PURGATldN. 303 



taken, any farther than that the neck veins 

 are mofl; convenient for the purpofe, and there- 

 fore Had always better be ufed. 



It were to be wifhed, that the old, rude, 

 Patagonian method, of forcibly driving a fharp 

 inllrumcnt into the body of a horfe, with a 

 club, or blood-flick, could be totally abolilhed ; 

 but there certainly is fome difficulty in the 

 cafe, at lead with common operators. With 

 veterinary furgeons in general, I believe the 

 practice has ceafed, but the ufe of the fpring- 

 fleam is, I underftand, ftlU attended with in- 

 convenience ; and I have been told by a gentle- 

 man in the habit of bleedinor horfes, that he 

 can perform the operation eafiefl and beft, 

 with a common fmall lancet. I can readily 

 believe fuch to be the bell method, after a 

 little pra6lice (hall have made a Heady and 

 fkliful hand. Every one acquainted with 

 horfes, knows enough of the inconvenience; 

 and dangers of the ancient method ; fometimes 

 a horfe is ftruck incffettually half a dozen 

 times, flipping his head afide at every flroke, 

 until the feventh ; when the bufmefs is don^, 

 too effetlually, and the vein divided, an artery 

 or perhaps a tendon wounded ; Pnould the 

 operation be upon the plate, or thigh-veins, 

 fuch an accident might be fatal. I chanced to 

 be at the college awhile ago, where I faw a 

 horfe, which had been treated in this manner 



by 



