322 TREATMENT OF LAMENESS. 



with the vehicle when it is nearly cold : an ointment so pre- 

 pared will require three times the quantity of cantharides, 

 The heat melts the cantharidine. 



Hints upon Uistering generally. — No more than two legs are 

 to be blistered at one time, and three weeks at least must be 

 allowed to elapse before the others are blistered, and between 

 each re-application. It is bad practice to blister extensively in 

 very hot weather ; and it is a mistake to suppose that blisters 

 to the loins and back are more apt to irritate the urinary organs 

 than when applied to any other part of the body, provided that 

 it be carefully and properly done. 



The evil results of blistering are — 



1st. The production of strangury, by the absorbed cantharidine 

 irritating the urinary passes. This is a very rare occurrence, 

 provided the blister has been applied to a moderate extent of 

 surface ; but if four legs, or even two, be very extensively 

 blistered at one time, the occurrence of such may be laid down 

 to the indiscretion of the practitioner. In some cases, however, 

 very moderate blistering is followed by strangury, and when it 

 does occur, it is best treated thus : — First wash the blistered 

 surface with warm water, in which a little alkali has been dis- 

 solved ; dress it with oil ; give the animal demulcents to drink, 

 such as cold linseed tea ; and administer a few doses of opium 

 and bicarbonate of soda. 



2d. The production of a considerable amount of nervous 

 irritability, fidgetiness, quickened pulse, and injected mucous 

 membranes, with loss of appetite. These symptoms are due 

 to a nervous temperament ; and if not very severe, had better 

 not be interfered with. Should they become alarming, the 

 animal must be treated as in the first instance ; the fomenta- 

 tions being continued for a longer period to the legs. It may 

 be here mentioned that fomentations should not be hot, but 

 soothingly warm. 



Zd. Sometimes blisters, no matter how carefully applied, 

 produce excessive swellings of the limb or limbs, with a ten- 

 dency to suppuration and sloughing of the skin. These re- 

 sults are generally due to the animal being in bad health, 

 and in a condition tending to anasarca or to erysipelatous 

 disease. The treatment must consist of purgatives or diuretics, 

 as the case may be, fomentations, astringent lotions, and gentle 



