198 THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 



to bind up ; but, for all cuts or strains of more than 

 ordinary severity, the sovereign remedy, hot water, 

 will be found to answer, beyond all others, in allaying 

 inflammation ; not only preventing the increase of evil, 

 but, in many instances, serving in itself for a cure. In 

 mentioning its wonderful effect upon lameness in horses, 

 I should have added the fact, that if broken knees are 

 dihgently fomented till a whitish film, or slough* super- 

 venes, it is rarely that they are blemished. For hounds 

 shaken in the shoulders, or otherwise injured in work, 

 there is nothing to equal a warm bath on the simple 

 plan which I give at the head of this chapter, not as an ori- 

 ginal invention, or as being very uncommon ; but because, 

 in my visits to different kennels this summer, I have found 

 none so provided. It consists of a wooden contrivance, 

 in shape such as represented in the preceding sketch, 

 in breadth capable of admitting a couple of hounds 

 abreast, with two slight moveable bars of iron cross- 

 ing the top, to prevent an exit or change of position. 

 Hounds may stand thus, on the day after hunting, or, 

 if necessary, before their rest on their return, for any 

 given time ; and unless too suddenly exposed impro- 

 perly to cold air, are not more liable afterwards to 

 cold or rheumatism. It is absurd to suppose that 

 hounds will be more hardy, and less liable to the 



* "Slough — The part that separates from a foul sore." — Johnson. "At 

 the next dressing, I found a slough come away with the dressings, which was 

 the sordes." — Wiseman. 



