BLEEDING. 345 



another way of using the side-line — the horse may appear to be more secure ; but 

 there is greater danger of his falling in his violent struggles during the operation. 



For castrating and severe firing, the animal must be thrown. The safety of the 

 horse, and of the operator, will require the use of the improved hobbles, by which any 

 leg may be released from confinement, and returned to it at pleasure ; and, when the 

 operation is ended, the whole of the legs may be set at liberty at once, without 

 danger. The method of putting the legs as closely together as possible before the 

 pull — the necessity of the assistants all pulling together — and the power which one 

 man standing at the head, and firmly holding the snaffle-bridle, and another at the 

 haunch, pushing the horse when he is beginning to fall, have in bringing him on the 

 proper side, and on the very spot on which he is intended to lie, need not to be 

 described. It will generally be found most convenient to throw the patients on the 

 oif side, turning them over when it is required. This, however, is a method of 

 securing the horse to which we repeat that we are not partial, and to which we should 

 not resort, except necessity compelled ; for in the act of falling, and in the struggles 

 after falling, many accidents have occurred, both to the horse and the surgeon.* 



Among the minor methods of restraint, but suificient for many purposes, are the 

 tivitch and the barnacles. The former consists of a noose passed through a hole at the 

 end of a strong stick, and in which the muzzle is inclosed. The stick being turned 

 round, the muzzle is securely retained, while the horse suffers considerable pain from 

 the pressure — sufficiently great, indeed, to render him comparatively inattentive to 

 that which is produced by the operation ; at the same time he is afraid to strugsfle, for 

 every motion increases the agony caused hy the twitch, or the assistant has power to 

 increase it by giving an additional turn to the stick. 



The degree of pain produced by tlie application of the twitch should never be for- 

 gotten or unnecessarily increased. In no case should it be resorted to when milder 

 measures would have the desired effect. Grooms and horsekeepers are too much in 

 the habit of having recourse to it when they have a somewhat troublesome horse to 

 manage. The degree of useless torture which is thus inflicted in large establishments 

 is dreadful ; and the temper of many a horse is too frequently completely spoiled. 



The harnades are the handles of the pincers placed over and inclosing the muzzle, 

 and which, being compressed by the assistant, give pain almost equal to that of the 

 twitch. These may appear to be barbarous modes of enforcing submission, but they 

 are absolutely indispensable. In a few instances the blindfolding of the horse terri 

 fies him into submission ; but this is not to be depended upon. The twitch should bo 

 resorted to when the least resistance is offered ; and when that, as it occasionally does, 

 renders the horse more violent, recourse must be had to the side-line or the hobbles. 



In the painful examination of the fore-leg- or foot while on the ground, the other 

 foot should be held up by an assistant; or, if his aid is required in an operation, tho 

 knee may be fully bent, and the pastern tied up to the arm. When the hind-leg is 

 to be examined in the same way, the fore-leg on that side should be held or fastened 

 up. 



BLEEDING. 



The operation of bleeding has been already described (p. 189), but we would remind 

 our readers of the necessity, in every case of acute inflammation, of making a large 

 orifice, and abstracting the blood as rapidly as possible, for the constitution will thus 

 be the more speedily and beneficially affected ; and also of the propriety of never 

 determining to take a precise quantity of blood, but of keeping the finger on the artery 

 until the pulse begins to falter, or the strong beating of fever becomes softer, or the 

 animal is faint, or the oppressed pulse of inflammation of the lung;s is rounder and 

 fuller. 



In cases of inflammation, and in the hands of a skilful practitioner, bleedinir is the 

 sheet-anchor of the veterinarian ; yet few things are more to be reprobated than the 

 indiscriminate bleeding of the groom or the farrier. 



The change which takes place in the blood after it is drawn from the vein is dili- 

 gently noticed by many practitioners, and is certainly deserving of some attention. 



* The safest and best hobbles, are those invented by Mr. Gloasr, and improved by Mr. Daws, 

 ae represented in the Veterinarian, vo' x. p. 108, and vol. xi. p. 163. The thumb-screw (fig. 3) 

 should, however, be inverted. 



2t 



