REMEDIES FOR SPAVIN. 105 



charcoal fire." — " Unless in cases of extream necessity you must 

 never pierce the skin, but only sear it gently, and by degrees, till 

 it be of a reddish colour, resembling a cherry :" — " 'Tis incompa- 

 rably better to make use of a moderately hot knife, and to draw 

 the same stroke five or six times over, than to make it at one 

 dash with a very hot knife." — " Seven or eight days before the 

 application of the fire, the parts must be softened either with 

 baths or fomentations." — " The part being softened, you must 

 proceed to give the fire gently, but dexterously, according to the 

 nature and situation of the part, either in the form of a feather, 

 rose, shield, palm of the hand, or any other convenient figure." — 

 *' The fire thus dexterously and lightly given to a part that is al- 

 ready softened, will produce a much more considerable effect 

 than the most violent fire that can be applied without a due pre- 

 paration of the part by softening remedies." — " You must give the 

 fire with a knife that has a pretty thin edge, but rather round 

 than sharp, and always rub it on a piece of wood when you take 

 it out of the fire, for the ashes that stick to it would cut and fester 

 the skin. You must also observe to follow the hair, that it may 

 cover the marks after the sores are healed. Thus, for example, 

 when you have occasion to give fire on the sinews of the fore legs, 

 you must draw a line or rose downwards, between the sinew and 

 the bone on both sides, and three or four more upon the sinews at 

 equal distances, rather than imitate those who draw cross lines, 

 as if they were going to broil a fish."- — " I have hitherto used 

 copper knives with very good success, and I shall always prefer 

 them before gold, though not before silver." — " The effect of the 

 fire lasts twenty-seven days, which may be divided into three 

 equal periods, for its agglutination, state, and declination." — 

 " 'T would be convenient to let the horse repose all the while. 

 But the shortest time of rest that can be allowed on this occasion 

 is eighteen days." — Not even gentle walking exercise, half an 

 hour daily, which will cause the fire to " operate more vigorously," 

 must be commenced until " eighteen days after giving the fire." — 

 *' I may justly reckon myself among the number," adds Solleysell, 

 " who have brought this method (firing) into fashion at Paris;" — 

 and " I think I may be allowed to say" — " I have done a consider- 



VOL. IV. P 



