130 TREATMENT OF INFLAMMATION. 



swelling, will often be found highly advantageous. It pro- 

 duces small pustules upon the surface, swells the part, and 

 will, if continued, occasion the skin to peel off. 



ROWELS AND SETONS. 



These are but different modes of employing counter-irri- 

 tation : the principle is still derivation in the form of puru- 

 lent issue. Some horses, or horses in certain peculiar 

 states of body, are so extremely irritable that a rowel or 

 seton, a few hours after its insertion, occasions such a fear- 

 ful amount of inflammation, with effusion, and swelling, in 

 the subcutaneous cellular tissue, that the rowel or seton 

 is necessitated to be withdrawn ; and the parts to be fomented 

 — if possible poulticed — and, perhaps, treated as a common 

 injury. 



As regards the principle, we are fully borne out, whe- 

 ther we prescribe a blister, a rowel, or a seton; a cir- 

 cumstance that reconciles the apparent differences among 

 veterinarians, with respect to the use of these three modes of 

 counter-irritation. They are but different modes of accom- 

 plishing the same end. There is, however, this to be said 

 in regard to their employment ; the expeditious action of a 

 blister renders it suitable for cases of inflammation; the 

 tardy operation of the rowel or seton, fits them more espe- 

 cially for cases of an established character. Much idle dis- 

 cussion has taken place on the comparative efficacy of 

 blisters or rowels, and rowels or setons. Certainly, cases 

 do occur where it is quite unimportant which we make 

 use of: we may, however, do great good by combining 

 them, or employing them in succession, and in different 

 places. Under many forms of inflammation, neither rowels 

 nor setons will take effect ; we therefore, from necessity, use 

 blisters. 



The Insertion of a Rowel is an operation of great sim- 

 plicity. The object is to introduce a foreign body under- 

 neath the skin, which by its presence will irritate, and con- 

 sequently provoke the secretion of pus, that will drain off 



