466 DOCKING. 



wound, it will continue to penetrate deeper into the part, and the healing 

 process will never be accomplished. On these accounts, a seton passed 

 through the base of the ulcer in poll-e^al and fistulous withers is of so 

 much benefit. 



Setons are sometimes useful by promoting a discharge in the neighbour- 

 hood of an inflamed part, and thus diverting and carrying away a portion 

 of the fluids which distend or overload the vessels of that part -, thus a 

 seton is placed with considerable advantage in the cheek, when the eyes 

 are much inflamed. We confess, however, that we prefer a rowel under 

 the jaw. 



With this view, and to excite a new and different inflammation in the 

 neighbourhood of a part ah'eady inflamed, and especially so deeply seated 

 and so diflficult to be reached as the navicular joint, a seton has occasion- 

 ally been used with manifest benefit, but we must peremptorily object to 

 the indiscriminate use of the frog-seton for almost every disease of the 

 frog or the foot. 



In inflammations of extensive organs setons afford only feeble aid 

 Their action is too circumscribed, and they are only really valuable when 

 used in combination with the blister. 



On the principle of exciting the absorbents to action for the removal of 

 tumours, as spavin or splint, a blister is quicker in its action, and far more 

 efiectual than any seton. Firing is stni more usefal. 



DOCKING. 



The shortening of the tail of the horse is an operation which fashion 

 and the convenience of the rider require to be performed on most of these 

 animals. The length of the dock, or stump, is a matter of mere caprice. 

 To the close- cropped tail of the waggon-horse, however, we decidedly 

 object, from its perfect ugliness, and because the animal is deprived of 

 every defence against a thousand tortures. The supposition that the 

 blood which would have gone to the nourishment of the tail causes 

 greater development and strength in tb e quarters, is too absurd to deserve 

 terious refutation. It is the rump of the animal being wholly uncovered, 

 and not partly hidden by the intervention of the tail, that gives a false 

 appearance of increased bulk. The plan has however become entirely 

 obsolete, and is now alluded to merely to show how recently such thought- 

 less cruelties were indulged in. 



The operation is simple. That joint is searched for which is the 

 nearest to the desired length of tail. The hair is then turned up, and 

 tied round mth tape for an inch or two above this joint ; and that which 

 lies immediately upon the joint is cut off". The horse need not be fettered 

 with the side-line, but with merely the twitch on the nose, and the near 

 fore-leg held up ; the veterinary surgeon with his docking-machine cuts 

 through the tail at one stroke. Considerable bleeding ensues, and frightens 

 the timid and the ignorant ; but if the blood were suffered to flow on until 

 it ceased of its own accord, the colt, and especially if he were veiy young, 

 would rarely be seriously injured. The hair being loosened and dropped 

 over the joint, a small pledget of tow moistened with a Httle tincture 

 of myrrh or aloes is placed on the wound, the hair tied over it, and by the 

 pressure thus simply applied, the hsemorrhage ceases. The next morning the 

 string may be cut, the pledget allowed to drop off", and no fui-ther care is 

 required. Contrast this humane, rational, and simple treatment with the 

 system adopted by the farrier, and, shameful to say, not by the farrier 

 only, even of the present day, of stopping the bleeding by the apphcation 

 of a red-hot iron to the stump : the horse plunging and rushing round the 

 forge or stable, and the operator valiantly following, alternately brandish- 



