104 REMEDIES FOR SPAVIN. 



GIVING THE FIRE, AND THE CAUTERY *." In it we learn, that 

 " to promote the cure," authors have pitched upon a twofold 

 remedy, viz. the lessening of the quantity of hlood, and the burn- 

 ing of the cautery, by which relaxed parts are strengthened and 

 confirmed, the cautery being *' the very last thing to he done for 

 performing the cure." " The burning constringes or binds fast the 

 parts that are relaxed," — " takes clean away cankered sores," — 

 '•' recalls to their own natural state the parts of the body which 

 from any cause whatsoever have been disordered, and put out of 

 their natural state ;" — '' for when you have broken the skin with 

 the red-hot iron, all. the distempered matter is concocted and ma- 

 turated, and, being dissolved by the benefit of the fire, runs out 

 with the humour through the holes made by the cautery, and so 

 the disorder is cured, and the pain removed." — '' But you must 

 know that cauteries made of COPPER are more effectual to per- 

 form a cure than those made of iron." — " Sometimes (in firing) the 

 points of the cautery are thrust into the part. Sometimes the 

 red-hot iron is drawn along so as to form the similitude of a line 

 or of little palm branches; for in this the skill of the horse-doctor 

 is commended, if he cures the animal with the cautery, so as not 

 to deform it. But according to the place where the distemper 

 lies, and to the state and condition of the skin, the cauteries are 

 impressed with more force, or more lightly," — " * * the cure ought 

 first to be attempted by letting blood, drenches, ointments, &c. ; 

 and if they are of no benefit, last of all the fire is applied." 



SOLLEYSELLt entertains strange notions about the influence of 

 the moon on fired horses, directing that the '' fire" be given, un- 

 less in cases " of extream necessity," always '' during the wane 

 of the moon." " The best time," he says, " is about five or six 

 days after the full moon." — SoUeysell appeared to have reason to 

 dread deep firing ; for he cautions us against " piercing the skin 

 with red-hot knives,'' as he calls the firing-irons; his rules of 

 proceeding being to — " 1. Press not too hard upon the part. 2. 

 Let the knife be red hot, not flaming. 3. Let it be heated in a 



* Chap, xxviii, p. 57, of the English translation, by the " Author of Colu- 

 mella Translated." London, 1748. 



I Compleat Horseman, Hope's Translation, edit, ii, pp. 283<6. 



