise from a very limited blister to one fore leg 



It is necessary to tie tlie horse's head to the rack after a 

 Wister has been applied, in order that lie may not bite it 

 or lick It with his lips or tongue, and thus blister the mouth 

 and blemish the blistered spot. It is also necessarv to tie the 

 head so that the horse cannot lie down, for if he li^s upon the 

 Mistered limb the vesicant will adhere to that part of the body 

 brought m contact with it whilst the animal is recumbent, and 

 produce an effect upon it as well as upon the part to which it 

 has been purposely applied. If the blistered spot be within 

 reach of the tail, the tail should be tied up, or it is apt to 

 become daubed, and the blister whipped on to the thighs, sheath 

 or mammary gland. ' 



If the effects are not sufficiently apparent in about thirty 

 hours after the blister has been applied, a very little more or 

 what IS remaining on the skin, which may be sufficient, should 

 be gently rubbed in ; and in about forty-eight hours after the 

 application the part is to be waslied, and every trace of the 

 blister removed; a little oU being now applied, or, what suits 

 pediaps better, an emulsion of sweet oil, carbonate of potash 

 and water. It is a mistake to keep the parts soft too Ion"' 

 the eschars should be aUowed to accumulate, and to desquamate 

 gradually. ^ 



When the head is untied from the rack, a cradle must be 

 put on the anmial's neck to prevent him from biting the blistered 

 spot A cradle is, however, useless when the lower part of 

 the fore legs is blistered, since the animal can elevate his feet 

 Irom the ground, and thus get at them with his teeth; and 

 when he is lying the cradles are of very little use when a blister 

 IS below the knee. In such cases the best method is to keep 

 the head tied up until a thick scab is formed, which will destroy 

 itchiness in the part. 



Firing, or the application of the actual cautery, is supposed 

 by some to be beneficial in acting as a suppurant, and by others 

 m lormmg a permanent bandage round the part; but I appre- 



