340 CURB. 



tion present : all that we can do by way of approach to it, is, sup- 

 posing the inflammation to run high and the lameness to be exces- 

 sive, to open the femoral vein, or else pare the foot of the curbed 

 limb, and draw blood from the toe. It is not often, however, that 

 it is deemed necessary to abstract blood. On the contrary, it not in- 

 frequently happens, in a case of curb taken under treatment at the 

 moment of or soon after its occurrence, that the fomentation and 

 the high-calking shoe, and the physic together, effect a cure, or at 

 least succeed in restoring soundness. 



A SPEEDY AND VERY EFFECTIVE MODE OF TREATMENT for 

 what is called by farriers ** taking off a curb," is, with the employ- 

 ment of the high shoe, after well fomenting the swollen part, to 

 apply immediately to it the acetum, cantharidum (which has the 

 same effect as what goes under the name of Lemans essence). 

 Simply wetting the hair with it by means of a painter's brush, and 

 afterwards tying the horse's head up for the night, is all that is 

 required. In the morning, the discharge caused by the vesicatory 

 may be sponged off by renewed fomentation ; and this ought to 

 be repeated day by day afterwards for a few days; at the expira- 

 tion of which, the physic having worked well in the interval, it 

 mostly happens that the horse will be found fit to resume his work. 

 This treatment for hunters, who are very apt to throw out curbs 

 in their work, and whose services are required speedily again, and 

 in as unreduced a state of condition as possible, is particularly in 

 request. It is certainly the most speedy way I know of to remove 

 the lameness of curb ; at the same time it cannot be lauded as the 

 plan of treatment most likely to restore enduring or permanent 

 soundness. 



About cooling and discutient Lotions nothing has been 

 said, because for the most part they require the application of a 

 cloth or bandage ; and this, in curb, is no very practicable matter ; 

 else, there is no reason why cold applications and evaporating and 

 discutient lotions should not avail as much in curb as in any other 

 description of sprain ; and there are practitioners who make use of 

 them (they say, efficient use) by keeping the hair over the inflamed 

 parts continually wetted with the lotion employed. Ice, no doubt, 

 would be an excellent application for an inflamed curb, could it be 



