DOCTORING. 267 



inducing any of that bodily discomfort or constitutional 

 weakness which throws the animal out of condition, and 

 renders complete rest an absolute necessity for recovery. 



BHstering is a very common recipe for a variety of ills. 

 About once in every score of cases in which it is tried the 

 result proves that the experiment was justifiable — yet, it 

 cannot be denied that there are times at which the remedy 

 may in every way be suited to the disease. Blisters are, 

 however, far too powerfully compounded ; instead of being 

 so severe as to take off hair and skin together, they ought 

 to be diluted with quite three times their bulk of either 

 soap-solution or bland oil. To fire an animal and then 

 blister him is a piece of barbarity which no educated or 

 feeling person would ever permit. Fancy searing the 

 legs of a timid creature with a fiery iron, and then setting 

 a man with a coarse rough hand to rub into the raw and 

 quivering flesh the fearful blistering substances which are 

 unfortunately in only too common use. No wonder that 

 the sufferer moans in its agonies, and paws the earth, and 

 sweats and shivers from the extremity of its torture ; and 

 after all, if people will only believe it, the treatment is 

 (for any and every evil) most palpably wrong. Simultaneous 

 firing and blistering cannot effect good, except in the opinion 

 of ignorant grooms and farriers; therefore, such unspeak- 

 able cruelty ought never to be permitted. 



It should be remembered, when blistering, that the action 

 of the remedy depends more on the amount of friction 

 employed in applying the agent, than on the bulk of 

 vesicatory stuff employed. Brisk rubbing will be highly 



