118 



BANDAGE FOR POLL-EVIL 



of the cellular membrane, thickened by the disorder. (See Book I. Sect. 27. 

 page 28.) In this event, the tumour has become decidedly fistulous, and is to 

 be treated as such, when the great length of <,ime it may have been suifered 

 to make head, and its now extended surface^ warrant that conclusion. The 

 knife is almost the only remedy, notwithstanding the superficial tumour will 

 in some cases break and discharge matter of itself; this, however, never hap- 

 pens with the deep-seated abscess, which lies close to the bone, and destroys 

 not only it, but the muscular substance of the poll, and the end of the cervica. 

 ligament also. In these series of abscess or fistulous tumour, nothing but the 

 knife can ever reach the disorder, and it must be employed fearlessly, but with 

 a commensurate share of skill, after the skin has been prepared with fomen- 

 ta\ioiis, &c. Let the parts be softened and drawn with poultice of oatmeal, 

 put on lukewarm, twice a day ; and if the effect be not visible to the eye and 

 touch, as before described, increase the powers of the poultice by the addition 

 of onion chopped and mixed with the poultice whilst warm. Or, a mere 

 change may be adopted, and a bread poultice applied instead ; for, notwith- 

 standing oatmeal is stronger, yet 1 have occasionally found the milder have 

 more effect when the former had not succeeded entirely according to my wish. 

 The poultice should be provided in sufficient quantity to cover the whole 

 swelling two inches thick at least, having a small quantity of sweet oil, hog's 

 lard, or oil of turpentine mixed therewith. Fix it on by means of a contri- 

 vance that is sufficiently explained by the annexed cut, in which it will be 

 seen that the girth is to have a web breasting, to which the lateral corners of 

 the cloth are to be attached by broad tapes, as was explained in another simi- 

 lar case at pages 79 and 114. 



I have here represented the bandage rather longer than requisite, under the 

 presumption that it may occasionally be applied to other affections farther back ; 

 a prolongation of the bandage may be affixed at either end, either plain or 

 plaited, according to the amount of the swelling. 



When the symptoms above stated inform our senses that the matter ought 

 to be so "let out," an opening is to be made the whole length of the abscess, a 

 little below its centre; taking especial care that the knife do not pass cross- 

 wise, lest the attachment of the cervicular ligament to the first (vertebrae) bone 

 should be severed ; in which case the animal would droop its head ever after 



